Hawaii helicopter tours provide you with a great new perspective of the islands. On some tours you can fly with the doors off!!

Photos: Use a polarizing filter if you can to cut through the reflections from the windows. Use a fast ISO such as 400 or more to reduce blur. If you’re on a helicopter where you can talk to the pilot, ask him to hover or turn a bit for a better shot. Often they will!

Comfort: Headsets and earrings don’t work well together. If you are flying doors off, it will be windy and cold. Take extra layers. For eye comfort, use polarized sunglasses to reduce glare.

Planning: Book your flight early in your trip in case your flight gets canceled due to bad weather. Also, it’s a great way to orient yourself to the island when you first arrive.

Seats: The front seats are the best because you see everything coming at you. If you have to sit in the back, request a window seat. If you choose a helicopter where you can talk to the pilot you can always request that he turn a bit to give you a better view if you are on the side opposite the action.

A-Star helicopters hold four in back and two front seats with the pilot. The middle back seats are OK; the front seats provide awesome views. These are the most popular helicopters.

Eco-Star helicopters are much larger and quieter than the A-Star. They are roomier inside with larger windows than the A-Star.

Hughes 500D helicopters have two back seats that are a little tight and two awesome front seats next to the pilot.

Note: if you want to see the volcano, fly out of Hilo or else you’ll spend most of your time flying to and from the volcano, much of the time over not-so-interesting areas of the island.

Tropical helicopters (808-961-6810) fly out of Hilo and use a Hughes 500D helicopter. They provide two-way communication with the pilot for those who are dying to ask questions on the ride. They have a 35-minute trip to the volcano for $142 as well as a really cool volcano experience with no doors for $190.

Sunshine (808-882-1223) flies A-Stars out of Hilo or Kohala (west coast). It costs $198 for a 50 minute tour of the volcano from Hilo and $390 for the trip from Kohala. There is no two-way communication with the pilot.

Safari (808-969-1259) flies A-Stars out of Hilo. Their 55-minute volcano tour is $227 or 40-minute tour for $167. I’ve read their narration can be lacking at times so you might want to do some further research. They do provide two-way communication with the pilot so assuming he knows what he is looking at, this may not be a problem.

Mauna Loa Helicopters (808-334-0234) gives you lessons and you fly the helicopter out of Kona. That’s right—you fly the helicopter. They use a Robinson R22 helicopter (a two person helicopter). Or if you don’t want to fly you can charter it for relatively cheap.

Note: Helicopter rides are popular in Kauai because of Kauai is visible only by air. This is a great place for Hawaii helicopter tours with its amazing colors, waterfalls, canyons, and sheer Napali cliffs.

Hawaii helicopter tours are generally best in the morning. Of course the Napali coast looks best in the afternoon! If you can afford it I would recommend a morning helicopter tour and an afternoon boat tour of Napali.

For Kauai, all the companies fly clockwise around the island. Sitting on the right side of the helicopter affords the best views of the Napali coast.

All of the Hawaii helicopter tour companies in Kauai charge about $200 per person for an hour flight. There may be fuel surcharges. Discounts may be available particularly if you book online or over the phone, avoiding the “activity booths” that get a huge commission from the helicopter companies.

Blue Hawaiian (808-245-5800) uses Eco-Stars out of the Lihu’e airport. They do provide you with a microphone to speak to the pilot.

Jack Harter (808-245-3774) flies A-stars and Hughes helicopters out of Lihu’e. There is two-way communication with the pilot. You can also pay about $110 extra for a very comprehensive hour and a half flight. The Hughes flies with doors off—very cool and no glare for photographers.

Safari (808-246-0136) flies A-stars and Hughes helicopters out of Lihu’e airport. There is two-way communication with the pilot and noise-canceling headphones.

Island (808-245-8588) flies A-stars and Hughes helicopters out of Lihu’e airport. There is two-way communication with the pilot.

Inter-Island (808-335-5009) uses two-way communication with the pilot of Hughes helicopters out of Hanapepe. They cost about $90 more than the other companies because they not only fly with the doors off but they also land for 45 minutes at an inaccessible waterfall for a deli lunch!

Air Kaua’I (808-246-4666) flies A-stars and Hughes helicopters out of Lihu’e airport. There is two-way communication with the pilot. They use expensive noise-canceling headphones.

Will Squyres (808-245-8881) flies A-stars and Hughes helicopters out of Lihu’e airport. They do not provide two-way communication with the pilot and noise-canceling headphones.

Ni’ihau (808-335-3500) flies Agusta helicopters out of Hanapepe. There is no microphone to speak with the pilot. This on is different. You fly off Kaua’I to Ni’ihau, which is owned by powerful Robinson family. They take you on a one hour flight around Ni’ihau and land at one of its beaches for a picnic and snorkeling. They require four people or the flight is canceled. Book ahead if you are interested to increase your chances of taking off.

Maui companies fly four major routes.

1: West Maui + Moloka’i Sea Cliffs. In an hour for about $270 you’ll see West Maui, the inaccessible Honokohau Falls, over the channel to the stunning Moloka’i sea cliffs and reefs, back to Maui for Olowalu Valley and ‘Iao Valley. I think this one is the best bet.

2: Circle Maui. In an hour for about $270 you will see a West Maui and East Maui where you can see into Haleakala Crater if they clouds cooperate and you’ll see the Hana coastline.

3: East Maui. In 45 minutes for about $200 you will experience the same trip as the Circle Maui trip except you won’t see West Maui.

4: West Maui. In 30 minutes for around $140 you’ll see West Mau’s ‘Iao Valley, the Wall of Tears (waterfalls), and the beautiful northeast coastline.

Note: Mornings are almost always best for Hawaii helicopter tours of Maui.

Air Maui (808-877-7005) uses 6-Pass and A-Stars without microphones to speak to the pilot. They fly all except for the West Maui route.

Alexair Helicopters (808-877-4354) uses A-Stars and Hughes helicopters with two-way communication with the pilot. They fly all four routes.

Blue Hawaiian (808-871-8844) flies A-Star and Eco-Stars and provides microphones to speak to the pilot. They fly all four routes.

MauiScape. (808-871-7272) flies A-Stars without microphones. They fly all except for the West Maui route. They fly all four routes.

Sunshine (808-871-0722) flies A-Star and Eco-Stars without two-way communication with the pilot. They fly all four routes.

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