Grand Canyon Air Tours - Taking A Helicopter Flight

By Author: Tracy Delvecchio
Total Articles: 17
Comment this article

If your budget is tight or you don't have a ton of free time, air-only helicopter tours are a terrific way to see the Grand Canyon. Landing tours are more comprehensive as far as Grand Canyon helicopters go, but they're also more expensive and time-consuming. However, a helicopter tour is all you really need to get a feel for the wonder of the Grand Canyon.

Air-only Grand Canyon helicopters take off from Grand Canyon National Park Airport in Tusayan, Arizona (these choppers fly to the South Rim and are a great option for travelers coming from Phoenix and other central AZ cities) and Las Vegas (West Rim only, because the South Rim is too far). If you choose to go on a landing tour instead, then you won't have a choice of rims since the West Rim is the only area where helicopters are allowed to fly below the rim.

There are two types of South Rim helicopter tours: the shorter version lasts 30 minutes and flies from the South to the North Rim and back. The other choice is a 50 minute flight that covers the same sights as the shorter flight but also includes views of the deepest and widest part of the canyon called ...
... Dragoon corridor, the Painted Desert, Zuni Corridor, the Colorado River confluence, and Imperial Point. The longest flight is probably the best choice since you get to see more notable landmarks in the canyon.

There are several airfields in the Vegas metro area where the West Rim chopper tours depart on a daily basis. Plan on the tour to take around 3.5 hours all together. In addition to the canyon, you get to fly over Lake Mead and the Hoover Dam. At the canyon, you will pass over the famous glass Grand Canyon Skywalk, Eagle Point, Guano Point, as well as view the might Colorado River snaking along the canyon floor.

A lot of travelers coming from Vegas love this particular tour because it gives them a taste of the Park but doesn't take a lot of time, they'd rather not take a whole day away from Vegas shows and nightlife. On the other hand, if you don't mind spending the additional time and want to see more of the canyon, sign up for a landing tour. These Grand Canyon helicopters land on the canyon bottom, where you can enjoy a champagne picnic or take a float trip down the Colorado River. If you want an additional thrill, you can add a stroll on the glass Skywalk too.

No matter which rim you choose and which type of tour you take, I urge you to pick one of the air tours that use EcoStar 130 helicopters. Simply put, they're much better than the AStar aircraft that some companies use. Besides having a larger, more comfortable cabin, the EcoStar 130 gives you a quieter, more stable flight, top-notch climate control, theater-style seating, and a panoramic windshield that's perfect for sightseeing.

You should know, Grand Canyon air tours are extremely popular so the fill up quickly. Whenever someone asks, I urge them to book well in advance -- at least three days (but seven is even better) before the flight date you want.

Also, to get the absolute lowest price on your Grand Canyon helicopter tour, get your seats online. Go straight to the tour operator's website because prices are lower there than they are at Orbitz or Expedia. It saves you money to eliminate the middleman. Just make sure you complete the entire transaction on the company's site so you'll qualify for the Internet discount. If you mail in your payment or order through customer service you will pay more.

Author Tips

Travel blogger Tracy D. is an authority on helicopter rides to the Grand Canyon. She suggests going here for a listing of the best bargains on the top flights: http://www.grandcanyoncheap.com/helicopter-deals.html