iFLY Dubai

iFLY Dubai is an indoor skydiving wind tunnel at City Centre Mirdif, where you can feel free fall without jumping out of a plane. It opened on 1 April 2010 as the region's first public indoor skydiving centre and is run by Majid Al Futtaim, the mall's owner.

What to see

iFLY bills itself as the world's first double vertical wind tunnel and the first tunnel attached to a shopping mall. The glass tunnel, about 10 m tall, is raised 3 m above the floor overlooking the Magic Planet entertainment centre, so you can watch the flights from the mall. Two fans create winds of up to 200 km/h, and with an instructor you can rise to about 4 m.

Each flight lasts a minute, longer than the roughly 45 seconds of free fall in a real skydive. An instructor is in the tunnel with you on every flight. Afterwards you get a certificate, and photos and video can be bought on site.

Getting there

The metro does not reach the mall: take the Red Line to the Centrepoint terminus, then bus F10 (about 15 minutes) or a taxi (7–12 minutes). By car, head for City Centre Mirdif on Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road, which has a multi-storey car park and valet. iFLY is on Level 1 in the south-east part of the mall.

Planning your visit

The first-timer package — training, gear and two one-minute flights — starts at AED 179 online against a list price of AED 299; packages with four and five minutes of flight start at AED 269 and 299. Online discounts change, so check the price when you book. The whole visit takes about an hour and a half, including check-in an hour before your flight. Weekends get busy, so book ahead.

Before you go

Flying is open from age 3, as long as a helmet fits, and parents sign consent for under-18s. The weight limit is 105 kg if you are under 180 cm tall and 115 kg if taller. Pregnant visitors, people with a history of shoulder dislocation, anyone in a cast or under the influence cannot fly; with neck, back or heart problems, check with a doctor first. Wear loose clothes and lace-up trainers and bring something warm, as the tunnel is chilly; personal cameras and GoPros are not allowed in the tunnel.