Some of the most amazing places on the Big Island are very difficult to reach over land, but taking to the sky makes it possible to see many of these wonders in a very short amount of time. Helicopter tours are our preferred way to take to the sky.
Departing from Kona, Hilo, and Waikoloa, helicopter tours can last between 40 minutes and a full day. They are not cheap with prices starting at about $350/hour but we consider them one of the unforgettable experiences on the Big Island and highly recommend splurging on one if your budget allows it.
This is a typical view from a lava helicopter tour if there is active lava on the surface. Image credit: Paradise Helicopters
1: 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)
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.
Typically 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!
Sunset helicopter tours
Sunset helicopter tours are typically 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 an azure-blue ocean. Because light conditions are very favorable (the tour takes place during the “golden hour”) this is an especially good choice for people that want to take beautiful pictures.
A good example is the following (private!) helicopter tour along the Kona coast:
Private Kona Sunset Helicopter Tour (Big Island)
A 30 minute private helicopter tour during sunset along the magnificent Kona coastline during the “Golden Hour”
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.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
Explore the unrivaled views and magnificent waterfalls in the difficult to reach seven windward valleys of the Kohala volcano from your own private helicopter.
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 MaunaKea 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:
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 to see the spectacular 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:
Big Island Experience – a Private Full Island Helicopter VIP Adventure
A 2 hour private helicopter tours exploring the Big Island. From 1500ft waterfalls to lush rainforest to towering sea cliffs to active lava
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.2: Most popular 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 five most popular helicopter tour agencies are:
- Mauna Loa helicopter tours (very affordable for private tours!)
- Blue Hawaiian Helicopter Tours1
- Rainbow Helicopters (now the most premium helicopter tour option on the Big Island)
- Sunshine Helicopters1
- Safari Helicopters
- Paradise Helicopters (out of business since early 2024)
The most relevant differences between these companies for visitors are obviously price, but also the departure heliport. We shortly discuss why we thing the place of departure is important:
- From where do the helicopter tours depart?
- Tours from Hilo vs. tours from Kona, why are Kona tours more expensive?
From where do the 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
- Hapuna Heliport: Sunshine 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.
- Sunshine Helicopters flies from the Hapuna Heliport, located 30 minutes (27 miles) north of the Kona airport east of the Hapuna Golf Course.
- Mauna Loa Helicopters departs from the Kona airport.
- Rainbow Helicopters departs from the Kona airport.
Helicopter tours on the Big Island take off from one of these five heliports. Image adapted from google maps.
Helicopter Tours from Kona or from Hilo?
Helicopter tours depart from 5 places: the Hilo, Kona, and Waimea airports, and the Hapuna and Waikoloa heliports (both close to the resorts). The price difference for tours leaving from these locations can be significant: Kona tours cost sometimes almost twice as much as the Hilo tours!
There is a good reason for this: your time in the air (see next paragraph). Depending on what you want from the tour however, you might prefer the more expensive Kona option.
It makes sense that tours from Hilo are cheaper because your departure heliport is closer to the (active) lava and flight times are shorter. After all, tour prices are set mostly by the amount of time that is spent in the air. Tours from Hilo often involve a quick return trip to the lava impacted areas, with perhaps a visit to several of the nearby waterfalls.
Tours from Kona need to cover more distance to get to the active lava (if present). Because of this, they often include a visit to the lava into a ‘circle island’ tour. This means you may get the see the impressive 2000 ft waterfalls at the Kohala coast that are almost impossible to see without an aerial tour. You will also fly over the tropical and lush Hamakua coast, and get to see south Kona with famous sites such as the city of refuge.
Summarizing, if you are looking to see just the lava, you should try booking your tour from Hilo. If you have the resources to splurge and the desire to see more of the Big Island from the air, a circle island tour is highly recommended!
A helicopter flies over the Kohala coast during a tour on the Big Island
3: 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:
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 incredible 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.
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 photo’s!)
- 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?
Bonus tips for while you are in the helicopter with doors-on:
- 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.
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.
Think for example about flowing lava or the hidden waterfalls falling 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.
Taking a helicopter tour is also the only way to get an (almost) guaranteed look at the lava. The Kilauea volcano can be unpredictable and easily visible lava flows have been common the last few decades up to 2018. However, there is no guarantee that this will be the case during your visit. Helicopters can fly over the Kilauea craters, allowing you to see straight into the fiery action.
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
Don’t forget to check out our air tour overviews for the neighboring islands if you are traveling there:
1. We are part of the hawaiiactivities affiliate program, which means that we get a small kickback if you book a tour with them through one of our links. This comes at no extra cost to you and goes a long way in helping us keeping the Love Big Island website up to date. Read more about our participation. ↩