Maverick Helicopters
Now Offers ONLY Grand Canyon Landing Tours
& NO Basic Flyovers from Las Vegas
(But Still Provides 5-Star Quality and Service!)
The first years of the CoronaVirus really hurt the Grand Canyon Helicopter tour industry. Think about it: the travel sector took one of the biggest hits, and, as I will report first-hand, no helicopter companies were spared as bookings went from 97.5% sold to nearly zero. The result of this was severely limited flights and massive lay-offs.
Let me explain.
The effects of the pandemic can still be felt, despite the fact that the industry is rebounding. When it's all said and done, operations MIGHT return to their pre-pandemic levels in 2023. There are no guarantees. One thing's for sure, you can say bye-bye to steep discounts and cross your fingers that you can even get a flight on the date you want.
Maverick Helicopters is no exception. Like others, it took drastic measures, including folding Mustang Helicopters, its discount sister company, and folded it into Maverick Helicopters. It also shuttered Maverick Airlines. As for heli tours specifically, the company discontinued the air-only Silver Cloud tour and now operates only Las Vegas Strip, speciality (e.g. Red Rock and NASCAR) and bottom-landing tours.
Las Vegas
Moreover, the number of departures have been stripped down. This is definitely due to the pandemic but it's also related to the fact that we have an ongoing pilot shortage between helicopter and airplane companies. Pilot pay, fuel costs, inflation and more also factor in. Then there's the price itself, which keeps going up because it costs a small fortune to operate a helicopter in the first place.
And yet Maverick flies supreme. Through all this, the company never compromised on its commitment to offering 5-star service and safety and some of the best tours on the market. Yes, flights may be limited, the experience AND the premium price is worth it. Just make sure to book online and in advance on the Maverick website in order to get the best rate.
Naturally, the bottom-landing picnic tour, otherwise known as Wind Dancer, is the #1 best-seller. Always has been, always will be. This is because it's the only way to fly AND land on the bottom of the Canyon. And it's only available from Las Vegas. It's NOT available from South Rim, as the National Park Service bans flights below the rim (more about the South Rim later). There's also a sunset option available. Sure, it costs a tad more but if you can do the time and pay the price, I STRONGLY recommend going for it.
The next Vegas-based tour that I recommend is called the Indian Territory. The nickname for this one is the MEGA 3-in-1 because it includes landing on the bottom, enjoying a Champagne Picnic, and landing on the top. You have plenty of time to explore, and make sure you maximize your use of the hop-on-hop off shuttle (free) to get from Eagle Point to Guano Point and back. Skywalk is optional and tickets can be purchased on site. Seriously, if you want a tour where you can say "Been there, done that," this is the tour for you.
Options
The other tour I want to bring your attention to is the Skywalk Odyssey. This is basically the tour you take if you are looking to do the Glass Bridge. It's a direct flight and takes about 45 minutes. It lands at the West Rim airstrip, and the Skywalk is super nearby. The VIP Skywalk ticket is bundled into this package. You have enough time to enjoy the Skywalk, and, once done, you can grab the free hop-on-hop off shuttle and check out the key lookouts. Then it's back on the chopper for the 200 mph ride back to Sin City.
All Vegas tours include free hotel transfers and an extended tour over the Las Vegas Strip on the return segment. Further, and as you are en route from Vegas to the Canyon, you fly over Lake Mead (while it still exists) and Hoover Dam (while it still produces electricity) before dipping into Canyon airspace and enjoying the magnificent West Rim itself.
RSVP
As mentioned before, South Rim options are air-only, which means that they DO NOT fly below the rim and land. Nor do they fly to the Skywalk/West Rim and nor do they fly to the North Rim and land. In sum, these flights go from South Rim to the North and back. That's it. And it's well worth your hard-earned money. The 30-min flight is just that: 30 minutes of airtime, back and forth. The 50-min. tour is nearly double the airtime and it goes from South Rim to East Rim to North Rim and Back. Do this one and you'll have seen up to 75 percent of the Canyon. Hands down, I'd take the 50 because it's clearly a much better value. But if you are on a budget, and believe me, I get it, take the 30 and you won't have any regrets.
The pandemic really put the kibosh on flights and staff. The number of departures has dropped significantly from 2019. That's slowly changing but nowhere near the pace I would have expected as I write this today. Further, the situation is exacerbated by a lack of pilots. During the pandemic, many jobs were cut, with many of the unemployed either finding new lines of work or choosing to retire. Once aviation jobs came back online, pilots were quick to sign up with the airlines. To this day, there's still some job-hopping, and fortunately, many are returning to the helicopter tourism industry. But the point here is simple: if you want to do a helicopter tour, know that demand is outstripping supply and that you MUST book in advance (by as much as two weeks or more), especially if you have a group of two or more people.
Securely Book Maverick Helicopter Tours Online Here
Make it a GRAND day!
