15 Scenic Helicopter Flights in the USA Worth the Flight

1.New York Manhattan Scenic Helicopter Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 799 reviews · 20 minutes (approx.) · from $279Our pick

Take an 18 to 20-minute flight from Downtown Manhattan Heliport in a six-passenger Bell 407. Fly over Governor’s Island, the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, Ground Zero, Central Park, Times Square, the Empire State Building, and USS Intrepid, with pilot commentary when available. Bring photo ID, arrive early, and budget an extra $40 heliport fee.

“Very nice tour , very well organized with frequent updates until the event starts. The departure location is perfect for a complete NY overview”

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2.1000 Islands: 10, 20, 30, or 60-Min Scenic Helicopter Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 412 reviews · 10 minutes - 1 hour · from $93

Fly from Gananoque Heliport over the Thousand Islands in a small helicopter with a guaranteed window seat. Choose 10, 20, or 30 minutes, with the longer flights reaching Boldt and Singer Castles. Your pilot narrates in English, and recorded audio is available in five other languages. Expect a safety briefing, headset, and a maximum of three passengers per helicopter.

“My kids and I enjoyed it. And the staff were wonderful. The pilot -female- she is amazing”

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3.Douglas Lake View Scenic Helicopter Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 188 reviews · 6 to 10 minutes (approx.) Top rated

Take a 6 to 10 minute helicopter flight from Sevierville over the French Broad River and Douglas Lake. Your pilot points out Douglas Dam, English Mountain, farms, pastures, and the Great Smoky Mountains. Headsets make conversation easy, and flights run at several times each day. The tour is family-friendly and wheelchair accessible.

“Everyone was so friendly here! Would definitely recommend this place!! My husband travels to and from work by helicopter a lot but it was a first for myself, our 11 year old daughter and 3 year old grandson. We had fun! The view was amazing!!”

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4.Hilton Head Island: Scenic Helicopter Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 174 reviews · 3 - 10 minutes · from $42Best value

Fly from Hilton Head Airport on a 3, 6, or 10 minute helicopter tour. You may see dolphins, sea turtles, sharks, manta rays, beaches, Daufuskie, Tybee Island, Parris Island, and Savannah. Pilots such as Adam, David, and Tyler have been praised for friendly commentary and smooth flights. The helicopter carries up to three people per trip.

“It was the coolest experience. The pilot really made the experience so much better. Definitely want to do it again!”

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5.Central Maui: Two-Island Scenic Helicopter Flight to Molokai

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 165 reviews · 55 min · from $369

From Kahului Heliport, fly over Maui and Molokai in a six-person helicopter. See Kahiwa Falls, Halawa Valley, Elephant Rock, Honokohau Falls, Iao Valley, Haleakala, and possibly the Wall of Tears. Pilots such as Eddie, Jake, Tone, and John add island history, safety guidance, and a calm sense of fun.

“The best excursion of the cruise I feel. Great pilot. Such a good guide and thorough without being bossy or intrusive. Allowed us to enjoy the flight without missing anything. Would do it again”

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6.Niagara Falls, USA: Scenic Helicopter Flight over the Falls

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 88 reviews · 7 days · from $186

Fly from Rainbow Air’s Tourism Center near Niagara Falls State Park in a quiet Airbus H130. Your 8 to 10 minute flight gives you broad views of the American Falls, Canadian Falls, Niagara River, and surrounding area. Headsets, parking, and a downtown shuttle are included. Niagara Virtual VR is available for an extra fee.

“It's really good you should try it! Is so much fun”

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7.Scenic Helicopter Tour of Wears Valley, Tennessee

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 80 reviews · 18 to 23 minutes (approx.)

Take an 18 to 23-minute, 36-mile helicopter flight from Sevierville over Pigeon Forge, Cove Mountain, and Wears Valley near Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Your professional pilot provides live commentary on Tennessee scenery, wildlife, and history. Flights carry up to six people, with weight limits that matter for groups of three.

“First chopper ride. It was fantastic. The pilot was great. I was going to leave a better review but this tried to make me keep typing. Feel free to use this review after the word great”

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8.From Westchester: New York City Scenic Helicopter Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 74 reviews · 30 - 45 minutes · from $395

Fly from Westchester Airport over Midtown, Central Park, the Hudson River, and Yankee Stadium on the 30-minute route, or add Lower Manhattan, the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, and Brooklyn Bridge with the 45-minute flight. English-speaking pilots lead small shared flights for up to six people. Optional Manhattan pickup is available.

“Het was waanzinnig!! Michael and Ryan thanks for the amazing experience”

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9.Zion National Park: 10- or 20-Minute Scenic Helicopter Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 55 reviews · 10 - 20 minutes · from $125

Choose a 10 or 20-minute helicopter flight over Zion’s southwest side with an English-speaking pilot. You’ll see the Virgin River valley, West Temple, and Crater Hill Volcano from above, with a small group of up to six people. Pilot Kevin has received especially warm praise for his clear, informative guiding.

“Zeer leuk en heel veilig vooral. Als ik kon boekte ik een langere vlucht. Heel professioneel en super…”

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10.35 Mile – Zion National Park Panoramic Helicopter Flight

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 46 reviews · 20 minutes (approx.) · from $199

Fly 35 miles along Zion National Park’s edge from a private heliport near Springdale. Your pilot points out Red Butte, Kolob Canyons, Smith Mesa, and the geology behind Zion’s dark red rock. The flight lasts about 20 minutes, carries up to six people, and offers an intimate view without hiking.

“Our pilot was professional and really described the geology well throughout the flight. This made an amazing experience even better.”

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11.Scenic River & Nature Helicopter Tour from Nashville

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 38 reviews · 30 minutes (approx.) · from $199

Take a 30-minute helicopter flight from Nashville’s Tune Airport over the Cumberland River and one of the city’s most scenic landmarks. Your pilot handles the flying while sharing views and flight details through Bose noise-canceling headsets. Flights carry no more than three passengers, and pilots such as Mike C., Travis, and John have helped put nervous first-time flyers at ease.

“Pilot Mike C. was very knowledgeable about his aircraft. He had a natural and calm way of informing us as to what was happening with the controls and gauges as well as the air communications while never missing a beat to share interesting tour sights and information about the Nashville area.”

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12.100 Mile Zion National Park Panoramic Helicopter Flight

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 22 reviews · 50 minutes (approx.) · from $499

Fly a 100-mile loop around Zion National Park from Virgin, Utah, in a helicopter carrying no more than six people. See Kolob Canyons and the Red Butte range from the park’s perimeter, with pilot commentary. Upgrade for a butte landing, short hike, picnic, or champagne.

“The views and the shear ability of the maneuverability of the helicopter were spectacular. It was also very cool to see a frozen lake on top of a mountain.”

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13.Ultimate Scenic Experience

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 19 reviews · 25 minutes (approx.) · from $300

You’ll fly privately over Chattanooga for about 25 minutes, with the route shaped around your interests. Expect views of downtown, the animal attraction, Lookout Mountain, Chickamauga Dam, and Signal Mountain, plus local stories from pilots such as Paul and Noah. The flight begins and ends at 932 Jubilee Drive.

“We showed up for our 230 pm ride, and we’re told helicopter was in maintenance and would have to come back in the morning. Went back this morning and again a no show. No phone call, or text or email to let us know. We would just show up and no one was there. Very frustrating. I need a refund.”

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14.Scenic Tour of Newport, RI By Helicopter – 3 person Mansion Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 18 reviews · 12 minutes (approx.)

Take a private 12-minute helicopter flight from Middletown over Newport’s harbor, Ocean Drive, famous mansions, Fort Adams, the Cliff Walk, and the International Tennis Hall of Fame. The tour is conducted in English, returns to the airport, and can carry up to three people within strict weight limits. Ciaran is one named pilot.

“Ciaran is a very experienced pilot, very enjoyable and fun to be around. He is very knowledgeable of the area and very intelligent! We highly recommend!”

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15.Hawaiian Odyssey: Maui, Molokai & Lanai Scenic Helicopter Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 13 reviews · 1 hour 5 minutes (approx.) · from $499

From Kahului Airport, Maverick Helicopters takes you over Maui, Molokai, and Lanai in an ECO-Star helicopter carrying up to seven passengers. You’ll see Pailolo Channel, Elephant Rock, Molokai’s ancient fish ponds, and Shipwreck Beach while your pilot provides live commentary. The flight costs $499 and requires original photo ID.

“Great pilot, great tour…10 out of 10! Excellent and well maintained helicopter. I would definitely recommend for a once in a lifetime experience!”

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