A visit to the Grand Canyon is a magnificent experience in itself, but you can elevate it with a bird’s-eye view. Several companies offer helicopter tours, with flight durations ranging from 35 to 90 minutes. I have flown over the Grand Canyon myself, so I can offer advice on how to choose the best option and what to watch out for. For example, with the Go City Pass Las Vegas, you can get a free helicopter tour.
Table of Contents
- What You Need to Know About a Helicopter Tour Over the Grand Canyon
- Helicopter Tours Over the Grand Canyon
- 70-Minute Helicopter Tour Over the Grand Canyon from Las Vegas for $390
- Helicopter Tour Over the Grand Canyon and Las Vegas Strip for $611
- Helicopter Flight Over the Grand Canyon and the Strip with Landing and Champagne for $648
- 40-50 Minute Flight Over the Grand Canyon from Arizona for $411
- Extra Tip: Scenic Helicopter Flight Over the Strip with Go City Pass Las Vegas
- Photos from the Grand Canyon Helicopter Flight
What You Need to Know About a Helicopter Tour Over the Grand Canyon
✈️ Where Helicopter Tours Depart for the Grand Canyon
Flights from Las Vegas and Boulder City primarily head toward the West Rim, which is located on the land of the Hualapai Indian Tribe. Flights to the Grand Canyon National Park (South Rim) depart from the Grand Canyon National Park Airport. The airport is approximately a 4-hour drive from Las Vegas.
Flights directly from Las Vegas are more expensive and usually include hotel pick-up and return. Flights from the South Rim tend to be cheaper, but you will need to arrange your own transportation to the departure location. I flew from the South Rim.
🛒 Where to Book a Helicopter Tour Over the Grand Canyon
Several companies own helicopters and operate sightseeing tours around Las Vegas: Papillon Grand Canyon Helicopters, Maverick Helicopters, and others. Tickets are sold by intermediaries both online and directly in Las Vegas.
I recommend booking your tour as soon as you know your travel dates. Some dates fill up quickly, so waiting until you arrive could be risky.
The advantage of booking a helicopter tour over the Grand Canyon through the following link is the price guarantee. You can also purchase a gift certificate valid for 5 years.
💵 Price of a Helicopter Tour Over the Grand Canyon
The most significant factors influencing the price of the experience are flight duration, departure location, and chosen time. Sunset flights are more expensive. Prices also vary depending on the company and the season, and you can save by booking early.
⚠️ The Listed Price May Not Be Final
When comparing helicopter tour offers, make sure to check what is not included in the price. The more attractive the deal seems at first glance, the more suspicious it becomes. Some offers may not include taxes, departure fees, or helipad usage fees. Optionally, you can often pay extra for a front seat, a departure from the Strip, or hotel pick-up/drop-off.
In this article, I try to always provide final prices, including fuel surcharges, helipad usage fees, or ticket issuance fees.
🕒 When Is the Best Time to Fly
The best conditions for a helicopter tour are usually in the morning when visibility from the helicopter is at its best. In the summer months, there are typically fewer turbulences in the morning compared to other times of the day. You can take photos and record videos throughout the flight, so I recommend choosing a morning departure for the best experience. The exception is the more expensive and usually earliest sold-out sunset flights, which offer a special experience.
🔎 My Experience with the Grand Canyon Helicopter Tour
The operator for my flight was Papillon, and I booked the experience through an intermediary. The pilot was a nice guy; he chatted with us throughout the flight, explained what we were seeing, and answered my often silly questions. The company is one of those that flies over a part of the Grand Canyon that is easily accessible from Las Vegas.
💺 Best Seat on the Helicopter
Most helicopters have a configuration where the pilot and two passengers sit in the front, and four other passengers sit in the back. The best view is from the two seats in the front, which operators know well, so they charge extra for these seats.
The seating arrangement is always at the pilot’s discretion, as the aircraft must be balanced for safety reasons. Therefore, passenger weight is required when booking the flight.
Helicopter Tours Over the Grand Canyon
To save you time searching, I have compiled several tips for helicopter tours over the Grand Canyon. The tours vary in price, duration, and departure location, so everyone can find the right one. Prices include all fees, taxes, and fuel surcharges. I last updated them on March 12, 2025.
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70-Minute Helicopter Tour Over the Grand Canyon from Las Vegas for $390
In my opinion, this is the best option if you want to see the Grand Canyon by helicopter and depart directly from Las Vegas. The flight lasts approximately 70 minutes, during which you will see the Grand Canyon, including Guano Point and Eagle Point, the Hoover Dam, and Lake Mead.
This is the exact tour I took. A guy from the helicopter company picked us up directly from our hotel in Las Vegas and drove us to Boulder City, where the flight departed. The van ride took about 40 minutes one way. We were the only two in Las Vegas, so we sat in the front seats right next to the pilot. These are the best seats; behind us, a group of three other tourists sat. Although I travel a lot and have seen quite a bit around the world, I have fond memories of this flight.
During the flight, you can listen to an audio commentary in several languages, and you can also communicate with the pilot. The helicopter used is either an Airbus or Eurocopter for 6-7 people, flying daily from 8:00 AM to 6:15 PM. The total experience, from hotel pick-up to return, lasts 3.5-4 hours.
- 💵 Price: $390 with a price guarantee ($379 for the flight + $11.37 fees)
- 🚁 Departure and Return: Las Vegas (shuttle from the hotel included)
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Helicopter Tour Over the Grand Canyon and Las Vegas Strip for $611
This helicopter tour is more expensive than the previous one but lasts 20 minutes longer and offers a unique bird’s-eye view of the Las Vegas Strip. The flight route includes the Grand Canyon, Guano Point, Eagle Point, the Mojave Desert, Lake Mead, and the Hoover Dam.
The advantage is that it departs directly from McCarran Airport in Las Vegas, so you won’t waste time traveling to a heliport outside the city. During the flight, you can listen to an audio commentary or communicate with the pilot.
The total experience lasts 3.5-4 hours. The airline staff will pick you up directly from your hotel in Las Vegas and return you after the tour.
- 💵 Price: $611 with a price guarantee ($559 for the flight + $22.36 fees + $30 fuel surcharge)
- 🚁 Departure and Return: Las Vegas (shuttle from the hotel included)
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Helicopter Flight Over the Grand Canyon and the Strip with Landing and Champagne for $648
A scenic helicopter flight over the Grand Canyon, covering all the points mentioned in the previous tips, including Hoover Dam, Lake Mead, and the Las Vegas Strip. In addition to the previous flights, you will land for 30 minutes at Grand Canyon West, where a feast with food and champagne awaits you.
The actual flight time is 90 minutes, during which you can listen to an audio commentary or interview the pilot. Flights are available every day at three times – early morning, late morning, and noon.
The experience includes transportation from your hotel in Las Vegas and back. The helicopter departs from the Las Vegas airport, so you won’t waste time traveling to a heliport outside the city. The advantage of booking through the provided link is the lowest price guarantee.
- 💵 Price: $648 with the lowest price guarantee ($629 for the flight + $18.87 in fees)
- 🚁 Departure and Return: Las Vegas (shuttle service from your hotel included)
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40-50 Minute Flight Over the Grand Canyon from Arizona for $411
A scenic helicopter flight in an Eco-Star EC130 lasting 40-50 minutes, covering the southern, eastern, and northern parts of the Grand Canyon. You will see the famous Dragons Corridor, Point Imperial, the Little Colorado River at a depth of 5,000 ft, and the Navajo Nation land.
The price of the scenic flight is $411 per person, including all fees. When purchased through the link below, you are guaranteed the lowest price. Flights operate daily from 9:00 AM to 5:15 PM.
The helicopter departs and returns to the Grand Canyon National Park Airport in Arizona, which is about a 4-hour drive from Las Vegas. Therefore, I recommend doing this flight when traveling to the national park, not while staying in Las Vegas.
- 💵 Price: $411 with the lowest price guarantee ($399 for the flight + $11.97 in fees)
- 🚁 Departure and Return: Grand Canyon National Park Airport
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Extra Tip: Scenic Helicopter Flight Over the Strip with Go City Pass Las Vegas
Go City Pass is a prepaid ticket for dozens of attractions and experiences around Las Vegas. You can purchase it for 2-5 days, during which you can visit as many attractions as you can without any additional fees.
There are dozens of attractions included, including the Big Apple Coaster, the observation deck of the Eiffel Tower, the rooftop of The Strat, or a trip to Hoover Dam. The more attractions you visit, the more you save. Over four days, you can save hundreds of dollars compared to standard ticket prices.
If you buy the Go City Pass for 3-5 days, you can choose one of the premium attractions. One of these is a 15-minute nighttime helicopter flight over the Strip in an Airbus Eco-Star EC-130 by Papillon Helicopters. In addition to the cost of the pass, you won’t pay anything extra, as all fees are already included. Simply reserve your flight time through the mobile app.
From the helicopter, you will see hotels such as Bellagio, The Venetian, the Eiffel Tower, The Strat, and other attractions that you can visit for free with the Go City Pass. In my opinion, this is the cheapest way to take a helicopter flight over Las Vegas.
Photos from the Grand Canyon Helicopter Flight
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