Helicopters fly over the 2,000-foot cliffs of Waipiʻo and Waimanu valleys and the waterfalls on Mauna Kea’s slopes that no road reaches. Four companies fly them: Mauna Loa Helicopters and Rainbow from Kona airport, Safari from Hilo airport, and Blue Hawaiian from Hilo and the Waikoloa Heliport. Hilo is the closest departure to the volcano, and Waikoloa the closest to Waipiʻo and Waimanu.
If you’re booking to see Kīlauea, pick Blue Hawaiian or Safari, the only two of the four with air-tour permits for Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. The park’s three air-tour routes avoid the summit, where Kīlauea has erupted on and off since December 2024. There are no park flights on Sundays.
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A helicopter over an open vent with lava, photographed during an earlier eruption. Image credit: Paradise Helicopters
Different kinds of helicopter tours for the Big Island
Big Island helicopter tours fall into four kinds, and the shortest flights cost the least:
- Lava and Volcanoes
- Sunset experiences
- Waterfalls and dramatic cliffs
- Circle island (around the island)
1: Lava and Volcanoes helicopter tour
Important note: Kīlauea’s current eruption is at the summit, and the national park’s air-tour routes avoid the summit. A volcano tour flies over the east rift instead: the Puʻu ʻŌʻō cone, which erupted from 1983 to 2018, and the lava fields around it.
Volcano tours are the shortest and most affordable when they depart from Hilo, because Hilo airport is the closest departure point to Kīlauea.
A Hilo volcano tour runs 50 to 55 minutes. It heads south over the east rift and the lower Puna lava flows from the 2018 eruption, then returns over rainforest and the Hāmākua coast waterfalls to the airport.
Puʻu ʻŌʻō on Kīlauea’s east rift, seen from a helicopter. The park’s Puʻu ʻŌʻō Route for air tours loops around this area.
2: Sunset helicopter tours
Sunset flights are short, so they are among the cheapest tours on the island.
Operators fly these along the Kona and Kohala coast at sunset, over white-sand beaches and black lava. The low evening light is good for photos.
Mauna Loa Helicopters flies a private version along the Kona coast, with only your group on board:
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 and Hāmākua) sides of the island. On the north coast, Waipiʻo Valley has 2,000-foot cliffs and waterfalls.
Mauna Loa Helicopters flies a private waterfall tour from Kona over the cliffs and waterfalls of the Kohala coast:
Magical Waterfalls Private Helicopter Tour from Kona
Waterfalls dropping close to 2,000 feet in valleys you can only reach by air. Only your group is on board, and you choose doors on or off.
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 Mauna Kea’s slopes have no road to them, and a helicopter or small plane is the best way to see them. These falls are a few miles from Hilo.
4: Circle island helicopter tours
A circle island tour covers lava, sunset coast, waterfalls, and cliffs in one flight, sometimes with more. These tours can take the whole day, with at most about 2 hours of flight time. On a tour advertised as longer, you spend the rest of the time at ground stops, which vary by tour. Any part of the flight over the national park has to fit the park’s air-tour hours.
Mauna Loa Helicopters flies a private tour from Kona around the whole island:
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.Can you see the Kīlauea eruption from a helicopter?
Not over the summit. Since December 2023, air tours over Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park follow an Air Tour Management Plan from the National Park Service and the FAA, and its three routes avoid the summit of Kīlauea. The current eruption is at the summit: Halemaʻumaʻu has erupted in lava-fountaining episodes since December 2024, each usually under 12 hours, with pauses of two weeks or more between them (USGS).
The routes are the Puʻu ʻŌʻō Route, a loop over Kīlauea’s east rift around the cone that erupted from 1983 to 2018; the Kahuku Route, along Highway 11 across the park’s Kahuku Unit; and the Coastal Route, offshore along the park’s coastline. Tours stay at least 1,500 feet above the ground over land, and Coastal Route flights keep 2,000 feet off the shore.
Tours may cross the park from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Operators approved for quieter aircraft may fly from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and add Wednesday. No tours fly over the park on Sundays, on February 9 and December 19, or on six Hawaiian calendar days the park sets each year, including both solstices.
The plan allows 1,548 tours a year over the park, down from more than 11,300. Of the four companies on this page, only Blue Hawaiian (up to 1,176 tours a year) and Safari (up to 185, one a day) hold an allocation. The plan covers flights below 5,000 feet above the ground over the park and within half a mile of it. Before you book, ask any operator what you will see of Kīlauea on its route.
To watch a fountaining episode, go to the summit overlooks. Our lava viewing guide has the live crater webcams and where to watch from the ground.
All Big Island helicopter tour companies
Four companies fly helicopter tours on the Big Island. They differ most on price and on which heliport they leave from. Most of them run discounts a couple of months a year, so compare prices before you book.
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, so the pilot can change the route for you. Departures are from Kona airport, on the west side.
Tours run from 20 to 30 minutes on the Kona coast (from $229) to 100 to 120 minutes around the island (from $639), with a 60- to 75-minute waterfall tour in between at $429. Those are per-person prices for a group of three or four. They fly the Robinson R66, a turbine helicopter for up to four passengers, and offer both doors-on and doors-off flights.
Their 90-minute Kona Coffee and Coastline tour includes a landing at Kona Joe’s Coffee farm in Kealakekua.
- 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 from either side of the island.
Blue Hawaiian (Hilo Tours / Waikoloa Tours) is the largest helicopter operator in Hawaiʻi, and it holds 1,176 of the 1,548 yearly air-tour slots over Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. Its Big Island tours fly both Airbus Eco-Star (EC130) and A-Star helicopters.
The Big Island operation has two departure points: Waikoloa Heliport on the west side and Hilo Airport on the east, so you can board from whichever side you’re staying on.
Its longest scenic flight, a 1-hour-45-minute tour from Waikoloa (from $719), covers the Kohala Coast, Waipiʻo and Waimanu valleys, and the Hāmākua waterfalls, with an optional landing at a 1,200-foot waterfall. Blue Hawaiian’s FAQ says not all of its Big Island tours fly over the national park. Blue Hawaiian assigns seats by weight and balance, and you can pay to reserve a front-row seat.
To see the volcano from the ground too, book the 8-hour Waterfalls and Volcano by Air and Land tour ($1,009): a Kohala flight plus a guided tour of the national park.
- Departure: Waikoloa heliport / Hilo airport
- Price range: $419 – $719 (standard tours)
- Group size: Shared
- Doors-off: No
- Landings: Optional waterfall landing
- Weekends?: Yes
Rainbow Helicopters
Best for: private charters and free doors-off flights from Kona.
Rainbow Helicopters offers doors-off flights at no extra charge on select Big Island routes. They fly from Kona airport in Robinson R-44s (3 passengers, all window seats) and the larger Airbus A-Star (6 passengers), with prices from $540 for a 30-minute coastal flight to $1,180 for the 105-minute Kīlauea volcano tour.
The volcano tour costs more because it starts in Kona, which Rainbow says is about 100 miles from Kīlauea. Rainbow is not on the National Park Service’s list of operators authorized to fly air tours over the park, so ask how its route covers the volcano before you book. Book Rainbow for doors-off on a small aircraft with guaranteed window seats, on a coastal or waterfall flight, which doesn’t need the long run to Kīlauea.
- Departure: Kona airport
- Price range: $540 – $1,180
- Group size: Shared (small aircraft, max 3–6)
- Doors-off: Free, on select tours
- Landings: Private charters include landings (starting at $4,340)
- Weekends?: Yes
Safari Helicopters
Best for: a volcano-focused flight on a budget, if you’re based in Hilo.
Safari Helicopters, a family business since 1987, flies Airbus A-Star (AS350) helicopters from Hilo airport. Hilo is the closest departure point to Kīlauea, so a 55-minute tour covers more volcanic and waterfall terrain than a tour of the same length from Kona.
For a volcano-focused flight, Safari gives the most flying time per dollar of the four. The 55-minute volcano tour is $379, or $349 with the discount code on Safari’s website, as of November 2026. Safari holds 185 park tours a year, one a day, and its tour page says the summit and active lava are not guaranteed.
Safari’s booking calendar runs seven days a week, but no air tours fly over the park on Sundays. Tours are doors-on only. The cheapest fare is non-refundable, and a flexible fare allows free changes or cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.
- Departure: Hilo airport
- Price range: From $379 ($349 with web code)
- Group size: Shared
- Doors-off: No
- Landings: No
- Weekends?: Yes (no park overflights on Sundays)
Helicopter tours FAQ
Q: Where do Big Island helicopter tours depart from?
Which airport or heliport you leave from depends on the company. A drive across the island to the wrong one can take a few hours, so check the departure point before you book:
- Hilo International Airport: Safari Helicopters, Blue Hawaiian Helicopters
- Kona International Airport: Mauna Loa Helicopters, Rainbow Helicopters
- Waikoloa Heliport, 4 miles southwest of Waikoloa Village: Blue Hawaiian Helicopters
Q: Should I take a helicopter tour from Kona or from Hilo?
Hilo is the closest departure to Kīlauea, so less of your airtime goes to getting there. Hilo is not the cheapest start, though: the lowest price of the four companies is Mauna Loa Helicopters’ private Kona coast flight of 20 to 30 minutes ($229).
Kona and Waikoloa departures are closer to the Kohala Coast, Waipiʻo Valley’s 2,000-foot cliffs and waterfalls, and the Kona coastline. For a volcano-only focus, book from Hilo with Safari or Blue Hawaiian, the two operators here with air-tour permits for the national park. For a broader sweep of the island, book from Kona or Waikoloa.
Q: What should I expect on a helicopter tour?
The steps are much the same with every company.
- When you book your tour, the operator asks about seating preferences and the weight and height of everyone in your group. Staff use the weights to balance the helicopter and check them again at check-in. Give accurate numbers: a wrong one can mean re-balancing the seats or rescheduling your flight.
- Your confirmation email lists what you may and may not bring into the helicopter. Read it, and forward it to everyone in your group.
- Check-in for the helicopter tour is usually about an hour before take-off. Staff verify your details and give a safety briefing: how to approach the helicopter, how to behave inside, and where you will sit.
- A doors-off flight adds a few rules: tie back long hair, no hats, empty your pockets, and put a wrist strap on your phone (available for a small fee).
- Once you’re in the helicopter and strapped in, you put on a headset. It has headphones and an intercom, so you can talk to the pilot and everyone else on board. The pilot introduces themselves and talks everyone through the route, and that’s the time to bring up any special requests.
- When the helicopter takes off, it climbs fast. Try to spot where you parked and orient yourself for the route ahead. Keep your camera ready (photo tips).
- Good to know if you like taking pictures: Doors-off flights give the best photos because there’s no window between you and the scenery.
- After the tour you land where you took off, and the ground staff help you out. Take a last photo by the helicopter if you like, and tip the pilot if you enjoyed the flight.
Q: What should I ask before booking a helicopter tour? (checklist)
If you have never flown on a helicopter tour, ask the operator these questions before you book.
- 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? (important for photos)
- How close does your helicopter take me to waterfalls, craters, lava, etc.?
- Is a tour with “doors off” possible?
- Where on the Big Island do your helicopters take off? And do you provide transport from [your location]?
- What lava features can we see if no lava is flowing?
- Are you authorized to fly over Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, and on which days?
- How flexible are you on the timing and route of the tour?
- Do you offer special fares?
Photo tips for a doors-on tour
- Wear a dark or black shirt.
- Bring a polarizing filter for your camera if you have one.
Light-colored clothing reflects in the window and shows up in your photos.
Q: What can you see from a helicopter that you can't see from the ground?
The waterfalls that pour over the 2,000-foot cliffs of Waimanu and Waipiʻo valleys are hard to see from the ground and easy to see from a helicopter. So are the lava fields on Kīlauea’s east rift.
Kīlauea has erupted in episodes at Halemaʻumaʻu, in the summit caldera, since December 2024. The park’s air-tour routes avoid the summit, so watch the fountains from the summit overlooks.
Check the current USGS eruption status before you drive to the overlooks: the episodes are separated by pauses of two weeks or more.
Q: What does a helicopter tour look like? (video)
This video by YouTube user bship5225 shows footage shot during a “doors off” helicopter tour over Kīlauea and a few waterfalls.
Air Tours on the other Hawaiian islands
In HTA’s 2024 visitor survey, about 11 percent of Kauaʻi’s US visitors took a helicopter or airplane tour, against about 3 percent on the Big Island, largely because the Nāpali Coast is nearly impossible to see any other way. If you’re island-hopping, read our air-tour guides for Maui, Kauaʻi and Oʻahu:
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.