Current records

    - Tallest skyscraper to top of spire: 828 m (2,717 ft)
    - Tallest structure ever built: 828 m (2,717 ft)
    - Tallest extant structure: 828 m (2,717 ft)
    - Tallest freestanding structure: 828 m (2,717 ft)
    - Building with most floors: 160
    - World's highest elevator installation
    - World's fastest elevators at speed of 64 km/h (40 mph) or 18 m/s (59 ft/s)
    - Highest vertical concrete pumping (for a building): 606 m (1,988 ft)
    - Highest vertical concrete pumping (for any construction): 606 m (1,988 ft)
    - The first world's tallest structure in history to include residential space
    - Highest outdoor observation deck in the world (124th floor)
    - World's highest mosque (located on the 158th floor)
    - World's highest installation of an aluminium & glass façade, at a height of 512 m (1,680 ft)
    - World's highest swimming pool (76th floor)

History of height increases

 There are unconfirmed reports of several planned height increases since its inception. Originally proposed as a virtual clone of the 560 m (1,837 ft) Grollo Tower proposal for Melbourne, Australia's Docklands waterfront development, the tower was redesigned with an original design by Skidmore, Owings and Merrill (SOM) discussed below. Marshall Strabala, an SOM architect who worked on the project until 2006, late 2008 said that Burj Khalifa was designed to be 808 m (2,650 ft) tall.

The design architect, Adrian Smith, felt that the uppermost section of the building did not culminate elegantly with the rest of the structure, so he sought and received approval to increase it to the current height. It has been explicitly stated that this change did not include any added floors, which is fitting with Smith's attempts to make the crown more slender.

Delay

Emaar Properties announced on 9 June 2008 that construction of Burj Khalifa was delayed by upgraded finishes and would be completed only in September 2009. An Emaar spokesperson said "The luxury finishes that were decided on in 2004, when the tower was initially conceptualized, is now being replaced by upgraded finishes. The design of the apartments has also been enhanced to make them more aesthetically attractive and functionally superior." A revised completion date of 2 December 2009 was then announced. However, Burj Khalifa was opened on 4 January 2010.