Gulf Standard (GST)
Dubai operates on Gulf Standard (GST). This time zone does not observe Daylight Saving Time.
Time Zone: Gulf Standard Time (GST) — Standard Offset: UTC+4 (GST) — DST: Not observed
Country: United Arab Emirates
This city does not observe Daylight Saving Time. The UTC offset remains constant year-round, which simplifies international scheduling.
Dubai and the entire UAE do not observe Daylight Saving Time. The time is always UTC+4, year-round. This consistency is a scheduling advantage — you never need to recalculate the offset. However, the gap with DST-observing countries changes twice yearly. Dubai is 4 hours ahead of London in winter (GMT) but only 3 hours ahead during British Summer Time. Similarly, the gap with New York shifts between 9 hours (summer) and 8 hours (winter) — wait, it's the reverse: Dubai is ahead, so during New York's summer, Dubai is 8 hours ahead.
Dubai's UTC+4 time zone places it at a strategic crossroads between European and Asian business hours. When Dubai opens at 9 AM GST, London is at 5 AM GMT (6 AM BST) — meaning by mid-morning Dubai, London's markets have opened. At the same time, 9 AM Dubai catches Mumbai at 10:30 AM and Hong Kong at 1 PM. This overlap with both European and Asian markets is a key reason Dubai has become a global business hub, particularly in finance, logistics, and trade.
The UAE's weekend shifted from Friday-Saturday to Saturday-Sunday in January 2022, aligning more closely with global markets. This change maximized the UAE's trading overlap with both Western and Asian economies. Previously, the Friday-Saturday weekend meant only a 4-day overlap with Western markets. The shift to Saturday-Sunday gives Dubai full overlap Monday through Friday with every major global market, further cementing its role as an international business bridge.
For US-based teams, the Dubai window is tight. A 5 PM Dubai meeting (the end of their business day) is 8 AM in New York or 5 AM in Los Angeles — early but doable for East Coast. The London-Dubai overlap is more comfortable: 10 AM to 6 PM Dubai covers 6 AM to 2 PM London. For India, the overlap is even easier — Dubai is only 1.5 hours behind Mumbai, making real-time collaboration simple throughout the business day.