Dubai · Sharjah · Ajman · Abu Dhabi · Ras Al Khaimah
Dubai from above, in twelve minutes or a whole morning.
A helicopter loop over the Palm and Burj Khalifa, a seaplane that takes off from the sea, a tandem skydive onto the Palm, or an open gyrocopter along the coast. We explain what each one costs, who it suits and how far ahead to book.
✦Helicopter tours from 12 minutes
✦Seaplane take-off from the water
✦Tandem skydive over the Palm
✦Gyrocopter along the coast
Nothing shows Dubai's shape like the view from above: the Palm's fronds, the World islands, the line of the coast and the towers of Downtown in one sweep. There are four ways to get up there, at very different prices and adrenaline levels.
Helicopter tours are the classic: 12 to 40 minutes from a helipad at the Palm or Downtown, in a group of up to six, windows all round. Seaplane flights take off and land on the water in the Creek or at Jebel Ali and are the most scenic of the calm options. A tandem skydive is a 13,000 ft jump strapped to an instructor, landing on the Palm drop zone, and is one of the most famous skydives in the world. Gyrocopters are two-seat open aircraft with a pilot, low and slow along the coast, and the most exciting way to fly without jumping out of anything.
The pages below compare them, list prices and explain the practicalities: weight limits, weather, cameras and cancellations.
Vor der Buchung lesen
Helicopter, seaplane, skydive or gyrocopter?
Four ways to see Dubai from the air, compared by thrill, price and who they suit.
Flight prices in Dubai, 2026
Typical prices per person for each type of flight.
Weather, weight, cameras and check-in
The practical rules that decide whether your flight happens.
Gut zu wissen
How far ahead should I book?+
Helicopter and seaplane flights: two to seven days in season. Skydiving: two to four weeks, weekend slots go first. Gyrocopters: a few days.
Are there weight limits?+
Helicopters seat by weight and balance and ask for it when booking. Skydiving has a firm limit around 100 kg for men and 90 kg for women, sometimes lower. Gyrocopters about 100 kg per passenger.
What happens in bad weather?+
Flights are cancelled for wind, fog or sand haze and rebooked or refunded in full. Mornings are the most reliable slot.
Can I take photos?+
Yes on helicopters, seaplanes and gyrocopters, with phones and cameras secured with a strap. On a skydive the instructor or a camera flyer films it; you cannot take your own camera.
Is it safe?+
All operators are licensed by the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority. Helicopter tours here are as routine as an airline flight; the skydive drop zone has run tens of thousands of tandem jumps.
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