Fort Lauderdale offers fantastic vistas for those who are willing to strap on the seatbelt and go up on a helicopter tour.
Besides the adrenalin rush, you also see the major landmarks, beaches, wildlife in the water, and skyline of Fort Lauderdale, Miami, and Key Biscayne from a different perspective.
In this article, we share everything you must know before you book your Fort Lauderdale helicopter tour.
Table of contents
What to expect from Fort Lauderdale take off
All helicopter tours taking off from Ft. Lauderdale come with narration by the pilot.
Best helicopter tour operator in Fort Lauderdale
Keen Fly is Fort Lauderdale’s best helicopter tour company.
Regardless of the package you select, you will undoubtedly have a memorable helicopter trip.
Keen Fly was created and is owned by pilots, so they know what it takes to provide the best helicopter trip for guests.
Tourists who have flown them praise the company for its focus on safety, comfort, and integrity.
Keen Fly operates three helicopter tours over Fort Lauderdale, Miami, and Key Biscayne, recommended below.
The fourth tour, which takes off from Pembroke Pines, is operated by Breeze Helicopters.
From where do helicopters take off?
Keen Fly is located at 1805 NW 51st Place, Hanger 2. Ft. Lauderdale, Florida 33309. Get Directions
We recommended that you arrive at the Heliport at least 30 minutes before your scheduled helicopter tour.
After your sightseeing trip is over, you will land at the same place from where the helicopter took off.
Keen Fly offers car pick-up and drop upon request at an additional cost.
What time do helicopters take off
Daytime tourist helicopter rides over Fort Lauderdale and Miami start taking off from Fort Lauderdale heliport at 10.30 am and continue till 5.30 pm.
During peak season, one chopper takes off every half hour.
The first sunset helicopter tour over the region is at 6 pm, the next at 6.30 pm, and the last sunset flight of the day takes off at 7 pm.
Helicopter take-off times are approximate and are subject to weather conditions.
Time to report at the heliport
Whichever Fort Lauderdale heli tour you book, you must be at the heliport at least 30 minutes before the scheduled ride.
The 30-minute buffer allows the pilots to give you a comprehensive safety briefing and answer any concerns you may have.
Early arrival also gives passengers a little additional time to locate the facility if they are unfamiliar with the region, ensuring a timely departure.
Number of passengers
Robinson R-44 and Robinson R-22 Beta II are the most often used tourist helicopters for air tours over Fort Lauderdale and Miami.
While Robinson R-44 can carry three passengers plus one pilot in a 2 + 2 cabin configuration, Robinson R22 is a two-seater helicopter.
Depending on the number of people flying with you, the appropriate chopper gets assigned to you.
The weight restriction for these flights is 129 Kg (285 Pounds). Passengers weighing more than 129 Kg must purchase a second seat at half the price. Visitors can do this on the day of the tour.
Cost of Lauderdale helicopter tours
The cheapest and most popular helicopter tour over Ft. Lauderdale and Miami costs $245 per person. You get 30 minutes of airtime in complete privacy.
The sunset helicopter tour in Ft. Lauderdale, which many considered the best experience, costs $345 per person. The sunset tour is also a 30-minute long experience.
Cancellation policy
Even though the helicopters and pilots are available for taking off throughout the day, the experience requires good weather.
If your air trip above Fort Lauderdale and Miami gets canceled due to bad weather, you will be given the option of rescheduling or receiving a full refund.
You can cancel your heli tour at least 24 hours before the adventure begins to receive a full refund.
Best Fort Lauderdale helicopter tours
Before we share our selection of the four best helicopter tours over Fort Lauderdale, Miami, and Key Biscayne, check out these important instructions for all travelers –
- All passengers must carry a valid photo ID
- Wear comfortable shoes
- Adults must accompany kids
- It is better NOT to take along large bags and backpacks
- Everything carried on onboard gets searched for security reasons
- All heli tours are private, which means only your family/group will be in the helicopter.
- This experience requires good weather. If it gets canceled due to poor weather, you will get a different date or a full refund.
- You will receive confirmation of your tour immediately after booking
Tour narration
The Fort Lauderdale helicopter tour companies don’t offer recorded tour narration.
During your ride over the city, pilots share their knowledge of the city’s history in their own way.
Since the pilots are all locals, they are well aware of the landmarks in the region.
Miami & Ft. Lauderdale Helicopter Tour
This tour is also known as “Feel the Skies” and is the most popular helicopter tour taking off from Fort Lauderdale.
During this 30-minute tour over Miami & Ft. Lauderdale, you see the region from a different perspective – the buildings, mansions, constructions, to the variety of wild-ocean life.
Around the Ft. Lauderdale Port Everglades, you can witness boats, cruise ships, and cargo ships from high up in the air.
Visitors also see dolphins, sharks, turtles, rays, manatees, and more when flying over the water along the beach.
Some of the highlights are Lauderdale-By-The-Sea, Fort Lauderdale Beach, Port Everglades, Sunny Isles Beach, Haulover Beach Park, Port of Miami, etc.
Since it consistently gets high ratings from tourists, this activity is Viator’s Badge of Excellence winner.
Cost of the tour: $245 per person
Sunset helicopter tour over Lauderdale & Miami
If you are a couple and want to add a dash of romance to your helicopter tour, we recommend the sunset tour.
The sun’s Golden hue touches everything you see, and when it dips below the horizon, you see unparalleled, colorful views of the city’s skyline.
The 30-minute sunset helicopter tour is the second most popular tour flying out of Ft. Lauderdale.
It follows the same route as the previous tour, just that the timing is different.
Lauderdale sunset tours take off three times a day 6 pm, 6.30 pm, and 7 pm.
This sunset tour also gets high ratings from tourists, making it a Viator’s Badge of Excellence winner.
Cost of tour: $345 per person
Miami, Ft. Lauderdale & Key Biscayne Helicopter Tour
If you want more air time, we recommend this 45-minute helicopter tour which starts from Ft. Lauderdale and goes up to Key Biscayne island and back.
Also known as the ‘Sky’s the Limit’ tour, the highlights are: Lauderdale-By-The-Sea, Fort Lauderdale Beach, Port Everglades, Sunny Isles Beach, Haulover Beach Park, Port of Miami, and Key Biscayne.
This activity is also a private tour, which means you get the whole helicopter to yourself.
Cost of tour: $325 per person
Helicopter tour from Pembroke Pines
If you are holidaying around Pembroke Pines, this is an ideal helicopter tour for you.
This Badge of Excellence winning helicopter tour takes off from 200 SW 77th Way, Pembroke Pines, FL 33023, near North Perry Airport. Get Directions
This experience is an ideal tour to see spectacular views of South Beach, Port of Miami, Fisher Island, and Miami city.
This tour is a shared activity, which means your helicopter can have up to five travelers.
Cost of tour: $289 per person