In a nutshell
- A helicopter flight over New York City is an unforgettable experience! But which sightseeing tours are the best, where can you book them, and what should you keep in mind? We’ve got the answers!
- We show you the 4 best helicopter tours over NYC – classic, open door, at night and a private sightseeing flight for couples.
- Our favorite and perfect for first-time visitors is the Manhattan Helicopter Tour NYC – top value for money and a mega view!
- In this article, we’ll also share our firsthand experiences and reviews after taking two different helicopter rides over NYC.
- Do you love thrills? Then you might enjoy the open door helicopter ride!
Helicopter Rides in NYC: An Overview
Here’s an overview of all our recommended helicopter tours in New York City. We’ll dive into the details shortly.
| What? | Price | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manhattan helicopter ride Our Favorite! | approx. $290 pp | 12-30 min | Book the Tour |
| Helicopter ride without doors | approx. $278 pp | 30-35 min | Book the Tour |
| Helicopter flight at night | approx. $230 pp | 15-30 min | Book the Tour |
| Private helicopter ride | approx. $476 pp | 30-45 min | Book the Tour |
Manhattan Helicopter Tour NYC
- Price: approx. $290 pp (+ $40 boarding fee)
- Departure: Downtown Manhattan Heliport (no pickup options. Get there by metro lines 1-5)
- Duration: 12 to 30 minutes – depending on the option booked
- Participants: max. 10 people
- Audio guide: English, Spanish, French, German
Who is it suitable for? Great for first-time visitors or if you want to experience New York City from a different angle. This is also the best helicopter tour if you are in NYC with children.
What can you see? You fly over the Hudson River and see for example: Central Park, Empire State Building, Broadway, Statue of Liberty, Brooklyn Bridge and more.
Personal experience: We are thrilled! The helicopter ride over NYC is an unforgettable experience. And although the weather wasn’t ideal, we still had a breathtaking view of the city. We also felt really comfortable – from start to finish. You can find our full review at the end of the article.
Book a Manhattan helicopter ride in NYC
Open Door Helicopter Tour NYC
- Price: approx. $278 pp (+ $35 boarding fee)
- Departure: New Jersey Linden Airport – approx. 40 min. outside of Manhattan (Pickup optional)
- Duration: 30 to 35 min. in total / 15 min. flight time over Manhattan
- Participants: 2 to 3 people
- Audio guide: English live commentary
Who is it for? Ideal for adrenaline junkies, adventure seekers and photographers. With the doors open, you can take the coolest photos and videos.
What can you see? You fly over the rivers and the city and see, for example: Brooklyn Bridge, Empire State Building, Central Park, Chrysler Building, Roosevelt Island, Hudson Yards, One World Trade Center and more.
Personal experience: The open door helicopter tour over New York City is unforgettable. Not only was the view breathtaking, but our photos are amazing! This will probably not be our last helicopter ride. You can find our whole experience below.
Book a New York City open door helicopter ride
Helicopter Tour over NYC at Night
- Price: approx. $230 pp (includes all fees and taxes)
- Departure: Essex County Airport – approx. 50 minutes outside of Manhattan (no pickup options. Get there by NJ Transit Line)
- Duration: 15 to 30 minutes – depending on the option booked
- Participants: max. 6 people
- Audio guide: English live commentary
Who is it for? Perfect for romantics and couples and anyone who wants to see New York’s sea of lights from the air. It’s also one of the cheapest helicopter rides in NYC.
What can you see? You fly over the rivers and the city and see, for example: Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, One World Trade Center, New York Edge, Empire State Building, Chelsea Piers, Times Square and more.
Book a helicopter tour over New York City by night
Private Helicopter Ride over NYC for Couples
- Price: approx. $476 pp (+ $40 boarding fee)
- Departure: Westchester County Airport – approx. 60 minutes outside of Manhattan (Pickup optional)
- Duration: 30 to 45 minutes
- Participants: 2 people
- Audio guide: English live commentary
Who is it suitable for? The right choice for couples, on special occasions or if you want to fly without other people.
What can you see? You fly over the rivers and the city and see, for example: Manhattan skyline, Central Park, Empire State Building, Top of the Rock, Yankee Stadium, Hudson River, East River bridges and more.
Book a private helicopter ride over New York
How Much is a Helicopter Ride in NYC?
The cost of a helicopter ride in NYC is around $220 to $300 per person. Prices vary depending on the provider, flight duration and type of tour.
Keep in mind that there is also an additional boarding fee of $40 for every ride.
Helicopter rides in NYC for cheap
Are you looking for a cheap helicopter tour in NYC?
You should budget at least $200 per person. We didn’t find any good deals for less. Unfortunately, helicopter flights in NYC are simply an expensive experience.
The cheapest flights we found are the night tour: New York City Night Skyline Tour and this one: New York City Helicopter Tour.
New York City Helicopter Ride: What You Need to Know
Now you know the best helicopter tours over NYC. But before you take to the skies, we’d like to answer a few important questions about helicopter rides:
Is a helicopter ride over New York City right for you?
A helicopter tour over New York City is suitable for a wide range of people and occasions. For example for:
- First-time visitors & tourists: for a unique view of New York City
- Couples: for romantic memories, marriage proposals or anniversaries
- Photographers & videographers: for spectacular aerial shots
- Adventure seekers & adrenaline junkies: for that special thrill
- Travelers with little time: for a quick and impressive view of the city
A helicopter flight over NYC is also suitable for children. However, there are often age restrictions that vary depending on the provider. The minimum age is usually between 2 and 5 years.
Pregnant women are usually allowed to fly as long as it is a normal pregnancy without complications.
In the later months of pregnancy (from the 3rd trimester), it is often advisable to consult a doctor beforehand.
If you have the following medical conditions, you should talk to a doctor first:
- Balance problems & dizziness
- Cardiovascular diseases
- Epilepsy
- Panic attacks & anxiety disorders
Many people with a fear of heights and an aversion to roller coasters find a helicopter ride less scary than expected because they are in a closed cabin and not on an open platform and the flight is very gentle.
Are the helicopter rides in New York safe?
Yes, helicopter tours in New York are considered safe because they are subject to strict regulations and high safety standards.
All commercial helicopter trips in NYC are regulated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Pilots must pass special licenses and regular safety checks and usually have thousands of hours of flying experience.
Helicopters are also regularly maintained and inspected to ensure the highest safety standards. There is a technical inspection of the aircraft before every flight.
Where do the helicopter trips in New York City start?
There are several heliports in New York from which most tourist flights depart. The three most important are
- Downtown Manhattan Heliport (JRB)
- Westchester County Airport (HPN)
- New Jersey Linden Airport (LDJ)
- New Jersey Essex County Airport (CDW)
Important information: If your helicopter rides starts in Manhattan, you will fly over the Hudson River and see the city from there. Only flights that do not start in Manhattan have permission to fly around the city as well. This is due to the strict airspace regulations of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the noise regulations of New York City.
New York City Helicopter Tour: Our Reviews
We have already taken two different helicopter rides over NYC. These are our experiences:
Our Review: Helicopter Ride over Manhattan in NYC
We booked the Manhattan helicopter ride in NYC five days before via GetYourGuide – for 2 pm. To be on the safe side, we were already there at 1 pm, 45 minutes earlier is recommended. All the information was on the ticket again, super easy.
Everything was super organized on site. There are toilets, lockers for larger bags and places to sit and wait. In addition to the tickets and passports, the weight of the passengers is also checked before boarding so that the seat allocation is correct.
In addition, everyone pays a 40 dollar boarding fee. This is standard for helicopter flights in New York. We paid this by credit card.
Shortly before take-off, we received a detailed safety briefing via monitor, had to put on life jackets and off we went towards the helicopter. Important: No photos are allowed on the airfield. Take them when you’re inside the helicopter. Seats were allocated according to weight, headphones on, strapped in and off we went!
Is it worth it? Definitely!
The flight was an absolute highlight of our trip to New York. The view of the skyline was simply amazing – you see the city from a completely different perspective.
And we can now say from our own experience: helicopter rides are also great for people who hate roller coasters. The flight is super soft.
Despite the less than ideal weather, it was an unforgettable experience. The entire organization was highly professional and we felt safe and comfortable at all times. If you’re in New York and are wondering whether a helicopter tour is worthwhile – go for it! It’s worth every penny!
Book a Manhattan helicopter ride
Our review: Open door Helicopter ride New York
As time is usually very limited on a city trip in NYC – after all, you want to see as much as possible – we opted for a 7:00 a.m. start for this flight.
A private driver picked us up at our hotel in New York at 5:30 a.m. and then we headed straight for Westchester. The airport is mainly used for private and charter flights by business people and for helicopter flights over New York City.
Our pilot arrived at around 6:40 am. Short introduction, clear safety briefing, small bags under the seat, buckle up, headphones on and we were ready to go.
The initial queasy feeling of flying with open doors quickly gave way to excitement about the fantastic view.
It took us about 10 minutes to reach the northern tip of Manhattan. We passed the Yankees Stadium, among other things, and the first big highlight was Central Park. It’s amazing, this view from above.
Later, we got surprisingly close to the Empire State Building and had a great view of Times Square and the Flatiron Building from above. One highlight followed the next.
In total, we flew over Manhattan for about 40 minutes and took more than 1,000 photos – oops, hehe.
The return flight took about 10 minutes again and shortly after 8:00 we landed safely back in Westchester.
Book the open door helicopter ride over New York
Which helicopter tour is the better choice?
We had an amazing time on both tours!
The classic Manhattan helicopter tour is a great choice for first-time visitors and anyone who has never been in a helicopter before. You’ll feel safe and comfortable while enjoying the fantastic views.
The NYC helicopter flight with open doors, on the other hand, is more for adrenaline junkies and those who have absolutely no fear of heights.
These were the best helicopter tours over New York City and our reviews
Have you ever taken a helicopter trip in NYC? Or do you still have a question? Then write us a comment. We look forward to hearing from you!