On February 14, 2025, taxi demand increased by 10 per cent compared to a typical February weekday, as couples combined evening plans with regular workday travel.
Hala, Dubai’s e-hailing taxi service, has released anonymised data showing how residents travelled around the city on Valentine’s Day 2025, revealing a shift towards local celebrations and extended evening plans.
Valentine's Day
AI Generated
Valentine’s Day is an annual festival observed on February 14, originating from the Roman festival of Lupercalia. It is a day dedicated to expressing love and affection, often marked by the exchange of gifts, cards, and flowers between romantic partners and loved ones.
JBR recorded the highest increase in evening taxi demand, with trips rising by 25 per cent compared to a regular Friday.
JBR, Festival City top Dubai Valentine’s Day destinations as taxi demand rises
Festival City saw a 20 per cent increase in evening demand, while Palm Jumeirah and Downtown Dubai each recorded increases of around 14 per cent.
Beachfront destinations at JBR & The Walk, including Bla Bla, Trader Vic’s, La Mezcaleria and resorts such as Address Beach Resort and Ritz-Carlton, drove demand into the late hours.
Downtown Dubai remained popular for couples visiting venues around Burj Khalifa and Dubai Fountain, with destinations including CÉ LA VI, At.mosphere, Address Sky View and Souk Al Bahar dining spots.
Palm Jumeirah continued to attract couples for dining and sunset views, with hotspots including Atlantis The Royal, Aura Sky Pool, Palm West Beach, FIVE Palm and Rixos The Palm.
Dubai Marina saw consistent movement, with couples heading to venues around Pier 7, Marina Harbour and rooftop lounges for dinner and post-dinner activities.
Festival City’s waterfront dining and fountain show drew couples to venues around InterContinental Dubai Festival City and promenade restaurants, while Business Bay attracted visitors to destinations including Prime68, Asia Asia and La Perle.
Deira Creek and Old Dubai continued to draw couples for dhow dinner cruises and creekside dining experiences.
Beyond established destinations, the data shows a shift towards local celebrations. Karama and Oud Metha, along with select zones within Dubai Marina, saw evening taxi demand rise by between 10 and 15 per cent compared to a normal Friday.
“What stood out last Valentine’s Day was how local and how late the city became. Couples weren’t just heading to one destination and calling it a night, they stayed closer to home, moved between neighbourhoods and made the most of Dubai’s diverse dining and social scene well into the evening,” Khaled Nuseibeh, Chief Executive Officer of Hala said in an emailed statement.
Dubai Valentine’s Day 2025: Taxi bookings peak between 10pm and 1am, Hala data shows
Taxi demand began building from 8 pm but peaked between 10 pm and 1 am, later than on a typical Friday night. Bookings after 10 pm were around 30 per cent higher than on a normal Friday.
Despite the surge in demand, 90 per cent of taxi pick-ups were completed in under five minutes.
Hala recorded an increase in lost items across taxis on Valentine’s Day. Electronics accounted for 47 per cent of lost items, with mobile phones alone making up 37 per cent.
Miscellaneous items such as keys, sunglasses and golf clubs accounted for 26 per cent, while wallets, bags and purses made up 21 per cent. Stationery and work essentials accounted for 5 per cent.
Trips taken on Valentine’s Day were shorter than the February average, indicating couples made multiple short journeys throughout the evening rather than longer cross-city trips.
Pick-up and drop-off patterns show that Deira and Business Bay remained active throughout the evening and into the early hours.
