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Kauai Helicopter Companies Reviewed – Overview

Hawaii happens to be one of the most scenic travel destinations in the world. The exuberant beaches, lush green plateaus and a rich diversity of vegetation makes it a popular vacation spot. Lying isolated in the North Pacific Ocean, Hawaii is a must go place for travel enthusiasts.

The Hawaii islands consists of a group of islands, Each having its unique characteristics. Kauai island is the one that is a favorite for exquisite travelers.

There are several inhabited mountain ranges and virgin beaches that can be accessed only through Kauai helicopter tours offered by several companies. These helicopter tours makes you experience the best of Kauai.

Let us look at some of the companies that provide Kauai Helicopter Tours in Hawaii:

1. Blue Hawaiian Helicopters

Blue Hawaiian Helicopters is the leading provider of helicopter tours in Hawaii. It is the only helicopter service to provide services in all the major Hawaii islands – Kauai, Maui, Big Island and Oahu.

Blue Hawaiian Helicopters provide services that make you experience the best of Kauai. They have been running successful services for more than three decades. The company focuses on providing quality service to their customers.

Company Website – https://www.bluehawaiian.com/

Company Established in – 1985

Helicopter Types used – Airbus EC130 EcoStar, Airbus AS350 A-Star, Robinson R44 Bell 407 and Hughes 500/MD 500

Price range of flights – Kauai Helicopter tours offered by the company starts from $229 and goes up to $349.

Flight length – The company offers exquisite tours of 45-50 minutes that lets you witness the best of Kauai from the sky.

Highlight Flight – Rise and Shine helicopter tour offers a delightful adventure in the early hours of the morning.

Flights are best for – A small group and family members

Door on/off option – All the Eco Star and A Star helicopters have doors on. Even the Robinson and Bell helicopters do not have door off option The only Helicopter that comes with door off option is the Hughes/MD 500.

Flight Review – The first thing that you will love when you get on board the Blue Hawaii Helicopters is the intrinsic blue colour of the helicopters. The seating is comfortable and the helicopters have glass panes for clear views. The staff was quick and well trained about making the flyers aware about the safety instructions.

The pilots are very friendly and informed about popular sights. He will surely guide you about the rich diversity the land possesses.

Be it about the history of volcanoes or the quantum of rainfall a region receives, the pilots are well versed. They try to cover everything in the tour but sometimes due to harsh weather conditions it becomes a little difficult.

2. Mauna Loa Helicopter Tours

Mauna Loa Helicopter tour offers private helicopter tours on three islands in Hawaii – Kauai, Oahu and The Big Hawaii Island. They promise to provide a personal and delightful experience to the flyers through their Kauai helicopter tours.

They have different packages that you can choose from, each of them giving you an insightful peek into the mesmerising landscape of Kauai Island.

Company Established in – 2006
Helicopter Types used –
N/A
Price range of flights –
Flight option starts from $325 per person and goes up to $693 per hour.
Flight Length –
The flight duration is of about 55-60 minutes.
Highlight Flight –
Photography Kauai Helicopter Tours. This flight option lets you customise the places that you want to visit in Kauai.

Flights are best for – Solo, Couples and small groups (up to 4).

Door on Off option – You can choose to fly with the doors on or off.

Flight Review

The helicopters with doors off option provided by the Mauna Loa Helicopter Tours lets you experience the beautiful Kauai island with a personal feel.

The helicopters provide wide viewing angles that helps you to get a birds eye view of the scenic landscapes just below you. From the start till the end of the ride, you will just be surprised to see the wide variety of natural vegetation.

Staff is cordial and they depart at the scheduled time. The low number of seating of 2-4 persons makes it an ideal Kauai helicopter tour for a small group of people. The pilot is engaging and is prompt in sharing information about the different landscapes. Flying with Mauna Loa is an eternal experience.

3. Sunshine Helicopter

Sunshine Helicopter tours are operated by two USA veterans – Ross and Anna Scott. The family operated business has a good reputation in the Hawaii Islands and provides Kauai helicopter tours to their customers.

Their tours are handpicked to provide the best view of Kauai island. On their Kauai helicopter tours you get to see cascading streams, captivating valleys and mystical sea beaches.

Website – https://www.sunshinehelicopters.com/kauai-helicopter-tours
Company Established in –
1985
Helicopter Types used –
FX Star and WhisperStar Helicopters
Price range of flights –
Price of flights varies from $215-329
Flight Length –
50-55 minutes
Highlight Flight –
Ultimate Kauai Adventure Early Bird Tour (Gives exclusive $50 off on flights booked during specific timings)
Flights are best for –
Families (up to 6 members)
Door on Off option – N/A

Flight Review

Sunshine Helicopter tours combine the best of nature and technology. Once you get on the helicopter, you will be elated to see the wide viewing angles, thanks to the large glass planes. This assists you in getting a glimpse of the rich landscape with minimum obstruction.

The well planned flight route takes you over the lush green vegetation that remains inaccessible through any other means.

The pilots understand the excitement of the customers and is cordial in flying the helicopter at a low altitude, upon the flyers request. The on-flight video recording captures the beautiful scenery of Kauai that you can take back home with you.

4. Jack Harter Helicopters

Jack Harter, the founder and owner of the company landed in Hawaii in 1962. On his first flight, he was captivated by the scenic views and soon he decided to make more people experience this. With investments delightful passengers it has grown into a successful Kauai Helicopter Tours company.

Jack Harter Helicopter provides longest duration tours at a reasonable cost to their passengers. Their team of pilots are well learned about the history of Kauai island which helps them make the experience of the passengers even more enlightening.

Website – https://www.helicopters-kauai.com/

Company Established in – 1962
Helicopter Types used –
Eurocopter AStar and Hughes 500
Price range of flights –
$259 to $434
Flight Length –
60 – 95 minutes
Highlight Flight –
The 90-95 Minuter Tour lets you get a deeper insight into the landscape of the scenic Kauai island.
Flights are best for –
Solo travellers
Door on Off option –
Door off option available on the 60-65 minute tour in Hughes 500s helicopters.

Flight Review

Jack Harter Helicopter provides ten minute more time in the air in comparison to other Kauai Helicopter tours. The rich and diverse landscape of the Kauai island make every extra minute add to the excitement.

Jack Harter tours of Kauai take you to some of the most inaccessible areas in the region. Longer flight duration gives adequate time to the pilot to fly at low altitude and give a closer view of the beaches and waterfalls.

The floor to ceiling windows on the Jack Harter Helicopter provides a panoramic view to the passengers. You can view the whimsical landscapes from different angles and click them with your portables cameras. Door off option in the Hughes 500 lets you experience the best of Kauai without any obstruction.

5. Maverick Helicopters

Maverick Helicopters is one of the leading Helicopter tour providers in the world. It provides services in five other states of the US apart from Hawaii Islands. Their premium helicopters give comfortable viewing experience to the passengers.

They are known for having the best safety records and are respected by the FAA. They offer some of the best Kauai helicopter tours in the region, assuring an extensive overview of the islands prime locations.

Website – https://www.maverickhelicopter.com/

Company Established in – December 1995, Las Vegas. Launched in Kauai in August, 2018
Helicopter Types used –
Airbus ECO-Star Helicopter
Price range of flights –
$169 for 25 minute tour and $269 for 50 minutes
Flight Length –
25 minutes and 50 minutes
Highlight Flight –
Kauai Explorer to get a never seen view of the Garden of Isle ~ Kauai
Flights are best for –
Family and small groups
Door on Off option –
No. The Airbus ECO-Star Helicopters used by Maverick Helicopters does not have door off option

Flight Review

Maverick Helicopters provide the best Kauai Helicopter tours that take you on a deep dive into the tropical rain forests and majestic streams. The tour covers a series of enchanted scenery that captivates the minds of the passengers.

The route is carefully crafted to provide a dynamic aerial view of Kauai Island. 90% of Kauai islands features are inaccessible by road or foot but Maverick Helicopter comes to your rescue and makes you see every tiny corner of the beautiful island.

The comfortable seating arrangements along with the notorious landscape below, makes it a perfect experience for every passenger. Getting to know about the island’s stories on flight from the pilot is a surreal experience!

6. Safari Helicopters

At Safari Helicopters safety is of paramount importance. They offer two tour options to choose from. One lets you view the beautiful scenery of Kauai island and the other has a long overhaul at the Kauai Wildlife Refuge. Safari Helicopters is perhaps the only helicopter service to offer this tour plan.

Their experienced pilots provide an intimate guide about the beautiful landscapes of the Kauai island, making your ride a lifetime experience.

Website – https://www.safarihelicopters.com/

Company Established in – 1987

Helicopter types used – Airbus AStar 350 B2-7 Helicopters

Price range of flights – $199 for 60 min tour and $259 for 90 minute tour

Flight Length – 60 mins and 90 mins

Highlight Flight – Refuge Eco-Tour with a 40 minute stop over at Kauai Refuge that overlooks the Olokele Canyon

Flights are best for – Small groups (Discounts available for a group of 12 or more)
Door on Off option –
No. Airbus AStar 350 are climate controlled and only available for tour with door on.

Flight Review

Safari Helicopter offers the best views of nature on the ground. The friendly staff are a tad better than any other Kauai helicopter tours on the island. The Airbus Astar helicopters are the only helicopter option that they have. These have very comfortable seating arrangements and adequate leg space.

You will be taken on a tour around the Kauai island and the pilot will guide you throughout the flight. The experienced pilots are able to fly the helicopter at low altitude which lets the passengers experience the waterfalls, cliffs, canyons and virgin beaches from a closer distance.

7. Island Helicopters

Website – http://www.islandhelicopters.com/

Island Helicopters provide deluxe helicopter tours to passengers in Kauai. They have been operating for close to four decades and have experienced pilots who have complete knowledge about the popular spots on the island.

Each tour taken with Island helicopters is surreal and unparalleled. The eloquent destinations that they cover are a wonder to see.

Company Established in – 1980

Helicopter Types used – Airbus A-Star Helicopter

Price range of flights – $145 for 55 minute tour and $275 for 80 minute tour (Prices exclusive of surcharges and applicable fees)

Flight Length – 55 minutes and 80 minutes

Highlight Flight – Jurassic Falls Helicopter Landing Adventure. Land at Manawaiopuna Falls and relive the waterfalls experience of the movie ‘Jurassic Park.’

Flights are best for – Family and small groups
Door on Off option –
No. The Airbus ECO-Star Helicopters used by Island Helicopters does not have door off option

Flight Review

Like other leading Kauai Helicopter tours, Island Helicopters have the best in class helicopters to provide comfort and a great experience to their passengers.

A tour with the Island Helicopter takes you on a full circle around the island. Making you witness the mesmerising waterfalls and lush green tropical forests that leaves you high spirited.

They are the only helicopter service to provide passengers with an option to land at the Manawaiopuna Falls, popularly known as the Jurassic Falls. You would instantly become nostalgic about watching the wonderful waterfalls in the movie. A tour with Island Helicopters Kauai will give you a rare chance to experience that.

Author

  • Katalina M

    Aloha! I’m Katalina M. I’m a PADI Certified Scuba Instructor and I’m responsible for writing about scuba & snorkeling trips based on my experience as a scuba diving expert in Hawaii. I grew up in a small town on the east coast, but I’ve called Hawaii home for the past five years. It’s an amazing place to live – there’s always something new to explore, and the people are incredibly friendly and welcoming. When I’m not swimming or diving, you can usually find me enjoying Hawaiian nightlife and culture. Mahalo for reading!