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New York Helicopter Tour Routes

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New York Helicopter Tour Routes

What do you see exactly when you take a helicopter tour of New York? Click here to see photos from a helicopter tour. But what is the route that the helicopters take and how do I know which helicopter tour is best for me? A short flight or a longer one? Because I often get asked these questions, I created this page.

Below is a description of the different flights, three of the routes are shown on the map. There are no flights on Sundays anymore, which leave from Manhattan. This makes the other days sell out faster, so reserve your spot before you go to New York.

Manhattan Sky, Scenic and Grand Island Helicopter Tour

The route with the red line is called Manhattan Sky. This helicopter tour takes approximately 12-15 minutes and is the shortest of all three helicopter tours. The price is about A$396 which also makes it the cheapest helicopter tour.

Book the Manhattan Sky Tour here
Book the Manhattan Sky Tour with all fees included here

The route with the yellow line is called a Scenic tour. It takes the same route as the tour marked with the red line (Manhattan Sky Tour), but this helicopter tour continues further towards Harlem and you may even see the Yankee Stadium. This tour lasts approximately 18 minutes and costs about A$443.

Book the Scenic Tour here
Book the Scenic Tour with all fees included here

The route with the blue line is called Grand Island Tour. This is the longest tour, meaning it also costs the most. You fly by Staten Island and you will even see the Bronx. Of course, you will also see the same sites as the tours marked with the red and yellow lines (listed above), but you will see much more with this route. This price is approximately A$618.

Book the Grand Island Tour here
Book the Grand Island Tour with all fees included here

Helicopter Flight on Sunday

The majority of the helicopter tours depart from Manhattan. Due to strict city regulations helicopters are not permitted to fly from Manhattan on a Sunday. Do you still want to take your helicopter flight on a Sunday? Then there is a good value flight, which departs from New Jersey.

Book your helicopter flight on Sunday here

New York Helicopter Tour Routes - Manhattan Skyline New York Helicopter Tour Routes Govenors Island

Evening Flight

If you really want to do something spectacular, book an evening flight! See the lights of New York from above as you pass by the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building, and Times Square, among others. The flight departs from New Jersey and you can get there by train from Penn Station.

Book the Evening Flight from New Jersey here

Private Helicopter Tour

Do you want a private helicopter flight, is money no issue? Then this is your chance! On this tour, you’ll see the most popular sights of New York, alone, or with your friends, family, or loved one. The helicopter seats a maximum of five people, so if there are only two of you, the free seats will be empty and you’ll have the whole helicopter to yourselves. This is a great thing to do if you have an important question to ask or a day to celebrate.

Book a Private Helicopter Tour from Westchester here

Additional Information

Important! After booking your flight, make sure you contact the tour operator to confirm the exact date and time of your booking. After making your booking online, you will receive a voucher by email containing all the operator’s contact information. I advise that you contact them at least two weeks in advance. If you are booking within two weeks before your flight, get in touch with the operator right away to confirm the time and date. The earlier you confirm your booking, the more choice you have of the available time slots.

If your plans change upon arriving in New York and you want to rebook your helicopter flight, you can do so by contacting the tour operator.

Which routes do the helicopters take in New York?

There are three main helicopter tour routes in New York. It's best to view the map to see how they fly and what attractions you'll pass.

How long does a New York helicopter tour take?

Helicopter tours range anyway between 12 minutes and 25 minutes. Read my tips on which one is the best here.

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