Dubai helicopter tour, in our opinion, isn’t just another experience to check off your bucket list of things to do in the Emirates. In reality, it is more suitable for a top position in your trip highlight reel, with the memories created morphing into a story to be told and retold a hundred times to anyone who would listen.
The seasoned globetrotters who have already taken to the skies in these dragonfly-looking contraptions earnestly rave about the experience! However, we all know that it’s hard to imagine the feelings you’ll get once you’re in the air: Rotor blades whirring, scenery changing, your insides twisting in all the right places, — helicopter tour in Dubai isn’t just about getting the iconic photos, it’s also about being fully present to witness your crazy-cool reality!
Article contents
- Whhat to expect from a helicopter tour?
- How much does it cost in Dubai?
- Our list of the best Dubai helicopter tours
- Our review of this experience
- Tips and tricks to know before you go
- Other top-rated Dubai tours
Helicopter tour in Dubai: What to expect?
When it comes to flying in a helicopter, you cannot help but feel a little like the main villain in one of the James Bond flicks — the thought alone of running across the landing pad while the wind and noise swirl all around you is very exhilarating! However, the levels of danger that usually come with being the bad guy that the 007 is hunting are completely mitigated in an organized helicopter tour, and we’re here to prove it to you!
Because we stand by the fact that a helicopter tour in Dubai is one of the greatest experiences you can have in the UAE (trust us, we’ll get on the same page after you’ve finished reading this article), we’re more than happy to divulge you with all the necessary info you must know to prepare yourself for such a journey.
The entire process of a helicopter tour in Dubai is completely streamlined, with every step of the way made easy and comfortable for a novice helicopter flyer. Here’s what you can expect your adrenaline-inducing outing to look like:
- Hotel pick-up
Most tour options (we cover them all further down in the article) have a hotel transfer already included in the package, but some do not — the cheaper the pick, the less perks it has. The most basic 12-minute option requires you to spend your own cash on the taxi ride to the meeting point. Most of the tours take off from Palm Jumeirah, though there are a few that have you come to Dubai Police Academy that is located close to the iconic Mall of the Emirates.
Still, make sure to check with the service provider before booking the tour of your choosing, maybe they’ll work out a transfer for you, even if it’s not included. Either way, you’re guaranteed to be buzzing with excitement on your way over — the journey of a lifetime is about to happen, so we highly doubt you’ll remember the drive at all.
- Check-in and safety briefing
 |
 |
It is required to arrive at the helipad 45 minutes before your scheduled time, as that’s how long it takes to:
— check your ID (original, as photocopies are not accepted),
— give you a badge with your group number (there are usually six people (not counting the pilot) that can fit in the helicopter),
— weigh you (there’s a weight limit of 420 kg per aircraft and individual limit of 110 kg per person; they can make you pay for an extra seat if you exceed the numbers, or even release the group excluding the person (or people) that didn’t make the overall cut, weight-wise (they will, of course resume their experience with a later group that can accommodate them)),
— give you a life vest and show you the instructional safety video that covers every possible worst scenario of how your flight is going to go (a blessing and a curse for anxious flyers, but it is mandatory).
- Boarding the helicopter
Now, this is where it all becomes too real — you hear the rotor blades whirring in the distance, and suddenly there it is: A shiny metal beast that will soon take you to the skies. As you approach the helicopter (running and ducking, as if you were in an action movie), you can’t help but feel like Tom Cruise in Mission Impossible — but only with less jumping from high places without a parachute. As you finally take your assigned seat, the pilot will help you put on your headset, and then there’s one thing left to do — take off!
- The tour
Now that the city glistens and growls below you like some sci-fi Lego set, it is time to enjoy the views opening up all around you — no matter which seat you end up with (they’re decided based on weight distribution, so it’s very hard to call shotgun on a helicopter tour), you’ll have huge panoramic windows on either side.
Even if you got a little scared during takeoff, now your mind is buzzing with images of Dubai’s most iconic landmarks: Here’s the crazy-looking Palm Jumeirah spreading its branches, the tall Burj Khalifa piercing the sky, the stately Burj Al Arab ready to sail away towards the horizon, — your camera roll is about to take a metaphorical beating, getting crammed with pics of every possible angle you see. The pilot does narrate what you’re seeing as you’re flying past the attractions, but don’t get your hopes up on a cohesive lecture: It is very loud on board, so you’ll end up hearing mere snippets of the description.
- Landing
 |
 |
All good things eventually come to an end, and a helicopter tour is no exception. Trust us, no matter which option you choose (length-wise), you’ll feel as though your journey through air has only just begun and they somehow messed up the timing. However, the experience is so exhilarating that a fleeting thought like this will be in and out of your head in an instant, leaving you with your cheeks hurting from smiling so much and your heart still beating fast from the adrenaline rush. The more nervous flyers should know that landing in a helicopter is an entirely different beast than landing in a plane. Here, the whole process is much smoother and faster — as the rotors wind down, you’re left with downloading the memories you’ve just acquired of admiring the living tapestry that is Dubai city from above.
With that, your helicopter tour in Dubai usually comes to an end (there is an option of a return transfer, of course, but nothing too exciting is expected to happen on your way back to the hotel). Now that you know the breakdown of the process, it’s time to look into the differently priced helicopter ride in Dubai offers you get to choose from!
How much does a helicopter tour in Dubai cost?
Let’s address the elephant in the room: Dubai helicopter tour prices aren’t for the faint-hearted! Curiously, it’s not so much the Emirates’ fault (services here tend to be on a more expensive side), as it is the baseline of such type of experience. A helicopter ride cannot possibly be cheap — the aircraft itself is a pretty costly machine to maintain, and it burns a lot of fuel pretty fast.
However, there is a little wiggle room when you are deciding on which package to get. The prices differ depending on the flight length, with most of the companies offering options between 12 and 25 minutes.
We’re here to help you find the best option that will suit your needs and meet your expectations most:
- We chose 12-minute tour: Short and sweet
🔹 Price: $195 per seat
🔸 Highlight: Quick city overview; cheapest helicopter ride in Dubai
This is the tour that is perfect for first-time flyers: Think of it as a blockbuster movie trailer! You get all of the main sights, the sheer excitement of being in the air, and the whole ordeal is over before you know it! If helicopter tours were coffee orders, this would be the espresso shot. During your short but mighty flight, you get to admire the beautiful Palm Jumeirah as you lift off, catch a glimpse of the sail-shaped Burj Al Arab, and take a gander from afar at the world’s tallest building — Burj Khalifa (the more expensive the tour, the closer you get to fly to this stately landmark).
- 15-minute tour: Island-forward experience
🔹 Price: $250 per seat
🔸 Highlight: The view of the World Islands comes as a bonus
An americano of helicopter tours in Dubai, the additional three minutes let you admire the World Islands from high up above (on top of the previously mentioned sights). This man-made archipelago is best appreciated from the air! The 15-minute tour option is often overlooked in favor of shorter or longer rides, but we’re here to defend it — this tour is ideal for witnessing Dubai’s most iconic landmarks without spending too much time in the air (that is, if you’re still unsure about flying).
- 17-minute tour: Marina madness
🔹 Price: $270 per seat
🔸 Highlight: Gorgeous marina skyline
A tad more expensive than its predecessor (think a cappuccino, if we’re continuing on with the coffee metaphor), this is the option you choose if you want to admire the head-spinningly beautiful Dubai Marina skyline. With a focus on the islands and the waterfront panoramas, a 17-minute tour should be enjoyed in sunglasses and with a polarizing filter for your camera, to avoid the glare!
- 25-minute tour: Where the old meets the new
🔹 Price: $400 per seat
🔸 Highlight: Contrast of old and new Dubai
From Aladdin-esque areas to mega-futuristic panoramas, this tour covers a lot of ground, bringing the contrast between the old and the new Dubai to the surface. Traditional architecture of Dubai Creek is followed by the steel-and-glass skyscrapers, guaranteed to give you whiplash if you weren’t aware of the more historic side that the emirate is keeping secret in its midst. A 25-minute tour is a fancy latte: It costs a lot, and is not usually the thing that curbs your cravings, so read the breakdown of the option wisely before committing to it!
Personally, we would advise you choose either a 12- or a 17-minute version if it’s your first time getting a helicopter tour (pick one depending on the amount of money you’ve allotted to entertainment for your trip). Plus, it’s always good to leave a table a little bit hungry: When you land with a craving to experience the flight one more time, the edging definitely plays into remembering the experience more vividly and with more passion.
The breakdown is pretty straightforward, but it does help to know a few additional things:
- Tour price doesn’t change for each particular option during different times of the day; your sunset flight will cost the same as a simple midday outing;
- Speaking of sunsets, it is easier to book the peak golden hour times when you choose longer helicopter tour versions: Coincidence or not, the cheapest 12-minute one always conveniently misses the critical window for the ultimate sunset experience;
- The flights can be either shared or private; we will not go into detail on the private side of things due to outrageous pricing: Even shorter private tours start at $850 per person, which is an absurd amount of money to spend if you’re not a royal or a celebrity looking to get away from crazy fans. Come on, there are only five other people inside a helicopter — “my circle small but we crazy” vibes are as private and intimate as they can be on an organized tour!
- However, if money isn’t a problem, you can always charter your own private helicopter (Air Chateau offers the most luxurious experience in this sector) — not necessarily for a tour, but for your personal needs: Real estate scouting being one of them.
- It is rumored that flying taxis (like, literal flying cars) will become a thing in Dubai by 2026: They are expected to be much, much cheaper than helicopter rides (more on par with Uber pricing), but just as exciting. If you don’t want to drop big money on a helicopter tour in Dubai (though the experience alone can replace all the other cheaper activities in the emirate, combined), then wait a few years: You might be among the first people to try out what the 90s movies set in the future always imagined our everyday routines to look like (flying cars being one of the more crucial parts of the fantasy).
Our list of the best Dubai helicopter tours
 |
 |
Gone are the days of manually scouring multiple Google pages in hopes to find the company that will provide you with an experience that is on par with your hopes and expectations (or, you know, is at least up to standard, or somewhat well-reviewed). Now, services do all the heavy lifting for you:
- GetYourGuide
- Viator
- and Klook
Just put the place you’re traveling to in the search bar, and there you have it — a full list of amazing experiences, with all the details, reviews, and even photos to help you make an informed decision before booking the activity.
When it comes to top Dubai helicopter tours, we didn’t stray away from our usual routine and went straight to GetYourGuide, finding a few of star-reviewed options that looked most promising.
Upon further consideration and some rigorous testing (this is why we love our job — what other profession could get us to ride in a helicopter over glistening Dubai skyline and call it research?), we’ve narrowed down our list to two service providers that you should look into when booking your sky extravaganza in the Emirates:
- Falcon Heli Tours — they offer the widest range of options (starting from a 12-minute shared tour and all the way to a 25-minute private flight) that are all very luxury-adjacent, even the cheapest ones. Working under the umbrella of Falcon Aviation, with its fleet of sleek and luxe helicopters that look straight out of a James Bond film, Falcon Heli Tours is a go-to service for the new moneyed individuals and showbiz up-and-comers. Do not let the promise of a VIP service scare you away — the prices for their helicopter tours are in the same arena as other, less showy Dubai companies.
- HeliDubai Helicopter Tours — their tours are always exciting, adventurous, and accommodating to the travelers’ every whim (well, apart from doing a loop-the-loop: Helicopters aren’t fit for such a maneuver; plus, this move is incredibly dangerous). You can always count on HeliDubai to be detail-oriented and thorough in the organization of an entire process: You can leave your anxiety-ridden brain at home and play Passenger Princess for a short period of time.
Even though we’ve bashed on looking for tours and experiences the old-fashioned way, we can’t help but mention a company that has come onto our radar when researching the topic of flying in a helicopter in Dubai:
- Atlantis the Palm Hotel ’s Sky High Tours — the hotel has the absolute upper hand when it comes to helicopter tours — it’s very own helipad! It would be a shame to let the money flow to other companies, so Atlantis the Palm decided to dip their toes into creating memorable experiences in the air themselves. Quite successfully, might we add: Just ask the front desk to organize a tour and they will be more than happy to help!
Our honest review of Dubai’s helicopter tour experience
 |
 |
Before we embarked on a helicopter tour in Dubai for the very first time, we read every possible review we could find online. While the scrolling and reading helped us keep our nerves at bay, in hindsight, nothing could have prepared us for the absolute thrill we were about to experience! It’s true that every person is different, but we have never seen a tour that would be so uniformly beloved by its participants, no matter the age, gender, or financial situation.
During the first few hours after we landed, the only feedback we could give was syllable-forward: Wow, phew, oh (there were even a couple Hell yeahs, which shows just how thoroughly we enjoyed the flight). Now that some time has passed and we’ve gathered our thoughts a little more formally, we can give you some feedback that sounds relevant to the activity.
The entire thing is very straightforward, like a math problem. What do you get when you combine:
- A helicopter
- A pilot
- And six easily impressionable tourists?
The answer is a great time!
The process was exactly the same as we’ve described above, which we greatly appreciated. A few things that we think you should know about our personal experience are the following:
- Our option didn’t have a free transfer, so we called a cab to take us to a meeting place (the ride from the Mall of the Emirates to the Atlantis the Palm cost us $9, which is great in such an expensive city like Dubai.
- Even though we opted for a shorter version of the tour, we absolutely adored the sights that opened up right before our eyes. This unique perspective and fresh angles made us look at the all-too-familiar landmarks with newfound fervor and admiration. Burj Khalifa stood even taller and the Palm opened its fronds in a spry manner, all the attractions bathed in a beautiful golden light… No pictures can do justice to the actual experience, so take the ones you see here and multiply the effect by at least a tenfold!
- Despite the fact that helicopter pilots are all rumored to be very knowledgeable, it’s hard to hear anything clearly when the rotor blades are roaring above your head. Thankfully, most of the sites do not need the thorough introduction — you can clearly see what is what, and that’s the beauty of a shorter helicopter tour in Dubai. The longer you fly and the more remote areas you cover, you will stop recognizing the panoramas all too well, leading to some level of confusion.
- Speaking of sights, we cannot think of a place most compatible with exploring it on a helicopter tour than Dubai (well, just one — New York City tops the list) — the rollicking marina, the expansive desert, the mishmash of skyscrapers and eccentric architectural structures, — Dubai panoramas are best experienced from the bird’s-eye view.
- After our Dubai helicopter tour initiation, we sometimes find ourselves browsing similar experiences in places we’re about to visit next. What we found out from this habit is the fact that Dubai’s helicopter tours aren’t the most expensive helicopter tours in the world! While nothing short of revelatory, it did made us wonder where in the world can we find the cheaper alternatives, which led us to looking into helicopter tours in South Africa. They say that they’re just as exciting, and cost even less, — a win for our itinerary planning for when we want to escape cold winters at home by going to Cape Town.
Remember that every person’s experience is bound to be different, so do not let somebody’s review herald your entire decision process. What you must know for certain though, are the tips and tricks that can help you feel more at home during such a turbulent activity as Dubai helicopter tour.
Tip and tricks to make your Dubai helicopter tour experience a grand one
When looking into queries that most travelers have when researching the topic of a helicopter tour in Dubai, we were bombarded with a bunch of quite obvious questions (like the one of Can you fly in a helicopter in Dubai? News flash: Duh, you absolutely can), but there were a few uncertainties that we feel are important to address here.
So, here are the things you need to know before embarking on a helicopter tour in Dubai:
- Book your tour beforehand — it’s a good rule of thumb to have most of your activities already booked online before coming to Dubai. The emirate is very popular with travelers, especially in peak tourist season.
- Dress for comfort — while there isn’t a particular dress code for the experience, it is best to avoid the unnecessary problems. When planning an outfit, consider close-fitting clothes (long-sleeve shirts and pants are a go-to for sun-conscious fiends) and flat footwear your top choices. Leave extravagant accessories, like hats and scarves at the hotel — you will be asked to put them in the locker anyway. Also, don’t bring a large bag — a small belt bag with just your essentials is the way to go.
- Sunglasses are your friends — when flying over water (or even some particularly glass-forward skyscrapers), you can expect to fight with a lot of glare. So, trusty Ray Bans it is!
- Tablet policy — speaking of cameras, you’re allowed to bring your phone and a camera on board, and that’s it. No other tablets are permitted on board (and no selfie sticks, btw)!
- Don’t forget your ID — it should go without saying, but your personal identification is the one thing you cannot forget to bring with you on the day of the flight. Photocopies just won’t do the trick!
- Arrive early — as we’ve mentioned before, 45 minutes is the cut-off. If you arrive later, you aren’t guaranteed a seat in a helicopter with your group, if at all.
- Protect your ears — for the love of God, do not take off your headset while in the air! The sound that the helicopter blades make is deafening, plus, your headset is a lifeline in the air — the pilot uses it not only for telling you fun things about the surrounding scenery, but also to instruct you on safety concerns if the need was ever to rise up while flying.
- Mind the weather — just like with other activities that take place outside, bad weather (strong winds, rain) can lead to your helicopter tour cancellation. Thankfully, Dubai is the place where it rarely rains, and the winds only pose a problem during certain months of the year. Check out our article on the best time to visit Dubai to plan your vacation accordingly. We advise you book the tour on the first days of your trip, so that if the ride is postponed, you’ll have the time to reschedule it for.
- Avoid the sun — early morning or evening hours are the best for flying in a helicopter. The skies are clearer, and the sun isn’t as active during these periods; so your experience will be much more pleasurable than if you were to take a midday flight.
- Enjoy the moment — finally, do not forget to take a pause from filming and put your phone down. Be present in the experience — after all, flying in a helicopter in Dubai is one of the craziest, head-spinning things you can do in your lifetime — you’re literally on top of the world!
Our list of other top-rated Dubai tours and experiences
Even though we’ve already made a pretty outrageous claim that a helicopter tour in Dubai can replace a bunch of other great emirate experiences, we are here to put an asterisk to the statement: It’s true, but mostly cost-wise. A helicopter tour is a pricey ordeal, so if you have a limited budget, we would suggest you put it all towards this crazy activity. However, that doesn’t mean that we discourage you from exploring other things this sprawling desert megapolis has to offer!
It’s hard to keep up with Dubai’s pace, its main skeleton of top places and activities isn’t that fluid, resulting in a list of things to do and sights to see that you can trust (all tried and tested by yours truly):
- If flying in a helicopter stills sounds intimidating, you can work up your courage by paying a visit to one or a few of Dubai’s top viewpoints — that way, you’ll get used to seeing the city from above, sometimes from incredibly high up! Burj Khalifa, without a doubt, takes the cake in this department as one of the most extraordinary experiences you can have in Dubai (sans rotor blade noise, that is). But if you want to start even lower (while still having the opportunity to witness arresting views of the emirate), then consider heading to Dubai Frame first.
- Speaking of history, not a lot of people think of Dubai as having a particularly deep and rich past that is worth looking into. This is where they are wrong! Dubai wasn’t always this bustling city in the desert — it was once a fishing village. If you want to learn more about the emirate’s humble beginnings and its rise to power, than pay a visit to Al Shindagha Museum — the largest heritage museum in the UAE (make sure to take a gander at their perfume section; it will blow you away with all the wonderful odors that followed the lives of locals over the years).
- If you’re more keen on admiring beautiful works of art, then Louvre Museum in Abu Dhabi is worthy of a detour into the capital (you should go here anyway, even if Giovanni Bellini or Cy Twombly aren’t the artists whose works you’re fantasizing about admiring). In our opinion, it definitely overshadows its French sibling, in more ways than we can count — the unique architecture that resembles an alien spacecraft and a beehive at the same time is a sight in and of itself!
- Dubai is as modern and cutting-edge as they come: You can see the innovative efforts yourself by spending a day at the Museum of the Future — one of the most sought after attractions in the emirate (get your tickets weeks in advance, trust us) that will take your breath away by its exciting exhibitions. Flying robots, a spaceship simulator, a look into our planet’s future, — no matter the age, museum visitors’ are guaranteed to walk away with a new perspective on our collective future as a species.
- Did all this museum talk bore you out of your mind? We know a lot of such travelers; the ones who seek adrenaline and fun in every activity they take part in. After your helicopter tour first impressions have worn off, get your heart pumping with a sense of adventure by going on a desert safari. Trust us, no matter which tour package you choose (there are options that are more basic and the ones filled with extras for that special local zing), you’re guaranteed to leave happy, smiling, and maybe a little dirty from all the sand.
- However, if you don’t mind finding sand in all the crevices (and your suitcase, for months even after the trip has ended), then don’t forget to hit the beach in Dubai — thankfully, the emirate has no shortage of amazing waterfront options. Just make sure to plan your trip for a reasonably hot period that will guarantee you have an amazing day on the water and not a scorching hot outing that can lead to heatstroke.
- Don’t care much for sand but adore the light ocean breeze in your face while you’re sipping Bottomless Margs? Then a yacht tour is in order! Admire the beautiful view of Dubai Marina (something you could also do on a helicopter tour, and then compare the experiences!) and find an excuse to don your best leisure attire: After all, Dubai is all about sophistication and luxury, so use this opportunity to play dress up!
While we strongly encourage you to drop big money on a helicopter tour in Dubai, we understand that for a first time visitor, the option sounds dubious to the max — just a few minutes in the air that are supposed to encompass everything that Dubai is all about? Sketchy!
The sentiment, while widely spread, isn’t true in the slightest; but if you fall into this category of travelers, then start small! Take yourself on a couple of tours from our list and see for yourself if you’re ready to admire this swanky and glitterati-full scene from the sky.
Final thoughts
Now that you know all the best Dubai air & helicopter tours and the ways to go about choosing one, it is our job to leave you with a mere instruction to just go for it, even if you’re kind of anxious about the whole thing. As the icon Carrie Fisher once said, “Stay afraid, but do it anyway”. You will love every second of gliding through the air in a helicopter, Dubai’s most legendary sights all around you, — that’s a promise!
And while you work up your courage, we’re here to help you plan the best Dubai trip you could ever dream of! Make sure to read our most useful guides on the emirate:
And there you have it! Dream big and fly high when in Dubai — that’s the motto we live by when in the emirate. If you have any questions regarding the topic of helicopter tours in Dubai or if you simply want to share your personal experience, feel free to write to us in the comment section down below.
