How Tall the Burj Khalifa Really Is: What Most People Get Wrong

You’ve probably seen the photos. A silver needle piercing a thick blanket of clouds, looking more like something out of a sci-fi flick than a real building in the middle of a desert. But honestly, when you’re standing at the base of it in Downtown Dubai, looking up until your neck literally hurts, the numbers start to feel a bit abstract.

Everyone knows it’s the tallest. But how tall the Burj Khalifa actually is—and how they even managed to measure it—is a story full of secret blueprints, "confusing" the wind, and a height that actually changed while they were building it.

The short answer (and the long one)

Let’s get the hard numbers out of the way first.

The Burj Khalifa stands exactly 828 meters tall.

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For those of us who think in feet, that’s 2,716.5 feet. To put that in perspective, if you stacked the Eiffel Tower on top of itself, and then added a third Eiffel Tower, you’d still be shorter than the Burj. It’s almost exactly twice the height of the Empire State Building.

But here’s the kicker: that 828-meter figure is the "architectural height." If you measure to the very tip of the lightning rod (the "height to tip"), it actually reaches 829.8 meters (2,722 feet). It’s a small distinction, but in the world of supertall skyscrapers, every inch is a battleground.

Why the height was a secret

During construction, Emaar Properties (the developer) was notoriously tight-lipped. They wouldn't tell anyone how high it was going. They even kept the final height a secret from the public until the very day of the grand opening in January 2010.

Why the drama? Mostly to stop anyone else from trying to "out-tall" them mid-build. There’s a rumor—one that’s basically been confirmed by the architects at Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM)—that the building actually grew during the design process. Initially, it was supposed to be around 518 meters, just a bit taller than Taipei 101. But the team realized they could go higher. A lot higher.

So they did.

How do you even build something that high?

You can't just build a regular square building and expect it to stay up at 2,700 feet. The wind would literally knock it over or, at the very least, make everyone inside feel seasick from the swaying.

The secret is the buttressed core.

Basically, the building is shaped like a "Y" from above. It has three wings that support a central hexagonal core. As the building goes up, each wing "sets back" in a spiral pattern. This isn't just for looks. It’s designed to "confuse the wind." By changing the shape of the building at every level, wind vortices never get a chance to organize and push against the structure with full force.

The concrete challenge

Building high is one thing. Getting the materials up there is another.

To build the Burj, engineers had to pump concrete to a height of 606 meters—a world record at the time. They had to do this at night because the Dubai heat would have caused the concrete to set inside the pipes during the day. They even used massive amounts of ice in the mixture to keep it cool.

Imagine that: a building made of ice-chilled concrete and 39,000 tons of reinforced steel.

More than just a height: Life at the top

Once you get past how tall the Burj Khalifa is, you start to realize how weird things get when you live that far off the ground.

• The Sunset Double-Take: Because the building is so tall, you can watch the sunset from the ground floor, take the high-speed elevator to the observation deck, and watch the same sunset all over again.
• Temperature Drops: It is roughly 6 to 15 degrees Celsius cooler at the top than it is at the base.
• The View: On a clear day, you can see the tip of the spire from 95 kilometers (about 60 miles) away. That’s like standing in New York City and seeing a building in Philadelphia.

The Floor Breakdown

While the building has 163 floors above ground, not all of them are for people.

1. Levels 1-8: The Armani Hotel (the first of its kind).
2. Levels 9-16: Armani Residences.
3. Levels 45-108: Private ultra-luxury apartments (imagine the grocery run).
4. Level 122: At.mosphere, the world’s highest restaurant.
5. Levels 124, 125, and 148: The observation decks where you’ll likely spend your tourist dollars.
6. The Top: The rest is mostly "mechanical floors" and the massive steel spire.

Is it still the tallest?

As of early 2026, yes.

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For a while, it looked like the Jeddah Tower in Saudi Arabia was going to snatch the crown. That project was designed to be at least 1,000 meters tall (a full kilometer). However, construction has faced massive delays and halts over the years. While there’s always talk of it resuming, the Burj Khalifa remains the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world.

There’s also the Merdeka 118 in Malaysia, which finished recently. It’s huge—678.9 meters—but it still looks like a younger sibling compared to the Burj.

If you’re planning a visit

If you're heading to Dubai to see it for yourself, don't just show up and expect to walk in.

Tickets for the observation decks (At the Top) sell out fast, especially for the "prime hours" around sunset. The entrance isn't actually in the building itself, either—you have to go through the Dubai Mall lower ground floor. It’s a long walk through air-conditioned tunnels filled with history displays before you even get to the elevators.

And those elevators? They move at 10 meters per second. Your ears will definitely pop.

Actionable Insights for Your Visit:

• Book 2-4 weeks in advance: If you want that sunset slot on Level 148, don't wait. Prices also jump significantly if you buy "immediate entry" tickets at the counter.
• Check the weather: Dubai can get "shamal" (sandstorms) or heavy fog. If it's a foggy morning, the view from the top is basically like being inside a cloud. Great for photos, bad for seeing the city.
• Dress for the "Top": Remember that 6-degree temperature difference? It can get surprisingly chilly on the outdoor terrace of Level 124 at night. Bring a light jacket.
• The Fountain View: If you don't want to pay for the deck, book a table at a restaurant in Souk Al Bahar or the mall with a balcony. You'll get the scale of the building and the fountain show without the elevator fee.

To get the most out of your trip, try to time your visit so you arrive 45 minutes before sunset. This gives you the "golden hour" light, the sunset itself, and the spectacular sight of Dubai lighting up at night—all for the price of one ticket.