Dubai Pass vs. Dubai City Pass vs. Explorer Pass | Which is Best? (2024)

This post reviews the different touristattraction discount passes available in Dubai and explains how they could save you both time and money.

• Before You Buy
• All-Inclusive
• Flex Pass
• Build Your Own
• Hop-On-Hop-Off Bus Combos

Disclosure:While our recommendations are always unbiased, we may receive a small share of sales through some of the links below at no cost to you. See thefull text.

BEFORE YOU BUY

Dubai tourist attraction discount passes come in many different forms.

While some will provide easy access to many different attractions, others will allow you to pick the specific locations you want to visit.

This section will provide information about what you can expect from each type of city pass.

All-Inclusive Pass

This discount pass will include admission to dozens of different attractions for one low price.

You can purchase an all-inclusive pass for anywhere from 2-7 days at a time.

Even if you can’t take advantage of everything these passes offer in the amount of time you’re given, you stand to save the most money with this option.

That being said, most people prefer this service because it is easy to use for skip-the-line access at many different locations.

Flex Pass

Rather than giving you unlimited access to dozens of fun activities, this tourist pass will allow you to choose 3, 5, or 7 different attractions for one low price.

This is a much better option for anyone who might not be certain that they will be able to take full advantage of an all-inclusive pass.

This is because you can pick the specific locations you want to visit and pay one price for all of them.

Flex passes are usually more affordable than an all-inclusive pass, but the savings potential isn’t as significant as other options.

That being said, flex passes usually allow you the freedom to choose your attractions as you go, so you won’t necessarily have to make your choices ahead of time.

Build Your Own Pass

Although you won’t save as much money as you can with other passes, you can choose as few as 2 different attractions when you build your own pass.

The main difference between this option and the flex pass is that you will have to pick your attractions ahead of time rather than deciding where to go at your own leisure.

This is undoubtedly the most affordable discount pass you will find, but it’s also the least extensive and it offers the least savings.

ALL-INCLUSIVE PASSES

The following section will provide all the information you need to choose an all-inclusive Dubai city pass.

In addition to prices, we will also include information about the various attractions you can visit with each service.

Go City Dubai Pass

Much like their competitors, there are 35 attractions included with the Go City Dubai All-Inclusive pass.

You can get the pass in increments of 2, 3, 4, 5 or 7 days.

Additionally, you may also be able to choose one premium attraction from a list of four popular options.

This opportunity is only available for customers who purchase at least a 3-day pass.

There is also a 30-day money-back guarantee from the date of purchase of any unused pass.

Premium Attractions

• Royal Safari Experience
• Gourmet Dinner Cruise
• Dubai Parks and Resort
• Island Beach Cruise in Abu Dhabi

Main Attractions

• Burj Khalifa ‘At the Top’ Observatory
• Aquaventure Waterpark
• Lost Chambers Aquarium
• Ski Dubai Polar Pass
• Hop-on, Hop-off Bus Tour
• IMG Worlds of Adventure
• iFly Indoor Skydiving
• Desert Safari in Abu Dhabi
• Camel Trekking in Abu Dhabi
• MOTIONGATE Dubai
• LEGOLAND Dubai
• Bollywood Parks
• Ferrari World
• And More!

Prices

• 2-Day Pass: $313/Adults | $272/Children
  • Price per day: $156.50/Adults | $130/Children
• 3-Day Pass: $400/Adults | $327/Children
  • Price per day: $133.33/Adults | $109/Children
• 4-Day Pass: $476/Adults | $367/Children
  • Price per day: $119/Adults | $91.75/Children
• 5-Day Pass: $544/Adults | $394/Children
  • Price per day: $108.80/Adults | $78.80/Children
• 7-Day Pass: $640/Adults | $435/Children
  • Price per day: $91.43/Adults | $62.14/Children
• 30-day money-back guarantee from the date of purchase of any unused pass.

Prices fluctuate regularly due to limited-time deals.

Purchase or learn more about the GoCity Dubai All-Inclusive Pass.

Things to Consider

You’ll get the best deal by purchasing the longest pass.

While the 2-day pass is $156.50 per day and does not have any premium attractions, the 7-day pass is only around $91.42 per day and everything is included.

This is a digital pass which is offered through their app for admission to each activity.

If you don’t manage to use your pass, you can return it within 30 days of the purchase date for your money back.

Your Go City Dubai pass will be valid for the allotted time, but you can use it on any day you want over the course of two weeks.

For example, if you use your pass once, it will be validated for one day of use. If you don’t plan on using the pass on the next day, it won’t count against the time on your pass.

The next day of service will not be validated until you use it again.

In other words, you could technically get a 2-day pass and use it on Monday, wait 3 days, and then use it again on Friday without needing to purchase another pass.

NOTE: Dubai Parks and Resort includes a lot of different amusem*nt parks such as LEGOLAND, MOTIONGATE and Bollywood Parks. The pass you will receive allows you to hop from one park to the next at your own leisure.

TIP: You will not require reservations to enter IMG Worlds of Adventure with the Go City Dubai Pass. This priority entry is only included with Smart Destinations passes.

30-day money-back guarantee from the date of purchase of any unused pass.

Dubai Unlimited (iVenture)

This all-inclusive pass includes access to 45 popular attractions in and around the city. The Dubai Unlimited pass is available for 3, 5, or 7 consecutive days.

Upon purchasing this service, you will have 6 months to activate your discount pass.

A free color guide and map are also included with each option, and you can save over $300 per person on various activities in the area.

Included Attractions

• Wild Wadi Waterpark
• IMG Worlds of Adventure
• Ski Dubai Polar Pass
• iFly Indoor Skydiving
• Hop-on, Hop-off Bus Tour
• Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo
• Burj Khalifa ‘At the Top’ Observatory
• Desert Safari, Dinner & Camel Ride
• Speed Boat Tour Around Dubai
• LEGOLAND Dubai
• Bollywood Parks
• Dubai Dolphinarium
• Laguna Waterpark
• And More!

Prices

• 3-Day Pass
  • $371/Adults | $352/Children
    • Price per day: $123.67/Adults | $117.33/Children
• 5-Day Pass
  • $566/Adults | $482/Children
    • Price per day: $113.20/Adults | $96.40/Children

Purchase or learn more about the Dubai iVenture Unlimited Pass.

Things to Consider

As you can probably tell, the Dubai Unlimited Pass is a lot more affordable than at least some of the other passes.

This service also offers a lot of the same attractions as competitors such as the Go City Dubai Pass, including at least one of their premium options – Dubai Parks and Resort.

Their lowest price option is valid for three days, and it’s actually cheaper than the 2-Day pass from Smart Destinations.

Although the Turbo Pass (which you can read about below) is a bit more affordable, it doesn’t include as many popular and premium attractions as this service.

If you’re looking to get the most bang for your buck, this tourist pass is definitely worth consideration.

Make sure to compare the activities included with each pass before making a decision.

With that said, it’s important to note that the Dubai Unlimited Pass must be used on consecutive days.

Although it is valid for 6 months after your original purchase, once it has been activated, you will need to use it as quickly as possible.

Dubai City Pass (Turbo Pass)

If you’re working with a tight budget, this all-inclusive pass is definitely worth a look.

Depending on how many days you choose to use it, you could have access to over 30 different attractions in Dubai.

In addition, a shuttle bus to Abu Dhabi is also included. The Dubai City Pass is offered in increments of 1, 2, 3 and 7 days.

1, 2, and 3-day passes include only a handful of attractions, but 5 & 7 day passes feature over 30 activities.

1, 2, and 3 Day Pass Attractions

• Burj Khalifa ‘At the Top’ Conservatory
• 48-Hour Hop-on, Hop-off Bus Tour
• Museum of Illusions
• Desert Safari
• Dhow Cruise
• And More!

5 & 7 Day Pass Attractions

• Lost Chambers Aquarium
• Shuttle Transfer to Abu Dhabi
• Flamingo Lagoon Discovery
• Marina & Lagoon Boat Cruise
• Ambassador Lagoon Aquarium
• Everything included w/ 1, 2, & 3-day pass
• And more!

Prices

• 1-Day Pass: $136.60/Adults | $105.05/Kids
• 2-Day Pass: $178.67/Adults | $126.90/Kids
  • Price per day: $89.34/Adults | $63.45/Kids
• 3-Day Pass: $210.21/Adults | $157.63/Kid
  • Price per day: $70.07/Adults | $52.54/Kids
• 5-Day Pass: $241.76/Adults | $189.18/Kid
  • Price per day: $48.35/Adults | $37.84/Kids
• 7-Day Pass: Not currently available as of Dec 2022.

Purchase or learn more about the Dubai City Pass.

The main difference between this and other passes is that they don’t offer popular activities such as IMG Worlds of Adventure, LEGOLAND, and Bollywood Parks.

However, if you’re interested in visiting the museums and taking a variety of tours, this is a great choice.

The Dubai City Pass is a lot more affordable than some of its competitors. Even the 7-day pass is more affordable than the cheapest Dubai Unlimited Pass.

Even if you won’t need it for more than two days, we recommend purchasing at least a 3-day pass in order to get access to all of the attractions.

The price difference between these two options is negligible, so it’s worth spending a few extra bucks to double your entertainment value.

NOTE: The Dubai City Pass includes skip-the-line entry to Burj Khalifa’s ‘At the Top’ Observatory. This is an excellent advantage that other tourist passes do not include.

FLEX PASSES

The following section will provide details about the various flex pass services that are available in Dubai.

These discount passes will allow you to choose a specific number of popular attractions rather than a number of days that you can access them.

Even though this option is more affordable, your discounts probably won’t be as significant as they would be with an all-inclusive pass.

There is also a 30-day money-back guarantee from the date of purchase of any unused pass.

Go City Dubai Explorer Pass

Much like their competitors, this flex pass will also allow you to choose a specific number of attractions for one flat price.

Choose between 3, 4, 5, or 7 different options from a list of 47 popular activities and attractions in Dubai.

This list has 10 more attractions than the unlimited pass.

The Go City Dubai Explorer Pass is valid for a total of 30 days after its initial activation, giving you plenty of time to use it at your leisure rather than having to hop from one activity to the next as quickly as possible.

Included Attractions

• IMG Worlds of Adventure
• LEGOLAND Park
• LEGOLAND Waterpark
• MotionGate Park
• Ski Dubai Polar Pass
• Lost Chambers Aquarium
• iFly Indoor Skydiving
• Aquaventure Waterpark
• RIB Speed Boat Tour
• Camel Trekking in Abu Dhabi
• Hop-on, Hop-off Bus Tour
• Burj Khalifa ‘At the Top’ Observatory
• And More!

Prices

• 3 Attractions: $182.10/Adults | $149.50/Kids
  • Price per attraction: $60.70/Adults | $49.83/Children
• 4 Attractions: $228.40/Adults | $187.55/Kids
  • Price per attraction: $57.10/Adults | $46.89/Children
• 5 Attractions: $277.40/Adults | $231.10/Kids
  • Price per attraction: $55.48/Adults | $46.22/Children
• 7 Attractions: $372.70/Adults | $304.65/Kids
  • Price per attraction: $53.24/Adults | $43.52/Children
• 30-day money-back guarantee from the date of purchase of any unused pass.

Purchase or learn more about the Go City Dubai Explorer Pass.

This flex pass might not be as cheap as some of the other flex passes on this list, but there are a few notable features.

For one thing, you don’t have to use it immediately after it is activated.

Visitors who are spending more than a week in the UAE might appreciate having plenty of time to use their pass whenever they want within a span of 30 days.

There are also a lot of attractions included with the Go City Dubai Explorer Pass which you will not find on other flex passes.

The RIB Speed Boat, Aquaventure Waterpark, and Camel Trek activities are all examples of services that their competitors do not offer.

The Go City Dubai Explorer Pass is also easy to use with the Go City app. Tickets are simple to access and can be scanned directly from your smartphone.

There is also a 30-day money-back guarantee from the date of purchase of any unused pass.

Dubai Super Saver Pass (My Pass UAE)

This flex pass will allow you to choose between 3, 5 or 7 different attractions for one low price.

There are well over 30 activities to choose from including popular locations like Burj Khalifa and IMG Worlds of Adventure.

They also offer a premium option with access to 12 elite attractions which you won’t find on the Super Saver pass.

Super Saver Attractions

• iFly Indoor Skydiving
• Ski Dubai Polar Pass
• IMG Worlds of Adventure
• Mattel PlayTown
• Burj Khalifa ‘At the Top’ Observatory
• Abu Dhabi Full-Day City Tour
• Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo
• Dhow Dinner Cruise
• Laguna Waterpark
• Madame Tussauds
• Bollywood Park
• Desert Safari
• And More!

Prices

• 3 Attractions: $156/Adults | $141/Children
  • Price per attraction: $52/Adults | $47/Children
• 5 Attractions: $252/Adults | $224/Children
  • Price per attraction: $50.40/Adults | $44.80/Children
• 7 Attractions: $354/Adults | $317/Children
  • Price per attraction: $50.57/Adults | $45.29/Children

Purchase or learn more about the Dubai Super Saver Pass.

Some of the prices for this service are comparable to the Dubai Unlimited all-inclusive pass.

The attractions included are also very similar, but you’ll be choosing the specific locations you want to visit rather than paying one lump sum for dozens of activities.

What this means is that you should consider what you want to do while visiting before making your decision.

For instance, if you only want to visit IMG Worlds of Adventure, LEGOLAND, and the Wild Wadi Waterpark, it would be cheaper to get the Dubai Super Saver Pass.

However, if you intend to do all of this and use a hop-on-hop-off bus or enjoy a cruise, it might be worth it to consider an all-inclusive pass instead.

Dubai Flexi Pass (iVenture)

This service also offers admission to either 3, 5 or 7 different attractions.

There are a total of 33 different activities to choose from including many popular locations such as MotionGate and LEGOLAND.

Unlike its competitors, iVenture does not include any premium attractions with the Dubai Flexi Pass.

All tickets must be used within 7 days of pass validation.

Included Attractions

• Ski Dubai Polar Pass
• Burj Khalifa ‘At the Top’ Observatory
• Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo
• Bollywood Parks
• IMG Worlds of Adventure
• Wild Wadi Waterpark
• MOTIONGATE
• Desert Safari w/ Dinner
• iFly Indoor Skydiving
• LEGOLAND Dubai
• Hop-on, Hop-off Bus Tour
• And More!

Prices

• 3-Ticket Pass
  • $143/Adults | $134/Children
    • Price per ticket: $47.67/Adults | $44.67/Children
• 5-Ticket Pass
  • $234/Adults | $214/Children
    • Price per ticket: $46.80/Adults | $42.80/Children
• 7-Ticket Pass
  • $309/Adults | $289/Children
    • Price per ticket: $44.14/Adults | $41.29/Children

Purchase or learn more about the Dubai Flexi Pass.

It is worth noting that some attractions such as the Palm Island cruise are actually the same as the premium options offered by their competitors.

Why pay a higher price for something that you can get with the basic Dubai Flexi pass?

Speaking of value, you might have noticed that the prices for this pass are actually a lot lower than some of the other flex passes.

If you’re looking for the lowest possible price on certain attractions, make sure to keep this service in mind.

You can also save money by purchasing your pass during the low season. The Dubai Flexi pass can be activated at any time within 6 months of the original purchase date.

As a result, you can buy your pass ahead of time and avoid paying high season prices!

BUILD YOUR OWN PASS

If you’d rather take matters into your own hand and pick the specific attractions which interest you, consider a build your own pass instead.

This option will allow you to save money on as few as two activities in Dubai.

However, this pass also represents the least significant discounts of any tourist pass on our list.

You will also need to pick your attractions ahead of time rather than making that choice at your leisure.

Dubai Select (iVenture)

This is one of the cheapest tourist passes you will find in Dubai, but it will only provide access to 3 different attractions from a list of over 30 possibilities.

Depending on how you choose to use the Dubai Select pass, you could save over 50% on each activity.

Your savings will depend primarily on which activities you choose, so you may want to consider using this pass for the more expensive services.

Attractions Included

• Wild Wadi Waterpark
• Hop-on, Hop-off Bus Tour
• iFly Indoor Skydiving
• Ski Dubai Polar Pass
• Burj Khalifa ‘At the Top’
• Bollywood Parks Dubai
• LEGOLAND Dubai
• MotionGate Dubai
• Dubai Aquarium
• And More!

Potential Savings

Some of the attractions you can choose from cost almost as much as the Dubai Select Pass, so it’s pretty easy to save a lot of money.

Here is an example itinerary you may want to consider:

IMG Worlds of Adventure

• Normal Price: $92.92
• Dubai Select Price: $38.03

Wild Wadi Waterpark

• Normal Price: $88.63
• Dubai Select Price: $38.03

Hop-on, Hop-off Bus Tour

• Normal Price: $72.05
• Dubai Select Price: $38.03

Total Value: $243.31

Total Price: $114.08

Total Savings: $129.23 (53% off)

Prices

• Low Season (May 15th - September 15th)
  • $114.08/Adults | $111.22/Children
• High Season (September 16th - May 14th)
  • $134/Adults | $126/Children

Purchase or learn more about the Dubai Select pass.

Things to Consider

Although you can save a lot of money with the Dubai Select pass, there is one requirement that you should keep in mind: you must use the pass within 7 days of the first use.

You’ll have the freedom to use it whenever you want during those 7 days, but after that week the pass will no longer be valid.

In comparison, the Build Your Own pass option from Smart Destinations will allow you to use your tickets at any time within 30 days of the first use.

If you plan on staying in Dubai for longer than a week, that might be a better option.

However, it is worth noting that you can save more money with the Dubai Select pass.

The only other catch with this pass is that all three of the attractions you select must be from different pools.

Needless to say, you can find some pretty valuable and fun activities in each pool, but this also makes it impossible to get more than one ticket from one pool.

If you plan to visit more than one of the locations included in one of the attraction pools, keep this factor in mind before purchasing.

OTHER DUBAI TOURIST DISCOUNTS

The following section will provide a few different alternatives to traditional tourist passes.

Rather than paying per day or activity, you will pay one flat price for a specific selection of attractions.

Most of these opportunities are offered by bus tour companies.

The discounts possible with these options aren’t always on par with attraction passes, but you may still want to consider them if you know exactly what you want to do while visiting Dubai.

Big Bus Tours

Some of these combo tickets are not currently available in 2022, but we hope they will be back in 2023!

This is a very popular international bus tour company. Although they do not offer any discount passes in Dubai, their special ticket options include several notable attractions.

They also provide a few select combo packages that you may want to consider.

NOTE: The prices below reflect an additional 10% discount you receive when purchasing tickets directly through their website.

Premium Ticket

• 2-Day Hop-on, Hop-off Bus Tour
• Lost Chambers Aquarium
• Ambassador Lagoon
• Dhow Cruise
  • $85.80/Adults | $61.30/Children
• Purchase tickets or learn more.

Deluxe Ticket

• 5-Day Hop-on, Hop-off Bus Tour
• Lost Chambers Aquarium
• Desert Sunset Tour
• Ambassador Lagoon
• Dhow Cruise
  • $97.80/Adults | $73.30/Children
• Purchase tickets or learn more.

Dubai & Abu Dhabi Combo

• Dubai Hop-on, Hop-off Bus Tour
• Abu Dhabi Hop-on, Hop-off Bus Tour
• Dubai Bus Night Tour
• Dhow Cruise
  • $131.50/Adults | $85.80/Children
  • Purchase tickets or learn more.

Dubai, Abu Dhabi & Muscat Combo

• Dubai Hop-on, Hop-off Bus Tour
• Abu Dhabi Hop-on, Hop-off Bus Tour
• Muscat Hop-on, Hop-off Bus Tour
• Desert Sunset Tour
• Dhow Cruise
• Water Bus
• 10 Museums
• 5 Walking Tours

• Etihad Gallery
• Heritage Village
• And More!
  • $211/Adults | $138.50/Children
  • Not currently available as of December 2022.

Dubai Bus Tour & MotionGate Park

• Dubai Hop-on, Hop-off Bus Tour
• MotionGate Theme Park
• Dubai Bus Night Tour
• Walking Tours
• 10 Museums
• Dhow Cruise
  • $92/Adults | $86/Children
  • Not currently available as of December 2022.

The combo packages offered by Big Bus Tours may actually be better than the passes provided by City Sightseeing.

In addition to various tours, each pass also includes cruises and museums.

It’s also worth noting that prices for tickets and packages are a lot more affordable than the deals offered by their competition.

City Sightseeing

This is another notable international bus tour company, and they often offer either discount passes or packages which include their hop-on-hop-off tours.

In Dubai, they provide a selection of 3 hop-on hop-off bus tour tickets and some packages to choose from. Two of their ticket options include other activities.

Depending on which option you choose, you could save over $100 for various activities. You’ll find a breakdown of each major option below.

Essential Ticket

• 1-Day Hop-on, Hop-off Bus Tour
• Burj Khalifa ‘At the Top’ Observatory
  • $122.24/Adults | $94/Children
  • Purchase tickets or learn more.

Supreme Ticket

• 2-Day or 3-Day Hop-on, Hop-off Bus Tour
• Lost Chambers Aquarium
• Dhow Cruise
  • 2-Day Ticket: $196.19/Adults | $84.41/Children
  • 3-Day Ticket: $114.36/Adults | $89.86/Children
  • Purchase tickets or learn more.

City Sightseeing also offers combo packages which include their bus tours and one other attraction. Here are a few combination deals they offer:

• Atlantis Aquaventure + The Lost Chambers Aquarium
  • $150/Adults | $139/Children
  • Purchase tickets or learn more.

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