A helicopter tour isn’t the least expensive way to see the National Park, but it definitely is the most fun way to do it. How can you get around the extra cost? A little planning ahead and shopping online can go a long way.

Plan Ahead

When I say a little planning ahead, I mean booking at least 7 days in advance of the tour date you want. I don’t recommend waiting much longer than that because the tour you want might be sold out – and even if it is, you’ll pay more than you need to. Air tours are just that popular.

Booking in advance has several advantages. To begin with, you’ll have more choices. I think mornings are the best time to fly, but sunset tours on Grand Canyon helicopters are terrific too. Morning and sunset flights are the most popular, and by booking ahead you’ll probably be able to get the flight time you want.

Plus, landing tours (my favorites) are more likely to sell out than air tours. There’s nothing wrong with air-only tours, but there seems to be enough of them to meet the demand (except the sunset flights, which have become wildly popular). There are fewer landing tours, and that’s where you’re more likely to have problems if you don’t book in advance.

Las Vegas Flights

Landing tours (only available from Vegas and only to Grand Canyon West) land at the top and/or bottom of the canyon. The flight to the West Rim takes a chopper about 50 minutes because it’s only 120 miles from Las Vegas.

The most popular landing tour lands on the bottom and includes a picnic while you’re there. A souped-up version adds VIP access to the amazing Grand Canyon Skywalk and a smooth-water float trip down the Colorado River. Seats on this particular tour are in short supply and almost always sell out. The best way you can be sure to snag one is by booking ahead.

South Rim Grand Canyon helicopters fly out of Tusayan, Arizona (just outside the Park’s main gates and the site of Grand Canyon National Park Airport, or GCN). These tours come in 30-minute and 50-minute air-only versions, plus one very popular tour that comes with a 4×4 ride to the canyon’s edge.

South Rim Flights

Naturally, the cheapest flight is also the shortest. It’s an exciting a rim-to-rim (South to North and back) flight and very dramatic. Personally, though, I recommend the 50-minute tour because it shows you up to