Is my employer required to pay for my annual flight ticket in the UAE?

An annual home flight ticket is not a blanket statutory entitlement under the UAE federal Labour Law (Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021) the way annual leave itself is. Whether you receive a paid ticket usually depends on your employment contract and your company's policy. Many UAE employers do offer an annual or biennial ticket, and where your contract promises one, that contractual promise is enforceable — the employer must honour what it agreed in writing. The law does, however, require the employer to bear the cost of the worker's repatriation at the end of service in defined circumstances, which is separate from a yearly holiday ticket. The practical step is to read your contract and offer letter closely: if a ticket benefit is stated, you can hold the employer to it. If a contractual ticket is being withheld, you can raise the matter with the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE). For contract interpretation, you can consult verified UAE legal professionals on LEXAI.