Hawaii comprises four main islands – Big Island, Maui, Oahu, Kauai – and four smaller islands.
These Hawaiian islands are full of lush rainforests, cascading waterfalls, white-sand, and black-sand beaches, volcanic mountains, craters, and massive sea-cliffs, which are a treat to watch.
However, most of these natural landmarks are inaccessible by land – either there are no roads, or it is impossible, or too treacherous, or the officials prohibit entry.
That is why helicopter tours are popular among tourists.
In this article, we share everything you must know before booking your helicopter tour of Hawaii.
Table of contents
Helicopter tours in Big Island
The Big Island is double the size of all the other major Hawaiian islands combined and has three airports – in Kona, Hilo, and Waimea.
Because more tourists are holidaying around Kailua-Kona, more helicopter tours take off from Kona airport.
The Big Island Experience from Kona
You get treated like a VIP on this tour because it is a private 4-passenger helicopter tour of the Big Island from Kona.
If you want to take your Hawaii vacation to the sky, this is the perfect experience.
Your pilot explains the terrain below, including valleys, waterfalls, coastline, and—of course—an active volcano.
Duration in the air: Two hours
Cost of the tour: US$671 per person
Kona Coast Helicopter Tour
This trip is the best helicopter tour to explore Kona Coast from the air.
You will fly from Kona Airport (Southbound) past Honokohau Bay, Kona Town, Keauhou to the famous Captain Cook or (Northbound) to the famous Kua Bay, Kiholo Bay, Hapuna Beach, and Kawaihae.
This heli tour gets even more popular during the whale season because you get to spot whales from the top.
Duration in the air: 30 minutes
Cost of the tour: US$241 per person
Volcano and Kohala Landing Tour from Kona
On this fantastic helicopter trip, soar over the Big Island’s rocky coastline, active volcanoes, and gushing waterfalls.
While soaking up stunning airborne views of the smoldering Kilauea Volcano and the magnificent mountains and sea cliffs of the Kohala Coast, listen to expert narration from your pilot.
Land on a remote rarely visited section of the island and explore the quiet tropical paradise.
After you have had your fill, climb back aboard the helicopter to continue your flying tour of Hawaii’s natural landmarks.
Duration in the air: Three hours
Cost of the tour: US$962 per person
Lava and Rainforests Adventure from Hilo
This Big Island helicopter flight from Hilo is a must-do for adrenaline junkies.
On this aerial adventure, you fly over the island’s volcanic landscape and peer into craters, and spot lava.
During the tour, you also enjoy stunning waterfalls and other natural features of the Big Island.
Duration in the air: 55 minutes to 1 hour
Cost of the tour: US$493 per person
Volcano Helicopter Tour from Waimea
This experience is the ideal heli tour to explore Hawaii in a short time.
You will see the steam vents and fiery lava streams of Kilauea and marvel at the Hamakua Coast’s rain forest.
View Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa while soaring over Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and hover above waterfalls cascading from the cliffs of Kohala.
Duration in the air: 1 hour 45 minutes
Cost of the tour: US$639 per person
Doors-Off Valleys and Waterfalls Tour from Waimea
This open-door helicopter tour of the Big Island takes you deep into the heart of Kohala.
The 4-seater doors-off helicopter takes you over Kohala’s valleys and waterfalls and puts you up close to towering cliffs along the coast.
It is the best way to see the lush grandeur of the island’s valleys and waterfalls.
This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to feel the scorching heat of volcanic lava.
Duration in the air: 30-35 minutes
Cost of the tour: US$399 per person
Helicopter tours in Kauai
Highlights of most helicopter tours in Kauai include 27 Kms (17 miles) long Na Pali Coast in the North and Waimea Canyon, also known as ‘Grand Canyon of the Pacific’ in SouthWest.
The other sights you see include Jurassic Park Falls, the Hanapepe Valley, the Hanalei Valley, Mt. Waialeale, etc.
Kauai has three heliports – at Lihue, Princeville, and Port Allen and of these, most helicopter tours take off from Lihue.
Kauai ECO Adventure Helicopter Tour
This tour is the most popular Kauai helicopter tour ever.
You go up in a new Eurocopter Eco-Star helicopter and take in the diverse terrain of the island.
Since this is the latest model of tourism helicopters, you enjoy business class-style seats, full windows, two-way radio communication with the pilot, and noise-reduced engines.
Duration in the air: 50 minutes
Cost of the tour: US$379 per person
Kauai Helicopter Tour with No Middle Seats
Since this is a private tour, you get the whole helicopter to yourself while exploring the Kauai island.
Once at the Heliport, you get to choose if you want the experience of Door on or Doors off helicopter.
For a small fee, you get Gopro mounts, using which you can record what you see.
Duration in the air: 1 hour 15 minutes
Cost of the tour: US$399 per person
Deluxe Waterfall Safari
This tour is often also referred to as ‘Safari helicopter Kauai’.
During this chopper tour, you will cover 160 km (100 miles) of amazing Kauai scenery from the air.
Once your purchase is complete, you’ll be able to coordinate hotel pickup details directly with your operator.
Duration in the air: 55 minutes to 1 hour
Cost of the tour: US$309 per person
Ultimate Kauai Adventure
This tour happens on a modern helicopter explicitly designed for sightseeing with large viewing windows and a professional guide.
Through the circle tour of Kauai Island, the pilot narrates the region’s stories, facts, and history. All pilots are State of Hawaii Certified Tour Guides,
Duration in the air: 55 minutes
Cost of the tour:
WhisperStar Luxury Helicopter: US$350 per person
FXStar Standard Helicopter: US$294 per person
Helicopter tours in Oahu
During your helicopter tour over Ohau, you are sure to be mesmerized by the island’s beautiful beaches, mountains, waterfalls, valleys, and other landmarks such as Pearl Harbor and USS Arizona Memorial.
Most of these heli tours take off from Honolulu.
Open-Door Helicopter Tour over Oahu
Fly aboard an open-door helicopter over Oahu for unobstructed views of the island on this tour.
You get to see Oahu’s lush valleys, mountains, and waterfalls.
Feel the high-flying wind in your hair even as you fly over sights like Pearl Harbor, Honolulu Harbor, Hanauma Bay, Halona Blowhole, Waikiki Beach, Arizona Memorial, etc.
On this Oahu helicopter tour, you can choose between first-class seats and regular seats.
Duration in the air: 50 minutes
Cost of Regular Seats: US$390 per person
Cost of First Class Seats: US$350 per person
Unseen Sights of the Oahu Island
This 45-minute scenic helicopter ride over Oahu is ideal for a special occasion or a romantic moment.
While booking the tour, you can choose if you want it to be a ‘doors on’ or ‘doors off’ flight.
Get bird’s eye views of famous Oahu sights like Sacred Falls, Diamond Head, Maunalua Bay, the Ko’olau Mountains, Ka’a’awa Valley, Pearl Harbor, and more.
Duration in the air: 45 minutes
Cost of Shared Tour: US$345 per person
Cost of Private Tour: US$518 per person
Helicopter tours in Maui
Since eighty percent of this island’s legendary beauty is inaccessible by road, a Maui helicopter tour is the most scenic way to explore this island.
Maui’s unique topography – from the dignified crater of Mt. Haleakala and the high valleys of the West Maui Mountains to the towering sea cliffs on Molokai’s north shore makes viewing it from the sky particularly magical.
West Maui and Molokai Helicopter Tour
This 45-minutes helicopter tour is a scenic flight over West Maui and Molokai.
You will soar past valleys and hidden waterfalls inaccessible by land and hover above ridgelines that sit at the heart of the rugged West Maui mountains.
Then cross the channel to neighboring Molokai for a flight past the world’s tallest sea cliffs. These vertical sea cliffs spill 1180 meters (3900 feet) to the turbid shoreline below.
Duration in the air: 45 minutes
Cost of the tour: US$295 per person
Molokai and Maui Helicopter Tour
This helicopter tour over Maui and Molokai takes off from Kahului and lasts 55 minutes.
Watch surfers riding Maui’s breaking waves as you fly towards Molokai’s sheer coastal cliffs.
You will see aerial views of Kahiwa Falls and the isolated North Shore, then turn towards the emerald green Halawa Valley.
Watch out for whales and dolphins as you cross the Pailolo channel.
Your chopper then swoops over Maui’s lush rainforest canopy and flies over Iao Valley State Park.
On your return path, you see the fascinating Honokohau Falls and Haleakala volcano.
Duration in the air: 55 minutes
Cost of the tour: US$426 per person
Doors-Off West Maui and Molokai Experience
If you want to increase the adrenalin rush of your helicopter tour in Maui, we recommend the doors-off West Maui and Molokai Experience.
During this 45 minutes tour, you will soar over the natural landmarks of Maui and Molokai in a helicopter without any doors.
This experience is the only doors-off helicopter tour in Maui.
Duration in the air: 45 minutes
Cost of the tour: US$387 per person
Another wonderful tour worth mentioning is Hana Rainforest Helicopter Flight with Landing.
Types of helicopter tours in Hawaii
To get a sense of the Hawaiian Islands, you must book a helicopter tour and see it from the sky.
Since all the major islands have similar features – volcanic mountain ranges, isolated valleys, extended coastal areas, tall sea cliffs, waterfalls, etc., heli tours from all islands fall under four distinct categories.
Volcanoes and Lava
These tours give the biggest adrenalin rush because you fly right over a volcano and even see bubbling lava if the timing is right. Some tourists in off-door helicopter tours have even felt the heat of the lava. It is an excellent choice if you want to witness nature’s raw power.
Waterfalls and cliffs
These tours are best if you want to see the beauty of the Hawaiian islands because the chopper flies close to forests, waterfalls, cliffs, and volcanoes. You snap incredible photos and go back home with excellent visuals in your memory.
Circle Island tours
These are the longest and hence the costliest helicopter tours, and take a circle around the island showing you everything there is to see.
Tours with landings
These tours include a landing in a private, secluded part of the forest or oceanfront. Sometimes, you may even have champagne or picnic at the spot. Such tours make a lot of sense if you are a romantic couple or a family with kids.
There are Hawaii helicopter tours to fit all budgets, so don’t leave the beautiful islands without going up in the air at least once.
Which island is best for helicopter tours
All the four major islands of Hawaii – Big Island, Maui, Oahu, Kauai – have similar natural features, and all their helicopter tours are an out-of-the-world experience.
However, we recommend helicopter tours in Kauai or helicopter tours in Big Island if you have to make a choice.
Aerial tours over Kauai take you over Waimea Canyon, the Na Pali Coast, Hanalei Valley, Mt. Waialeale, abundant waterfalls, and more, making it a memorable trip.
Aerial tours of Big Island come in a close second because of the adrenalin-pumping opportunity to see volcano activity at Kilauea.
Cancellation policy
You can cancel your helicopter tour in Hawaii up to 24 hours before the experience for a full refund.
All air tours over Hawaii islands require good weather.
If it is canceled due to poor weather (heavy rain, low clouds, lightning, or extreme winds), you will be offered a different date or a full refund.
Failure to show up for your appointment without notice will result in the cancellation of your tour without a refund.
Recommended Reading
# Helicopter tours in Kauai
# Helicopter tours in Big Island
# Helicopter tours in Oahu
# Helicopter tours in Maui
# Helicopter tours from Honolulu
# Helicopter tours from Kona
# Helicopter tours from Lihue