Looking for a 'Cheap' Grand Canyon Helicopter Tour?

You Might Find It Next to a Dodo Bird
Or an Affordable First-Time Home (Just Kidding!)"

I get a lot of inquiries from people asking for discounts and cheap helicopter tours. I suppose it’s a reflection of the inflationary pressures we’re all feeling worldwide. Many of these inquiries come from the United Kingdom (UK), Australia (AU), Canada (CA), and, of course, the land of wheelers and dealers—the good ol’ U.S. of A.

There's a Slow Season?

Suffice it to say, I get it. Helicopter tour prices have soared, increasing by 30% or more in the last two years. Prices might drop a little during the slow seasons, which are fewer and farther between now, but not by much.

Nostalgia reigns when it comes to what the “best” helicopter prices are. Back in 2019, you could book a bottom-landing tour from Las Vegas for $300 or an airplane-to-South Rim combo with a helicopter tour for under $350. Heck, I remember when the air-only heli flight from Vegas was $249! Kiss that year — and those prices — goodbye.

Since the pandemic, we’ve endured supply chain disruptions, pilot strikes, skyrocketing wages, and a sharp decline in visitors to Vegas and the South Rim. Post-pandemic was an absolute mess, and it’s a miracle our business survived.

Just as we were catching our breath, Fed Chairman Jerome Powell and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen declared inflation “transitory” until it wasn’t. Then came a two-year rollercoaster of interest rate hikes that peaked at 9%. As a child of the 1970s, I’ve seen inflation in the double digits, so I’m no stranger to economic pain — but 9% still hurts.

Sticker Shock

Add up all this economic chaos from late 2019 to today, and you get Grand Canyon helicopter tour prices that come with a healthy dose of sticker shock. It’s a story I share daily with visitors who ask over the phone or by email: “I’m looking for cheap helicopter tours to the Canyon. Can you give me a discount?”

I wish I had better news for them. After explaining supply, demand, and algorithmic market pricing, most travelers have an “aha” moment. We do our best to meet in the middle and deliver the best helicopter tour experience possible because, at this point, service, safety, and quality REALLY matter.

Some people don’t recognize the intangibles. For example, a skilled, certified pilot who knows the Canyon inside out and shares insights about the topography is worth his weight in gold. Or flights that actually depart on time because we don’t undersell the tour or over-promise availability can make or break a vacation. And how about hotel transfers that actually happen? When we say we’ll pick you up, we do — no excuses. I’ve heard horror stories about other companies leaving guests stranded for hours, only to get a last-minute call from an intern saying the flight is canceled.

Roll the Dice?

Equipment matters,too. We exclusively fly ECOSTAR 130s — the safest, most advanced helicopters built specifically for air tours. This isn’t something to take for granted. We’re the only operator with a fleet like this. Offering “cheap helicopter tours” wasn’t our focus when we invested in these premium choppers—and we’re continuing to add more to the fleet. Sure, there are cheaper options, and you’re welcome to roll the dice with those. But we’ll stay the course, maintaining our prices to ensure a safe and unforgettable experience.

If you’re shopping for premium Grand Canyon helicopter tours at a truly fair price, I recommend our Champagne Picnic Tour departing from Las Vegas or our 50-minute helicopter tour departing from Tusayan, AZ, at the South Rim of the National Park. Remember, Vegas helicopters don’t fly to the South Rim because it’s too far. For that, book our Vegas-South Rim airplane and helicopter combo tour. For the ultimate canyon experience, try our 4-in-1 airplane tour to the West Rim, where you’ll explore the top, the bottom, and the Skywalk.

For all our Vegas options, click here. For South Rim tours, click here.

Have a great day, and I hope to see you aboard one of our premium ECOSTAR 130 helicopters, departing from either Las Vegas or the South Rim, for the ride of a lifetime!