There's nothing like a helicopter tour to enjoy unparalleled New York City views—but most tours make you pick and choose which sights you'd like to see. On this complete NYC helicopter tour, don't miss a thing. See top attractions all over the city, from Ellis Island and the South Street Seaport, to the Brooklyn Bridge and Central Park. By the time you head back, you can truly say you've seen it all.

Tour New York City on a helicopter tour, from Lower Manhattan to the Bronx
Pass top New York sights, including the Statue of Liberty and Yankee Stadium
Enjoy a more personal tour experience, with a maximum of six guests
Plan your tour when it's most convenient, with several departure times daily

What's Included

We provide headsets and life vests for the tour.

$50.00 per person late fee for failing to arrive 45 minutes prior to scheduled flight time
100.00 USD per person late fee for arriving 30 minutes or less prior to scheduled flight time
$45.00 heliport fee per person (must be paid on site on travel date)
$45.00 heliport fee for children under the age of 2 (must be paid on site on travel date)

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

78 John Miller Way, Kearny, NJ 07032, USA
Upon arrival to 78 John Miller way,Kearny NJ 07032, please call our shuttle bus (phone # provided on ticket) for pick up to heliport.Meet shuttle bus in front of the Dry Dock Bistro (located at address).The shuttle bus is light blue with a red and white helicopter, the logo says New York Helicopter.

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

What To Expect

Yankee Stadium (Pass By)

Statue of Liberty (Pass By)

Ellis Island (Pass By)

Central Park (Pass By)

Empire State Building (Pass By)

Yankee Stadium (Pass By)

Intrepid Museum (Pass By)

Brooklyn Bridge (Pass By)

Additional Info

Total weight per passenger: 249 lbs
Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Wheelchair accessible
Stroller accessible
Service animals allowed
Near public transportation
Infants must sit on laps
Surfaces are wheelchair accessible
Most travelers can participate

Seating goes according to weight and balance. Weight maximum is 250 pounds per person. Passengers are weighed at our facility and passengers weighing over the weight limit are required to purchase an additional seat or will forfeit their flight.
Helicopter seats 6 passengers and 1 pilot. All tours are shared with other passengers. All 6 seats must be purchased for a private tour. There is a possibility of cancellation after confirmation if there are not enough passengers to meet requirements. In the event of this occurring, you will be offered an alternative time or date.
Subject to favorable weather conditions. If canceled due to poor weather, you will be given the option of an alternative date.
Passengers must arrive 1 hour prior to scheduled flight time with Identification. It is strongly advised to arrive prior to check in time to avoid being charged late fee *** ***LATE FEE PRICES*** Passengers failing to arrive 45 minutes prior to scheduled flight time will be charged $50.00 per person late fee. Passengers arriving 30 minutes or less prior to scheduled flight time will be charged $100.00 per person late fee.
New York Helicopter has the right to cancel, change or delay any flight any time for any reason, which includes weather conditions, Temporary Flight Restrictions implemented by the FAA, minimum number of passengers not met for tour, helicopter maintenance and all other circumstances outside of our control.
$45.00 heliport fee per person (must be paid on site on travel date)
$45.00 heliport fee for children under the age of 2 (must be paid on site on travel date)
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 6 travelers

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.

Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.
This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Featured review

Jason_D

The helicopter ride over New York City is a must-do for anyone visiting the Big Apple. The views are simply breathtaking, with the city spread out beneath you like a living, breathing organism. You can see everything from the Empire State Building to Central Park, and the sensation of soaring over the city is truly exhilarating. It's an unforgettable experience that will leave me and friend with memories to last a lifetime. Highly recommended!

Reviews

3.5

109 reviews

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews

Reviews by Viator travelers.

We perform checks on reviews

Showing 1-10 of 109 reviews

Not recommended

David_C, Feb 2024

We were very disappointed with this tour. Would not recommend this tour at all. Very costly and very disappointing

Response from Host, Feb 2024

Please explain why you were disappointed with the tour in which you booked and received.

Birthday treat

paul_s, Jan 2024

Wow wow this is amazing and definitely you need to do this awesome experience the sights were amazing

Response from Host, Jan 2024

Thank you for choosing New York Helicopter Tours.

Won’t recommend

Angelina_K, Jan 2024

Rude staff, disrespectful and disorganized. The trip was overpriced and not worth it. Would not recommend.

Response from Host, Jan 2024

Please explain why YOU think the staff was disrespectful and disorganized, you took your flight and had NO complaints about it.

Heli ride NYC

David_I, Dec 2023

Fun experience 🚁. Would recommend. Great views of Manhattan and surrounding area. Pilot was only 21 years old but wonderful.

Response from Host, Dec 2023

Thank you for choosing New York Helicopter Tours, yes our pilots are very experienced, and young.

Amazing Helicopter ride but would not recommend this tour!

Samantha_B, Nov 2023

Helicopter was amazing best way to see NYC. But would not recommend this company, awful service. Firstly to get to NJ from Manhattan was around $60 in an uber each way (I should of done some better research, but just a warning if you're staying in Manhattan) When we arrived at the meeting point the telephone number provided was not recognised - they stated that you needed to phone for the shuttle bus or you would be charged a late fee. Luckily a bus did turn up but this caused unnecessary anxiety. The pick up point is at a diner that is closed on weekends...so eat before you go. . The services at the hangar are poor, staff are not helpful and don't keep you informed. There are a couple of vending machines and a unisex toilet. We arrived 2hrs before our flight time to be safe and we did get on an earlier flight which gained us some time back. Our pilot Scott was amazing and the actual tour was fantastic and truly memorable. But I would not recommend this company at all.

Response from Host, Dec 2023

It is customer RESPONSIBILITY to READ and UNDERSTAND what they are reading. Your comment is baseless, staff put you up to an earlier flight so they ARE DOING THEIR JOB WELL, they could have made you wait till your time slot but they DID NOT to accommodate you.

it's a shame that viartor sells towers from this company

Jerome_L, Oct 2023

Do not go with this company!!! Very poorly organized! The staff is terrible. It is very far from Manatane in an industrial zone. They will try by all means to make you pay exta. It cost me $229 more. They forced me to pay otherwise I lost all my money. They refused to give me a receipt for what they made me pay for!! There are many other companies much better. The people next to us had to pay $300 without a receipt either!

Response from Host, Oct 2023

It is obvious that you did NOT read the weight limit, you were OVER the limit and you had to pay for an extra seat which was the tour that you booked. All companies charge if you are OVER THE WEIGHT LIMIT.

SCAM

Suzana_P, Oct 2023

Arrived 30 min before flight and was charged $290 extra for being “late” then was out in a room with vin diesel movie playing while they let everyone who came with us in the shuttle go except us. Then after an hour of waiting sat on the flight and literally went one way straight and back, no excitement from the pilot or the team. I was then late for my actual flight back to LA. Felt like a scam. They also went through my phone and made me remove/delete the proof I had of the entire thing. Extremely shady and felt scammed the entire time. No logical explanation was made and we were left disappointed. Especially since it was suppose to be a birthday gift to my bf.

Response from Host, Oct 2023

You arrived LATE that is why you got charged the late fee, as for the rest of your post you went up on time with other passengers that had the same tour as you. We DO NOT go through people phones like you mentioned, you were upset because you had to pay the fees.

Cool helicopter ride but disgusting people

Norbert_F, Sep 2023

The actual helicopter ride was great unfortunately that’s as far as my praises can go as everything else about this was absolutely atrocious the meeting place is already at a hard to reach location seemingly in the middle of nowhere and you are told to just wait at this random strip of shops and call them for the shuttle to the actual location however if you can’t call them you’re stuffed and that’s exactly what happened to i couldn’t get a hold of them the only way I could contact them at all was emailing their reservations team and after a lot of painful emails and an hour of messing about I happened to see the shuttle they talked about (as the icing on the cake I was told to look for a light blue car and it was black) once I got there they demanded we pay an extra $50 each for late fees since we could have faked being there on time and they wouldn’t listen to any reason even though we had proof of google maps saying we got there a whole hr before our time (15 minutes before they wanted us there) and wouldn’t even bother considering reducing the late fee quite a disgusting business practice

Response from Host, Oct 2023

WE have tourists from all over the world and they do NOT have any problem getting to the destination, they follow the directions that is provided on their booking.

Great ans perfect advanture

Dirk_S, Aug 2023

A wonderful advanture and a big wish of All of us. The first helicopter ride for our daughter. Perfect organized and well/safe operated.

Response from Host, Oct 2023

Thank you for choosing New York Helicopter Tours and for your kinds words.

Awesome experience

Eileen_M, Jul 2023

It was my first helicopter experience and I loved it. I took my fiancé for his birthday. He is a Marine Veteran so it kind of took him back to his military days which he enjoyed!

Response from Host, Jul 2023

Thank you for choosing New York Helicopter Tours and for your kind words.

100% recommended

Jose_V, Jul 2023

It was a unique experience. the people were very nice and the pilot Scott very professional. 100% recommended.

Response from Host, Jul 2023

Thank you for choosing New York Helicopter Tours and for your kind words.

expenses for nothing

CintiaT_D, Jun 2023

It was canceled at the last minute, I was already on my way and I paid for an Uber of 165.00. If they had canceled earlier, I would have scheduled myself for other events and not paid for the Uber car for nothing.

Response from Host, Jul 2023

It was cancelled due to bad weather, the main office called you and also sent you an email early in the morning to advise you to reschedule. You could have called the office since you had an International number that did not accept calls.

A helicopter ride over New York City is an experience like no other!

Jason_D, May 2023

Response from Host, May 2023

Thank you for choosing New York Helicopter Tours and for your kind words.

Day light Robbery

John_M, Apr 2023

This trip was a complete joke, charged $90 extra when we got there and then when we got weighed they said I was 10lb over so I had to buy another ticket $229 or I couldn’t fly.nothing about that on the website, asked for a refund and was bluntly told no. Good job I could afford it.

Response from Host, May 2023

It is customer responsibility to understand what they are reading, everything is posted on your booking it is obvious that you did not read. It is for customer safety that we weigh everyone for weight balance.

The staff was horrible.

Charles_C, Apr 2023

Horrible experience with the staff. Very unprofessional and rude. The staff seemed to lack knowledge and not concerned with answering questions about safety protocols. We never watched the so called “mandatory” safety video. There’s plenty of companies that give tours. I would definitely choose a different tour guide.

Response from Host, Apr 2023

Please be more specific on why You think the staff was rude and unprofessional, we answer any questions customers may have. As for the safety video it is on auto play we cannot force anyone to watch it but we do tell everyone to do so.

MIXED EXPERIENCE

Marcus_F, Apr 2023

First things first: A helicopter flight over Manhattan is a cool thing - loved it. Pilot was friendly and skilled. Unfortunately, the overall experience left us with mixed emotions - the helicopter base in New Jersey is hard to reach without own car. It was an odyssey to get there. You end up standing in an industrial area waiting for someone who pick you up. The ground staff is rude and unfriendly (not only between themselves but also against customers/passengers). The flight base is a mess, everything feels improvised and low quality. Honestly, I would not book it again, considering that it is a pricey event (in total 1.300 US$ for 20minutes and a party of 4)

Response from Host, Apr 2023

It clearly states on the web where the flights depart from, we have many tourists come from NYC take their flight and are happy.

Helicopter fun

KamilaCruz_C, Apr 2023

My two kids went on the helicopter, my son (19yrs) and my daughter (15yrs), they went together as a little celebration for my daughters Birthday, they sat her in the front with the pilot, they both had a lot of fun

Response from Host, Apr 2023

Thank you for choosing New York Helicopter Tours and for your kind words.

Very expensive, disorganised

Gillian_G, Apr 2023

Whilst the helicopter ride was really good, we were annoyed that the meeting point for this activity is quite a way out of New York, we were staying in Times Square and it cost us $120 there and $120 back in taxis. When you arrive at the heliport, we then had to pay another $180 for “heliport fee” who knows what this fee is for, so all in all it cost us as a family of 4, $1177 for 12 mins in the helicopter. When you arrive, the staff are very disorganised, and doesn’t leave you with a lot of confidence, especially the price you have paid. The pilot was lovely although we couldn’t speak to each other or point out places of interest because only 1 headset worked out of the 6 of us that were in the helicopter.

Response from Host, Apr 2023

It is clear that you did not read or understand what you were reading, everything is posted when you book your tour including the Heliport Fee. You took the flight which is approx 23min not 12min. As for the headsets they were working the pilot has to talk to tower that is why you did not hear him he has to isolate them.

Surprise! We over charge right away!

nqrhbxhsn4, Apr 2023

Arrived by private car @2:36pm for the 3pm outing & was informed we were 6mins late. 6mins late = $100 penalty per person ($200 charge). Note. Location to meet is in a maze of a industrial park in Kearney NJ. Not NYC proper. So transit time to get to location is 30-50 mins depending on tunnel traffic. Then staff could process a credit card manually due to no one trained to run a credit card machine. Meet location was a very small odd strip of retail w a shuttle van idling in the e parking lot. Then a 3-5 min ride to access a secure heliport. Just not a seamless experience even when we left midtown @ 2pm for a 3pm outing. Did NOT ENJOY older woman staff member & her attitude. Won’t recommend. Train better. Or find a new job.

Response from Host, Apr 2023

You were late and got charged a Late Fee, our staff are well trained on doing their job. It is customers RESPONSIBILITY to read and follow directions.

The helicopter ride was...

Caroline_M, Apr 2023

The helicopter ride was great, pilot was very informative, however the lady that weighed us in was quite rude and abrupt, I probably wouldn’t recommend your company because of this, she was rude to other people in our company too

Response from Host, Apr 2023

Please be more specific on why you think she was rude.

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