Grand Canyon Helicopter Landing Tour review
Our verdict: this is the Las Vegas helicopter tour to book if you want the bucket-list day. You fly 130 miles east across Lake Mead, Hoover Dam and the Mojave, descend 3,200 feet into the Grand Canyon, and land on the canyon floor for a champagne toast in a spot no road reaches. At $479 it rates 4.8 from 1,500+ reviews — the most-loved flight out of Vegas. Best for first-timers who want the once-in-a-lifetime experience.
What the flight is actually like
A shuttle collects you from your Strip hotel and brings you to the helipad. After the briefing and weigh-in you lift off and track east over Lake Mead and Hoover Dam, the blue water giving way to red desert. The drama builds as the rim approaches and the helicopter tips over the edge and descends into the Grand Canyon — a genuine rush — before setting down on the floor for champagne. The flight back closes the loop. The pace is relaxed and the pilot narrates throughout.
Who it suits — and who should look elsewhere
What works
- The only flight that lands on the canyon floor with champagne
- Most-loved tour out of Vegas — 4.8 from 1,500+ reviews
- Spectacular run over Lake Mead, Hoover Dam and the Mojave
- Hotel pickup and a pilot-guide throughout
- The bucket-list day, roughly four hours door to door
Worth knowing
- The priciest flight out of Vegas, from $479
- A half-day commitment with early starts
- Weather can reschedule canyon flights
- The canyon-floor stop itself is fairly brief
Take the earliest departure you can. The air is calmest in the morning, the light on the canyon walls is best, and you beat the midday desert wind that can make light helicopters bumpy.
Is it worth it?
Yes — for a milestone or a first trip to the West, nothing else comes close. If you want an even higher-rated version with a fuller toast, read our champagne landing review; for the budget alternative, see the Strip night flight review.
Frequently asked questions
What does the Grand Canyon Helicopter Landing Tour include?
A flight from the Las Vegas Strip over Lake Mead and Hoover Dam to the Grand Canyon, a descent below the rim, a landing on the canyon floor with a champagne toast, and the flight back. Hotel pickup is usually included. It runs about four hours door to door.
How long is the Grand Canyon helicopter landing tour?
About four hours door to door, including the 130-mile flight each way, the descent into the canyon and time on the canyon floor with champagne.
Does the Grand Canyon landing tour really land in the canyon?
Yes — unlike flyover tours, this one descends 3,200 feet below the rim and lands on the canyon floor, a quarter of a mile down, where you step out for champagne.
Should I book this or the champagne landing version?
Both land on the canyon floor. The standard landing is a little cheaper; the champagne version rates 4.9 and builds in a fuller toast. Choose by budget and occasion.