A Dubai helicopter tour is a 12–40-minute sightseeing flight over Palm Jumeirah, the Burj Al Arab and the Downtown skyline, with shared seats from ~AED 710 per person. There are two helipads, not one. Falcon Aviation flies from Atlantis, The Palm and runs the GetYourGuide ride below (~AED 716); HeliDubai flies from inside the Dubai Police Academy, opposite Mall of the Emirates. A private helicopter starts from ~AED 3,145 – split six ways, it's cheaper than a shared seat.
Dubai: Sightseeing Helicopter Ride from The Palm
A shared sightseeing flight with Falcon Aviation from the helipad at Atlantis, The Palm – along the coast past the Burj Al Arab towards the Downtown skyline, with longer options reaching further across the city.
- 12–25 minute flight options
- Departs the helipad at Atlantis, The Palm
- Palm Jumeirah, Burj Al Arab and the Dubai skyline
Which helicopter tour should you book – The Palm or Police Academy?
Both helipads fly the same kind of sightseeing loop at almost the same price, so the choice comes down to where you're staying and how long you want in the air. Prices below are from each operator's official listings on Visit Dubai's booking platform, checked on 23 September 2026:
| The Palm | Dubai Police Academy | |
|---|---|---|
| Operator | Falcon Aviation | HeliDubai |
| Helipad | Atlantis, The Palm | Inside the Academy, Al Sufouh, opposite Mall of the Emirates |
| Shared flights | 12–25 min, from ~AED 715 | 12–30 min, from ~AED 710 |
| Private helicopter | from ~AED 3,145, up to 6 people | from ~AED 3,550, up to 5 people |
| Free cancellation | 24 h ahead (shared), 48 h (private) | 48 h ahead |
| On GetYourGuide | Yes – the ride above, ~AED 716 | Not sold here – book with HeliDubai |
Pick The Palm if you're staying on the Palm or in Dubai Marina, or want to book through GetYourGuide. The ride above is Falcon's, and at ~AED 716 ($195) it costs the same as Falcon's own 12-minute Pearl Tour on Visit Dubai (~AED 715).
Pick the Police Academy for longer flights – HeliDubai flies up to 30 minutes shared and 40 minutes private – or if you're staying near Mall of the Emirates. Getting in takes a few extra minutes: an ID check at the Academy gate, then a shuttle bus to the helipad lounge.
How long does a Dubai helicopter tour last?
Flights last 12 to 40 minutes, and the price climbs with time in the air. Shared prices per person, from the operators' Visit Dubai listings on 23 September 2026:
| Flight | Falcon Aviation (The Palm) | HeliDubai (Police Academy) |
|---|---|---|
| 12 min | ~AED 715 | ~AED 710 |
| 15 min | ~AED 921 | – |
| 17 min | ~AED 979 | ~AED 945 |
| 22 min | – | ~AED 1,299 |
| 25 min | ~AED 1,450 | – |
| 30 min | – | ~AED 1,770 |
| 40 min | – | private only, from ~AED 11,200 per helicopter |
The 12-minute flight covers the headline sights: the Palm, the Burj Al Arab and the coast towards Downtown. Longer flights add more of the city rather than more of the same view – Falcon's 25-minute route reaches as far as the old Dubai Creek.
The minutes are time in the air only. Both operators ask you to check in 45 minutes before your flight, so allow at least an hour at the helipad.
Best for couples and proposals
For two people, a shared 12-minute flight costs ~AED 1,430 – two seats at ~AED 715 – and you'll fly with other passengers. For most couples that's the sensible booking: the view is the same, and the flight is over in 12 minutes either way.
A proposal is a different booking: you want a private helicopter. Falcon's private 12-minute Pearl Tour starts from ~AED 3,145 for the whole aircraft, and HeliDubai's private 12-minute Iconic Tour from ~AED 3,550. That's roughly two to two-and-a-half times the price of two shared seats, for a cabin with nobody else in it. Mention the proposal when you book.
Private flights also pay off for groups. Split between six, Falcon's private 12-minute flight works out at ~AED 524 each – less than a ~AED 715 shared seat. Between four it's ~AED 786 each, so the saving starts at five or six people.
Is a Dubai helicopter tour worth it?
Yes, as a one-off: it's the easiest way to see the Palm's full shape, the coast and the skyline together from the air. At ~AED 715 for 12 minutes it's expensive per minute, so book it as the highlight of a trip rather than a filler, and choose the flight length before you choose the helipad.
Book the 12-minute flight from The Palm for the classic view, and go private only for a proposal or a group of five or more.
For another aerial bucket-list option, a tandem skydive over the Palm costs ~AED 2,749 and trades the seated view for 60 seconds of freefall from 13,000 ft. For the rest of the trip, see our guide to things to do in Dubai.
Featured image: Alec Wilson from Khon Kaen, Thailand / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 2.0
