ULTIMATE Guide to Helicopter Tours in the Grand Canyon

There is no better way to see the magnitude of the Grand Canyon, one of the 7 natural wonders of the world, than by a helicopter tour. We spent 3 weeks exploring the Grand Canyon this Spring. From a 10-day rafting trip, a 4-day backpacking trip, and hiking almost every trail from the South Rim, our 45-minute helicopter tour stands out as an experience we’ll never forget. In this article, we’ll share all we learned about different flights available, how you can decide if one is right for you, and most importantly, how to make the most of your Grand Canyon Helicopter Tour.

The following is a sponsored post courtesy of Maverick Helicopters; however, all opinions are our own.

Where do Grand Canyon Helicopter Tours Leave From

The type of helicopter tour you’re looking for largely depends on where you’re departing from. If you’re looking for a way to see the most of the Grand Canyon, you’ll want to leave from Grand Canyon National Park Airport in Tusayan, just 15 minutes from the visitor center. If you’re in Las Vegas and want to add the Grand Canyon to another trip, departing from the Strip is a great place to book a Grand Canyon Helicopter Tour. Lastly, you can take a Grand Canyon helicopter tour from Grand Canyon West on the Hualapai Reservation.

What companies offer helicopter flights over the Grand Canyon

There are three companies that offer helicopter flights over the Grand Canyon.

• Maverick Helicopters: South Rim, Grand Canyon West, and Las Vegas. This is who we chose!
• Papillon Grand Canyon Helicopters: South Rim, Grand Canyon West, and Las Vegas.
• Five Star Helicopter Tours: Las Vegas.

What are the Grand Canyon Helicopter Tour Routes

Grand Canyon South Rim Helicopter Tours

Maverick’s Canyon Dancer tour starts off by flying over the Kaibab National Forest and the surrounding areas before getting to the Grand Canyon South Rim. The tour continues toward the North Rim with aerial views of one of the Grand Canyon, the Tower of Ra, and Vishnu Schist.

Maverick’s Canyon Spirit is the longest flight experience above Grand Canyon National Park and flies over both the South Rim and the North Rim. This tour highlights the widest and deepest sections of the canyon with views of the Dragon Corridor, the Confluence, and the Painted Desert. This is the tour we chose, and we absolutely loved it!

Grand Canyon West Helicopter Tours

Maverick’s Grand Canyon Discovery flies through and to the bottom of the canyon with a 20-minute landing in the Grand Canyon. This is one of the shortest helicopter tours in the Grand Canyon, and the price reflects that, but it does require you to purchase a ticket into Grand Canyon West, which is owned by the Hualapai Tribe.

Las Vegas to the Grand Canyon Helicopter Tours

Maverick’s Wind Dancer flies over Hoover Dam & Lake Mead and into the Grand Canyon with a 30-minute landing in the Grand Canyon. This flight also includes a Las Vegas Strip flyover. This helicopter tour includes 45 minutes of flight time to the landing spot, 30 minutes in the Grand Canyon, and another 45 minutes for the return trip to the Las Vegas terminal. This is a great tour option if you want to leave from the Las Vegas terminal and get closer to the Colorado River. Maverick Wind Dancer Sunset is the same tour route, but at sunset!

Maverick’s Indian Territory tour leaves Las Vegas and flies over the historic Hoover Dam, the Mojave Desert, and Fortification Hill, an extinct volcano, as you continue into the Grand Canyon. This tour includes two landings, including one on Hualapai Indian Territory and a second at Grand Canyon West. This is quite a luxury tour as it includes Champagne, beverages, and a light snack served upon landing at the bottom of the Grand Canyon.

How much does a Helicopter Tour in the Grand Canyon Cost

The average tour cost is $520, with prices ranging from $279 to $739 depending on the tour length. The least expensive tour departs from Grand Canyon West (run by the Hualapai Tribe), but you’ll need to purchase an entrance ticket to the park, which runs for about $70 per person. This Grand Canyon Helicopter Tour includes about 20 minutes of flight time but has a landing in the Canyon. The most expensive tour is the Indian Territory, which combines the Tour with a visit to Grand Canyon West, including time for dinner and expedited tickets for the Skywalk. This is a full, almost 5-hour experience from Las Vegas, so if you want to experience.

We’ve compared the Maverick Helicopter tours below by departure point, flight duration, and price. We didn’t include competitor helicopter tours in this chart because their price breakdowns weren’t clear; they added fees, taxes, and fuel surcharges on top of their advertised price. They also had an extra charge for “upgrades,” and we felt it was misleading.

We also tipped our pilot $50 ($25/person) after our flight, which brought our total for the Maverick Canyon Spirit helicopter tour to $424/person.

What is the best Grand Canyon Helicopter Tour

In short, the best Grand Canyon helicopter tour is the one that fits your schedule. We took the Canyon Spirit and thought it was the perfect balance of cost and convenience. Taking off from Grand Canyon Village, we were able to combine this easily with exploring the South Rim, as the visitor center is only 15 minutes from the airport. This flight left Tusayan, and after a few minutes, we flew over the South Rim, just East of the Desert View Watch Tower. We crossed the Canyon twice and had a comprehensive tour of the most popular area of the Grand Canyon.

When is the Best Time to take a Grand Canyon Helicopter Tour

You can visit the Grand Canyon at any time of the year, and considering you’re flying in a Helicopter, it can be cold or hot, and it won’t matter too much! If you go during the winter or early spring, you’ll have some snow at the rim of the Canyon, which is absolutely beautiful. Since you’ll most likely want to explore more of the Grand Canyon, we think late Spring and early Fall are the best times of the year to take a Grand Canyon Helicopter Tour and pair it with exploring the park on land or on the river.

Which Grand Canyon Helicopter Tour We Chose

For our first-ever helicopter tour, we chose the Canyon Spirit with Maverick Helicopters, which departed from Grand Canyon National Park Airport. While we originally thought that a 45-minute flight wouldn’t be enough (and would pass by quickly), we were sorely mistaken. A few minutes after takeoff, we had the adrenaline rush of flying over the South Rim, and it was non-stop action for the rest of the flight. Having the canyon drop out from underneath you is a feeling like no other and gives you a perspective of the Canyon that you can’t achieve just by hiking.

The flight flew across the Canyon, where we saw the Little Colorado confluence before heading to the North Rim. We were able to see the recent burn area from the 2025 Dragon Bravo fire, and even a herd of buffalo off in the distance! We then crossed the Canyon a second time before returning to Grand Canyon National Park Airport.

Throughout the tour, the Pilot mixed some fun music with a geology and history tour of the National Park. We flew over the Grand Canyon after spending a few days in the park, and we felt that a helicopter tour is best combined with an on-the-ground experience. You’ll get a cursory overview and a unique perspective, but there’s no replacement for the visitor center and hiking into the Canyon.

Is a Grand Canyon Helicopter Tour Worth It

After spending 3 weeks in the Grand Canyon, we experienced more than most. We did a 10-day rafting adventure, backpacked for 4 days, and hiked almost every trail from the South Rim. With all this, a helicopter tour was surprisingly one of the adventures we remember most. The jaw-dropping views as we flew over the South Rim into the canyon were incredible and something we will never forget. The Canyon Spirit was short enough that it fit nicely into our schedule hiking the South Rim. It is a very expensive activity, especially for a family, so if you’re on the fence about the price

South Rim vs West Rim Helicopter Tours

Not all areas in the Grand Canyon are created equal, and so you need to know the tradeoffs from visiting the West Rim vs the South Rim. The West Rim is closer to Las Vegas and is operated by the Hualapai Tribe. In this area, there are unique amenities like the Sky Walk, but you’ll need a different entrance ticket from the rest of the National Park.

There is nothing like the Grand Canyon South Rim, so it’s definitely the location we recommend. The Canyon is the deepest in the South Rim, so here is where you’ll have the iconic views the Grand Canyon is famous for. It’s also only 15 minutes from the South Rim Visitor Center, which makes it perfect for incorporating a helicopter tour into a larger Grand Canyon adventure.

Air-Only vs Landing Helicopter Tours

While on our River trip, we saw a helicopter landing in the Grand Canyon, taxiing rafters out of the river – it was here that we learned this was even possible. If you have more money than time, then this could be a great option. If you are also less physically able to hike into the canyon or raft the Colorado River, this is a fantastic way to get down into the Canyon.

What to Expect on a Grand Canyon Helicopter Tour

Here’s a video of our tour:

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A post shared by Elliot Schoenfeld & Jennifer Johnson | Adventure Travel (@schoandjo)

How Long Is a Grand Canyon Helicopter Tour

Helicopter Tours vary in the Grand Canyon and can range from 25 minutes to 90 minutes, unless you plan a tour that spends more time on land, like the Indian Territory flight, which lands in West Grand Canyon and includes time for the Sky Walk. This tour is about 4.5 hours in total.

Are Grand Canyon Helicopter Tours Safe

With any Helicopter ride, there is inherent risk, which is why we chose an operator with a good record, Maverick Helicopters. All we can say is that we felt safe on our tour! We also loved how clear communicators everyone on the Maverick Team was. From the staff members working the front desk, to the helicopter pilot himself, to everyone on the flight deck. We always felt that we were in good hands. After our tour was done, we saw Maverick crew members immediately cleaning and preparing the helicopters for the next guests. Their crew was attentive to detail and made us feel safe, had good communication, and answered all of our questions.

What to Wear and Bring on a Grand Canyon Helicopter Tour

You unfortunately cannot bring much on your helicopter tour; space is limited, and tour companies don’t typically allow you to bring a bag. Here are the items we wouldn’t do a tour without:

• Sunglasses, sunscreen, and a hat – depending upon the time of day and weather, you’ll probably want to bring sun protection.
• Comfortable layers – there is a small vent for air conditioning/air flow in the helicopter, but overall, you want to dress to be comfortable inside the helicopter.
• Camera – we brought our cameras, including our Canon R5 with a 24-70mm lens, Canon R6 with a 15-35 mm lens, and our Insta360 camera.

Leave us a comment below if you have any other questions for your helicopter tour, and if you decide to fly, let us know how it went!