Helicopter Tours · Departing Las Vegas

Grand Canyon Flights From Las Vegas

Over the Hoover Dam, onto the canyon floor, back for dinner on the Strip.

From $489 per person Free cancellation
  • 4.8 / 5 1,746+ Reviews
  • 4.5 hours Duration
  • Canyon Floor Landing Options
  • Instant Confirmation
  • Free Cancellation

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The Experience

Why Book the Papillon Canyon Floor Landing

The most-booked way to get from a Las Vegas hotel lobby to the floor of the Grand Canyon and back in an afternoon.

Highlights

  • Land on the Grand Canyon floor near the Colorado River, with about 30 minutes on the ground
  • Fly over the Hoover Dam, Lake Mead and the Colorado River on the way out
  • Champagne toast and a light picnic at a private canyon-floor landing site
  • Round-trip transfers from selected Las Vegas Strip hotels, or self-drive if you prefer
  • EcoStar helicopter with wrap-around windows and live pilot narration

What's Included

  • Round-trip helicopter flight to Grand Canyon West (about 75 minutes of flying)
  • Approximately 30 minutes on the canyon floor
  • Champagne toast and light picnic refreshments
  • Round-trip hotel transfers from selected Las Vegas hotels
  • Live narration from your pilot
  • All taxes and landing fees

How Booking a Grand Canyon Helicopter Tour Works

Four steps from choosing a rim to standing on the canyon floor.

  1. Pick Your Rim First

    Grand Canyon West is 120 miles from the national park and the only place helicopters may land in the canyon. The South Rim is the park itself, where flights stay in the air. Choose the experience, then the tour.

  2. Check a Real Date

    Use the availability calendar to see live departures and prices. Morning slots have the clearest air; sunset flights over the Strip sell out first, so book those further ahead.

  3. Decide on Transfers

    Las Vegas tours either include hotel pickup or expect you to drive to Boulder City. Transfers roughly double the elapsed time but remove the parking and the timing risk.

  4. Check In and Fly

    Bring photo ID for every adult passenger. Seats are assigned at check-in on weight and balance, so arrive 30 to 45 minutes early and expect your party may be split across rows.

Helicopter Landing vs Scenic Flight vs Coach Tour

Three ways to see the Grand Canyon from Las Vegas or the South Rim — and what you actually get for the money.

FeatureRECOMMENDED Canyon Floor Landing FlightScenic Flight, No LandingCoach Day Trip
Where You End UpOn the canyon floor, beside the Colorado RiverIn the air above the canyon, start to finishAt a rim viewpoint with the rest of the coach
Which Grand CanyonGrand Canyon West — Hualapai land, the only place landings are allowedEither rim; South Rim flights cross the national park itselfUsually the West Rim, occasionally the South Rim
Time From Las Vegas2–4.5 hours door to door45 minutes flying, once you are at the rim12–15 hours, most of it on the road
Typical Price$279–$609 per person$269–$359 per person$120–$200 per person
Time at the Canyon20–30 minutes standing on the canyon floorNone — you never leave the aircraft1–3 hours at viewpoints, plus long transfers
Aerial Views En Route✓ Hoover Dam, Lake Mead and the Colorado River✓ The canyon itself from the air✗ Desert highway
Best ForThe single most memorable day of a Las Vegas tripAnyone already at the rim who wants the aerial viewTravellers on a tight budget with a spare full day
Free Cancellation✓ Up to 24 hours before✓ Up to 24 hours before✓ Up to 24 hours before
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Departing Las Vegas

What a Las Vegas Grand Canyon Helicopter Tour Really Involves

Half a day, 75 minutes of flying, and the only rim where a helicopter is allowed to land.

Every helicopter tour sold in Las Vegas flies to Grand Canyon West, about 120 miles east on Hualapai tribal land. That is not a marketing choice — it is the only part of the canyon within half-day reach of the city, and, because it sits outside Grand Canyon National Park, the only part where a helicopter is permitted to descend below the rim and land.

The Route

You depart from the air terminal at Boulder City, roughly 40 to 50 minutes’ drive from the Strip. The first landmark comes within minutes: Lake Mead, then the Hoover Dam directly beneath you, which is worth the window seat on its own. From there the aircraft crosses the volcanic Black Mountains, Grapevine Mesa and the Mojave Desert before the Grand Wash Cliffs open into Grand Canyon West. That leg runs about 35 minutes each way.

Landing, or Not Landing

Three Las Vegas tours are listed on this site and they split cleanly.

The Papillon canyon-floor landing tour and the Maverick landing tour with champagne both descend to a plateau near the Colorado River, where you spend 20 to 30 minutes on the ground with a champagne toast. The difference between them is transfers: Papillon includes round-trip hotel pickup and takes 4.5 hours; Maverick expects you to reach its own terminal and takes 2 to 2.5. Maverick is also the only one offering a sunset departure, which returns over the lit Strip.

The Skywalk Express is a different product. It lands at the West Rim — at the top — and bundles expedited VIP admission to the Skywalk glass bridge. Excellent if the Skywalk is what you came for; it does not put you on the canyon floor, and no tour does both.

The Time You Are Actually Buying

A 4.5-hour Las Vegas landing tour is about 75 minutes of flying and 30 minutes in the canyon. The remaining three hours are hotel pickups — which begin roughly 90 minutes before departure — check-in, and the hour-long return transfer. Budget the whole afternoon rather than planning a dinner reservation against the flight time.

If you have a rental car, that arithmetic is worth a second look. The same landing flown from Grand Canyon West itself costs $279 rather than $489, because you are no longer paying anyone to move you across Nevada. Our canyon floor landing tours page sets those side by side.

Practical Notes

Bring government-issued photo ID for every passenger aged 18 and over — check-in will not waive it. Seats are assigned at check-in on legal weight-and-balance limits rather than booking order, so a group may be split across rows, and passengers over roughly 275 to 300 lb are required to buy a second seat. Most departures need a minimum of four passengers to operate.

Book a morning slot if you can: desert thermals build from late morning and make afternoons bumpy, and between July and September afternoon thunderstorms are the main cause of cancellations. The best time to fly covers the seasonal picture, and what to expect walks through check-in in detail.

If you want the deeper, more photogenic canyon of the national park instead, that is a South Rim trip and a different day out — see South Rim helicopter tours.

Guest Reviews

What Guests Say

4.8/5 from 1746 verified guests

Ratings and review counts are the tour operators' live figures on GetYourGuide and may shift slightly day to day.

"Amazing helicopter experience! 🚁 The helicopter tour itself was absolutely incredible, with breathtaking views, perfect weather, and excellent visibility. We had a couple of issues with the transportation — the pickup location at the Bellagio was confusing, and the driver was unpleasant and yelled at me despite the fact that I had tried calling and received no call from them. On the way back, we also had an unnecessary delay while picking up two additional passengers. Thankfully, none of that affected the actual tour. Our pilot Jimmy was fantastic! He was friendly, funny and knowledgeable, explained everything, pointed out the best views and took lots of great photos of us. His playlist was the perfect touch — taking off from the Grand Canyon with the Game of Thrones theme playing was unforgettable! An amazing experience overall, and Jimmy made it even more special. Highly recommended!"

Guest photo from review Guest photo from review
Liat Israel

"Our pilot Aidan was a little legend. Very informative and friendly throughout the day. He made our experience very enjoyable and memorable."

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Josh United Kingdom

"Papillon are just outstanding. The quality of the event and the people was exceptional only surpassed by the breathtaking views of the Hoover dam, the Colorado river and the canyon. I can’t praise enough."

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Anthony United Kingdom

"Wesley was our young pilot. He was very dedicated and flew superbly. Stop at the Grand Canyon with sparkling wine and a snack. Simply awesome."

Martin Austria

"The pilot was very nice; he gave us lots of explanations, and we were able to talk during the break at the Grand Canyon. It was cool. The only downside about the Grand Canyon is that you only see the "beginning" of the Grand Canyon; you don't see the most famous spots. We were a little frustrated not to have flown over the entire site."

Céline France

"Absolutely phenomenal! We had a fantastic experience. We weren't sure if it was going to happen as there was thunderstorms in the vicinity but Papillon were great and kept us informed whilst we waited for the weather to clear. It ended up being delayed by half an hour but they got us out as soon as possible. We were lucky enough to get seated up front with the pilot. My partner was nervous (doesn't like helicopters or heights) but the pilot Issiah (sorry if the spelling is wrong) was great with him, cracking jokes and putting him completely at ease and he genuinely enjoyed it. Great playlist choices whilst flying, so many interesting facts, great communication and interaction from the pilot. The food was better than expected and it amazing to toast champagne in such a beautiful place. We were given time to take in the surroundings and it was just a genuinely great experience. We got a pic with the pilot and the helicopter which we purchased on return. A* service all round!!"

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Jeanette United Kingdom

"From start to win Alex landed was second to none. Mixed nationality on the flight which he caterd for exemplary. informative all the way to landing and returning. Perfect pilot for the perfect trip. Thank you Alex."

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Andy United Kingdom

"As soon as the thunderstorm passed, we were up and away. Alex was an excellent guide and pilot. Thanks. My trip to the Grand Canyon has been marked off the list."

Johnathan Ray United States

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Stand on the Floor of the Grand Canyon

Papillon's EcoStar landing tour flies from Las Vegas over the Hoover Dam and sets down beside the Colorado River, with about 30 minutes on the canyon floor, a champagne toast and hotel transfers included. Starting from $489 per person.

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Grand Canyon Helicopter Tour FAQ

The questions worth answering before you pick a flight.