Sin City certainly has an array of virtually endless activities to partake in, no matter the time of day or night. While the Strip is certainly a sight to behold, there is an even more impressive wonder just beyond the city.

If you’re in Las Vegas, I highly suggest not missing out on the opportunity to see one of the most stunning wonders of the world: the Grand Canyon.

I’ve gone ahead and detailed the 5 top Grand Canyon tours from Las Vegas out there, that are safe and well worth your time and money. Let’s get started!

Be sure to see our reviews of Hoover Dam Tours, Antelope Canyon Tours and Red Rock Canyon Tours.

Best Grand Canyon Helicopter Tours

	Grand Canyon West Rim Luxury Helicopter Tour from Las Vegas	Grand Canyon Deluxe Helicopter Tour with Landing from Las Vegas	Grand Canyon Sunset Helicopter Tour from Las Vegas
Location:	Hotel pickup and drop-off included	Hotel pickup and drop-off included	Hotel pickup and drop-off included
Start:	Between 10:00 AM & 6:15 PM	Between 7:00 AM & 1:00 PM	2:30 PM
Duration:	3 hours	4 hours	6.5 hours
Includes:	90-minute aerial tour in an A-star helicopter, all taxes, hotel pickup and drop-off by luxury van	Flight each way in an Eco-Star helicopter, landing on a private bluff in the Grand Canyon, champagne toast and light snacks	45-minute flight each way in an Eco-Star helicopter, land on private bluff in the Grand Canyon, champagne toast and light snacks
	Tour Information & Booking	Tour Information & Booking	Tour Information & Booking

Quick Answer: The 7 Best Rated Grand Canyon Helicopter Rides From Las Vegas

1. Grand Canyon West Rim Luxury Helicopter Tour from Las Vegas
2. Grand Canyon Deluxe Helicopter Tour with Landing from Las Vegas
3. Grand Canyon Sunset Helicopter Tour from Las Vegas
4. Grand Canyon West Helicopter Tour from Las Vegas with Optional Skywalk
5. Grand Canyon West Rim by Helicopter from Las Vegas
6. From Las Vegas: Grand Canyon Helicopter Air Tour
7. From Las Vegas: Grand Canyon Helicopter Tour with Champagne

Grand Canyon Helicopter Ride Reviews

1. Grand Canyon West Rim Luxury Helicopter Tour from Las Vegas

If you’re going to Vegas anyway, you probably want to go all out! Why not, then, take off on a luxury helicopter ride above some of the most breathtaking vistas in the entire western US?!

The Grand Canyon West Rim Luxury Helicopter Tour from Las Vegas melds amazing views with a touch of opulence, showing you nature’s most spectacular masterpieces.

This tour starts off with a convenient pickup right from your hotel lobby, so there’s no driving or booking rideshares required in any way. Our driver was very professional and kind, expertly navigating while sharing some fun facts about the area with us.

Once we arrived to the VIP heliport at Harry Reid Airport, we were greeted by our pilot and were ready to take off!

The helicopter was rather small, which made it perfect for our very small group – an intimate setting that just felt more personal. The state-of-the-art A-Star helicopter was very clearly well-maintained and perfect for appreciating the Grand Canyon in all its splendor!

We passed over Hoover Dam, Lake Mead, Black Canyon, and other interesting areas outside of the Grand Canyon that were quite interesting, as well.

However, approaching the West Rim was simply magical! We went through the canyon to enjoy the colorful rock walls and Colorado River in a way like never before! I took so many incredible photos and videos during this section of the tour!

On the way back, we got to enjoy plenty of amazing views of the Mojave, so it’s all amazing there and back!

Other Las Vegas Activities You May Enjoy

2. Grand Canyon Deluxe Helicopter Tour with Landing from Las Vegas

Next up is a slightly longer, more comprehensive tour: the Grand Canyon Deluxe Helicopter Tour with Landing from Las Vegas. This tour includes all the majestic beauty the last one did, with an exclusive itinerary featuring a landing on a private bluff right in the middle of the natural wonder!

If you’re in Vegas and want to escape the hustle-and-bustle of the city for a few hours, please check this one out! This exceptional experience was amazing right from the very beginning, with them conveniently picking us up right from our hotel.

Once we arrived to the heliport, we met up with our pilot who escorted us onto the comfortable Eco-Star helicopter. The Eco-Star is a bit larger than the A-Star, with plenty of room to stretch out and amazing views all-around.

They include personal headphones to listen to a recorded commentary about the Grand Canyon if you choose, but I preferred listening to the environment around us and the pilot, himself.

Flying over Hoover Dam was amazing to see as I’d previously only experienced it right from the dam, and it was striking to see it from this perspective! Shortly after, we caught glimpse of the Grand Canyon, where we headed below the high desert to land on a private bluff 3,500 feet under the rim!

We got off the helicopter and headed under a Ramada shelter (commonly used in the southwestern US) for a lovely champagne toast and snacks under its shade. We had plenty of time to enjoy the views, chat with the pilot, and soak up this incredible experience!

3. Grand Canyon Sunset Helicopter Tour from Las Vegas

Next up is another tour that draws similarities to the one I just covered, but is just slightly longer. The Grand Canyon Sunset Helicopter Tour from Las Vegas is an opportunity you won’t want to miss, creating an unforgettable adventure that captures the essence of the American Southwest.

If you’re new to the area of simply have never seen the Grand Canyon, I can’t recommend this tour enough! I mean, even if you have seen the Grand Canyon, I can guarantee this aerial view (complete with a private bluff landing) is unlike anything else you’ve experienced here!

While Las Vegas is no-doubt filled with its own thrills, it’s surrounded by majestic desert and natural landscapes that look like they belong to another planet. Unlike many other helicopter tours of its kind, this selection is designed to give you ample time to soak in the views instead of being hurried along.

Just like the others on this guide, you’ll be picked up right from your hotel in Vegas, transferring you to the helipad. Our pilot was awesome, offering us a complete briefing beforehand and answering all of the questions we had before and along the way.

The Eco-Star helicopter was comfortable and moved smoothly, offering some breathtaking views from the very get-go. We eventually landed on a private bluff in the middle of the Grand Canyon, where we sat under a traditional Native American Ramada shelter.

Here, we relaxed and enjoyed a champagne toast with our pilot as well as a light snack of veggies, fruits, cheese, and crackers while enjoying the incredible views all around us!

4.  Grand Canyon West Helicopter Tour from Las Vegas with Optional Skywalk

This is one of the longest tour options out there, offering not only a 35-minute helicopter flight each way, but plenty of other exploration options. The Grand Canyon West Helicopter Tour from Las Vegas with Optional Skywalk is a comprehensive experience that is well worth the extra time.

You’ll get to see it from the ground, way up high, and even below the rim of the Grand Canyon for close-up views not many get to witness! We were picked up at our hotel and transferred to the helipad, where we met up with our knowledgeable guide.

We then set off in a comfortable helicopter, soaring up high above Hoover Dam, Lake Mead, and other places of interest before making our way to the Grand Canyon. Once there, we got out and stretched our legs on a self-guided tour of Eagle Point and Guano Point.

 It’s funny that I didn’t feel scared of heights while on the helicopter, but when we were walking over the Grand Canyon Skywalk bridge, I started getting a bit nervous. The horseshoe-shaped completely transparent, glass platform stands 4,000 feet above the rim and you can select this optional upgrade once you’re there.

I also recommend taking the Highpoint Hike at Guano Point, where you’ll get to enjoy some of the most amazing 360 views of the Canyon. I appreciated this tour, with its flexibility that lets you choose as you go, not staying stuck into one itinerary. It’s so much fun and a great way to learn about and see the Grand Canyon from many different viewpoints!

5. Grand Canyon West Rim by Helicopter from Las Vegas

Last but certainly not least, we have another one of the longest helicopter tours on this guide. The Grand Canyon West Rim by Helicopter from Las Vegas tour is a thrilling adventure that takes place on land and in the air, with panoramic views you can’t find anywhere else.

If you’re someone who enjoys adventures that are out of the ordinary, do yourself a favor and check this one out. This 7-hour adventure is so much more than just the helicopter ride (though, it would be worth the experience alone!).

See and learn all about sovereign Native American tribes, local geology, cultural and scientific aspects of the Grand Canyon, and more. In fact, I can’t think of anything I’d change – our pilot even gave us great recommendations for where to eat in Vegas and other fun activities to try out!

This tour was a great way to try and wrap my mind around the insane landscapes that are out there in the deserts of the Southwestern US. It’s kind of crazy seeing the different colored rocks, the natural rock formations, lakes, and everything in-between!

Our pilot did a fantastic job of narrating the tour and sharing fun facts with us in a way that was engaging. Similar to the previous tour, we had the option of checking out the breathtaking Skywalk once at the Canyon, as well as plenty of different overlooks.

On the way back, our pilot treated us to an amazing flight over the legendary Vegas Strip, which was just the cherry on top of an already-great tour!

6. From Las Vegas: Grand Canyon Helicopter Air Tour

Vegas is no stranger to glitz and glam, but if you’re on the hunt for a different kind of awe, you need to go to the Grand Canyon. Make things easy on yourself all while enjoying jaw-dropping views, on the From Las Vegas: Grand Canyon Helicopter Air Tour!

This 4-hour experience takes you away from the hustle and bustle of Sin City and regales you with amazing vistas of the Black Mountains, Grand Wash Cliffs, and much more.

This Grand Canyon helicopter tour starts with an easy pick-up right from your hotel on the Strip, or you can opt to make your way to the terminal, yourself. From there, you’ll meet your pilot, do a safety briefing, and hop into a sleek, quiet, EcoStar helicopter.

It was clear that they’re very well-maintained, and the pilot was obviously incredibly skilled and placed safety at the forefront. There’s nothing like flying over Hoover Dam, Lake Mead, the Black Mountains, and Grapevine Mesa.

However, the moment you fly over the canyon’s West Rim (or even flying below it!), it does feel like your heart stops for a moment. I can truly say there are few things in this world as impressive as this, and seeing it from an aerial perspective is incomparable to any other view.

The entire time we were in the air, our pilot shared interesting facts, history, and intriguing personal anecdotes through the headsets; even including some music at times to set the vibe! It’s much more than just insane photo ops – it’s convenient, thrilling, and the perfect way to become fully immersed in one of Mother Nature’s finest creations.

7. From Las Vegas: Grand Canyon Helicopter Tour with Champagne

It’s no secret that Vegas does luxury well, so if you want to keep that vibe and mix in some adventure in one slick package, look no further. The From Las Vegas: Grand Canyon Helicopter Tour with Champagne will treat you like the VIP you are and transport you through some of the most incredible views on the planet.

The flight path feels like some kind of cinematic, National Geographic best-of reel, from desert vistas to lakes. Kickstart your tour with a hotel shuttle to the Maverick terminal to meet your pilot. This is a completely private tour, so it’ll literally just be you, your pilot, and whoever else you’re traveling with.

It’s perfect for solo travelers, couples looking for an exciting date option, or small friend groups! Then board the sleek, glass-wrapped Eco-Star helicopter, where you have some of the most immersive, unobstructed views possible while keeping noise to a minimum.

Our friendly pilot/guide narrated the entire way, over Hoover Dam, Lake Mead, and other interesting points of interest, all the way into the Grand Canyon. Yes, you’ll be dropping 3,500 feet into the West Rim in Hualapai territory, where you’ll stop on a private bluff for some champagne and snacks!

It’s surreal looking out over the horizon as the Colorado River sits just below, toasting to the beauty all around us. This is one of the most premium adventures you can take, and you can count on a tour where everything is taken into account. Don’t miss out on this breathtaking opportunity!

Grand Canyon Helicopter Tours From Las Vegas: What’s Worth the Money

You’re paying anywhere from $300 to $700 to see the Grand Canyon from a machine that legally cannot land at the South Rim. That last part surprises almost nobody, until they’ve already booked the wrong tour and realize it.

Every Vegas departure flies to the West Rim on Hualapai tribal land, not the South Rim you’ve seen in postcards. That single fact should drive most of your decision.

Why the West Rim Is Where You’re Actually Going

The National Park Service and the FAA prohibit helicopter landings below the rim at both the South Rim and North Rim. The only place a helicopter can set down inside the canyon is the West Rim, on land controlled by the Hualapai tribe, not the National Park Service.

That means every landing tour departing Las Vegas, no exceptions, takes you to the West Rim. If you had your heart set on landing where the famous South Rim overlooks and the Skywalk photos come from, you’ll get some of that scenery from the air, but the ground you touch is West Rim territory.

Flyover-only tours from Vegas can still swing past sections of the West Rim canyon without landing, and some operators route toward the South Rim’s edge from altitude. But nobody’s setting a helicopter down anywhere except West Rim ground.

The Two Companies Running These Trips

Papillon and Maverick are the two real operators flying Grand Canyon routes out of Las Vegas. Both are legitimate, both fly qualified pilots, and both will get you there safely.

Papillon is the larger of the two, flying nearly a quarter million passengers a year and running exclusively in the Grand Canyon and Southwest region. That regional focus means their pilots fly the same routes constantly, and Papillon holds exclusive landing areas below the rim that Maverick doesn’t have access to.

Maverick runs a broader operation covering Las Vegas, the Grand Canyon, Southern California, and Hawaii. They fly EcoStar helicopters exclusively across their Grand Canyon routes, which matters more than people expect once you know what an EcoStar actually gets you.

EcoStar vs. Bell: The Detail That Actually Changes Your Experience

This is where most of the online confusion sits, and it’s worth two minutes to understand before you book. Papillon runs a mixed fleet, meaning you could end up on a modern EcoStar or an older Bell helicopter depending on availability.

EcoStars have stadium seating so nobody’s view is blocked by the seat in front of them, 180-degree windows, and a cabin that runs roughly 50 percent quieter than a Bell. Bell helicopters use traditional bench seating, which means some passengers ride backward, and the windows are noticeably smaller.

Maverick guarantees an EcoStar on every flight since that’s the only aircraft they operate. If you book Papillon and want the same guarantee, confirm the aircraft type before you pay, since the upgrade usually costs somewhere around $30 more per person.

Flyover or Landing: How to Actually Choose

This is the real decision, more than which company you pick. Both options are good.

They’re just different trips.

A flyover-only tour maximizes what you see per dollar and per minute. You’re in the air the whole time, covering more terrain, and most reviewers who’ve done both note that a South Rim-style flyover shows off the canyon’s full scale better than sitting at the bottom of it does.

A landing tour trades coverage for experience. You get roughly 3,200 to 3,500 feet of descent into the canyon, time on a private plateau, and usually champagne and a light picnic overlooking the Colorado River.

It’s the better pick if you want a celebration moment, extended time actually standing inside the canyon, or you’ve got a half day in Vegas to spend on one big activity.

What the Tours Actually Cost

Prices run a wide range depending on route, aircraft, and whether you’re landing. Flyover-only tours from the South Rim itself, not from Vegas, start around $269 for a short 25-minute flight, but that’s a different trip entirely from what departs Las Vegas.

From Las Vegas specifically, expect landing tours with champagne to run $399 to $739 per person depending on operator and package. Papillon’s entry-level Golden Eagle tour, which covers Hoover Dam, Lake Mead, and the West Rim without landing, is typically the cheapest way to see the canyon from a Vegas departure.

Maverick’s Wind Dancer tour lands 3,500 feet below the rim for champagne and snacks, with return views of Las Vegas lit up at dusk on select departures. Papillon’s Grand Celebration tour is consistently their most-booked option, landing on a private plateau with the same champagne-and-picnic setup.

• Cheapest option: flyover-only from Vegas, no landing, roughly $300 to $400 per person
• Mid-range: landing tour with champagne and picnic, $399 to $600 per person
• Premium: sunset or night departures with Strip views on the return leg, pushing toward $739 per person

Add 15 to 30 percent on top of the listed price for fuel surcharges and fees. That markup catches a lot of first-time bookers off guard, so factor it in before you compare prices across operators.

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How Long the Whole Thing Actually Takes

Actual flight time runs 25 to 50 minutes depending on the route and whether you’re landing. Total tour duration, once you count hotel pickup, check-in, and the drive out to the terminal, runs 2 to 5 hours door to door.

Papillon’s terminal sits near Harry Reid International Airport. Maverick’s airline division flies out of Henderson Executive Airport, and both companies offer complimentary hotel pickup for guests staying within about five miles of the Strip.

Landing tours with the full champagne picnic experience run closer to 4 to 4.5 hours hotel-to-hotel. If you’re squeezing this into a single Vegas day alongside dinner reservations or a show, book a flyover-only tour instead and protect your evening.

What to Bring and Wear

Dress in layers regardless of season, since Vegas heat and canyon-altitude air can be 15 to 20 degrees apart. Closed-toe shoes matter more than people think, since some tours combine the flight with time walking near the rim or down to a landing plateau.

Leave selfie sticks and large bags behind. Most operators enforce a strict small-item-only policy inside the cabin, and anything loose that isn’t secured becomes a real safety issue at altitude.

Sunglasses help more than you’d expect, since afternoon departures put you flying directly into glare over the canyon walls. A phone or small camera is fine, but check your operator’s policy on tripods and larger camera gear before you show up, since cabin space is tight.

Booking Tips Worth Knowing Before You Pay

Book directly with the operator’s own site if price is your main concern, since both companies advertise matching the lowest price available online when you skip third-party markup. That said, booking through a platform like Viator or GetYourGuide gets you a clear cancellation policy and reviews on the same page, which is worth something if this is your first time choosing between operators.

Confirm your aircraft type before paying if you’re booking Papillon, since a mixed fleet means EcoStar isn’t guaranteed the way it is with Maverick. Ask specifically, not generally, since “premium helicopter” in the marketing copy doesn’t always mean EcoStar.

Weight restrictions apply on every operator, and passengers are typically seated by combined body weight to balance the aircraft. If you or anyone in your party is over roughly 250 to 300 pounds, call ahead, since seating arrangements and even pricing can shift.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I land at the South Rim on a helicopter tour from Las Vegas?

No. Federal regulations prohibit helicopter landings below the rim at both the South Rim and North Rim, so every landing tour from Las Vegas touches down at the West Rim on Hualapai land instead.

Which is better, Papillon or Maverick?

Both are safe, established operators with strong track records. Maverick guarantees an EcoStar helicopter on every flight, while Papillon runs a larger fleet with more route options but a mix of EcoStar and older Bell aircraft.

Is a landing tour worth the extra cost over a flyover?

If you want time actually standing inside the canyon, champagne, and a photo opportunity on the canyon floor, yes. If maximizing aerial coverage per dollar matters more to you, a flyover-only tour usually shows more of the canyon’s scale for less money.

How long does a Grand Canyon helicopter tour from Las Vegas actually take?

Flight time itself runs 25 to 50 minutes. Once you add hotel pickup, terminal check-in, and the return drive, total time away from your hotel runs 2 to 5 hours depending on the specific tour.

Are Grand Canyon helicopter tours safe?

Grand Canyon helicopter tours maintain a strong safety record, with a fatality rate around 0.000416 percent across more than 600,000 annual passengers. Both Papillon and Maverick operate under FAA oversight with experienced pilots flying the same routes daily.

What should I budget beyond the advertised tour price?

Add 15 to 30 percent on top of the listed price for fuel surcharges and fees, since almost no operator includes that in the headline number. Landing tours also sometimes upsell extras like ground excursions or extended time at the canyon floor, so check what’s actually bundled before comparing prices.