Last Updated on 2 June 2026 by Dave King
The Brighton i360 is the slender observation tower on the seafront that lifts you 450 feet above the beach for one of the best views on the south coast. After a turbulent few years, it is open again under new ownership and back doing what it does best: giving visitors a brand new perspective on Brighton, the South Downs and the sea. This guide covers what to expect from the Brighton i360, how the experience works, and the practical things worth knowing before you go.
Tower flights run throughout the day and times change with the season, so check before travelling.
Brighton i360 at a Glance
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| What it is | A 162-metre moving observation tower |
| Height of the viewing pod | 138 metres (450 feet) |
| Location | Brighton seafront, at the foot of the West Pier |
| Flight time | Around 25 minutes |
| On board | The Sky Bar, serving drinks |
| Accessibility | Fully wheelchair accessible, heated and air-conditioned |
Table of Contents
What Is the Brighton i360?
The Brighton i360 is a 162-metre (531-foot) moving observation tower on the seafront, with a glass viewing pod that glides up to 138 metres (450 feet) above the beach. It was designed by Marks Barfield, the husband-and-wife team behind the London Eye, and it was conceived as a “vertical pier”, a modern echo of the Victorian piers that first drew visitors to walk out over the sea. Fittingly, it stands at the landward end of the ruined West Pier, linking the city’s seaside heritage to something brand new.
The pod is large, holding up to 200 people, and is a world away from a cramped lift. It is air-conditioned in summer, heated in winter, and fully accessible for wheelchair users, so it works year-round and for everyone.
What to Expect on a Flight
The experience is called a “flight”, and it is a gentle, smooth ride rather than a white-knuckle one. The pod rises slowly up the slender steel spire to 138 metres, pauses at the top to let you take in the view, then drifts back down. The whole thing takes around 25 minutes, with plenty of time to walk around the pod and see in every direction.
On a clear day the views are genuinely impressive: the rooftops of Brighton and Hove directly below, the green ridge of the South Downs inland, the Seven Sisters cliffs along the coast to the east, and on the clearest days as far as the Isle of Wight to the west. It is a particularly good spot at sunset, when the light catches the sea.
There is a bar on board, the Sky Bar, so you can enjoy a drink while you take in the view. Drinking a glass of something 450 feet above the beach is part of the appeal.
The i360’s Comeback
The Brighton i360 has had a dramatic story. It opened in August 2016 as the British Airways i360 to great fanfare, but it struggled financially over the following years, and at the end of 2024 it closed and went into administration.
The good news is that the story did not end there. In early 2025 the tower was bought by the hospitality company Nightcap, led by entrepreneur Sarah Willingham, and Brighton & Hove City Council agreed terms to secure its future. The i360 reopened to the public in March 2025 and has been flying ever since. For a structure that had looked at risk of becoming another seafront ruin, it is a genuine comeback, and it remains one of the most recognisable features of the Brighton skyline.
Tickets and Offers
Tickets are cheaper booked online in advance, and booking ahead also means you can pick your time slot and skip the ticket queue. A few things worth knowing:
- Kids under four go free with any adult ticket, which makes it an easy family outing.
- There is a £5 local offer for residents in the BN1, BN2, BN3 and BN41 postcodes, so if you live in or around the city it is well worth bringing ID.
- School-holiday family offers run during the holidays, so check the website if you are visiting with children.
For the current standard prices and opening times, the official Brighton i360 website is the place to check, as both vary by season.
More Than the View
Beyond the standard flight, the i360 has a few other things going on. The 360 Extreme experience lets the more adventurous stand on top of the pod, harnessed, for an open-air view from the very top. The venue also hosts weddings, parties and corporate events in the pod, and runs seasonal events through the year, including screenings of major sporting occasions. At beach level there is a café and a gift shop, both of which are dog-friendly even though dogs cannot go up in the pod.
How to Get There
The i360 is right on the seafront, between the Palace Pier and Hove, a short walk west along the front from the Palace Pier and easily reached on foot from the city centre and Brighton station. It is an easy add-on to a day on the seafront, and our Brighton beach guide covers what else is along the front. If you are driving, the seafront and nearby car parks are the closest options, though parking in central Brighton is limited and pricey, so arriving by train or on foot is often easier.
FAQs
Is the Brighton i360 still open?
Yes. After closing at the end of 2024, the i360 was bought by new owners and reopened in March 2025. It has been operating since, with tower flights running throughout the day.
How high is the Brighton i360?
The tower is 162 metres (531 feet) tall, and the glass viewing pod rises to 138 metres (450 feet) above the beach. It is one of the tallest moving observation towers in the UK.
How long does the Brighton i360 take?
A flight lasts around 25 minutes, including the gentle rise to the top, time to enjoy the view, and the descent. Allow extra time for the ticket check and security, and longer if you want a drink at the Sky Bar.
What can you see from the top?
On a clear day you can see across Brighton and Hove, inland to the South Downs, east along the coast to the Seven Sisters, and as far as the Isle of Wight to the west. Sunset flights are especially popular.
Is the Brighton i360 worth it?
If you enjoy a view, yes. The pod is spacious and accessible, the ride is smooth, and the panorama over the city and coast is hard to beat. Booking online and timing your visit for a clear day or sunset gets the most out of it.
Final Thoughts
The Brighton i360 gives you the city from an angle you cannot get any other way, and after a rocky few years it is good to see it open and thriving again. Go up for the view, a sunset drink at the Sky Bar or a family day out: it is one of the most distinctive things to do on the Brighton seafront. Book online, pick a clear day, and enjoy walking on air.
