A helicopter tour is one of the most exciting things you can do during your stay in NYC, but picking the best helicopter tour in NYC is not an easy task, especially if you have no idea what to look for. Luckily for you, we have tried and tested them all!
In this article, we will compare all of the best helicopter tours in NYC as well as recommend to you our absolute favorite, which is in our opinion has the best value for money.
Looking for a shortcut? Click here to 👉 compare the helicopter flights or see 👉 all details including my review of the helicopter tours.
My Recommendation
I can recommend two helicopter flights over NYC: first of all, the New York Manhattan Sightseeing Helicopter Tour, because in my opinion, it offers the best price-performance ratio and starts right in Manhattan. So you don’t have a long way to get there.
Another very exciting experience is a helicopter tour at night! Seeing all the sparkling lights of the city from above with the Night Skyline Tour will give you goosebumps, I promise!
Which is the Best Helicopter Tour in NYC?
Depending on what you are looking for, there are three categories of helicopter rides over New York City: Short helicopter rides, medium helicopter rides, and long helicopter rides. Which one of these is best for you will depend on your budget and how long you want to spend taking in the sights of New York from above. We have broken the helicopter flights down to give you a choice in each category.
12-15 / 18-20 / 30 minutes
18-20 minutes
25-30 minutes
about 25 minutes
25-30 minutes
16 minutes
25-30 minutes
12-15 minutes
25-30 minutes
12-15 minutes
Downtown Manhattan Heliport
Downtown Manhattan Heliport
Essex County Airport, New Jersey
Linden Airport / New Jersey
Kearny, NJ
When?
When?
Mon – Sat
Mon – Sat
Mon – Sat
Mon – Sun
Fri – Mon
Mon – Sat
Mon – Sun
Thu – Sat
Mon – Sat
Mon – Sun
Sat – Sun
Mon – Sun
Price
Price
from $299
from $272
from $461
from $275
from $324
from $298
$ 370
$234
Please note: There are no helicopter tours in NYC on Sundays from Manhattan (but from New Jersey!), meaning that helicopter rides on other days may get sold out faster. If you can help it, don’t wait until the day before to book it, as you may be out of luck. We recommend booking your NYC helicopter flight 1-2 weeks in advance.
All Helicopter Tours in Detail
While in the table above only the 4 to 6 most important helicopter flights are shown, here you can find all helicopter tours in detail. For each one, you will find a separate review from me!
Manhattan Island Helicopter Tour
in
Financial District
Our Highlight
Departure: Downtown Manhattan Heliport | 12 – 15 Minutes | The Manhattan Sky Tour is the perfect helicopter ride for first time visitors to NYC! Seeing the skyscrapers and streets of Manhattan from above is an experience that you will will definitly not be forgetting any time soon. Seeing NYC’s main attractions from the sky gives you a completely different perspective and provides you with the chance of taking some amazing and unique photos of the concrete jungle below you.
Taste of NYC Helicopter Tour
in
New Jersey
Departure: Kearney, New Jersey | 12 – 15 Minutes | The Taste of NYC Helicopter Tour is the most affordable helicopter flight over New York. During the 12-15 minute flight you will see the Brooklyn Bridge, the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. You can also see the famous One World Trade Center at the southern tip of Manhattan and the Empire State Building!
New York City Helicopter Tour and Luxury VIP SUV Transfer
in
Financial District
Our Highlight
Pickup: Your Hotel | 15 – 30 Minutes | Are you looking for a very special helicopter flight over New York? Then check out this combination of helicopter flight and VIP transfer! You will be picked up from your hotel in a luxury SUV and driven to the downtown Manhattan heliport. You can choose from several helicopter flights – from 15 to 30 minutes.
After your helicopter tour, you will be driven back from the heliport to your hotel. It doesn’t get any better than this!
Manhattan Scenic Helicopter Tour
in
Financial District
Our Highlight
Departure: Downtown Manhattan Heliport | 18 – 20 Minutes | The Manhattan Scenic Helicopter Tour takes you on an aerial tour over Manhattan and its many attractions. You wont forget the view of NYC from above or the feeling of flying high above the skyscrapers any time soon. Especially for those of you who like taking photos, this is a guaranteed way to secure some amazing shots of the NYC skyline.
Helicopter Tour with Optional Doors-Off Experience
in
Outside of New York City
Experience a helicopter ride over the iconic landmarks of New York City, such as the Statue of Liberty and Freedom Tower. Choose a door-off experience to enjoy a unique view of the city from above.
Night Helicopter Ride NYC: City Lights Skyline Experience
in
New Jersey
Departure: Linden, New Jersey | 25 – 30 Minutes | Have you ever seen the sights of New York City from the air at night? If not, then you should book a seat on the City Lights Skyline Experience helicopter ride NYC from Helicopter Flight Services. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience that allows visitors to see aerial views of Times Square, the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building, and much more while they are lit up at night!
Grand Island Helicopter Flight
in
Financial District
Departure: Downtown Manhattan Heliport | 25 – 30 Minutes | Enjoy seeing NYC from a bird’s-eye view for 30 exciting minutes with the Grand Island Helicopter Flight. You will see all the main NYC attractions from above allowing you to take some amazingly unique pictures of some of NYC’s most famous sights. You will fly over everything from the Statue of Liberty, The One World Trade Center and the Yankees Stadium to the New York Harbor and Central Park! This is undoubtedly an experience you will not want to miss out on.
New York Helicopter Tour: Manhattan Highlights
in
Financial District
Departure: Downtown Manhattan Heliport | 12 – 15 Minutes | For a unique and exciting experience, look no further! A helicopter ride over Manhattan is one of the things that we highly recommend doing when you visit NYC. From up in the air the sense of scale you get is second to none, making this city even more impressive than it already is. Flying along the Hudson River this helicopter tour will give you a great view of Manhattan, its main attractions and the surrounding boroughs.
Helicopter Tour: Manhattan, Brooklyn and Staten Island
in
Financial District
Departure: Downtown Manhattan Heliport | 25 – 30 Minutes | No trip to New York is complete without a helicopter ride over NYC. With everything the Big Apple has to offer, it can be difficult seeing all the mighty rivers, iconic sights, and historical landmarks in one trip. However, the easiest way to accomplish this is by boarding a state-of-the-art helicopter and enjoying the ride. The Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Staten Island helicopter ride NYC by Helicopter Flight Services is one of the most comprehensive tours available. You’ll see sights such as the Chrysler Building, Statue of Liberty, General Grant National Memorial, and so much more.
Ultimate Manhattan Sightseeing Helicopter Flight
in
Financial District
Departure: Downtown Manhattan Heliport | 25 – 30 Minutes | New York is one of the best cities for tourism and sightseeing. However, it’s also a bustling city, so rather than stand in line to see the famed sights, it’s much easier to book a helicopter ride over NYC. Doing so allows you to see the gorgeous skyline and iconic views from the air.
The Ultimate Manhattan Sightseeing helicopter tour provided by Helicopter Flight Services is one with which you can’t go wrong.
New York Helicopter Tour: City Skyline Experience
in
New Jersey
Departure: Linden, New Jersey | 25 – 30 Minutes | The City Skyline Experience is a helicopter ride over NYC that provides aerial views of Manhattan’s skyline and other historical sights. Other travelers may be present with this shared ride experience, but that doesn’t take away from the exceptional views and still provides an excellent opportunity for marvelous photos.
Find the perfect Helicopter Flight over NYC in no time!
Not quite sure which of the many helicopter flights over New York are the best for you? With my helicopter flight advisor this can be done very quickly! Try it out right now by clicking on the “Let’s start”-button below! 👇👇👇
After only 2 questions we will present you the helicopter flights that suits you best. There are over 10 different helicopter tours to choose from, so you’ll definitely find one that you’ll enjoy.
Question #1 Where do you want to start the helicopter tour?
Manhattan (so that the way to the heliport is short)
New Jersey is fine!
I am quite flexible there!
Question #2 What budget do you plan per person?
Less than $250.
More than $250, it should be a once in a lifetime experience!
The Best Private Helicopter Rides
Even the “regular” helicopter flights over NYC are really beautiful and guaranteed to give you many goosebumps moments. But if you are looking for a romantic helicopter flight for two and want it to be something really special, the private helicopter flights over New York City are perfect!
Here you can find the best private helicopter tours in NYC:
15-30 minutes
18-20 minutes
Downtown Manhattan Heliport
Price
$1.770
The Best Helicopter Ride from JFK to NYC (and all other NYC Airports)
Something really luxurious is the combination of airport transfer and sightseeing flight – there are several providers that will take you by helicopter from the airports around New York City to Manhattan. Starting your New York vacation couldn’t be better!
Here you can find the best New York Helicopter Airport Transfers:
20 minutes
10 minutes
Price
$2.200
Helicopter Tour Routes
To get a better idea of the different helicopter routes, you can take a look at the map below. It shows you which main attractions you will be able to see and therefore may help to determine which the best helicopter tour length for you. You can choose from short, medium, and long helicopter tour in NYC.
Our Favorite: The Manhattan Scenic Helicopter Tour
For us, the best helicopter tour in NYC is the Manhattan Scenic Helicopter Tour. Why? See it for yourself:
Der Beitrag The best helicopter flights in New York in 2026 erschien zuerst auf Loving New York.
