A skydive over Dubai is the most honest starting point for anyone putting together a list of adrenaline activities among Dubai excursions. Skydive Dubai operates at two sites, and the choice between them affects both the price and what you’ll see beneath your feet: the palm-shaped island from a bird’s-eye view, or endless dunes. Below are the real 2026 prices, the weight and health limits, how the tandem works and how to grab a slot in high season.
Palm or Desert: where to jump
Skydive Dubai has two dropzones. Palm Dropzone sits by Palm Jumeirah, next to Dubai Marina — its views are the ones that spread across all the social media clips. Desert Campus (Desert Dropzone) is in Margham, about 40 km from the center, and the jump there goes over the dunes.
The price difference is small but noticeable: Palm is consistently about 300 AED more than Desert. That’s a premium purely for the picture — the palm-shaped island, the Marina and the line of the gulf beneath the canopy.
| Site | Basic package | With photo/video | Highlight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palm Dropzone | from | ~2499 AED | View of Palm Jumeirah and the Marina, next to Dubai Marina |
| Desert Campus | from ~1899 AED | ~2199 AED | Jump over the dunes, ~40 km from the center, cheaper |
Prices are approximate; confirm with the operator when booking. If you’re going for the view and that iconic photo, take Palm; if budget and the jump itself matter more, Desert will come out cheaper, and the free-fall sensation will be exactly the same.
What’s included and how much photo/video costs
The basic tandem package includes the jump itself with an instructor and medical insurance for the duration of the activity. Free fall happens from about 13,000 feet (around 4,000 meters).
Filming officially costs +300 AED on top of the base: during the jump a separate videographer films you, and the finished photos and video are delivered within 48 hours. There are also add-ons:
- Instagram highlight reel — a short edited clip, roughly +150 AED.
- Wrist selfie camera — you film yourself right in the fall, about +250 AED.
A dedicated videographer gets better footage than a wrist camera: they fly alongside and film you full frame, not just a face close-up. If you want a nice video to remember it by, get the package with filming from the start — you won’t be able to buy it after the fact.
Limits: weight, age, health
Tandem is the most accessible format, but it too has firm boundaries. They’re checked on site, and if your parameters don’t pass, the money is not refunded.
- Weight and BMI. Women — up to 90 kg and BMI no higher than 27.5; men — up to 100 kg and BMI no higher than 30. Important detail: weight is measured right in your clothes and shoes, so don’t count on the number from your home scale on an empty stomach.
- Age. From 18 to 75. For the 70–75 range a medical fitness certificate stamped by a doctor is mandatory.
- Health. For a number of conditions — epilepsy, heart and lung disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, serious injuries — you’ll need a doctor’s certificate. Check the requirements in advance, before paying.
Separately, check your travel insurance for a trip to Dubai: a standard travel policy often doesn’t cover extreme activities, and skydiving is exactly the case where it’s worth making sure the relevant option is included.
How the jump works
The routine is roughly the same at both sites. First, a short briefing and gear fitting: the instructor puts a harness on you that will connect you into a pair. A tandem requires no preparation — the pilot behind you does everything, and all you need to do is follow simple commands.
Next, the climb by plane to 13,000 feet. This takes about 15–20 minutes, during which the site below turns into a model. At altitude the door opens, you and the instructor separate from the aircraft — and free fall begins, lasting about a minute. The speed and airflow are such that shouting is pointless, but you can see everything to the horizon.
Then the instructor deploys the canopy, and the sharp fall gives way to calm gliding for a few minutes. This is when you have time to take in Palm Jumeirah or the dunes, wave at the camera and catch your breath. The landing is soft, most often on your feet or a slide across the site.
If you want views from above without the free fall, look toward a helicopter flight over Dubai — it’s calmer, longer in the air, and requires neither certificates nor weight limits.
How and when to book
Booking goes through the online calendar at skydivedubai.ae. Payment is by card, in full upfront, with no deposit. There’s no real “dynamic” pricing on the official site — prices are fixed; according to aggregators, at peak times (December–January) there can be stricter cancellation terms, but that range is worth confirming directly.
The cancellation rule is simple: reschedule or cancel no later than 24 hours before — full refund; less than 24 hours before — a penalty equal to the full price. Jumps are often rescheduled due to wind, so build a backup day into your trip and take morning slots — they’re more weather-resistant.
On seasonality, keep the following in mind (confirm the schedule on the site):
- Palm Dropzone is more active from October to April, sometimes only Friday–Sunday; in summer it operates from early morning.
- Desert Campus closes for the summer; reopening after summer is expected around September 24, 2026.
It’s best to book ahead — usually 1–3 months. In high season, Palm slots get snapped up weeks or even months in advance, so if the jump is a priority for you, put it near the top of your trip plan. Transfer is not included in the price: Palm is easy to reach by taxi from Dubai Marina, while Desert Campus means a drive of about 40 km from the center — factor that in when planning your day.
