5 Tips - Grand Canyon National Park Airplane, Helicopter Tours!

You can tour the Grand Canyon in several different ways. The best of all though is to see it by air. Below are five tips for taking a fun-filled air tour over the canyon.

The first is to decide the rim you want to see most. There are two, the West Rim and the South Rim. The West is 120 miles from Las Vegas, while the South is 277 miles away.

Further, you'll want to do the West Rim if you are into thrills and excitement. For instance, the West Rim is home to the world famous Grand Canyon Skywalk. Then there's the opportunity to take a helicopter to the bottom.

South Rim

As for the South Rim, you'll want that if you want natural scenic beauty. There are more departure points for South Rim aerial tours too such as Phoenix, Sedona, Tusayan, and Vegas. There are no connecting flights between the rims.

There are two types of Grand Canyon flights, helicopter and airplane. Helicopters offer fantastic views since they can fly lower than planes. Also, the choppers can land on the bottom of the canyon at the West Rim. Airplanes, on the other hand, get you to the Canyon faster. And they are the only way to go by air from Vegas to the South Rim.

Here is a valuable tip to keep in mind, helicopter tours are very popular and on holidays and during the summer, the seats fill up fast. Therefore you need to get your seats booked one or two weeks in advance. If you don't, you might not be able to get a seat. If the chopper tours are full, try to get an airplane seat because they hold more passengers and you may have better luck.

Price

Tours have different price points. The chopper tours are the most expensive. Part of the reason is the choppers can only carry six people per tour. So unfortunately, if there are more than six people going on your tour together, you'll have to split up. If you want to stay together, just take an airplane tour instead as these carry 19 people at a time.

The final point I want to raise regards window seats. They are popular, so how is seating determined? It works like this. You can book a window seat in advance for an additional fee. It costs $50 more for a window seat upgrade in a chopper. One on an airplane costs $10 extra. Those prices are a general guideline, but they could always change so check the prices when you book your tour.

Also, seats cost more when you weight over 300 pounds. In the case of helicopters, you'll be required to purchase a second seat. As for planes, expect to pay between $100 - $200. These surcharges are usually due at check in wherein all passengers are discreetly weighed. There is a good reason for the charge for additional weight, helicopters and airplanes can only carry a certain amount of weight and it has to be distributed appropriately in the cabin.

Conclusion

Take your time and examine your options so you pick the most ideal tour for you. Grand Canyon National Park is an incredible place and I can't think of a better way to experience it than by flying over it (or flying into it if you are going to the West Rim). Just book your seats early. These air tours are very popular and are especially prone to selling out.

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