How does one put the Grand Canyon into perspective? Take an airplane ride. These air trips show in an hour what would take days on the ground. Its what makes them so popular and it\’s why I recommend you get your seats beforehand. Allow me to share five more reasons you might want to RSVP:

1. Guarantees you fly the day that\’s perfect for you. These tours are really popular. Each plane holds 19 travelers. More often than not, they sell out with charters and groups. Reserve early and avoid getting bumped.

2. Helps you to lock down the most ideal flight times. Travelers get in line for morning and sunset rides. No wonder, either: The best visibility is in the am, and sundown rides are beyond breathtaking.

3. Gives you more re-scheduling convenience. Sometimes weather at the canyon can shift and flights need to be delayed. If this happens to you as a morning departure, hang tight. You\’ll be the first to go when the clouds part.

4. Offers you peace of mind. I don\’t know about you but the last thing I want to do is make travel arrangements when I\’m there. I\’d rather be out hiking the Rim Trail or staring at The Bellagio Fountains than negotiating with a ticket broker.

5. Saves serious cash. The canyon has its share of high season travel months. This means prices get higher. Buy before these travel spikes and you secure a lower amount that can\’t be increased. Also, booking at the air terminal or The Vegas Strip costs more. Much more.

There are two main locations in the Canyon to which airplanes fly: The West Rim and the South Rim. For Vegas travelers, the West Rim is the obvious choice as it\’s just 120 miles away (there\’s a Vegas to South Rim flight but more about that later). South Rim trips depart from Grand Canyon Airport, located a few minutes from the Park\’s main gate.

The fantastic thing about West Rim air tours is the side trips. Yes, there are air-only flights, but if you want to find yourself in the canyon\’s mojo, you can extend your package to include Grand Canyon Glass Bridge tickets, a guided tour of the West Rim, a helicopter descent to the bottom, or a boat ride on the Colorado River.

At the South Rim, there\’s an awesome 50-minute flight that includes the South, East, and North Rims. The main add-on is the 1-day no-rapids float trip. This journey takes off from Tusayan and arrives near Glen Canyon Dam, the starting point for pontoon boat trips down the Colorado.

The Las Vegas to South Rim flight takes 45 minutes. It follows the Colorado River from Vegas to the South Rim. Upon landing, you transfer to a luxury coach and go into the national park. There\’s lots of time to explore and all the most important lookout points are covered. Additionally, there is an option to include a heli ride.

All Grand Canyon air tours are all-inclusive and come with hotel pick up and drop off, lunch, and side-trip transportation. Flights are year round (the South Rim no-rapids raft tour is seasonal and runs from April to November). Incredibly, these are 1-day activities, which means you will be back in time for your evening plans.

Travelers are really latching on to the benefits of taking a canyon air tour, especially folks who want to spend just several days at the canyon. The popularity of these flights, however, means more sold out flights. This can easily be avoided if you get your air tickets in advance. You won\’t just save yourself money, but also you\’ll be assured of having a seat. Take time to RSVP. Then sit back and enjoy the best ride the canyon has to offer.

Author Bio: Mr. Kravitz is a travel writer who reviews tours to the Grand Canyon. His Top 3 Grand Canyon airplane tours are posted here. These flights are handpicked based on saftey, price, and quality.

Category: Travel
Keywords: grand canyon airplane, grand canyon, grand canyon airlines, vegas, las vegas, national park