Inside guide to visiting the Burj Khalifa as a family

Visiting the world’s tallest building sounds simple enough until you realise how large Dubai Mall is, whether you’ve booked the right ticket, or if you’ve just walked your kids the long way round by accident and now they won’t stop moaning. I’ve lived in Downtown Dubai for years and been inside the Burj Khalifa more times than I can count (with family in tow more recently!), so I’ve put together every single detail you could possibly need to visit like a pro.

Quick facts to impress the kids: Burj Khalifa stands at 828 metres (163 floors!) and was designed by architect Adrian Smith to resemble a desert flower. It’s held the title of the world’s tallest building since 2010, and honestly, no photo prepares you for how it feels standing underneath it for the first time.

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Before You Go

A few practical bits worth knowing before you book:

• No food or drink is allowed inside At The Top, so grab a bite beforehand or save it for one of the cafés up top.
• No shoes or trainers (sneakers) with wheels are allowed
• Standard security restrictions apply (no weapons, aerosols, or sharp items – the same as you’d expect at any major attraction)
• Free washroom (restroom) facilities are available inside
• Prams or strollers need to be kept downstairs in the dedicated area

At The Top Levels

Here’s a list of what’s on each floor so you can ensure you won’t miss anything:

Lower Ground

Where you’ll enter from Dubai Mall and is the same level as Dubai Fountain, follow the signs inside the mall that say “At The Top.”

• Entrance
• Ticket sales
• Burj Khalifa timeline exhibit
• Photo souvenir
• Burj Khalifa construction exhibit
• Large gift shop
• The Cafe
• Lifts / Elevators

If you buy your tickets online, you’ll exchange your ticket for a sticker to access the different levels.

Level 124

• Outdoor observation deck
• Indoor observation deck
• Windows with wings for photos
• Penny machine
• Gift shop
• The Cafe 124
• Fynd (A Matcha pop-up)

Level 125

• Indoor observation deck
• Windows with wings for photos
• Green screen photography souvenir
• VR Burj Khalifa climbing experience
• Penny machine
• Digital observation screens
• Facts about the Burj Khalifa exhibit

Level 148

• Gold ticket lounge
• Outdoor observation deck
• Boutique gift shop
• Snacks & refreshments bar

Levels 152 to 154

• VIP lounge
• Outdoor observation lounge

What to Expect At The Top Burj Khalifa

The queues for At The Top can be very long. It is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the whole of Dubai. Only so many people can fit in the lift simultaneously to go up. So plan for an extra two hours if you book without a fast track. Often the ticket or show your entry ticket queues are shorter but the lift queue is very long!

Visiting At The Top takes around one and a half to two hours once you’re up, as you’ll typically need to wait to take a photo at the various spots due to all the people.

You can also take your time to enjoy a coffee from one of the cafes or relax in the lounge if you buy Gold tickets or Platinum VIP tickets. This will add on more time, depending on how long you want to sit and enjoy the view. They’re also less crowded.

It’s possible to visit the Burj Khalifa in a shorter time if you don’t read all the displays and visit outside peak hours when the queue is smaller. Earlier in the morning are typically quieter but that isn’t always the case in recent years. Level 125 tends to be quieter than 124, so make sure to get the full experience by heading up those stairs.

Best time to visit Burj Khalifa

The best time to visit the Burj Khalifa is from golden hour until sunset. You’ll see amazing views and get incredible photos as the beautiful colour tones shimmer off Dubai’s many glass skyscrapers.

To catch this time, you’ll have to arrive at At The Top between 3 pm and 4 pm; however, I would highly recommend going for the more expensive tickets during this time, either At The Top Gold or the VIP Platinum.

If you go for the regular tickets, you must book an earlier ticket to account for the lift (elevator) queue of up to 2 hours. If you buy VIP tickets, then it’s nice to get there early so you fully enjoy the lounge, making the most of both daytime and nighttime views.

If you go early in the morning during winter, fog can cover the buildings and block visibility. The fog usually clears as it gets later in the morning. Seeing the buildings peeking out from beneath the clouds is surreal but it’s not quite the same.

Some days can be hazy too, so it’s a little bit of luck with the weather and I’d recommend to check the weather 48 hours before as you can cancel your ticket but you may also not get another ticket before you leave if you do cancel.

After sunset, the city does look amazing, all lit up at night. This is one of my favourite times to go to the Burj Khalifa to enjoy the view, but one downside is that it isn’t as good for photography.

When is the Burj Khalifa the busiest?

The busiest time is from 3 pm onwards and is due to people wanting to catch the sunset. It is also when more people in Gulf start to go out, unlike Europe, where places are busiest in the mornings. You’ll find malls in Dubai get busier around this time also.

When is the Burj Khalifa less crowded?

Burj Khalifa is less crowded early in the morning, Dubai Mall also tends to be less crowded during this time. Another less crowded time for At The Top is the evening slot between 8 pm and midnight; however the mall will still be busy during this time.

If you’re going more for the view than to take photos, this is the perfect time. It’s quieter and it’s a really beautiful view, seeing all the lights twinkle below.

Combined ticket offers with Burj Khalifa

This is a great way to save money if you plan to visit other tourist attractions while in Dubai. These are some of the options:

Burj Khalifa with Dubai Aquarium

The Dubai Aquarium is also located inside Dubai Mall, so it’s an easy one to combine with the Burj Khalifa.

At The Top Ticket with Dubai Aquarium 🐟

Burj Khalifa and SKY Views

This is the famous glass slide you’ve seen all over social media and is also located in Downtown Dubai, opposite the Burj Khalifa, so it’s an easy one to include on the same day.

At The Top Ticket with SKY Views 🏙️

Burj Khalifa with Burj Club Meal

If you’re looking for a more affordable option of dining inside the Burj Khalifa, this is a great option that offers a 3 course meal in the lovely Burj Club. You’ll get a beautiful view of the Dubai Fountain while enjoying visiting the Burj Khalifa At The Top also.

At The Top Ticket with Burj Club 🍽️

You can buy a multi-pass that allows you entry in multiple Dubai attractions over a set time in order to save money.

The Dubai Pass

This pass gives you access to over 40 different Dubai attractions and can save you up to 60% off entry prices along with being able to skip the line at some attractions. The pass can be used for At The Top but you must book 48 hours in advance and it does not include peak price timings!

There are a few different options if you want the Burj Khalifa included with the pass:

• Dubai Flexi Attractions Pass – For 3, 5 or 7 attraction tickets & valid for 7 days
• Dubai Unlimited Pass – Unlimited attractions over 3 or 5 days

*Please note you can only enter an attraction once per person, for example you couldn’t go to the Burj Khalifa twice if you had an unlimited pass

Ways to get to the Burj Khalifa

Hop on Hop Off Tour Bus

If you’re planning to see a lot of sights in Dubai, the Hop on Hop off Bus is the perfect way to get around Dubai without needing to rent a car.

These open-top double-decker buses have a complimentary audio guide so you can learn about Dubai as you travel around. They stop at all the main tourist attractions without stopping elsewhere. So ideal for those who want an easy, no-stress way to see the sights.

If you want to learn more about where exactly the Hop on Hop off Dubai buses stop, my previous article covers them in detail.

See ticket options for Hop on Hop Off Bus 🚌

Metro

Getting to At The Top Burj Khalifa by metro is easy. I highly recommend this way if your hotel is close to a metro stop, as it’ll save you the headache of trying to find a parking space or paying for parking.

Take the red metro line to the ‘Burj Khalifa / Dubai Mall’ stop. There are air-conditioned tunnels with travelators connecting directly to Dubai Mall. It is approximately a 15-minute walk to Dubai Mall and will take another 5 minutes to get to At The Top.

The Metro comes out on the upper level. You’ll need to head down the escalators to the lower ground, follow the signs or ask customer service the way. There’s also a handy Dubai Mall app you can download before you head out which has a virtual map.

The metro cost is cheap, depending on how many zones you go through. Costs are between 4 AED and 8.50 AED ($1 to $2 USD) each way or between 8 AED and 17 AED ($2 to $5) for the gold class.

Be aware – If you plan to visit The Armani Hotel or At.Mosphere, it’s better to get a taxi from the mall as it’s a long walk from Dubai Mall, plus the Burj Khalifa driveway isn’t suitable for walking.

Taxi

Taxi is pretty easy and if you ask for them to drop you at At The Top, they’ll usually know the way. You can be dropped off either at Fashion Avenue or Dubai Fountain. It takes around 5 minutes to reach the lower ground for At The Top.

If you do get a newer taxi driver. For At The Top, you need to access it via Dubai Mall and the main entrance to Burj Khalifa. So make sure they don’t drop you where Armani Hotel is. Otherwise, you’ll have a very long walk to At The Top.

If you accidentally end up on the wrong side of the mall, close to Grand Parking. Then grab one of the taxi buggy carts inside the mall for 20 to 30 AED ($5.50 to $8 USD) if you don’t feel like walking.

Car

There is lots of parking in Dubai Mall but certain floors can get very busy, especially those close to the lower ground and ground floors. I recommend parking in Fashion Avenue as this is the closest. Make your way to the lower ground floor from the car park, follow the signs for At The Top.

Cinema Parking is also close depending on which end you park. You want the side closer to Dubai Fountain. Avoid the Grand Parking as it’s on the opposite side of the mall.

Insider tip – The car parking floors have different numbers to the mall floors which is confusing but check the plastic sign around the buttons. It tells you which floor corresponds to which car parking floor. Be aware that not all lifts go to the lower ground level inside the mall.

A bonus insider tip – You can get free valet parking at one of hotels connected to Dubai Mall, by meeting the minimum spend (usually around 100 AED – though sometimes they’ll still give you a stamp if you’re lower). It’s a nice way to enjoy a coffee and snack before heading to Burj Khalifa.

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