See Manhattan light up from the sky on the City Lights night flight, or take a
quick daytime loop from Wall Street. Every bookable flight compared, including which heliport you
really leave from.
The short, sharp loop from the heliport by Wall Street: out past the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, then up the Hudson for One World Trade Center, the Empire State Building and the Midtown skyline. About 15 minutes in the air, easy to slot into a sightseeing day.
Evening departuresHead-on skyline approachFees included
The night flight: an evening departure from Linden Airport in New Jersey, out over the harbor to a floodlit Statue of Liberty, then up the Hudson past the Financial District, Midtown, Times Square and the George Washington Bridge with live pilot narration. Floor-to-ceiling windows; landing and fuel fees are in the price.
What's included
Shared flight with floor-to-ceiling windows
Live pilot narration, climate-controlled cabin
Heliport landing, facility and fuel fees included
Free shuttle from Linden train station (on request)
Five extra minutes that buy the north end of the island: the harbor and Lady Liberty, One World Trade Center, the Empire State and Chrysler buildings, Hudson Yards and Little Island, then on up the river toward Yankee Stadium, with commentary the whole way.
Prices are Viator from-prices in USD at the last update, per person unless
noted, and include Viator's fees; they move with season and availability. HeliNY's own site lists its
daytime New Jersey skyline flight at $299 plus $35 in fees, so booking the City Lights flight here costs
about the same as going direct. Airtime is the operator's figure; reviewers sometimes time a little less.
Manhattan or New Jersey
Why every night flight leaves from New Jersey
Most daytime tours take off from the Downtown Manhattan Heliport on Pier 6, a few steps from
Wall Street and the Staten Island Ferry. It is the most convenient place to start, and the most
regulated. After years of noise complaints, a 2016 agreement with the city halved sightseeing
flights there and banned them on Sundays, and tourist flights are now allowed only between 10 AM
and 5 PM, Monday to Saturday.
So the city after dark is flown from New Jersey: HeliNY from Linden Airport, Charm Aviation from
Essex County Airport, with private charters from Westchester. You lose time getting there, about
30 to 45 minutes each way plus a 50-minute check-in. What you gain is a longer flight and a
head-on approach to the skyline across the harbor. For the Statue of Liberty and a quick look
at Midtown, fly from Manhattan. For the city lights, and on Sundays, fly from New Jersey.
10-5
Tourist flight hours at the Manhattan
heliport, Monday to Saturday. None on Sundays and none after dark.
Photos: traveler and operator images from the Viator listings on this page.
Plan your flight
Plan your helicopter tour
Getting to the heliport, picking a time, the rules and what to bring: one tab each.
Downtown Manhattan Heliport (Pier 6): 6 East River Piers, next to the Staten Island Ferry terminal. Subway to South Ferry (1) or Whitehall St (R, W). Map apps sometimes route to Chelsea Piers; check the address.
Linden Airport, NJ (HeliNY): NJ Transit Northeast Corridor from Penn Station to Linden, about 30 minutes, then the free shuttle on request or a 10-minute Uber.
Essex County Airport, NJ (Charm): about 45 minutes by taxi from Midtown, or the Lakeland bus from Port Authority.
Westchester County Airport: White Plains; private flights offer an optional round-trip car from Manhattan.
Daytime: Manhattan heliport, 10 AM to 5 PM Monday to Saturday. Clear, dry mornings give the sharpest views.
Sunset: the Sunset Flight from Linden is timed to golden hour and ends in city lights.
Night: evening departures from Linden and Essex County once it is dark, roughly from 5 PM in winter and after 8:30 PM in midsummer.
Sundays: New Jersey only; the Manhattan heliport has no tourist flights.
Weight limits: 275 lb per passenger at HeliNY, around 250 lb at other operators; no seat-belt extenders.
Government-issued photo ID for every adult; children must fly with an adult, and infants sit on laps.
Seats are assigned by weight and balance; you cannot reserve the front seat.
Only a phone, camera and sunglasses on board; everything else goes in a free locker.
Arrive on time: late check-ins can lose the slot.
Dark clothing at night: light colours reflect in the windows and spoil photos.
A phone strap or a camera with a wrist loop.
A light layer; cabins are climate-controlled but the pad can be windy.
Your booking confirmation and photo ID.
Very little else: bags stay on the ground.
Every routeStatue of LibertyThe first highlight on nearly every flight, circled at eye level with the torch.
Every routeOne World Trade CenterThe tallest building in the Western Hemisphere, and the 9/11 Memorial pools beside it.
Every routeEmpire State BuildingFloodlit in changing colours at night; the Chrysler Building's crown just across Midtown.
20 min +Central ParkSeen whole from the Hudson side: the reservoir, the lawns and Billionaires' Row towers.
Night routeGeorge Washington BridgeThe northern turn of the City Lights route, strung with lights over the Hudson.
20 min +Yankee StadiumThe top of the longer daytime loops, across the Harlem River in the Bronx.
Where the flight starts
City Lights flight meeting point
HeliNY terminal, Linden Airport
1101 W Edgar Rd, Linden, NJ 07036
The City Lights and Sunset flights check in at the HeliNY main terminal at Linden Municipal
Airport, 50 minutes before departure. From Manhattan, take NJ Transit's Northeast Corridor line
from New York Penn Station to Linden (about 30 minutes) and ask HeliNY in advance for the free
shuttle from the station, or take a 10-minute Uber. Driving is fine too; the airport has parking.
Daytime flights meet instead at the Downtown Manhattan Heliport, 6 East River Piers.
Check in 50 minutes early at Linden, 30 minutes at Pier 6
Bring government-issued photo ID
Confirmation can take up to 48 hours on the night flight
4.7★★★★★ 664 reviews · City Lights Skyline Experience live Viator & Tripadvisor figure
★★★★★
The night views of the New York City skyline were simply breathtaking, truly the best way to see NYC after dark. The flight itself was incredibly smooth, not choppy or bumpy.
★★★★★
Tip: ask if you can be co-pilot. It depends on weight distribution, but I was able to sit up front next to the pilot and had amazing views at night.
★★★★★
We were staying in central NYC. The train from NY Penn to Linden was easy to navigate, and after letting HeliNY know we would be getting the train they offered their free shuttle from the station.
★★★★★
They are super organised and professional, and communication is on point. The actual flight was 20 mins; it was clean and smooth. The pilot was fabulous, he pointed out everything.
★★★★★
There is not a bad seat on the helicopter and fewer passengers were on board than I expected. The entire thing was professional and an amazing way to see NYC.
★★★★★
We booked for evening, so it was just getting dark and we had the sunset view and the night view of Manhattan. The pilot was very professional and the flight very smooth.
★★★★★
It was a group experience and one of the other guests was in my personal space. If you are paying for a helicopter ride, no one should have to sit in the middle between two people.
★★★★★
Friendly, welcoming staff and the flight is simply sensational. Worth every penny with unbelievable views. It flies by, no pun intended; I would do this again in a heartbeat.
★★★★★
Everything went like clockwork. The meeting point is just along from the Governors Island ferry terminal, not far from the Staten Island ferry terminal, and there were lockers for our things.
Quotes from verified Viator bookings on the flights above, lightly trimmed for length.
Proposal, anniversary, big birthday?
Fly private instead
Shared flights seat up to six strangers together. For a moment that matters, a private
flight puts just the two of you in the helicopter with the pilot.
Private Couples Helicopter Flight over NYC
★ 4.8 · 51 reviews · 30-45 min
Just the pilot and the two of you in a Robinson R44: fly from Westchester County Airport down the Hudson to Manhattan in the morning, afternoon, at sunset or after dark, with an optional round-trip car from Manhattan. Choose the 45-minute option if you want the Statue of Liberty; reviewers on the 30-minute flight say it does not reach the harbor.
Private: pilot + 2Sunset or evening slotsOptional Manhattan car
A New York helicopter tour is the most expensive quarter of an hour most visitors
spend in the city, and one of the few that nobody regrets. The trick is matching the flight to what
you want to see: where it takes off, when, and for how long.
The rule that decides everything
Sightseeing flights from the Downtown Manhattan Heliport are allowed only from 10 AM to 5 PM,
Monday to Saturday. That rule, the result of a 2016 deal that halved tour traffic and ended Sunday
flights, splits the market in two. Daytime loops of 12 to 20 minutes leave from Pier 6 by Wall
Street, fly the harbor and the Hudson and have you back on the pavement within the hour. Everything
at night, at sunset or on a Sunday flies from New Jersey: Linden Airport for HeliNY's City Lights
and Sunset flights, Essex County Airport for Charm Aviation's night tour. Those flights are longer,
25 to 40 minutes, and they approach Manhattan head-on across the water, which is why the night
photos look the way they do.
Every route starts with Lady Liberty, circled at roughly torch height before the run up the Hudson.
What it really costs
The short daytime loops start at about $271 per person for 12 to 15 minutes, rising to $298 to
$319 for 18 to 20 minutes and around $449 for the 30-minute five-borough flight. The City Lights
night flight is about $330, the sunset flight $444, and private flights begin near $995 per couple.
These Viator prices now include the $40 heliport fee on most listings, which used to be collected
separately at check-in. They are also close to what operators charge directly: HeliNY's own site
lists its daytime New Jersey skyline flight at $299 plus $35 in fees. What booking through Viator
adds is free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead, which matters for a product the weather can ground.
The honest small print: listed durations are the operator's figure and can
include taxiing. Several reviewers of the night flight timed about 20 minutes in the air, and on a
full six-seat flight someone sits in the back-row middle. If either would spoil it, book a longer
flight or fly private.
Safety, plainly
On April 10, 2025 a sightseeing helicopter operated by New York Helicopter Tours broke up and
fell into the Hudson River, killing the pilot and a family of five. The FAA suspended the company
within days, and it no longer flies; none of the operators on this page is that company. NTSB
investigators found in July 2026 that a bird strike most likely caused the crash.
The operators listed here fly under FAA commercial rules, weigh every
passenger to keep the aircraft balanced and cancel when the weather is marginal. Those
cancellations are the system working, not a nuisance.
After dark the cabin lights go down and Midtown fills the windows.
Making the most of it
Book the time of day before the operator: night if the lights are the dream, daytime if you want
to pick out Central Park and the bridges. For night flights allow two hours from Midtown to Linden,
including the train and the 50-minute check-in, and ask for the shuttle when you book. Wear dark
clothes, keep the lens against the glass, and spend at least a minute of the flight just looking.
If the forecast is grey, move the booking: free cancellation to 24 hours is there for exactly that.
Our night flight guide covers the evening in detail.
The Downtown Manhattan Heliport on Pier 6: daytime flights only, Monday to Saturday.
Straight answers to what travelers ask most about New York helicopter tours.
Can you do a helicopter tour of New York at night?
Yes, but not from Manhattan. The Downtown Manhattan Heliport only allows sightseeing flights from 10 AM to 5 PM, Monday to Saturday, so every night flight leaves from New Jersey: the City Lights Skyline Experience from Linden Airport or Charm Aviation's night tour from Essex County Airport. Expect 25 to 30 minutes in the air from about $330.
How much does a helicopter tour in New York cost?
About $271 for a 12 to 15 minute loop from the Manhattan heliport, $298 to $319 for 18 to 20 minutes, $330 to $334 for a 25 to 30 minute night flight from New Jersey and $444 to $449 for the 30 to 40 minute routes. Private flights start around $995 per couple. The $40 heliport fee is now included on most listings; the table has every price.
Is a New York helicopter tour worth it?
For most first-time visitors, yes: in 15 to 30 minutes you see the Statue of Liberty, the Financial District, the Empire State Building and Central Park from angles no observation deck can give you. Reviewers rate the main operators 4.7 to 4.8. It is a short, expensive experience, so pick the length and time of day with care; our cost guide helps.
Is a day or night helicopter tour better?
Day flights show the geography: the harbor, the bridges, the grid of Central Park and the colours of the water. Night flights trade detail for spectacle, with Midtown glittering and the Empire State Building lit up, and they are longer because they start in New Jersey. A sunset departure gives you a little of both. See the night flight guide.
Where do New York helicopter tours leave from?
Daytime tours mostly use the Downtown Manhattan Heliport at Pier 6 (6 East River Piers, by the Staten Island Ferry terminal). Night, sunset and Sunday flights leave from New Jersey: Linden Airport for HeliNY and Essex County Airport in Fairfield for Charm Aviation. Private flights also use Westchester County Airport in White Plains. Manhattan or New Jersey compares them.
How do I get to Linden Airport from Manhattan?
Take NJ Transit's Northeast Corridor line from New York Penn Station to Linden (about 30 minutes), then HeliNY's free shuttle (request it in advance) or a 10-minute Uber or taxi. Check-in is 50 minutes before your flight, so leave Midtown about two hours ahead. Details in the Linden guide.
Is there a weight limit for NYC helicopter tours?
Yes. HeliNY asks that each passenger weigh no more than 275 lb and cannot fly anyone who needs a seat-belt extender; other operators set limits around 250 lb. Everyone is weighed at check-in, and seats are assigned by weight to balance the aircraft, so you cannot book a specific seat.
Can I sit next to the pilot?
Sometimes. The front seat goes to whoever balances the helicopter best, so it depends on the weights of that flight's passengers. Several reviewers simply asked at check-in and got it. On a full six-seat flight someone sits in the middle of the back row, which reviewers call the one weak seat.
Are New York helicopter tours safe?
Tour operators fly under FAA rules with commercial pilots. On April 10, 2025 a Bell 206 flown by New York Helicopter Tours crashed into the Hudson River, killing all six on board; the FAA shut that company down days later, and it is not one of the operators on this page. In July 2026 NTSB investigators found that a bird strike most likely caused the crash.
Do helicopter tours fly on Sundays in New York?
Not from Manhattan: sightseeing flights have been banned at the Downtown Manhattan Heliport on Sundays since a 2016 agreement that also halved tour traffic there. New Jersey operators, including the City Lights night flight from Linden, fly seven days a week.
Can I take photos on a helicopter tour?
Yes, with your phone or camera; bags go into free lockers and only a phone, camera and sunglasses come aboard. At night, wear dark clothing, hold the lens close to the glass to kill reflections and use night mode. Some operators also sell souvenir photos. None of the tours on this page are doors-off flights.
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