Burj Khalifa at Night: Light Show Times and Night Visits

TL;DR: Burj Khalifa has an LED facade that runs light shows on set evenings, but there is no single year-round time: Emaar announces seasons, and the schedule changes for Ramadan and events. Watch it free from the lake around the tower. The Dubai Fountain at its foot is the reliable nightly show, every 30 minutes from 6:00 pm to 11:00 pm as listed by the booking listing, and a night slot on the deck shows both the city lights and the fountain from above.

What time is the Burj Khalifa light show?

The light show has no fixed year-round time; it runs on evenings Emaar sets for each season. Past schedules show the pattern. In 2019, Gulf News reported shows at 7:15 pm, 8:00 pm and 9:15 pm on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and at 6:45 pm, 8:00 pm and 9:45 pm from Thursday to Saturday. Other seasons have used other nights and times, and Ramadan has had its own schedule.

So treat any time you read online as a guide, not a promise. Check Emaar’s or Burj Khalifa’s official channels for the week you are there. Times change for Ramadan, national days and New Year’s Eve.

The show runs on a very large screen. Guinness World Records lists the tower as the largest LED-illuminated facade, at 44,956.77 square metres, set on 1 January 2019. Wikipedia also credits the tower with the largest light and sound show staged on a single building. At the opening on 4 January 2010, the lighting used 868 stroboscope lights built into the facade and spire, designed by Speirs and Major.

Where is the best place to watch it?

Watch from the ground around Burj Lake, where you see the whole facade and the fountain in one view. Three free spots work well:

• The lakeside promenade outside The Dubai Mall. The closest view, and the most crowded. Gulf News notes spots by the mall exits fill very early.
• The Souk Al Bahar walkway and bridge. Across the lake from the mall. Gulf News describes the walkway as often less congested than the mall side.
• Burj Park. A park on an island in Burj Lake around the base of the tower. Wikipedia calls it a popular spot to watch the fountain and the New Year fireworks.

For an angle from the water, the lake ride takes you onto Burj Lake by traditional abra boat for 30 minutes, from $20 (AED 75). It shows 4.5 on 21,215 reviews of that listing, and its boats leave 15 minutes before each fountain show. The photo spots guide covers framing the tower at night.

What is a night visit to the deck like?

A night visit shows Dubai as a field of lights and puts the evening fountain shows directly below you. Deck slots run into the late evening, and the booking calendar shows the slots for your date.

Timing matters more than the level. Sunset on the 15th of the month falls at about 5:49 pm in January, 6:40 pm in April, 7:11 pm in July and 5:52 pm in October, computed for the tower’s location. A slot that starts about 30 minutes before sunset gives you daylight, dusk and dark in one visit, but prime-time slots cost more. A slot after dark costs less and still shows the lights.

Wikipedia notes one effect of the height: on the higher floors the sun stays visible for several minutes after it has set at ground level.

Your options for a night visit:

• Levels 124 and 125, from $51 (AED 189), with an open-air terrace on 124. 4.3 on 92,917 reviews of that ticket.
• SKY level 148, from $109 (AED 399). Its listing offers a sunset option and says no more than 50 people are on that deck at once. 4.6 on 24,553 reviews.
• Night city tour with At the Top, from $132 (AED 485). Four hours with hotel pickup, Dubai Marina, Palm Jumeirah and Madinat Jumeirah, in a small group (the listing says 6 to 8 per vehicle). 4.8 on 347 reviews.

Prices use 1 USD = 3.6725 AED. For a whole evening around the tower, see restaurants with a Dubai Fountain view.

When does the tower light up for special occasions?

The facade lights up for national days, festivals, campaigns and New Year’s Eve, on top of any seasonal show. Gulf News has covered the tower lit for UAE National Day, and Indian media reported it lit in the colours of India’s flag in January 2020. Brands have used it too: What’s On Dubai reported in January 2021 that Rihanna appeared on the facade saying “Hello Dubai” to launch her Fenty Skin range.

New Year’s Eve is the biggest night. Wikipedia describes fireworks launched from the tower, a light and laser show on the facade and a special fountain show, and notes the event has won Guinness records for the largest LED-illuminated facade in 2015 and 2019. The New Year’s Eve page covers access and timing. For which month suits a night visit best, read the best time to visit Burj Khalifa.