How the weight and BMI check works
There are two limits, and you must pass both. The first is plain weight: 90 kg for women, 100 kg for men. The second is BMI, which Skydive Dubai uses as its measure of the minimum fitness needed for a safe landing. BMI is your weight in kilograms divided by your height in metres, squared. A person 1.70 m tall and 80 kg has a BMI of 80 ÷ (1.70 × 1.70) = 27.7. That passes for a man (limit 30) but fails for a woman (limit 27.5), although 80 kg is under both weight caps.
The table shows the highest weight that passes at each height. We worked it out from the published limits and rounded down to be safe.
| Height | Women: max weight (BMI 27.5, cap 90 kg) | Men: max weight (BMI 30, cap 100 kg) |
|---|---|---|
| 150 cm | 61.8 kg | 67.5 kg |
| 155 cm | 66.0 kg | 72.0 kg |
| 160 cm | 70.4 kg | 76.8 kg |
| 165 cm | 74.8 kg | 81.6 kg |
| 170 cm | 79.4 kg | 86.7 kg |
| 175 cm | 84.2 kg | 91.8 kg |
| 180 cm | 89.1 kg | 97.2 kg |
| 185 cm and taller | 90 kg | 100 kg |
From about 181 cm for women and 183 cm for men, the weight cap is reached before the BMI limit. Below those heights, BMI is the limit that matters.
The weigh-in happens at check-in, in your shoes and clothes. If the checker above puts you close to the line, remember that what you wear on the day counts, and leave yourself a margin. Skydive Dubai does not publish a minimum weight; the phrase "no minimum weight" appears only on reseller listings.
Age, ID and paperwork
Tandem jumps are open to people aged 18 to 75 on the day of the jump, counted by the Gregorian calendar. From 70 to 75 you need a Declaration of Fitness form signed and stamped by a doctor. Everyone completes a waiver.
Bring a valid official government photo ID: a national ID card, passport or driving licence. If you booked through a reseller, its terms can be stricter. Visit Dubai Experiences, for example, asks for the original passport and says the name on the booking must match it exactly. Any valid visa, including a tourist visa, is accepted.
Medical conditions, pregnancy and the 24-hour rules
If you have or have had any of these conditions, you must bring the Declaration of Fitness form, completed, signed and stamped by your doctor: diabetes, disease of the brain or nervous system, a dislocated shoulder or other limb, drug or alcohol addiction, epilepsy, fits, heart or lung disease, high blood pressure, mental illness, paralysis, recurrent blackouts or giddiness, recurrent weakness, or a severe head injury. The list ends with "any past or present medical conditions", so when in doubt, take the form to your doctor. Without it, the jump may be cancelled.
If you have a prosthetic limb, email Skydive Dubai before you book. Wheelchair users must email first too; the operator says it cannot always accommodate them. Skydive Dubai strongly advises against jumping while pregnant.
Two rules cover the day before: no alcohol or drugs for at least 24 hours, and no scuba diving for at least 24 hours.
What to wear
Skydive Dubai asks you to dress comfortably and with local culture in mind:
- athletic or comfortable clothes;
- shorts only if they cover the thigh, so the harness fits;
- laced sneakers or sports shoes, with no buckles or studs;
- nothing white or light-coloured, because it will get dirty.
Not allowed: low-cut, sleeveless or collared tops, crop tops, swimwear, sandals, boots, and heeled or platform shoes of any kind. Prescription glasses and contact lenses are fine: you get protective goggles to wear over them. Smart glasses that can record video are not allowed on the premises.
If you fail a check, and what to do instead
Skydive Dubai does not refund a jump lost because you did not meet the age, weight or BMI limits, had alcohol or drugs, or went scuba diving in the 24 hours before. So check yourself before the cancellation deadline, not at the scale. A booking made directly with Skydive Dubai can be cancelled by email at least 24 hours ahead for a full refund. Partner tickets have their own terms, often rescheduling only; the tickets page compares them.
If you are outside the limits, a wind tunnel is the closest alternative. iFly Dubai at City Centre Mirdif takes flyers from age 3, under 105 kg if shorter than 180 cm and under 115 kg if taller. Inflight Dubai, next to the Desert Campus, takes flyers from age 3 and up to 125 kg, as long as the flight suit fits securely. Neither accepts pregnant flyers. Details and prices are on the indoor skydiving page. For other ways to see Dubai from above, see alternatives. If you are inside the limits but nervous, how safe skydiving in Dubai is covers the regulation and the record.
