Before you know it, the holidays will be here. And if you are planning to do a Grand Canyon helicopter ride, book it soon. These trips are very popular and often sell out this time of the year.

Helicopter rides are available from Las Vegas, NV, and the South Rim, which is near the Arizona town of Tusayan. Flight depart every day of the year except for December 25th, which is Christmas Day.

Points of Departure

Of the two locations, Las Vegas will most likely sell out the quickest because of the number of visitors who visit the City of Entertainment during the winter months.

South Rim flights will also see a lot of action, especially because travelers staying in Phoenix and Sedona often make 1-day trips to the National Park that include helicopter rides.

The way to make sure you get your holiday flight is to by it now or at least two weeks ahead of time. If you can\’t get the Vegas helicopter tour that you want, consider booking the airplane version of it.

Christmas

Airplane tours will be running on Christmas Day, and because they can accommodate up to 19 passengers, there\’s usually seats available if you book a seven days in advance. Plane rides are also cheaper but please remember that they do fly at a higher altitude and do not land at the bottom.

There are two types of helicopter tours. They are air and landing. Both are available from Las Vegas and South Rim. However, only Vegas flights are permitted to land at the bottom of the Grand Canyon. The closest the South Rim gets to that is a trip that includes a 3-hour Jeep tour.

In addition to landing at the bottom, Las Vegas helicopters also land at the top, and it\’s there where you can extend your trip to include tickets to the world-famous Grand Canyon Skywalk. Lastly, all Vegas flight go over Lake Mead and Hoover Dam en route to the Park.

South Rim

South Rim aerial tours are a great way to explore a wilderness area that encompasses more than 1 million acres. There\’s the 30-minute flight, which goes from the South Rim to North Rim and back. Then there\’s the 50-minute trip that does all that plus everything up to the Park\’s eastern border.

Be on the alert for price increases during the holiday season. In certain instances you\’ll see prices jump up by 15 percent! This is especially the case if you decide to purchase your flight at the destination or within 72 hours of flight time.

Before I wrap up this article, I want you to know there are two versions of helicopter tours: basic and deluxe. From my experience, and if you are in Las Vegas especially, go deluxe. They include a limousine shuttle service to/from your hotel and a tour of the Las Vegas Strip on the return. All in all, they are a MUCH better deal.

Conclusion

The holiday season is always a busy time for Grand Canyon helicopter tours. To make sure you get your tickets, book early. I recommend at least two weeks. And I also recommend doing it online because that\’s where you\’ll find the greatest selection and the lowest prices. Just remember to complete you transaction on the website because doing it that way ensures you qualify and get your Internet discount.

The writer is an expert on the Grand Canyon and recommends these South Rim helicopters and these flights that leave from Las Vegas: http://www.grandcanyonhelicopters.org/papillon-helicopters/las-vegas/

The writer is an expert on the Grand Canyon and recommends these South Rim helicopters and these flights that leave from Las Vegas: http://www.grandcanyonhelicopters.org/papillon-helicopters/las-vegas/

Author Bio: The writer is an expert on the Grand Canyon and recommends these South Rim helicopters and these flights that leave from Las Vegas: http://www.grandcanyonhelicopters.org/papillon-helicopters/las-vegas/

Category: Travel
Keywords: South Rim helicopters, Rim helicopters