Yes, with caveats
Burj Khalifa New Year's Eve: Fireworks, Tickets, Where to Watch
Updated October 27, 2026
Quick answer
Watch from the ground, not the deck. The fireworks are launched from the tower, so Downtown's free viewing areas, Burj Park (ticketed) and the restaurants around Burj Lake are where people go. For the 2025–26 show the free gates filled and closed at capacity, roads shut from 4 pm and the Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall metro station closed to entry from 5 pm, so arrive by mid-afternoon or book a seat.
New Year's Eve, 31 December at a glance
Crowds: peak- High
- 25.7°C
- Low
- 15.8°C
- Rain
- 8 mm
- Rainy days
- 2
December normals for Downtown Dubai. Crowd is 'peak' because on 31 December 2025 the free viewing gates closed once full and the nearest metro station closed to entry from 5 pm or earlier at capacity (Gulf News, Khaleej Times).
Climate data: Open-Meteo climate normals 1991–2020 (MRI_AGCM3_2_S), December; crowd from Gulf News and Khaleej Times, December 2025
The fireworks and light show
For 2025–26 Emaar ran a week-long celebration around Burj Khalifa, from 31 December to 7 January, with fireworks, laser, drone and fountain shows and a parade through Downtown Dubai on the night itself. At midnight the tower is the launch platform: fireworks fire from the façade while its LED lights and the Dubai Fountain play to music. Burj Khalifa is one of many sites that night. Dubai's plan for the same New Year listed more than 48 fireworks displays at 40 locations across the emirate. The 2026–27 programme had not been announced when this page was updated; Emaar publishes it on its New Year site, mydubainewyear.emaar.com, in the weeks before.
At the Top on New Year's Eve
The observation deck is the wrong place for the fireworks: they go off from the building you are standing in. Reseller listings for 31 December said the outdoor terraces are unavailable that day, that only a limited set of slots is sold, and that access to The Dubai Mall may be restricted from 2 pm for crowd control. If you want the deck during New Year week, go on another day or in the morning of the 31st, and keep the evening for the ground. The official At the Top site sets each year's schedule, and the booking calendar shows which slots exist on your date. All ten tickets sold on this site can be cancelled free up to 24 hours before, which helps if the official schedule changes.
Free viewing areas and ticketed spots
Emaar says Downtown's public viewing areas are free, family-friendly and first come, first served, with LED screens along Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Boulevard. For 2025–26 Gulf News listed entry gates at Boulevard Heights, Burj Vista, Emaar Square, the former Address Boulevard, Fountain Views, Address Downtown and Vida Dubai Mall. It also listed family areas (South Ridge, ACT 1/ACT 2, Outer Boulevard, Old Town, Cascade Garden) and separate areas for single men. Once an area is full its gates close. The ticketed option at the foot of the tower is Burj Park. For 2025–26 it cost AED 950 for adults and AED 550 for children aged 5 to 12, plus VAT (AED 997.50 for adults with VAT, about $272 at 1 USD = 3.6725 AED). Children under 5 entered free but needed to be registered. Khaleej Times reported it nearly sold out in December. Restaurant tables with a fireworks view are the other paid route. Emaar pointed to reservations at the Dubai Mall, Armani Hotel and Address restaurants, and Gulf News put the price of such tables at Dh2,000 to Dh20,000.
- Free gates (2025–26) — Boulevard Heights, Burj Vista, Emaar Square, former Address Boulevard, Fountain Views, Address Downtown, Vida Dubai Mall
- Family areas (2025–26) — South Ridge, ACT 1/ACT 2, Outer Boulevard, Old Town, Cascade Garden
- Burj Park (2025–26) — AED 950 adults, AED 550 ages 5–12, plus VAT; under-5s free with registration
- Restaurant tables — Dh2,000 to Dh20,000, by venue (Gulf News)
From the water
Boats are the way to see the Burj Khalifa fireworks without the Downtown crowd, at a distance. On GetYourGuide, a speedboat trip for New Year's Eve is listed from AED 699 (about $190), 2.5 hours, rated 4.6 on 10 reviews of that trip. A 3-hour New Year's Eve dinner cruise with a view of the Burj Khalifa fireworks is listed from AED 1,267 (about $345), with no reviews yet. Both are scraped listings from 27 October 2026; New Year prices are set per date, so check the listing.
Getting there and back that night
Plan the journey before the viewing spot. On 31 December 2025, RTA closed the Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall metro station to entry from 5 pm, or earlier once it reached capacity. Roads around Downtown closed in phases: Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Boulevard, Burj Khalifa Street and several others from 4 pm, Al Sukook Street from 8 pm, Upper Financial Centre Street from 9 pm, and Sheikh Zayed Road gradually from 11 pm. The Red and Green metro lines ran without a break for 43 hours, from 5 am on 31 December to midnight on 1 January, and the tram ran overnight too. Gulf News advised drivers to arrive by 4 pm. The practical plan is to take the metro in early, or walk from a nearby hotel, and to leave after midnight from a station further away rather than wait at Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall. Route details for an ordinary day are in how to get to Burj Khalifa.
- 4 pm — Phased road closures begin around Downtown (2025)
- 5 pm — Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall station closed to entry, or earlier at capacity (2025)
- 11 pm — Sheikh Zayed Road closes gradually (2025)
- All night — Red and Green lines ran 43 hours non-stop (2025–26)
What to bring in New Year's Eve, 31 December
- ✓ Water and snacks: you may wait in a viewing area for hours
- ✓ A light jacket: the December low averages 15.8 °C
- ✓ A charged phone and an agreed meeting point in case your group is separated
- ✓ ID, and registration for children under 5 if you booked Burj Park
Daylight and public holidays, month by month
| Month | Sunrise | Sunset | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 07:05 | 17:49 | 10.7 h |
| February | 06:53 | 18:12 | 11.3 h |
| March | 06:28 | 18:27 | 12 h |
| April | 05:56 | 18:40 | 12.7 h |
| May | 05:34 | 18:56 | 13.4 h |
| June | 05:28 | 19:10 | 13.7 h |
| July | 05:37 | 19:11 | 13.6 h |
| August | 05:52 | 18:54 | 13 h |
| September | 06:04 | 18:24 | 12.3 h |
| October | 06:16 | 17:52 | 11.6 h |
| November | 06:35 | 17:31 | 10.9 h |
| December | 06:56 | 17:31 | 10.6 h |
Sunrise and sunset on the 15th of each month at 25.197, 55.274 (Asia/Dubai), sea-level horizon. Computed, not observed; within a few minutes. Holidays: national public holidays (AE) from Nager.Date; banks and some attractions may close or run holiday hours.
Frequently asked questions
Can you watch the New Year's Eve fireworks from the top of Burj Khalifa?
Not well: the fireworks are launched from the tower itself. Reseller listings for 31 December said the outdoor terraces are closed that day and only limited slots are sold. Watch from Downtown, Burj Park or a restaurant terrace.
Is it free to watch the Burj Khalifa fireworks?
Yes. Emaar runs free public viewing areas across Downtown Dubai, first come, first served, with LED screens along the Boulevard. Gates close once each area is full, so arrive by mid-afternoon.
How much are Burj Park New Year's Eve tickets?
For 2025–26: AED 950 for adults and AED 550 for children aged 5 to 12, plus VAT (AED 997.50 for adults with VAT). Under-5s were free with registration. Tickets are sold on Emaar's New Year site and were nearly sold out by late December.
Is the Burj Khalifa metro station open on New Year's Eve?
On 31 December 2025 it closed to entry from 5 pm, or earlier at capacity, while the Red and Green lines ran non-stop for 43 hours. Use another Red Line station on the way home, such as Financial Centre or Business Bay, the stations either side.
What time should I arrive for the Burj Khalifa fireworks?
By mid-afternoon. In 2025 roads around Downtown started closing at 4 pm, Gulf News advised drivers to arrive by 4 pm, and the metro station closed to entry from 5 pm.
Sources