Some of the most beautiful and scenic parts of Hawaiʻi are so remote they can only be seen from the air. That’s why a Hawaiian Islands helicopter tour is so spectacular, especially on the Big Island. True to its name, the Big Island is so sizeable that it can take a full day of driving to see just one side of the Big Island, but from the air, much more can be seen in a short period of time.

Take your pick of the several itineraries and routes from which to choose, guaranteeing you aerial views of the world’s most active volcano, Kilauea, rare black sand beaches, rainforest treetops, expansive valleys, flowing waterfalls, and towering sea cliffs. Helicopter tours depart from Kona, Hilo, and Waikoloa and range in time from one hour to a full-day, including on-ground sightseeing at various locations.

Often if visitors take a helicopter tour during the early part of their stay, it can help set your priorities for the rest of your Big Island vacation. Typically, a 50-minute flight from Hilo flies visitors over the most active parts of Kilauea Volcano then heads northeast to the waterfalls and ocean cliffs of the Hamakua Coast. As the shortest flights available, they are often more affordable than flights from Kona.

Tours from Kona on the southwestern side of the island mean they will cover more distance getting to Kilauea, but in doing so, passengers are rewarded with amazing views of the Kona Coast. These tours can be expanded into a full-day circle island tour which includes the dramatic sea cliffs of the Kohala Coast, Waipio Valley’s 2000’ cliffs, waterfalls in the north, and the lush rainforests of the Hamakua Coast in the east. We have hand-picked the best choices for flights no matter what side of the island you are staying on!