Best Grand Canyon Spring Break Helicopter and Plane Tours

Spring break will arrive with the warm weather of April, and that means it’s time to start planning your vacation. Las Vegas is a fantastic spring break destination, and when you’re there, you can take an aerial tour of the Grand Canyon for even more fun. These tours fill up fast because they are very popular, so be sure to book yours as soon as you can.

Helicopter tours through the canyon

You can take a helicopter tour of the South Rim or the West Rim. Vegas is close enough to the West Rim that helicopters can make the trip there and back. If you want to take a helicopter tour of the South Rim, you’ll need to add a plane flight from Las Vegas to the South Rim to your package, as the South Rim is too far from Las Vegas for helicopters to do the entire trip.

You’ll even get an aerial view of Lake Mead and the Hoover Dam as you leave Las Vegas, since they’re located along the flight path into the Canyon. A helicopter can get to the West Rim from Las Vegas in less than 45 minutes, and it takes about 60 minutes by plane to fly to the South Rim so you can start your tour there.

There are air-only and landing tours available on the West Rim. The air-only tour flies over the West Rim, allowing you to see all the incredible sights there before heading back to Las Vegas. Landing tours are more comprehensive and give you the chance to see the Canyon up close.

One of the most popular tours lands on the Canyon floor after an exhilarating descent into the Canyon and once you land, you can enjoy a champagne picnic or boat ride down the Colorado River. Another option is to land at the top of the rim where you can visit the panoramic viewpoints. The Skywalk is also located at the top of the West Rim. The Skywalk is a massive, see-through observation bridge that allows you to stand 4,000 feet above the Canyon floor for one of the most exhilarating views you’ll see anywhere.

Touring the South Rim

If you choose a South Rim helicopter tour, you’ll board the helicopter right after you arrive from your plane ride from Las Vegas. You can choose between one of two tours. There is a short tour that gives you 30 minutes of flight time and a longer one that lasts 50 minutes. The 30-minute tour flies from the South Rim to the North Rim and then circles back. The longer tour also goes to the northern edge, but also includes an additional trip to the eastern edge of the park. You will be able to see almost 75 percent of the entire National Park when you take the longer tour. The longer tour costs a little more, but it’s worth it because you get to see a lot more of the park.

Helicopters can’t land inside the Canyon on the South Rim, but you can add a bus tour or jeep tour to your package if you want to have a land experience there.

Airplane tours through the canyon

Tour planes fly to the West Rim or South Rim. A plane tour is more affordable than a helicopter tour, making it a good option when you’re on a tight vacation budget. You can still add other adventures, for example you can take a plane to the West Rim and then take a helicopter to the Canyon floor. Airplane tours of the South Rim cover a large part of the park, in fact, they fly the same flight path as the longer helicopter tour.

One difference between the two types of air tours is that planes need to fly higher than helicopters, and another important difference is that planes can carry more people on each tour. Planes carry 19 at a time, so if you’re flying with multiple people, a plane ride is probably the best option. However, if great viewing is most important to you, then you’ll want to book a helicopter tour, as helicopters fly lower than planes and have larger viewing windows. When you book a luxury helicopter tour, you’ll fly in an EcoStar helicopter that has a panoramic wraparound windshield and six seats arranged stadium-style for unobstructed views. These helicopters are made specifically for sightseeing and are quieter and offer a smoother ride.

In conclusion

Touring the Canyon is the perfect way to add some adventure to your exciting spring break vacation. The great thing about starting your tour in Las Vegas is that there are many tours and options available, so you can find a tour that is perfect for your budget.

Remember that tours fill up early so you need to purchase your tour in advance. To make it easier to remember, you can book your Canyon tour when you make your hotel reservations. Also, just use your credit card to purchase your tour online and you’ll get the best deal because you’ll be able to avoid a travel agent’s commission.

Taking an aerial tour of the Canyon is a surefire way to have a fabulous spring break vacation that you’ll always remember. Whether you take a landing tour or air tour, or fly by helicopter or plane, you’ll experience one of the most beautiful and mysterious places on the planet in one day filled with wonder and adventure.