Helicopter Tour NYC: Prices, Routes and Booking Tips

Flying over New York by helicopter is one of those things you should do once in your life. Those few minutes circling this ridiculously photogenic city are worth every penny.

Several companies offer air tours over New York, but honestly the tours are very similar since they all fly the same route.

So price is the deciding factor, and it depends on how many minutes you spend in the air (prices start at $194 per person).

What the air tours cover

No matter which operator you book with, they all follow the same basic route: they fly around Manhattan over the East River and the Hudson River.

You never actually fly over the city itself, but the views from up there are a spectacle.

On most tours you board at the Downtown Manhattan Heliport, southeast of the Financial District, at Pier 6 on the East River.

The pad sits very close to the Brooklyn Bridge, so that will be one of the first structures you see from the air.

From there you head to the southern tip of Lower Manhattan along the East River, with a few Brooklyn neighborhoods on your left, passing close to the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island and Governors Island.

Once you leave the islands behind, you turn north over the Hudson River, this time with New Jersey on your left and the skyscrapers of Manhattan on your right.

The longer tours continue up as far as Yankee Stadium in the Bronx before heading back to the Financial District to land.

Types of helicopter tours

The air tours available come down to flight time. Here is a rundown of each one, along with links to book with reliable companies, check the details and even get a discount for paying online.

Keep in mind that helicopters hold 6 to 7 people and you cannot choose your seat, since seating is assigned based on the weight and height of the group (the heliport crew sorts everyone out on arrival, and if you get lucky you will end up up front next to the pilot).

You also will not be allowed to photograph the helicopters from outside, but of course you can bring your camera on board to capture all of New York from the air.

1. 15-minute flight

A 15-minute flight over the Hudson River following the route described above. Along with the Brooklyn Bridge and the Statue of Liberty, you will spot the Empire State Building, the Chrysler Building and Central Park, among other Manhattan landmarks.

2. 20-minute flight

On this 20-minute ride, in addition to the route above, you continue farther north over Upper Manhattan to Columbia University and the New Jersey Palisades (the cliffs facing the Hudson River). If there is no game on, you will swing by Yankee Stadium.

3. Night helicopter ride

If you already did the daytime tour or you would rather see New York's landmarks lit up at night, there is a half-hour tour that leaves from a heliport in New Jersey.

4. Five-borough NYC tour

This is a 25 to 30 minute ride that covers all of Manhattan's biggest landmarks and also takes you to the other boroughs, crossing Brooklyn all the way to the amusement park at Coney Island.