New York helicopter tours: your questions

We do not print a price, because GetYourGuide shows it live and it varies by date, the option you choose and your currency. Open the operator's official listing to see the current price. Flights are priced per person, and shorter options cost less than longer ones.

Yes. The listing offers a full refund if you cancel up to 24 hours before the flight. Inside 24 hours the standard terms apply. Weather can also ground flights, in which case the operator rebooks or refunds, so keep your contact details current.

It helps. The listing is flagged "Likely to sell out," and flights fill by combined passenger weight, so popular slots go early. With free cancellation up to 24 hours before, booking ahead and holding a date costs nothing.

Children aged 2 and over need their own seat at full price, per NY Helicopter Tour's rules. There is no lap-infant option on these flights. If you are booking for a family, factor a full seat for each child two and up.

Time in the air runs roughly 12 to 30 minutes depending on the option, with the longer flights reaching farther up the skyline. Budget about an hour at the heliport in total, since check-in, the weigh-in and the safety briefing come before you board.

The featured route passes the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, then runs the Manhattan skyline past the Empire State Building, the Chrysler Building, Central Park, the Brooklyn Bridge, the Hudson River and New York Harbor, with the pilot naming landmarks over your headset.

The helicopter flight, all heliport fees and taxes, noise-canceling Bose headsets, lockers and live pilot narration. Photos taken in flight are available to buy afterward and are not part of the fare.

Most of the featured flights depart the Downtown Manhattan Heliport at 6 East River Piers, at the southern tip of Manhattan. Some options leave from New Jersey instead, and there are no departures out of Manhattan on Sundays, so check your chosen option's departure point.

Sightseeing helicopters in New York are flown by FAA Part 135 operators. NY Helicopter Tour, which flies the featured tour, goes further and holds both TOPS and WYVERN Wingman accreditation, two independent safety audits above the federal minimum. It is noted as the only New York operator currently carrying both.

Yes. NY Helicopter Tour caps each seat at 275 lb, about 125 kg. You give an approximate weight at booking and everyone is weighed on arrival, because the pilot arranges seating by the flight's combined weight for balance. Passengers over the limit may need to buy a second seat.

Bring a passport or ID card; you will need it at check-in. Dress for the conditions and avoid loose items like scarves or hats near the pad. Lockers are provided for bags, since the cabin space is limited.

There is no official ranking, so we go by published figures and safety. Our featured pick, NY Helicopter Tour's Manhattan Sightseeing Helicopter Tour, holds 4.8 stars across 7,252 GetYourGuide reviews and is flown by the only New York operator currently holding both TOPS and WYVERN Wingman accreditation. Other operators fly the city too; the operator-by-operator breakdown is on the comparison page.