Labor Day weekend 2015 will be here shortly and if you are planning on taking a Grand Canyon helicopter or airplane tour, book it quick as these sightseeing flights sell out fast during this final holiday of the summer.

Las Vegas

Helicopter tours from Vegas are comprised of aerial and landing tours. Both follow the same flight path over Lake Mead and Hoover Dam before entering Grand Canyon airspace.

Air-only will turn back for town at this point while landing tours will take you to the top or bottom. Personally, I prefer landing tours because they deliver a more in-depth Canyon experience.

The landing tour that I\’m really keen on goes to the bottom for a Champagne picnic. The truly adventurous will want to extend this flight with a Colorado boat ride and VIP tickets to the Grand Canyon Skywalk.

Vegas airplane tours follow the same flight path as helicopters except they cover the same ground at a higher altitude. They also are available as an air or landing tour and in general are cheaper than helicopter tours.

However, unlike helicopters, airplanes go to the South Rim, which are out of range of helicopters. The flight takes just 60 minutes and can be extended with a bus, jeep or helicopter ride upon arrival at Grand Canyon National Park Airport.

South Rim

Helicopter tours at this rim do not fly below the edge and land at the bottom. This is because it\’s banned by the National Park Service. Thus your options include a 30-minute flight and a 50-minute one.

The shorter one goes from the South Rim to the North Rim and back via the Dragoon Corridor, the widest and deepest section of the Park. The longer flight does that, too, as well as everything up to the Park\’s eastern border.

Frankly, I prefer the 50-minute tour because it lets you see up to 75 percent of the Park. I also like the tour that combines the 30-minute flight with a 2-hour Jeep tour, with the Jeep segment stopping at all the Park\’s key lookouts and landmarks.

Aircraft

Basic helicopter tours use the trusty Bell Ranger or the AStar. Deluxe flights, by contrast, use the superior EcoStar, which is 25 percent larger and features a 180-degree wraparound windshield and stadium-style bucket seats.

Another thing about deluxe helicopter rides: They come with free limousine pick up and drop off at your Strip hotel as well as an extended flight over The Strip from the Stratosphere Tower to the Luxor Pyramid. In my opinion, deluxe tours are by far the better value.

Airplane tours use the deHavilland Twin Otter, which can accommodate up to 19 people. The plane is completely outfitted for sightseeing, boasting oversized windows and wings that are attached to the top of the plane so you can see everything below.

Conclusion

I hope this article about Grand Canyon sightseeing flights during Labor Day weekend 2015 proved helpful. Remember, these tours are very popular during this holiday so book over the Internet and in advance in order to get the best seats at the lowest price. Then buckle up and get ready for and incredible aerial adventure.

The author is an expert on Grand Canyon sightseeing flights and recommends these airplane tours as well as these helicopter tours: http://www.grandcanyondaytrips.com/helicopters/

The author is an expert on Grand Canyon sightseeing flights and recommends these airplane tours as well as these helicopter tours: http://www.grandcanyondaytrips.com/helicopters/

Author Bio: The author is an expert on Grand Canyon sightseeing flights and recommends these airplane tours as well as these helicopter tours: http://www.grandcanyondaytrips.com/helicopters/

Category: Travel
Keywords: grand canyon, grand canyon helicopters, las vegas helicopters, grand canyon airplane