Updated on 22 Oct, 2019
Burj Khalifa is the most iconic building in Dubai, UAE.
At 829.8 meters (2,722 feet), it is the tallest building in the World.
More than two and a half million tourists visit Burj Khalifa’s observation decks every year.
In this article, we explain everything you need to know before you visit the Burj Khalifa.
1. Observation decks
2. Ticket price
3. Why online tickets?
4. Which ticket to buy?
5. Burj Khalifa tickets
6. How to reach?
7. Opening hours
8. Best time to visit
9. Waiting time
10. Tour duration
11. Avoid crowd
Observation decks at Burj Khalifa
There are three observation decks at Burj Khalifa – at Level 124, Level 125, and level 148.
Level 124 and 125 are together known as ‘At the Top, Burj Khalifa.’
And Level 148 is known as ‘At the Top, Burj Khalifa Sky.’
Level 124
The observatory at Level 124 is the lowest of all the three observation decks, and the most popular.
This Level of Burj Khalifa is 452 meters (1,483 feet) high and helps experience a mesmerizing view of the Dubai skyline.
The Burj Khalifa At the Top has high powered telescopes to help you get closer to the skyline.
Level 125
Level 125 of Burj Khalifa stands at 456 meters (1,496 feet) and is one Level above the At the Top Observatory on Level 124.
It is a spacious observation deck decorated in Arabic mashrabiya for illuminating 360-degree views from the top.
At Level 125, you can preserve your memories with the help of green screen photography, where reality merges with special effects to create amazing photographs.
On this floor, you can also step into the ‘Dubai: A Falcon’s Eye View’ exhibit to see an exhilarating ariel view of the city – as a flying Falcon would.
To visit both Level 124 and 125, you must buy the Burj Khalifa regular ticket – either the General Admission ticket or the Skip the Line ticket.
Level 148 – At the Top, Burj Khalifa Sky
Level 148 at the top of the Burj Khalifa is the highest observation deck of the World.
It is at 555 meters (1,821 feet) and has an outdoor terrace as well.
At this top floor, a guest Ambassador greets you and takes you on a personalized tour.
You also get refreshments at the famous SKY Lounge.
To enjoy this Burj Khalifa Sky experience, you must book the Burj Khalifa VIP ticket.
Burj Khalifa ticket price
The ticket prices for the Burj Khalifa range between AED 125 and AED
300 for the adults and between AED 95 and AED 300 for the children.
The price you pay for your Burj Khalifa ticket depends on three factors –
1. Observatories you plan to visit
If you plan to visit the Observatories on Level 124 and 125, your tickets will be relatively cheaper.
To go up to Level 148 as well, you must pay a higher price and buy the VIP ticket.
2. Time of your visit
The price of the Burj Khalifa ticket also depends on the time you want to visit the attraction.
Prime hour (4 pm to 6 pm) tickets are costlier than non-prime hour tickets.
The tickets are costlier during these hours because sunset is the best time to be at an observatory.
The setting sun makes for a colorfully stunning Dubai skyline.
3. Type of ticket you buy
There are two types of tickets you can buy – the General Admission ticket or the Skip The Line ticket.
Since Skip The Line Burj Khalifa ticket helps you avoid all the queues and walk right into the building, it is more expensive.
If you are short on time and can afford the high prices, we recommend you go for Skip The Line tickets.
The General Admission ticket is the cheapest ticket you can buy to go up Burj Khalifa.
Best place to buy Burj Khalifa tickets
If you are looking to buy Burj Khalifa tickets, you have two options –
Option 1: Buy them on the day of your visit, at the venue
Option 2: Buy them online in advance
Here are the three reasons why you must buy your tickets online and NOT at the attraction –
Reason 1: If you decide to buy your tickets at the attraction, you must wait in the long line at the ticket counter. Once you have the ticket, you must wait in another line to go up in the elevators. Buying your ticket online helps you skip the first line (at the ticketing counter).
Reason 2: If you are visiting during the peak months, or prime hours, you may reach Burj Khalifa only to find out that all the tickets have sold out.
Since the officials sell only a limited number of tickets for every time slot, ‘Sold out!’ is a message seen often.
Reason 3: When you buy your tickets from the counter at Burj Khalifa, you pay more than three times the price of the online ticket.
For example, the most basic of the tickets costs 125 AED, and at the venue, it costs 400 AED.
Which Burj Khalifa ticket to buy?
While buying Burj Khalifa tickets, you are sure to have lots of doubts.
Should you visit Level 124 and 125 or for Level 148?
What is better – a general admission ticket or a ‘Skip the Line’ ticket?
Which hours are advisable – prime hours or non-prime hours?
At the Top vs At the Top SKY
At the Top ticket = entry to Levels 124 and 125
At the Top Sky ticket = entry to Levels 124, 125 and 148
At the Top Sky ticket is also known as the ‘VIP ticket.’
Besides the bragging rights of having been on the World’s highest observation deck, this VIP ticket also gets you a guided tour of the Observatory and refreshments at the Sky Lounge.
Our Verdict:
The ticket to visit Level 148 is almost three times costlier than the tickets to visit Level 124 and 125.
If you are on a budget holiday, we recommend you stick the lower levels and buy only the At the Top tickets.
However, if money isn’t a concern, but you care about the experience, we highly recommend the Sky Experience at Burj Khalifa.
You must know that visitors can’t stay at Level 148 for as long as they want – there is a time limit of 30 minutes.
General Admission vs Skip the Line
During peak times, the General Admission tickets holders may have to wait for an hour to get into the elevator.
Skip The Line Burj Khalifa tickets helps avoid the crowd and the long lines.
Our Verdict:
If you are planning to visit Burj Khalifa and have a lot of time on your hands, buying the General Admission ticket is the best option.
Skip the Line tickets at Burj Khalifa are almost three times the cost of General Admission tickets.
However, Skip The Line tickets don’t get you access to Level 148 despite being costlier.
That’s why instead, we recommend the next best option – the VIP ticket, which costs only 40 AED more but lets you Skip The Line and visit Level 148 as well.
Prime hours Vs non-prime hours
The Burj Khalifa ticket prices vary according to the time of entry to the building.
The ticket prices for entry at prime hours are around 40% higher than the non-prime hour prices.
The prime and non-prime hours are different for At the Top and At the Top Sky tickets.
At the Top (Level 124 and 125)
Prime Hours: 4 pm to 6 pm
Non-Prime hours: 9 am to 3.30 pm and from 6.30 to closing time
At the Top SKY (Level 124, 125 and 148)
Prime hours: 9.30 am to 6 pm
Non-prime hours: 7 pm to closing time
Our Verdict:
If the primary objective of your Burj Khalifa visit is to see the sunset, you have no option but to buy the ticket during the prime hours.
If this is your first visit to an observatory and money is not a concern, we suggest you select prime hours while booking your tickets.
If you have already seen the sunset on a skyline from some Observatory, we recommend you stick to non-prime hours to save money and avoid the crowd.
Burj Khalifa tickets
Burj Khalifa offers various kinds of experiences for visitors.
Before you book your Burj Khalifa tickets online, please read through this section thoroughly so that you the different kinds of Burj Khalifa tickets.
1. General admission tickets
This ticket is the most popular ticket to the tallest building in the World.
It gives you complete access to Level 124 and 125 of Burj Khalifa.
With this ticket, you also get a 10% off at the souvenir shop as well as the THE CAFE on the ground floor.
Ticket Prices
(non-prime hours: 9 am to 3.30 pm, 6.30 pm till closing)
Adult Ticket (12+ years): AED 149
Child Ticket (4 to 11 years): AED 114
Ticket Prices
(prime hours: 4 pm to 6 pm)
Adult Ticket (12+ years): AED 224
Child Ticket (4 to 11 years): AED 184
2. ‘Skip the Line’ tickets
This ticket offers everything the previous general admission ticket provides plus the Skip the Line facility.
With this ticket in your hand, you can skip the long lines at the elevator and get to Level 124 and 125 immediately.
Ticket Prices
Adult Ticket (4+ years): AED 348
Note: On ‘Skip the line’ tickets the prime and non-prime hours don’t apply
3. Burj Khalifa VIP tickets
The VIP Tickets allow Skip the Line access to all the three observation decks on Burj Khalifa – Levels 124, 125 and 148.
All through your visit, you will be like a VIP – so you don’t wait in long lines for the elevator.
On Level 148 a guest ambassador of Burj Khalifa gives you a tour of the observation deck.
After spending 30 minutes in Level 148, you can come down to Level 124 and 125 and hang around for as long as you want.
Children 3 years and below enter for free.
Ticket Prices
(prime hours – 9.30 am to 6 pm)
Adult Ticket (4+ years): AED 380
Ticket Prices
(non-prime hours – 7 to 10 pm)
Adult Ticket (4+ years): AED 520
4. Sunset Tickets
The ticket helps you experience the beautiful sunset from Burj Khalifa, with 360-degree views of the Arabian Gulf.
Since this ticket does not include Skip the Line access to the elevator, you need to be at the attraction an hour before Dubai’s sunset time for the day.
On the ticket booking page, you must choose between 5 pm, 5.30 pm and 6 pm slots.
Ticket Prices
Adult Ticket (12+ years): AED 224
Child Ticket (4 to11 years): AED 184
5. Burj Khalifa tickets with Snacks at ‘The Cafe’
The ticket includes access to the Levels 124 and 125 to enjoy and witness breathtaking sights of the city.
Later, you can enjoy a hot drink and a pastry at the newly renovated ‘The Cafe,’ Burj Khalifa’s world-class restaurant.
Ticket Prices
(non-prime hours – 10 am to 1 pm, 7 pm to 8.30 pm)
Adult Ticket (12+ years): AED 169
Child Ticket (4 to 11 years): AED 139
Ticket Prices
(prime hours – 3 pm to 7 pm)
Adult Ticket (12+ years): AED 249
Child Ticket (4 to 11 years): AED 204
How to reach Burj Khalifa
The towering structure of Burj Khalifa stands in Downtown Dubai, right next to the Dubai Mall.
If you plan to take Dubai Metro, board the Red Line to reach Burj Khalifa station.
From the station, take the F13 bus and get off at the Dubai Mall Bus Stop.
Now, walk to the Mall through an air-conditioned overpass. This walk takes approximately 15 minutes.
You will have to go through the Mall and reach the Lower Ground Floor (LG).
The Ticket Office to Burj Khalifa is at the Lower Ground floor near the Subway Sandwich Restaurant.
Important: We recommend you buy Burj Khalifa tickets online, much in advance – you save time, money and also avoid last-minute surprises.
Burj Khalifa timings
Burj Khalifa is open all through the week.
It opens at 9 am and closes at 11 pm.
Last entry is 45 minutes before closing.
These Burj Khalifa hours are broken down into prime hours and non-prime hours, which has an impact on the price of the ticket.
Non-prime hours: 9 am to 3.30 pm and 6.30 pm to 11 pm
Prime hours: 4 pm to 6 pm
The Prime Hours are also known as the sunset hours.
Best time to visit Burj Khalifa
If high ticket cost during prime hours is not an issue, sunset is the best time to visit Burj Khalifa Observatory and see the fantastic Dubai skyline.
For this prime-time visit, you can buy Sunset tickets.
If you are on a budget, you can visit as soon as the prime hours get over at 6.30 pm.
If you do not mind waiting, you can buy your ticket right before prime hours kick in and stay long enough in the Observatories to see the sunset.
Best time to see sunrise
The observation deck at Burj Khalifa opens at 5.30 am on Fridays and Saturdays, and it is best to reach before 6 am to see the sunrise.
It is best to purchase the Sunrise tickets to enjoy this early morning Burj Khalifa experience.
Tip: Keep an eye on the weather, because a foggy day means a not-so-good experience.
Burj Khalifa in winter
If you are visiting Dubai in the winter months, it will be best to visit Burj Khalifa in the late mornings or early afternoons.
During winters, Dubai gets dark by 6 pm.
Waiting times at Burj Khalifa
Burj Khalifa is the most popular tourist attraction in Dubai.
On average 7,000 tourists come to see Dubai’s skyline from Burj Khalifa observatory, every day.
Peak months (Nov to March)
If you visit Burj Khalifa during the prime hours, the queue for general admission might exceed 1 hour.
During such times, it is best to buy Skip The Line tickets.
During non-prime hours, you may still have to wait for around 30 minutes in the elevator lines.
Off season (Apr to Oct)
Dubai is hot during these months and hence draws fewer tourists.
However, being the most popular tourist destination in Dubai, you may still have to wait for 20-30 minutes during your visit.
Duration of Burj Khalifa tour
If your question is, how long does a tour of Burj Khalifa take? Well, the answer is, “it depends on you.”
Going up Burj Khalifa’s observatory and enjoying the fantastic views at your own pace takes approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes. Some tourists are also known to finish the Burj Khalifa tour in an hour.
It is essential to keep in mind that your trip can take longer if you visit during peak season and/or sunset hours.
We propose you keep one hour of lead time to reach the top because while the elevators reach the observation deck in one minute, the waiting line to enter the elevator might take a while.
If you want to avoid waiting in the elevator lines, go for Skip The Line tickets – you can reach the observatory in less than 15 minutes.
How to avoid the crowd at Burj Khalifa
Burj Khalifa is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Dubai and attracts around 2.5 million tourists every year.
Here are our three tips which can help you avoid the crowd in this usually crowded tourist attraction.
1. Buy tickets online, and in advance
Being the must-visit attraction in Dubai for most tourists, Burj Khalifa tickets are always in demand. Especially during tourist seasons, weekends, school holidays, festivals, etc.
As a result, at peak hours and during peak months, the waiting time at Burj Khalifa’s ticket counter even exceeds one hour.
The best way to avoid these lines at the ticketing counter is by booking your tickets online, in advance.
Booking online helps you avoid long lines and gets you your preferred time slot.
2. Purchase ‘Skip the Line’ tickets
All visitors to Burj Khalifa need to take the elevators to go up to the observatories.
Visitors with ‘General Admission’ tickets must stand in long lines till it is their turn to take the elevator.
However, if you buy a “Skip the Line’ ticket, you can walk past all these people waiting for their turn and get into the elevator.
3. Get the time of your visit right
If you want to avoid the crowd, it is best to visit Burj Khalifa during the non-prime hours.
In the process, you will also end up saving money.
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