Every year, nature lovers from all around the globe come to see the Grand Canyon. Once they arrive, they realize just how magnificent and immense it truly is (the National Park covers more than a million acres). That\’s when they start thinking a tour on a Grand Canyon airplane would help them see as much of it as possible.

Flights leave from Las Vegas and from Grand Canyon National Park Airport (GCN), just outside the main gates of the South Rim in a little town called Tusayan, Arizona. Vegas travelers can fly to the West Rim or the South Rim, but people in Arizona fly to the South Rim. There are no planes that fly between the South and West Rims.

Choices

When you depart from Las Vegas, you have many choices when it comes to airplane tours of the Grand Canyon, plus you can choose a landing tour or an air-only tour. Air-only flights are a good value and are great for people on limited budgets. Besides seeing Grand Canyon West, you\’ll fly over scenic Lake Mead and spectacular Hoover Dam. Personally, though, I prefer landing tours because they let you see and do a lot more.

For one thing, the West Rim is the only place where helicopters can fly down to the canyon floor. A chopper flight like this can be added to your tour. And some airplane tours land on the top and include VIP access to the world-famous Glass Bridge.

If you take a tour to the South Rim, your options are different. Planes aren\’t allowed to land inside the National Park, so all flights are air-only. Still, you have choices in tours and one of the best is the longer one that lasts 50 minutes. This flight takes you over nearly 75 percent of the National Park! It is a fantastic way to see a great portion of the sights and landmarks in the canyon.

The Aircraft

The planes used on air tours seat up to 19 passengers, so they\’re a lot bigger than many people think. They\’re equipped with comfy reclining seats and oversized windows for great sightseeing. During the tour, you learn all about the landmarks you pass over by listening to a headset that plays a recording in eleven different languages.

Tickets

Airplane tours of the Grand Canyon are very popular and it is easy to see why. And some are booked by travelers who\’ve been closed out of chopper tours.

How does this affect you? Book as soon as you pick your tour. You should plan to get your seats one week ahead of your trip, or sooner if you can. And buy your tickets online, because that\’s where all the real deals are. But book direct with the tour company, because you won\’t be paying a middleman\’s fee and you\’ll get the best rates and discounts.

Recap

You have many options in plane tours of the Grand Canyon. You can depart from Tusayan or Las Vegas, but if you want to add on a fun landing tour, be sure to begin in Vegas. Be sure to get your seats early, to be safe, at least one week ahead of time. Buy your tickets online. This lets you use the tour company\’s Internet discount to get the lowest rate possible. Just remember to complete the entire transaction on the site. If you don\’t, you\’ll probably end up paying full retail price!

Travel reviewer Luke Plunket is an authority on experiencing the Grand Canyon by airplane. She advises checking out this website to get great prices on the very best air tours: http://grandcanyoncheap.com/airplane-deals.html

Travel editor Luke Plunket is a specialist on seeing Grand Canyon National Park by plane. She suggests visiting this site to get great bargains on the very best air tours: http://grandcanyoncheap.com/airplane-deals.html

Author Bio: Travel reviewer Luke Plunket is an authority on experiencing the Grand Canyon by airplane. She advises checking out this website to get great prices on the very best air tours: http://grandcanyoncheap.com/airplane-deals.html

Category: Travel
Keywords: grand canyon, grand canyon tours, grand canyon airplane, grand canyon flights, las vegas tours, deal