Burj Khalifa Tickets: how to buy, prices and schedules

Burj Khalifa is the great architectural jewel of Dubai and a benchmark for the rest of the world's skyscrapers due to its height of 830 metres. In addition, its revolutionary design makes a visit to this emblematic building a must on your trip, as it houses luxury residences, offices of the world's largest companies and the Armani Hotel.

However, you can only visit the 124th, 125th and 148th floors and their respective observation decks, where you can enjoy spectacular views. I'll tell you about the different types of tickets you can buy, what they include, the prices and everything you need to know to see which one best suits your expectations.

The premium option

Dubai Burj Khalifa Level 124, 125 and 148 Tickets

Get your ticket to the three observatories of the Burj Khalifa

Ascend to the 148th floor to see Dubai from the top of the Burj Khalifa and also stop at the observation decks on the 124th and 125th floors to complete the experience.

From £111 at Hellotickets

With this ticket for the Burj Khalifa you can climb to the top of the building, located on the 148th floor, from where you will have breathtaking views. A must-do experience when planning your trip to Dubai.

I recommend you buy it in advance, mainly to avoid an unbearable queue at the ticket office once you arrive at the building, but more importantly, to make sure you have your ticket for the time you want to go up the Burj Khalifa, as it has a fixed time. Also, with this ticket you can choose the optional one-way transfer to your hotel.

Recommended if... you want to enjoy the full experience of climbing to the top of the Burj Khalifa

The most economical option

Dubai Burj Khalifa Level 124 and 125 Tickets

Get your ticket to the Burj Khalifa at the best possible price.

Perfect if you want to enjoy the experience of seeing Dubai from the observation deck on the 124th and 125th floors of the Burj Khalifa while spending as little as possible.

From £39 at Hellotickets

With this ticket for the Burj Khalifa you will have access to the interior and exterior observatory on floors 124 and 125. You will not be able to climb to the 148th floor but it is true that the views from the top are not so different. You can enjoy the ultra-fast lifts, the views of the fountains on the way up and down and the spectacular interior of the world's tallest skyscraper.

Best of all, with this pre-purchased ticket you'll also skip the queues at the ticket office, making the experience much more enjoyable by avoiding the wait at the gate.

Recommended if... you don't want to give up the best views of Dubai and the experience of climbing the Burj Khalifa on a budget.

To buy your tickets to Burj Khalifa and enjoy the best views of Dubai, you just have to decide what kind of experience you want to enjoy and enter Hellotickets to choose one of the available proposals:

• Tickets to Burj Khalifa (124th, 125th and 148th floors)
• Tickets to Burj Khalifa (124th and 125th floors)

Depending on which floors you want to visit and at what time you want to go up, the price may vary. For example, on Hellotickets, an adult ticket for At The Top (floors 124 and 125) costs around €43 and to go up to the 148th floor you will have to pay around €132.

You can also combine the ticket with other activities such as the offer that includes access to the Dubai Aquarium and the 124th and 125th floors of the Burj Khalifa. With this pass, which costs around €63 per adult, you can visit both sites in one day and save on entrance fees.

The Burj Khalifa is open every day, but is usually crowded with tourists from Thursday to Saturday, so I recommend visiting between Wednesday and Sunday. To give you an idea, the cheapest tickets are usually between 8. 30am and 10am, and the least crowded time at the Burj Khalifa is after 8. 30pm.

Whichever type of ticket you buy, my recommendation is to check what time the sunset will be at the time you are visiting Dubai and buy your tickets for an hour before. If you are buying VIP tickets, you won't have to worry about crowds as they are virtually non-existent at At the Top Sky.

The most popular times are between 4pm and 6pm, when most visitors go up to the Burj Khalifa to get ready for the sunset. Tickets tend to vary in price depending on the time of day, being more expensive for peak hours, but an advantage of this ticket is that the price is fixed as it includes access to the 148th floor.

To get to the observation deck of the Burj Khalifa, you need to head to the Dubai Mall. The entrance to the skyscraper is located on the ground floor. You can also access the Burj Khalifa through the Armani Hotel, but good luck with that if you're not staying there.

One of the best ways to get to the Dubai Mall is by taxi. They are quite cheap for Dubai prices and are one of the most popular forms of transport due to the unbearable heat of the city, so you can always find one.

The other option is to go by metro, which I recommend if you're visiting the Burj Khalifa during rush hour. Take the red line to the Burj Khalifa stop, and from there take the F13 bus and get off at the next stop, Dubai Mall. You can also walk from the metro, but it's not the best idea.

At the Burj Khalifa Lake, located in front of the Burj Khalifa, there is a water and light show that is quite impressive from the ground, but takes it to the next level when viewed from At the Top. We recommend booking tickets for the Burj Khalifa and the fountains together as you can save a few euros.

Like much of what you'll find in Dubai, this fountain is the tallest in the world. But that's not all! It's the size of two football fields. Seeing the fountain in motion is undoubtedly one of the city's greatest attractions. To contemplate the magnificent spectacle, there is a floating walkway at its feet, but as I said, watching the water come to life from At the Top is breathtaking.

Fountain show schedule

If you have only purchased tickets for the 124th floor, you can go straight to the lift and validate your ticket. In less than a minute you'll ascend to the top of the Burj Khalifa and find a gift shop where you'll have to avoid some tourist traps, and you can move on to the observatory and look out over Dubai and the vast desert beyond its skyscrapers.

The telescopes dotted around the observation deck give you a close-up view of Dubai, but if you really want to experience the vertigo of being in the world's tallest building, lean out of the observatory windows and look up to see the top of the Burj Khalifa.

There is no time limit to enjoy your visit to At the Top, although most people tend to stay for around an hour. On the 125th floor you'll find the interactive 'A Falcon's Eye View' experience, where you'll see real-time footage of life in Dubai in the style of the screens at New York's One World Observatory.

With a ticket to the 148th floor, you will have access to the Sky Lounge where you can enjoy juices, coffee, Arabic sweets and dates. This is an experience to take it easy and relax before going up to the observation deck.

After cocktails, you will be escorted to the VIP lift where you will ascend to platform 148 in just over a minute. You'll have 30 minutes to enjoy the breathtaking views without the crowds before descending to the lower platforms.

The views from the top of the Burj Khalifa, from either the lower or upper observation decks, take in the whole of Dubai and part of Abu Dhabi from a 360° perspective. Some of Dubai's iconic buildings to see:

As is the case with almost every observatory in the world, the views at sunrise and sunset are totally mesmerising, with the difference being that thanks to the height of the Burj Khalifa, you can see the sun reflecting off the clouds up close and witness a true spectacle of colour.

If you're going to climb to the top of the Burj Khalifa at sunset, the heights are likely to make you a little hungry. When it comes to dining near the Burj Khalifa you have the option of fine dining at the At. Mosphere restaurant or a variety of more affordable restaurants in Dubai Mall.

At. Mosphere

Located on the 122nd floor of the Burj Khalifa, the At. Mosphere restaurant is known for its upscale menu and cocktails. As you can imagine, the décor is exquisite and the views are definitely worth it, as seeing Dubai lit up at night while you dine will be a great way to complement the sunset views you will have had during your visit.

However, the price is really prohibitive and my recommendation is to spend your money visiting other Dubai attractions if you are travelling on a budget.

Dubai Mall

In the mall below the Burj Khalifa you'll find food of all kinds: burger joints, Italian food, Chinese food, barbecue and Arabic food. The best-reviewed places are PF Chang's, where you'll find Asian fusion food, Texas Roadhouse, a rib and steak place, and the global burger chain Shake Shack.

If you want to get the most out of the city of Dubai, a good plan is to take a guided tour of the entire city. This will help you not only to find your way around, but also to explore all its corners, its history, anecdotes and curiosities (of which there are many in Dubai). Here are the best tours and excursions from Dubai.

If, on the other hand, you want to take advantage of your trip to live an authentic desert experience, don't hesitate to take a round trip (some include activities in the sand such as snowboarding or even traditional barbecues). I've compiled a round-up of the best desert tours in Dubai.