Helicopter tours on the Big Island cover terrain that’s impossible to reach any other way: active lava flows, remote sea cliffs on the Hamakua Coast, and rainforest valleys with no trails. A 55-minute flight from Hilo costs around $350 per person. The same route from Kona can run close to double that.
Four operators fly the island, departing from Hilo airport, Kona airport, and the Waikoloa Heliport. Only about 3 percent of Big Island visitors take a helicopter or airplane tour, so it stays a splurge rather than a standard stop. This guide covers what each operator flies and what you’ll pay depending on where you board.
This is a typical view from a lava helicopter tour if there is active lava on the surface. Image credit: Paradise Helicopters
Different kinds of helicopter tours for the Big Island
Not all helicopter tours are the same and depending on your budget and priorities you have a few options. They can be divided into four categories:
- Lava and Volcanoes
- Sunset experiences
- Waterfalls and dramatic cliffs
- Circle island (around the island)
1: Lava and Volcanoes helicopter tour
Important note: these tours explore active lava flows only *if* there is active lava on the surface. Otherwise you’ll get to see often still smoking remnants of older lava flows.
The lava and volcanoes helicopter tours are best suited for people that mostly want to see lava. These tours tend to be the shortest and most affordable when they depart from Hilo because the Kilauea volcano is closest to Hilo airport.
You will make a 40 to 50 minute flight going southwest from the Hilo airport to lower Puna where the 2018 LERZ eruption took place and a few other vents of the Kilauea volcano (when active) including the Halemaʻumaʻu summit crater, then northeast to the waterfalls and jungle at the Hamakua coast, and then back to the airport.
Helicopter tours can get you very close to the action. Here you see the two open craters of the Kilauea Volcano (Puʻu ʻŌʻō in the foreground and Halemaʻumaʻu in the background). Most helicopters will fly almost directly over the lava in the cone!
2: Sunset helicopter tours
Sunset helicopter tours are short and, because of this, quite affordable!
As the sun sets in the west the tours are organized along the Kona and Kohala coast, taking you along some of our most famous white-sand beaches that are set like jewels into fields of pitch-black lava and deep blue ocean. Because light conditions are very favorable (the tour takes place during the “golden hour”) this is an especially good choice for photographers.
A good example is the following (private!) helicopter tour along the Kona coast:
Private Kona Sunset Helicopter Tour
The Kona coast at dusk from a private helicopter: Kua Bay's white sand from the air, lava cliffs with no road access below, and doors-on or doors-off at no extra charge.
from:
$229
What is a suggested tour?Our suggested tours are hand-picked tours that receive consistent good reviews, give back to the community, and work hard to minimize their impact on the environment. Read more about these tours on our website.3: Waterfalls and dramatic cliffs
The best places to see waterfalls and dramatic cliffs on the Big Island are on the north (Kohala) and east (Hilo + Hamakua) side of the island. The Kohala coast with the Waipiʻo valley 2000+ ft cliffs and waterfalls will hands-down be the best part of this ride.
Mauna Loa Helicopters organizes a 75 minute private helicopter tour (no-one else but you and your group) departing from Kona to see the waterfalls and cliffs of the Kohala coast. For more details click below:
Magical Waterfalls Private Helicopter Tour from Kona
Waterfalls dropping close to 2,000 feet in valleys you can only reach by air. Your group flies alone, doors on or off, your choice.
from:
$429
What is a suggested tour?Our suggested tours are hand-picked tours that receive consistent good reviews, give back to the community, and work hard to minimize their impact on the environment. Read more about these tours on our website.
Many waterfalls on the slopes of Mauna Kea are impossible to reach by road and hopping in a helicopter (or a small plane) is the best way to see them. These falls, for example, are just a few miles away from Hilo.
The above two tours (#1 and #2) tend to be the most affordable because they don’t last as long as the third option:
4: Circle island helicopter tours
A circle island helicopter tour combines all of the above, sometimes with a bit more. These tours can take the whole day, with at most ~2 hours of flight time. If tours are advertised as longer, the rest of the time is used for on-ground sightseeing at locations that differ per tour. If you do decide to go for one of the circle island tours, try to make sure that you time your trip so that you fly over the west (Kona) coast at the right time for the sunset.
Mauna Loa Helicopters organizes a 2 hour private helicopter tour (no-one else but you and your group) departing from Kona that goes around the whole island. For more details click below:
Private Big Island Helicopter Tour with Mauna Loa Helicopters
A private full-island loop from Kona for up to four, with a window seat each at parties of three or fewer. When the summit clouds over, the pilot turns north to valleys no road can reach.
from:
$639
What is a suggested tour?Our suggested tours are hand-picked tours that receive consistent good reviews, give back to the community, and work hard to minimize their impact on the environment. Read more about these tours on our website.All Big Island helicopter tour companies
Helicopter tours are big business in Hawaii and there is a healthy competition between tour companies. Most of these companies offer special prices or discounts at least a couple of months each year, and it is certainly worth your time to compare prices. The four currently operating helicopter tour agencies are:
The most relevant differences between these companies for visitors are obviously price, but also the departure heliport.
Mauna Loa Helicopter Tours
Best for: private tours from the Kona side.
Mauna Loa helicopter tours is the only operator on the island that flies exclusively private tours. Your group is the only one on the helicopter, which makes a real difference if you’re traveling as a couple or family and want a route that can flex based on conditions. Departures are from Kona airport, so it’s the most practical option if you’re staying on the west side.
Tours run from 30 minutes (from $229, sunset coastline) to two hours (from $639, full island), with a 75-minute waterfalls option in between at $429. They fly the Robinson R66, a 4-seat turbine helicopter, and offer both doors-on and doors-off configurations.
One addition worth calling out: their 90-minute Kona Coffee and Coastline tour includes a landing at a coffee farm in Kealakekua. It’s the only Big Island helicopter tour with a ground stop built in, which makes it a different experience from a straight aerial circuit.
- Departure: Kona airport
- Price range: $229 – $639
- Group size: Private only
- Doors-off: Optional
- Landings: Coffee farm (90-min tour)
- Weekends?: Yes
Blue Hawaiian
Best for: a full-island sweep with the most reliable track record.
Blue Hawaiian (Hilo Tours / Waikoloa Tours) is the largest helicopter operator in Hawaii, with more reviews than the other three Big Island operators combined. They fly the Airbus EC130 T2, which is noticeably quieter than the Robinson and AS350 aircraft used by other operators, and fits up to six passengers in a theatre-style cabin with raised rear seats.
The Big Island operation has two departure points: Waikoloa Heliport on the west side and Hilo Airport on the east, making them the most flexible choice depending on where you’re based.
Their flagship tour, the Big Island Spectacular (1 hour 45 minutes, from $719 out of Waikoloa), covers the Kohala Coast, Waipio Valley, Hamakua waterfall corridor, and Kilauea. It’s the longest standard tour available on the island. The tradeoffs: these are shared group tours (up to 5 other passengers), there’s no doors-off option, and seating is assigned by weight distribution at check-in rather than in advance.
- Departure: Waikoloa heliport / Hilo airport
- Price range: $419 – $719 (standard tours)
- Group size: Shared (up to 6)
- Doors-off: No
- Landings: Air+Land combo ($1,009)
- Weekends?: Yes
Rainbow Helicopters
Best for: luxury and photographers who need doors-off.
Rainbow Helicopters‘s main differentiator is that doors-off is standard on every tour, not an upgrade. They operate out of Kona airport using a mix of Robinson R-44s (3 passengers, all window seats) and the larger AS350, with pricing that starts at $540 for a 30-minute coastal flight and reaches $1,180 for their 105-minute Kilauea volcano tour.
That volcano tour price reflects the geography: departing from Kona, you spend roughly a third of the flight transiting east before reaching anything volcanic. If lava is the main reason you’re booking, a Hilo-based operator covers the same terrain for considerably less. Where Rainbow makes sense is for photographers who specifically need doors-off on a small aircraft with guaranteed window seats, particularly for a shorter coastal or waterfall flight where the Kona location is less of a disadvantage.
- Departure: Kona airport
- Price range: $540 – $1,180
- Group size: Shared (small aircraft, max 3–6)
- Doors-off: Standard on all tours
- Landings: Private charters include landings (starting at $4340)
- Weekends?: Yes
Safari Helicopters
Best for: Best for a volcano-focused flight on a budget, if you’re based in Hilo.
Safari Helicopters has been operating out of Hilo airport since 1987, which makes them the longest-running helicopter company on the island. The Hilo base is the key practical detail: they fly Airbus AS350s and depart within a few miles of Kilauea, so a 55-minute tour covers far more active volcanic and waterfall terrain than a similar tour departing from Kona.
For a volcano-focused flight, they offer the best airtime-per-dollar ratio of any operator. Pricing for their standard volcano tour currently runs around $349, though some booking platforms still show older rates.
A few constraints worth knowing before you book: Safari is closed on weekends. If your only option is a Saturday or Sunday, they’re not available. Tours are doors-on only, and their cancellation window is 48 hours, stricter than the 24-hour policy most other operators use.
- Departure: Hilo airport
- Price range: From $349
- Group size: Shared
- Doors-off: No
- Landings: No
- Weekends?: Yes
Helicopter tours FAQ
Our FAQ (frequently asked questions) section is meant to answer whatever questions you may have about taking a helicopter tour. We give answers to the following 4 questions:
Q: From where do Big Island helicopter tours depart?
Your helicopter will off course depart from an airport or a heliport, but which one depends on the company you choose. Some companies even provide free transport to and from the airport. Because the drive to and from the heliports can easily take a few hours to your tour we summarize the departure heliports for the biggest companies below:
- Hilo International Airport (2x): Safari Helicopters, Blue Hawaiian Helicopters
- Kona International Airport: Mauna Loa Helicopters, Rainbow Helicopters
- Waikoloa Heliport: Blue Hawaiian Helicopter
If you already know which company you prefer and want to look up from which airport they depart we have reordered the list based on tour company:
- Blue Hawaiian helicopters depart both from the Hilo airport and from the Waikoloa Heliport, 4 miles SW of Waikoloa Village.
- Safari Helicopters have their home base in Hilo, at the Hilo airport helipad.
- Mauna Loa Helicopters departs from the Kona airport.
- Rainbow Helicopters departs from the Kona airport.
Q: Should I go on a Helicopter Tours from Kona or from Hilo?
Tours depart from three locations: Hilo airport, Kona airport, and the Waikoloa heliport. Hilo is the cheapest starting point because the heliport is close to Kīlauea. Shorter flight time to the volcanic zone means lower per-person pricing. A 55-minute Hilo tour covers substantially more active terrain than a 55-minute tour from Kona.
Kona and Waikoloa departures cost more because they cover more ground: the Kohala Coast, Waipio Valley’s 2,000-foot cliffs, the Hamakua waterfall corridor, and the south Kona coastline are all accessible from the west side in ways that Hilo-based tours don’t reach. For a volcano-only focus, book from Hilo. For a broader sweep of the island, a Kona or Waikoloa departure makes sense.
Q: What to expect on a helicopter ride?
While all helicopter agencies organize their tours slightly different the outlines of their tours are very similar. The procedures are time-tested and all operators we mention on our website place a large emphasis in safety. We describe the ‘typical experience’ of booking and taking a helicopter tour:
- When you book your tour you will be asked about any seating preferences you may have and to provide the weights and heights of all people in your group. This is a safety feature meant to make sure that the helicopter is balanced and the weights you provide will be checked again at check-in. Make sure to provide as accurate numbers as possible to avoid any delays that may arise from having to re-balance (or re-schedule!) the helicopter.
- You will also receive a confirmation email with valuable information on what you are (and are not!) allowed to bring in the helicopter. Make sure to read this email properly and to share the information with the other people in your group to avoid unpleasant surprises.
- Check-in for the helicopter tour is usually about an hour before take-off. During check-in your information will be verified and you will be given a safety briefing. During this briefing you receive instructions on how to approach the helicopter safely, how to behave while inside of the helicopter, and where your place in the helicopter will be. If your tour will be doors-off, there are some added considerations: long hair should be tied back, no hats, pockets need to be emptied, and phones should have a wrist strap (available for purchase for a nominal fee).
- Once you make it into the helicopter and are strapped in you put on your headset. These consist of high-quality headphones and an internal communication system that you can use to talk to the pilot and the other people in the helicopter. Usually the pilot will start by introducing himself and talk everyone through what today’s tour will be all about. This is the best time to talk about any special requests you may have.
- The real fun starts when the helicopter takes off! You quickly see the land below you get smaller and start having a really good overview of the land. Try seeing where you left your car and orientate yourself to see where you’ll be going. Make sure to have your camera ready but to also take in everything through your eyes (not your lens!). See our tips for making better photos on a doors-on helicopter tour below for how to get most out of your pictures.
- Good to know if you like taking pictures: Doors-off flights offer the best photos because there’s no door or window between you and the scenery, which is why professional photographers and videographers always fly doors off.
- After the tour you will return to the spot you took off from. This is the time to take one last helicopter-selfie if you want to, and to say goodbye to the pilot and the ground staff that helps you disembark. Tips are appreciated if you did appreciate the tour and think the pilot did a stellar job.
Q: How can I get the most out of a helicopter tour? (checklist)
We have made a checklist to go through if you have never been on a helicopter tour before. You can use this checklist for example when deciding between different tours. Do not hesitate to contact each tour operator before booking, because a little preparation really can make a big difference.
Our checklist for a stellar helicopter tour with questions to ask the helicopter tour operator:
- How much airtime do I get during your tour?
- How many passengers do you take in your helicopter?
- What areas of the Big Island do you fly over?
- Can you guarantee a window seat? (very important if you want to take photos!)
- How close does your helicopter take me to waterfalls, craters, lava, etc.?
- Is a tour with “doors off” possible?
- From which place on the Big Island do you helicopters take off? And do you provide transport from [your location]?
- What interesting lava-related things can we see if there is no active lava flows?
- How flexible are you on the timing and route of the tour?
- Do you offer special fares?
Tips for Getting the Most from a Doors-Off Tour
- Wear a dark or black shirt if you don’t go on a “doors off” helicopter tour
- Bring a polarizing filter for your camera if you have one.
Reflections of light clothes will reflect back from the windows into your camera and these are some pictures that you don’t want to be in yourself.
Q: What is the added value of a Helicopter tour?
Flying over the Big Island in a helicopter lets you see the land in a way that few people ever will. A helicopter tour can help you pick your favorite destinations and help decide how to arrange the rest of your stay.
Consider flowing lava or the hidden waterfalls cascading over the 2000-feet high cliffs of Waimanu valley and Waipiʻo valley. These sights are very difficult to see from the ground, but perfect to explore from a helicopter.
A helicopter is also one of the best ways to see active lava when Kīlauea is erupting. Since December 2024 the volcano has been in an episodic summit eruption, with repeated lava-fountaining episodes at the Halemaʻumaʻu crater, so visible summit lava has been far more likely than in the years right after 2018.
The fountains come in episodes separated by pauses, though, so there’s still no guarantee on the day you fly. Check the current USGS eruption status before you book. Either way, helicopters can fly over the Kīlauea craters for a look straight into the action.
Q: What does a helicopter tour look like? (video)
This is technically not a question, but seeing a video shot during a helicopter tour is one of the best ways to prepare yourself for one. This video by Youtube user bship5225 shows footage shot during a “doors off” helicopter tour over the Kilauea volcano, as well as a few waterfalls.
Air Tours on the other Hawaiian islands
Air tours are a far bigger deal on Kauaʻi than on the Big Island: about 11 percent of Kauaʻi’s US visitors take a helicopter or airplane tour, versus about 3 percent here, largely because the Nāpali Coast is nearly impossible to see any other way. If you’re island-hopping, check our air-tour overviews for the neighbors:
We are part of the HawaiiActivities affiliate program, and we earn a commission when you book one of the tours listed on this page. Both come at no extra cost to you, and they go a long way in helping us keep the Love Big Island website up to date. Read more about our participation.