Helicopter tours are one of the most exciting things to do while in NYC, but choosing the best helicopter tours in NYC is not an easy task. Especially if you don’t know what to look for. Luckily, we’ve tried and tested them all!
In this article, we compare all of the best helicopter tours in NYC and recommend our favorites that we think are the best value for money.
Looking for a shortcut? Click here to 👉 compare helicopter flights 👉 see my personal recommendations 👉 or get all the details including reviews of helicopter tours.
Finally, try our 👉 Helicopter Flight Finder to help you find the helicopter tour that’s right for you!
What are the best helicopter tours in NYC?
Depending on what you want, there are three categories of New York City helicopter rides: short-haul helicopter rides, medium-haul helicopter rides, and long-haul helicopter rides. Which of these is best for you will depend on your budget and how much time you want to spend appreciating New York’s sights from above. We’ve broken down our helicopter flights so you can choose from each category.
reference: There are no helicopter tours to NYC on Sundays departing from Manhattan (but from New Jersey!). This means helicopter rides on other days may sell out faster. If you can help it, make your reservation instead of waiting until the day before. You might not be so lucky. We recommend booking your NYC helicopter flights 1-2 weeks in advance.
my recommendation
I can recommend two helicopter flights over NYC. First of all, I recommend the New York Manhattan Sightseeing Helicopter Tour. In my opinion, this tour offers the best value for money and because it starts right from Manhattan. So it’s not a long way to get there.
Another very interesting experience is the night helicopter tour! Seeing the city’s twinkling lights from above on a night skyline tour will give you goosebumps, we promise!
View all helicopter tours in detail
The table above only shows the 4-6 most important helicopter flights, but you can find all helicopter tours in detail here. You can check out my separate reviews for each!
01
Manhattan Island Helicopter Tour
helicopter tour
to
financial districtour highlights
Departure: Downtown Manhattan Heliport | 12-15 minutes | The Manhattan Sky Tour is the perfect helicopter ride for first-time visitors to New York! Seeing Manhattan’s skyscrapers and streets from above is an experience you won’t soon forget. Seeing NYC’s major landmarks from the sky offers a completely different perspective and the opportunity to take amazing, unique photos of the concrete jungle below.
02
A Taste of NYC Helicopter Tours
helicopter tour
to
new jerseyDeparture: Kearny, NJ | 12-15 minutes | The Taste of NYC Helicopter Tour is the cheapest helicopter flight over New York. During the 12-15 minute flight, you can see the Brooklyn Bridge, the Statue of Liberty, and Ellis Island. You can also see the famous One World Trade Center and the Empire State Building at the southern tip of Manhattan!
03
New York City helicopter tour and luxury VIP SUV transfer
helicopter tour
to
financial districtour highlights
Pick up: your hotel | 15-30 minutes | Are you looking for a very special helicopter flight over New York? Then check out our combination helicopter flight and VIP transfer! You will be picked up from your hotel in a luxury SUV and transported to the heliport in downtown Manhattan. You can choose from a variety of helicopter flights ranging from 15 to 30 minutes.
At the end of your helicopter tour, you will be transferred from the heliport back to your hotel. It doesn’t get any better than this!
04
Manhattan Scenic Helicopter Tour
helicopter tour
to
financial districtour highlights
Departure: Downtown Manhattan Heliport | 18-20 minutes | The Manhattan Scenic Helicopter Tour is an aerial tour of Manhattan and its many attractions. The view of New York from above or the feeling of flying high above skyscrapers is something you won’t soon forget. Especially for those who enjoy photography, this is a guaranteed way to get great photos of the NYC skyline.
05
Helicopter tour with optional door-off experience
helicopter tour
to
Outside of New York CityTake a helicopter ride above New York’s iconic landmarks, including the Statue of Liberty and the Freedom Tower. Choose the door-off experience to enjoy a unique view of the city from above.
06
Night Helicopter Ride NYC: City Lights Skyline Experience
helicopter tour
to
new jerseyDeparture: Linden, New Jersey | 25-30 minutes | Have you ever seen New York City landmarks from the air at night? Otherwise, you will need to reserve a seat on the New York City Lights Skyline Experience helicopter from Helicopter Flight Services. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience to see Times Square, the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building, and more from the air as they light up at night!
07
grand island helicopter flight
helicopter tour
to
financial districtDeparture: Downtown Manhattan Heliport | 25-30 minutes | See New York from a bird’s eye view on an exhilarating 30-minute ride on the Grand Island Helicopter Flight. You can see all the major NYC landmarks from above, allowing you to take amazingly unique photos of some of NYC’s most famous landmarks. You’ll fly over everything from the Statue of Liberty, One World Trade Center, and Yankee Stadium to New York Harbor and Central Park! This is undoubtedly an experience you don’t want to miss.
08
New York Helicopter Tour: Manhattan Highlights
helicopter tour
to
financial districtDeparture: Downtown Manhattan Heliport | 12-15 minutes | If you’re looking for a unique and exciting experience, look no further! Taking a helicopter ride over Manhattan is one of the things you want to do when visiting New York. The scale from the air is unrivaled and makes the city even more impressive than it already is. Flying along the Hudson River, this helicopter tour offers spectacular views of Manhattan, its major landmarks, and the surrounding boroughs.
09
Helicopter Tour: Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Staten Island
helicopter tour
to
financial districtDeparture: Downtown Manhattan Heliport | 25-30 minutes | No trip to New York is complete without a helicopter ride over NYC. With all that the Big Apple has to offer, it can be difficult to see its mighty rivers, iconic landmarks, and historic landmarks all in one trip. But the easiest way to achieve this is to hop aboard a state-of-the-art helicopter and enjoy the ride. An NYC helicopter ride from Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Staten Island with Helicopter Flight Services is one of the most comprehensive tours. You can see landmarks such as the Chrysler Building, the Statue of Liberty, and the General Grant National Memorial.
10
Best Manhattan Sightseeing Helicopter Flight
helicopter tour
to
financial districtDeparture: Downtown Manhattan Heliport | 25-30 minutes | New York is one of the best cities for sightseeing and sightseeing. But it’s also a busy city, so it’s much easier to book a helicopter ride over NYC than wait in line to see famous landmarks. That way you can see the beautiful skyline and iconic views from the air.
The Ultimate Manhattan Scenic Helicopter Tour by Helicopter Flight Services is a tour you can’t go wrong with.
11
New York Helicopter Tour: City Skyline Experience
helicopter tour
to
new jerseyDeparture: Linden, New Jersey | 25-30 minutes | The City Skyline Experience allows you to fly over New York in a helicopter and see the Manhattan skyline and other historic landmarks from the air. Other travelers can also join in on this shared ride experience, but this doesn’t detract from the outstanding views and still provides a great opportunity to take amazing photos.
Find your perfect helicopter flight over New York in no time!
Not sure which of the many helicopter flights over New York is best for you? My Helicopter Flight Advisor allows you to do this very quickly! Click the “Get Started” button below to try it out today! 👇👇👇
After just 2 questions, we’ll suggest the helicopter flight that’s best for you. With over 10 helicopter tours to choose from, you’re sure to find one you like.
Best private helicopter ride
Even “regular” helicopter flights over NYC are guaranteed to provide some truly beautiful and creepy moments. But if you’re looking for a romantic helicopter flight for two and want it to be something truly special, a private helicopter flight over New York City is perfect!
Here you can find the best private helicopter tours in NYC.
Best helicopter ride from JFK to NYC (and all other NYC airports)
What’s truly luxurious is the combination of an airport transfer and a scenic flight. There are several companies that will fly you by helicopter from airports around New York City to Manhattan. Your New York vacation couldn’t start any better!
You can find the best New York helicopter airport transfer services here:
Take a look at the map below to get a better idea of the different helicopter routes. This can help you decide which helicopter tour length is best for you by showing you the main attractions you can see. In NYC, you can choose from short, medium, or long helicopter tours.
Our Favorite: Manhattan Scenic Helicopter Tour
For us, the best helicopter tour in NYC is the Manhattan Scenic Helicopter Tour. why? Check it out for yourself:
