Four of the six Helicopter Ride Dubai routes list the Burj Al Arab: City Scapes (12 minutes, AED 715 per person), Fun Ride (15 minutes, AED 921 per person), The Iconic Tour (17 minutes, AED 979 per person) and the private Imperial Tour (40 minutes, AED 11,463 per aircraft). City Circuit and The Gulf Desert Tour do not list it.
Key takeaways
- The Burj Al Arab appears in the route list of City Scapes, Fun Ride, The Iconic Tour and The Imperial Tour. City Circuit and The Gulf Desert Tour do not include it.
- The lowest price for a Burj Al Arab helicopter ride is a shared City Scapes seat at AED 715 per person. A private City Scapes flight costs AED 3,145 per aircraft for up to 5 guests.
- Each route pairs the hotel with different landmarks: the Palm and Downtown on City Scapes, the World Islands and Aquaventure Waterpark on Fun Ride, Atlantis The Palm and The Lagoon Project on The Iconic Tour, and Kite Beach and the Dubai Canal on The Imperial Tour.
- Routes adjust with weather and air traffic. A route list shows what a flight typically passes, not a promise of any single landmark.
- Tours fly from Dubai heliports including Atlantis, The Palm. Check in at least 45 minutes before departure.
- Booking windows are 9:00 to 11:00, 12:30 to 14:30 and 15:10 to 17:00, and booking at least 2 days ahead is the advice.
Can you see the Burj Al Arab from a helicopter?
Yes, on the right route. The Burj Al Arab is the sail-shaped hotel that stands on its own small island just off the Jumeirah coastline, and it is one of the clearest shapes on the Dubai shoreline from the air. Its position on the coast puts it close to the Palm Jumeirah and the beaches of Jumeirah, which is why it sits on the route lists of the shorter coastal flights as well as the long private one.
Two points matter before you book. First, only four of the six routes list it. Second, every route list describes the landmarks a flight typically passes. Weather and air traffic can change the line a pilot flies on the day, so a landmark on the list is likely but never promised. Anyone who tells you a specific view is certain is saying more than the operator can.
The rest of this guide walks through each route that lists the Burj Al Arab, what it pairs the hotel with, the shared and private prices, and how to plan the flight so the view has the best chance of working out.
Which Dubai helicopter tour passes the Burj Al Arab?
Here is the full picture across the six routes, using the route lists from each tour page.
| Route | Duration | Burj Al Arab on the route list | Shared seat | Private flight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| City Scapes | 12 minutes | Yes | AED 715 per person | AED 3,145 per aircraft (up to 5 guests) |
| Fun Ride | 15 minutes | Yes | AED 921 per person | AED 4,041 per aircraft (up to 5 guests) |
| The Iconic Tour | 17 minutes | Yes | AED 979 per person | AED 4,525 per aircraft (up to 5 guests) |
| City Circuit | 25 minutes | No | AED 1,450 per person | AED 6,353 per aircraft (up to 5 guests) |
| The Imperial Tour | 40 minutes | Yes | Private only | AED 11,463 per aircraft (up to 5 guests) |
| The Gulf Desert Tour | 60 minutes | No | Private only | AED 15,593 per aircraft (up to 5 guests) |
City Circuit is built around the inland and northern side of the city: The World Islands, Burj Khalifa, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai Creek, Port Rashid, Dubai Internet City, Jumeirah Lake Towers and Dubai Marina. The Gulf Desert Tour covers city, coast and desert, with Palm Jumeirah, World Islands, Burj Khalifa, Dubai Creek, Dubai Frame, Dubai Marina and Palm Jebel Ali on its list. Both are strong flights, but if the Burj Al Arab is the reason you are booking, they are not the routes that list it.
City Scapes: the shortest Burj Al Arab helicopter ride
City Scapes is the 12-minute route and the lowest price for a flight that lists the Burj Al Arab. Its route list is short and focused: Burj Khalifa, Burj Al Arab, Dubai Coastline, The Palm Jumeirah and Downtown Dubai.
What City Scapes pairs the Burj Al Arab with
On this route the hotel sits between two other famous outlines. The Palm Jumeirah gives you the fronds and crescent shape that most people picture when they think of Dubai from the air. Downtown Dubai and the Burj Khalifa give you the tallest tower in the city and the cluster of high-rises around it. The coastline ties the three together.
For a first flight, that is a sensible mix. You get the coast, the island hotel and the skyline in one short loop, without paying for minutes you might not need.
City Scapes prices
- Shared seat: AED 715 per person.
- Private flight: AED 3,145 per aircraft, for your group of up to 5 guests.
If City Scapes looks like the right fit, there is a full guide to the 12-minute City Scapes route and what it costs with more detail on who it suits.
Fun Ride: the Burj Al Arab with the World Islands
Fun Ride runs 15 minutes. Its route list is Burj Khalifa, Aquaventure Waterpark, Burj Al Arab, Jumeirah Beach Coastline, The World Islands and Business Bay.
What Fun Ride pairs the Burj Al Arab with
Compared with City Scapes, Fun Ride swaps a focus on the Palm and Downtown for a wider spread. The Jumeirah Beach Coastline is the stretch of shore the Burj Al Arab belongs to, so the hotel reads in context with the beaches around it. Aquaventure Waterpark sits on the Palm side. The World Islands are the scattered man-made islands offshore, which look like a rough map of the world when the light is clear. Business Bay and the Burj Khalifa bring in the city towers.
Fun Ride suits guests who want a little more sea and a few more distinct shapes than the 12-minute route, for a modest step up in price.
Fun Ride prices
- Shared seat: AED 921 per person.
- Private flight: AED 4,041 per aircraft, for up to 5 guests.
The Iconic Tour: the Burj Al Arab with Atlantis The Palm
The Iconic Tour is 17 minutes and has the longest route list of the shared flights that include the hotel: Atlantis The Palm, Burj Al Arab, Burj Khalifa, Dubai Coastline, Downtown Dubai, Business Bay and The Lagoon Project.
What The Iconic Tour pairs the Burj Al Arab with
This is the route for anyone who wants the two best known hotels on the coast in a single flight. Atlantis The Palm sits at the far end of the Palm Jumeirah, and the Burj Al Arab stands on its island further along the shore. Seeing both from above shows how the coastline links the Palm to the Jumeirah beaches.
The route then turns toward the city, with Downtown Dubai, Business Bay and the Burj Khalifa, and it lists The Lagoon Project as well. For a deeper look at the Palm side of this pairing, read the guide to Palm Jumeirah and Atlantis from a helicopter.
The Iconic Tour prices
- Shared seat: AED 979 per person.
- Private flight: AED 4,525 per aircraft, for up to 5 guests.
The tour page for The Iconic Tour lists the full route and the booking options.
The Imperial Tour: the Burj Al Arab on a private 40-minute flight
The Imperial Tour is 40 minutes and is sold as a private flight only. Its route list is Jebel Ali Port, Palm Jebel Ali, Ski Dubai, Burj Al Arab, Kite Beach, Dubai Canal, Burj Khalifa, Dubai Creek and Dubai Frame.
What The Imperial Tour pairs the Burj Al Arab with
This is the widest view of the Burj Al Arab in its setting. The route reaches south to Jebel Ali Port and Palm Jebel Ali, then follows the coast, where the hotel sits close to Kite Beach. The Dubai Canal, Burj Khalifa, Dubai Creek and the Dubai Frame carry the flight from the modern coast into older parts of the city.
Kite Beach and the Burj Al Arab together make one of the most recognisable coastal scenes in Dubai. If that stretch of shore is what you most want to see, the guide on how to capture a Kite Beach aerial view covers it in detail.
The Imperial Tour price
- Private flight only: AED 11,463 per aircraft, for up to 5 guests.
There is no shared seat on this route, so the price stays the same whether one guest or five fly.
Helicopter ride over the Burj Al Arab: price per person and per group
Price depends on two choices: the route and whether you take a shared seat or a private flight.
Shared seats
A shared seat is priced per person, and you fly with other guests. On the routes that list the Burj Al Arab, the shared prices are AED 715 per person for City Scapes, AED 921 per person for Fun Ride and AED 979 per person for The Iconic Tour. The Imperial Tour has no shared seats.
Private flights
A private flight books the whole helicopter for up to 5 guests, and it costs less than five shared seats. On the routes that list the Burj Al Arab, private prices are AED 3,145 per aircraft for City Scapes, AED 4,041 per aircraft for Fun Ride, AED 4,525 per aircraft for The Iconic Tour and AED 11,463 per aircraft for The Imperial Tour.
For a group of four or five, a private flight is usually the better choice. You choose who sits by which window, nobody outside your group shares the cabin, and the price per aircraft does not change with the number of guests up to 5.
Optional pickup
Private Pickup and Dropoff is an optional extra on the booking form at AED 450 per car, with 5 to 6 guests per car. Pickup is 1 hour before the flight time. Without it, the meeting point is emailed after booking.
For a full breakdown of every route and extra, see the guide to how much a helicopter ride in Dubai costs.
Burj Al Arab from the air: what you actually see
From the cabin, the hotel reads as a pale sail on a small island close to the shore, with the sea around it. That island setting is what makes it stand out from the air in a way it does not from the beach, where you mostly see the tower rising above the sand.
The cabin is air-conditioned and has large panoramic windows. Every guest wears a noise-cancelling headset, which carries the pilot's commentary, so you hear what you are looking at as the flight passes it.
Keep in mind that the view of any single landmark lasts only part of a short flight. On a 12-minute or 15-minute route, the Burj Al Arab is one of several landmarks, so the moment to look comes and goes. Having your phone or camera ready from the start helps.
How to plan a Burj Al Arab helicopter tour
Choose the route by what you want next to the hotel
The Burj Al Arab is on four routes, so the real question is what you want to see alongside it.
- For the Palm and Downtown in the shortest time, choose City Scapes.
- For the Jumeirah beaches, the World Islands and Aquaventure Waterpark, choose Fun Ride.
- For Atlantis The Palm and the Burj Al Arab on the same flight, choose The Iconic Tour.
- For Kite Beach, the Dubai Canal, Jebel Ali and old Dubai in a private flight, choose The Imperial Tour.
Pick a time window
The booking form offers three windows: 9:00 to 11:00, 12:30 to 14:30 and 15:10 to 17:00. Tours are booked in these windows only, so plan the rest of your day around the one you choose. Light and haze vary from day to day in any window, so no window promises a particular look.
Book early
Book at least 2 days ahead, and earlier in peak season, so you have the best choice of window.
Arrive on time
Tours fly from Dubai heliports including Atlantis, The Palm. The meeting point is emailed after booking, or the optional pickup collects you 1 hour before the flight. Check in at least 45 minutes before departure. The company is not accountable for latecomers and may release the flight as planned.
Know the passenger rules
- Every passenger aged 2 and over buys a seat at full price. Children under 2 cannot fly, and ages 2 to 12 fly with a guardian.
- Shared flights allow up to 110 kg per passenger. A heavier guest must contact the team and buy an extra seat. A private flight carries up to 450 kg in total.
- Pregnant guests may fly up to 32 weeks, ideally with a doctor's approval.
- Food, drinks, hazardous materials, weapons and flammable liquids are not allowed on board.
- Guests with a disability are welcome with a companion who helps with boarding. If you have a fear of flying, heights or enclosed spaces, ask the team first.
Plan your photos
Photos are taken once seated in the cabin, not while walking to or from the helicopter. Wear dark clothing to cut reflections on the window, keep your lens close to the glass and turn off the flash. For more on settings and framing, read the Dubai helicopter ride photography tips.
Why a route list is not a promise
Every tour page lists the landmarks a flight typically passes. On the day, the pilot follows the line that weather and air traffic allow. A flight may pass a landmark at a different angle, from further away, or not at all if conditions require a change. This applies to the Burj Al Arab just as it does to every other landmark on every route.
If seeing the hotel matters most, the practical step is to choose a route that lists it, accept that the exact view depends on the day, and ask the team before booking if you have questions about the route.
What happens if weather cancels the flight
If the company cancels for bad weather or a technical issue, guests hear by phone or email and get a 100% refund or a reschedule at no extra cost. Refunds reach a bank account within 7 working days.
Guest cancellation policy
If you cancel, the refund depends on timing: a 100% refund if cancelled more than 96 hours before departure, a 50% refund from 48 to 96 hours before, and no refund less than 48 hours before departure.
What is included on every route
Every tour includes a licensed pilot, a pre-flight safety briefing, an air-conditioned cabin with large panoramic windows and noise-cancelling headsets for the pilot's commentary. Pickup costs extra. Passengers are insured in line with local UAE civil aviation regulations.
Which Burj Al Arab route fits your trip
A short summary by type of traveller:
- First-time flyers on a budget: City Scapes at AED 715 per person, or AED 3,145 per aircraft for a private group of up to 5.
- Couples who want a bit more sea: Fun Ride at AED 921 per person, with the World Islands and the Jumeirah Beach Coastline.
- Guests who want both coastal hotels: The Iconic Tour at AED 979 per person, pairing Atlantis The Palm with the Burj Al Arab.
- Families and groups of up to 5 who want the longest coastal view: The Imperial Tour at AED 11,463 per aircraft, private only.
If the Burj Al Arab is not your priority and you want Dubai Creek, Port Rashid and Dubai Marina, City Circuit fits better. If you want city, coast and desert in one flight, The Gulf Desert Tour is the private 60-minute option. Neither lists the Burj Al Arab.
In short
The Burj Al Arab is on the route lists of City Scapes, Fun Ride, The Iconic Tour and The Imperial Tour. Choose by what you want beside it and by shared or private pricing, book at least 2 days ahead, and check in 45 minutes early. When you are ready, book your flight on the booking form, or call +971 52 590 6075 with your date and group size.
