Helicopter tours: 5 incredible cities to explore from the sky

Of course, you want to see iconic landmarks like Big Ben, Venice Beach, Corcovado, and Kowloon Bay, or the Sydney Harbour and the picturesque New South Wales countryside from above.

But maybe you're not interested in being stuck at ground level with crowds of tourists battling traffic, navigating overcrowded streets, dealing with long ticket lines, and relying on outdated travel guides.

While soaring a thousand feet above the chaos in a luxurious private helicopter tour may come with a hefty price tag, can you really think of a better way to 'splurge' at this height?

Here are five of our top cities to take a helicopter ride – and five thrilling tours that will elevate your travel experience beyond the ordinary.

1. Sydney

Sydney Helicopters, Hunter Valley Pub Tour

This helicopter pub crawl takes off from Sydney, Australia, flying over the city’s iconic waterfront for stunning aerial views of the Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge, before heading to the scenic, rural expanses of outer New South Wales.

Sydney Helicopters, based at Rosehill Heliport, offers full-day heli-pub tours that include thrilling excursions into the state’s rugged Blue Mountains and Southern Highlands. The tour includes multiple stops at hidden bars and cozy country inns, ensuring plenty of classic Aussie drink breaks to keep the helicopter blades turning.

Our top recommendation is the Hunter Valley Pub Tour, a seven-hour adventure through one of Australia's premier wine regions, known for its stunning landscapes.

Along the way, you'll visit charming rustic alehouses, boutique wineries, and beautiful vineyard estates, all while enjoying a wine-paired, multi-course gourmet lunch. The day ends with a visit to the historic Settlers Arms Inn in St. Albans, where you can enjoy a final pint or two before heading back home, possibly with a slightly blurry memory of the ride.

How much would you be willing to pay for a premium flight experience?

2. Los Angeles

Orbic Air, Mountain Top Landing Tour

In the sprawling, traffic-filled city of Los Angeles, soaring above the tailpipe traffic of Laurel and Coldwater Canyons, Sunset and Sepulveda Boulevards, and the busy Freeway Interchange in a sleek helicopter is a vantage point usually reserved for law enforcement or those covering car chases.

Orbic Air’s standard 15 to 25-minute L.A. flyovers depart from Burbank Airport, offering stunning views of iconic landmarks – from up-close shots of the Hollywood Sign to sweeping views of celebrity homes in Beverly Hills and Bel Air.

For the ultimate California experience, the ‘Romance Package’ Mountain Top Landing Tour offers breathtaking views of Tinseltown’s landmarks as it journeys along the coast, culminating in a landing on a private Malibu plateau with complimentary champagne, dessert, and a rose. A diamond ring is not included.

20 planes for aviation enthusiasts – from Boeing to Airbus.

3. Hong Kong

Heliservices, Complete Hong Kong Experience

What could be better than enjoying an incredible harbor view from the China Clipper Lounge on the 30th floor of the Peninsula Hong Kong? The answer: a helicopter ride over the city.

For an even more incredible view, step inside an MD902 helicopter taking off from the famous twin helipad of the Peninsula Hotel.

Then, it's up into the sky for a breathtaking aerial view of Hong Kong’s towering skyscrapers, sparkling bays, hidden coves, and lush mountain peaks—an awe-inspiring sight that's hard to match from any angle on the ground.

Heliservices offers a variety of flyover tours from the Peninsula Hotel (with departures also available from Wanchai Heliport), giving passengers an unforgettable 15-minute flight over the iconic Victoria Harbour skyline and the scenic beaches and coves of South Hong Kong Island, with optional spa or dining packages available to enhance the experience.

For a longer adventure, a 30-minute helicopter tour takes you over the stunning Kowloon district or the unique landscapes of Hong Kong Geopark.

For the ultimate tour, enjoy a private 45-minute ‘Complete Hong Kong Experience,’ expanding the flight to include breathtaking views of the New Territories and Lantau Island.

A scenic journey through Hong Kong’s most beautiful landmarks

4. London

The London Helicopter, London MAX Tour

Admiring London’s breathtaking cityscape from the dome of St. Paul’s, the London Eye, The Shard, or even from the upper deck of a double-decker bus can be a great start to your sightseeing adventure.

Taking your perspective to new heights, a flight in the bright yellow G-ORKI helicopter, soaring over 1,000 feet above the River Thames, will elevate urban sightseeing to an entirely new level.

Departing from southwest London’s newly opened Battersea Heliport, The London Helicopter’s London Buzz and London Sights tours cover key riverside landmarks around the city, including Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, St. Paul’s Cathedral, and Canary Wharf, all within 12 to 18 exhilarating minutes.

The London MAX Tour offers an extended 30-minute flight, taking private groups of up to six on a spectacular aerial journey over nearly forty of London’s most iconic landmarks.

For an unforgettable encore, book a heli-tour from London to Highclere Castle (aka 'Downton Abbey') or to the ancient wonder of Stonehenge.

Some tips before you take a ride on the London Eye

5. Rio de Janeiro

Helisight – 60-Minute Panoramic Flight

Brazil's vibrant Rio de Janeiro may be impossible to fully take in from any one vantage point, from the beaches of Ipanema and Copacabana to the 220th step at the base of the Cristo Redentor statue on Corcovado Mountain, to the country's largest football stadium, currently hosting the 2016 Summer Olympics, and everything in between.

Only a helicopter tour through Rio’s legendary, multi-layered urban landscape can provide a brief illusion of grasping its vastness and beauty.

Helisight offers seven helicopter routes, starting with a short 10-minute round trip flying along the beaches from either Sugar Loaf or Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon Helipads.

As you move up the options, flight times and prices increase, culminating in Rio's ultimate sightseeing experience – the 60-Minute Panoramic Flight, which loops around the world’s largest and most iconic Art Deco statue, nestled in the largest urban rainforest on Earth.

Flights are temporarily suspended during the Olympic and Paralympic Games, but will resume once the events have concluded.