Booking choice: The Manhattan Highlights flight, from $271 per person. Check dates Compare the options below
All prices below are Viator from-prices in 2026, per person unless noted. They include Viator's fees and, on most listings now, the heliport landing and fuel fees that used to be collected at check-in. They move with season and demand.
The quick answer
Expect $271 to $319 for a 12 to 15 minute Manhattan loop, $309 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. A private flight for two starts at $995 per couple.
How much does a NYC helicopter tour cost in 2026?
From $271 per person for 15 minutes to $449 for 30 minutes, with night flights from $330.
| Flight | Airtime | From (per person) |
|---|---|---|
| Manhattan short loop | 12 to 15 min | $271 to $319 |
| Manhattan extended loop | 18 to 20 min | $309 to $319 |
| Night flight from New Jersey | 25 to 30 min | $330 to $334 |
| Deluxe five-borough | 30 min | $449 |
| Westchester scenic | 30 to 45 min | $415 |
| Sunset from New Jersey | 40 min | $444 |
| Private for two | 30 to 45 min | $995 per couple |
Best value by the minute? Check dates for the 15-minute loop.
Check dates for the Manhattan Highlights flightWhat is included in the price?
The flight, live commentary and, on most listings, the heliport landing, facility and fuel fees; photos are extra.
HeliNY's listings include landing, facility and fuel fees. Zip Aviation's Sky Tour and Scenic Skyline tour also include gratuities and transfers to the heliport, and cost a little more. HeliNY's Sunset Flight includes gratuities too.
What is the heliport fee?
About $40 per person at the Downtown Manhattan Heliport, now included in most listings; Charm Aviation's New Jersey flights include a $35 landing and facility fee.
Charm notes that bookings made before March 2, 2026 did not include the $40 fee and pay it at check-in. The Westchester listings show a $35 per person airport fee: check whether it is in your total before you pay. Several reviewers were caught out by fees at the desk, so read the inclusions line.
Is it cheaper to book direct with the operator?
Not usually: HeliNY's own site lists its New Jersey skyline flight at $299 per seat plus a $35 facility and fuel fee, about the same as the Viator price.
HeliNY's direct 12 to 15 minute New Yorker Tour lists at $259 plus $45 in fees per seat, against $271 with fees included for the Manhattan Highlights flight on Viator. Direct bookings with HeliNY cancel free up to 72 hours before; Viator allows 24 hours, which matters when the weather turns.
Comparing prices? The City Lights flight on Viator includes all fees and cancels free to 24 hours.
Explore the City Lights night flightWhat costs extra?
Souvenir photos, tips where gratuities are not included, and getting to New Jersey or Westchester.
Tipping the pilot is appreciated but not required unless the listing includes it. Budget for the NJ Transit fare to Linden or a taxi to Fairfield, and the optional round-trip car on Westchester flights.
Which flight is the best value per minute?
The night flight: about $11 to $13 per minute in the air, against roughly $15 to $18 for the cheapest daytime loops.
The 15-minute loop at $271 works out near $18 a minute; the 20-minute flight at $309 about $15; the 25 to 30 minute City Lights flight at $330 the cheapest per minute. Guests report some flights run a few minutes short of the listed time, so compare like with like.
More sky for the money: the City Lights flight runs 25 to 30 minutes.
Check dates for the City Lights night flightHow much is a private helicopter tour in NYC?
From $995 per couple for 30 to 45 minutes from Westchester; HeliNY's private flights start at $2,200.
The private couples flight is just the pilot and the two of you in a Robinson R44, by day, at sunset or after dark. Pick the 45-minute option if you want the Statue of Liberty: reviewers on the 30-minute version say it does not reach the harbor.
Celebrating? The private couples flight is $995 for two, no strangers in the middle seat.
Explore the private couples flightHow can you spend less on a helicopter tour?
Take a 15-minute loop, compare the two operators on the same route, and book with free cancellation.
Charm Aviation's small-group sightseeing flight matches the lowest 15-minute price at $271. If you want the lights, the night flight costs little more than a daytime 20-minute loop and flies longer. Whether any of it is worth the money: our honest verdict.
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest helicopter tour in New York?
The 15-minute Manhattan loops from $271 per person, with heliport fees included.
Is the $40 heliport fee included?
On most listings now, yes. Charm Aviation bookings made before March 2, 2026 pay it separately at check-in.
Do you tip a helicopter pilot in NYC?
It is appreciated but not required, unless the listing already includes gratuities, as Zip Aviation's and HeliNY's Sunset Flight do.
How much is a private helicopter tour for two?
From $995 per couple for 30 to 45 minutes from Westchester County Airport.
Ready to book
Choose your flight
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before on every option. Prices are from-prices in USD and move with the season.
Manhattan Highlights Flight
- Shared flight with live commentary
- Heliport landing, facility and fuel fees included
- Souvenir photos available to buy
City Lights Skyline Experience
- Shared flight with floor-to-ceiling windows
- Live pilot narration, climate-controlled cabin
- Heliport landing, facility and fuel fees included
Deluxe 30-Minute Flight: Manhattan, Brooklyn & Staten Island
The full daytime circuit, boroughs included
