Lift off from the East River, bank over the harbor, and watch the Statue of Liberty and the whole Manhattan skyline slide past your window. The flight this site features is NY Helicopter Tour's Manhattan sightseeing tour, booked through GetYourGuide, with live pilot narration and free cancellation.
Checked with Michael Torres, a New York helicopter tour specialist since 2022
The rating and review count are NY Helicopter Tour's current GetYourGuide listing figures, not our own.
Short answer
Yes, a Manhattan helicopter tour is worth it if you want the city's landmarks from an angle no observation deck gives you. The flight this site features is NY Helicopter Tour's Manhattan Sightseeing Helicopter Tour, booked through GetYourGuide: you pass the Statue of Liberty, the skyline, Central Park and the Brooklyn Bridge with live pilot narration and Bose headsets. It holds a 4.8 across 7,252 reviews, NY Helicopter Tour carries TOPS and WYVERN Wingman safety accreditation, and cancellation is free up to 24 hours before.
New York has helicopter tours at every length and price, from a fast 12-minute hop to a longer loop that reaches uptown. This is the one we feature: NY Helicopter Tour's Manhattan sightseeing flight, a top-rated GetYourGuide listing flown by an operator that holds two independent safety accreditations most competitors do not.
GetYourGuide Top Rated
Best for first-timers, couples and anyone seeing NYC from above
NYC: Manhattan Sightseeing Helicopter Tour
4.8across 7,252 GetYourGuide reviews, operated by NY Helicopter Tour
Fly past the Statue of Liberty, the Manhattan skyline, Central Park and the Brooklyn Bridge with live pilot narration
Noise-canceling Bose headsets, lockers and all heliport fees included; most flights leave the Downtown Manhattan Heliport
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before, and NY Helicopter Tour holds both TOPS and WYVERN Wingman safety accreditation
Live price on GetYourGuide shown for your date, option and currency at booking
Opens the operator's official listing, where the live price and open times for your date are shown.
How a New York helicopter tour runs
Plan on being at the heliport about an hour, for roughly 12 to 30 minutes in the air depending on the option you pick. There is more to the visit than the flight itself: security, a weigh-in, and a safety briefing come first. Here is the shape of the morning.
Check in at the heliport
Most NY Helicopter Tour flights leave the Downtown Manhattan Heliport on the East River. Bring a passport or ID card; you check in ahead of your slot and clear a security screening.
Step on the scale
Every passenger is weighed on arrival. NY Helicopter Tour caps each seat at 275 lb, and final seating is set by the combined weights of everyone on the flight, for balance.
Watch the safety briefing
A short safety video plays before you board, available in English, French, German and Spanish. You are fitted with a noise-canceling Bose headset so you can hear the pilot.
Board and lift off
You walk out to the pad and climb in. Seats fill by weight, so where you sit is assigned rather than chosen, and the pilot talks you through the route as the rotor spins up.
Fly the harbor and the skyline
The route swings over New York Harbor to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, then back up the Manhattan skyline past the Empire State and Chrysler buildings, Central Park and the bridges, with live narration the whole way.
Land and collect photos
You touch down where you started. In-flight photos are available to buy afterward if you want them; they are not included in the fare.
The shape of the featured flight: out to the harbor, up the skyline, and back to the East River heliport.
Which New York helicopter tour fits you
Several operators fly sightseeing tours over the city, and they differ on where they take off, how long you spend aloft, and how they handle safety. The operator-by-operator breakdown, with each company's own figures, lives on the comparison page. The short version is below.
You want
What to look for
The strongest safety record
An operator with independent accreditation beyond the FAA minimum. NY Helicopter Tour, the featured flight, holds both TOPS and WYVERN Wingman.
The classic view
A route that reaches the Statue of Liberty and runs the Manhattan skyline. The featured flight covers both, with live pilot narration.
A Manhattan departure
A flight leaving the Downtown Manhattan Heliport rather than New Jersey. Check the option, since not all depart from Manhattan, and none leave Manhattan on Sundays.
Flexibility to change plans
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before, which the featured GetYourGuide listing offers.
The practical rules are short. These come from NY Helicopter Tour's GetYourGuide listing and its own site, so check the live page for the specifics of the option you choose.
Time in the air
Roughly 12 to 30 minutes, depending on the option. The listing does not print a single duration, so confirm it for your flight.
Departure point
Most flights leave the Downtown Manhattan Heliport on the East River. Some options depart from New Jersey, and none leave Manhattan on Sundays.
Who can join
A passport or ID card is required. Children aged 2 and over need their own seat at full price.
Weight
Maximum 275 lb (about 125 kg) per passenger. Everyone is weighed on arrival and seated by combined weight.
What's included
The flight, all heliport fees and taxes, noise-canceling Bose headsets, lockers and live pilot narration. Photos are available to buy.
Safety
NY Helicopter Tour is FAA Part 135 certified and holds both TOPS and WYVERN Wingman accreditation.
Price
Shown live on the GetYourGuide listing for your date, option and currency. We do not print prices that can go stale.
Most of the featured flights leave from the Downtown Manhattan Heliport at 6 East River Piers, on the water at the southern tip of Manhattan. It sits a short walk from the Financial District and the Staten Island Ferry. Because some options depart from New Jersey, confirm your departure point on the listing before you go.
For most first-time visitors, yes. A helicopter tour gives you the Statue of Liberty, the harbor and the full Manhattan skyline in one sweep, from an angle no rooftop or observation deck matches. The featured flight, NY Helicopter Tour's Manhattan sightseeing tour on GetYourGuide, holds a 4.8 across 7,252 reviews with live pilot narration. If you are nervous about small aircraft or on a tight budget, weigh it against a deck like the Empire State or Edge first.
How much is a helicopter tour in New York?
The featured flight shows its live price on the GetYourGuide listing, which changes with your date, the option you choose and your currency, so we do not reprint a figure that can go stale. Manhattan sightseeing flights are priced per person, and the shorter the option, the lower the fare. Check the listing for today's exact price.
How long is a Manhattan helicopter tour?
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 security, the weigh-in and the safety briefing come before you board.
Is a helicopter tour over New York safe?
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 that set standards above the federal minimum. It is noted as the only New York operator currently carrying both.
Is there a weight limit for a helicopter tour?
Yes. NY Helicopter Tour caps each seat at 275 lb, about 125 kg. You give an approximate weight when you book and everyone is weighed on arrival, because the pilot arranges seating by the combined weight of the flight for balance. Passengers over the limit may need to buy a second seat.
Where do New York helicopter tours leave from?
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 before the day.
What can you see on a New York helicopter tour?
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 pointing out landmarks over the headset.
Can you cancel a New York helicopter tour?
The featured GetYourGuide listing offers free cancellation up to 24 hours before the flight for a full refund. Weather can also ground flights; the operator rebooks or refunds when that happens, so keep your contact details current on the booking.
Why trust this New York helicopter tour guide
Michael Torres has specialized in New York helicopter tours since 2022 and, by his own count, has helped more than 1,000 international visitors see the city from the air. He knows what separates a smooth, well-run flight from a rushed one. The figures, routes and rules on this page come from NY Helicopter Tour's official GetYourGuide listing and its own site, not from memory.
Pick your date on NY Helicopter Tour's official GetYourGuide listing, where today's price and open times are shown. Flights fill by weight and sell out on busy days, and with free cancellation up to 24 hours before, reserving early costs nothing.
