Something that may deter some from immediately booking their Kauai helicopter tour experience is the cost. These tours are inherently meant for small groups, as the craft itself is small. The helicopter experience also offers the exclusivity of touring the island’s most popular and hidden areas in a way that few people in history have ever been able to.
With these different factors, it can be daunting to strike up a conversation with a reservations agent. We want to cover how the different helicopter tours on Kauai vary, and how you can book your ideal adventure that meets both your personal goals and financial limitations.
Booking a Private Versus Standard Kauai Helicopter Tour
There are two main helicopter tours, to start, offered on the island of Kauai. The first is a standard, or small group, helicopter tour of the island which is upwards of $300 on average. The second is a completely private helicopter tour of the island which is upwards of $400 on average. These Kauai helicopter tours have varying costs; the private tour being more expensive as you are renting the entire craft versus one or two seats– the rest being allocated to strangers. The benefits of a private helicopter tour? You have the ability to customize the tour whether that is venturing out with the doors off, making sure to prioritize visiting certain sites, or even having one on one conversations with your local expert guide- and pilot- aboard the vessel.
How Long is the Kauai Helicopter Tour?
This is dependent on which tour you book! Most tours last around an hour but some can go longer. It depends on a multitude of factors– the greatest one being fuel. If you want to check out how these different tour lengths vary in experience, be sure to check out our different tours listed on the Ali’i Air Tours pages.
Even on the shorter tours, you can be assured that you will fly over at least one of the incredible sites whether that is Waimea Canyon or the Napali Coast, as well as getting to see some exclusive areas of the island during your trip out and around.
What Type of Helicopter Tour are You Booking? (Doors On or Doors Off)
We briefly referenced a doors on versus doors off helicopter experience. It is true that when booking most private helicopter tours of the islands, you can work with the company’s reservation agent to determine if they can hold this tour with the doors off; alternatively, most local tour companies will offer doors off photo tours or experiences that are offered to small groups, where you won’t have to rent out the entire plane.
No matter which experience stands out to you– there is so much exploration and fun to be had. All you have to do is determine your budget and what experience fits best with your expectations. A Kauai helicopter tour’s cost is dependent on the features offered.
