Grand Canyon West Rim Airplane Air Tour Las Vegas

4.6 (996 reviews) from travellers who booked this experience

DurationAbout 4 hours
Daily
Group
Pickup available

Grand Canyon West Rim Airplane Air Tour Las Vegas

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Overview

This scenic airplane tour flies you from the Boulder City Air Terminal over Lake Mead, Hoover Dam and the Colorado River to the Grand Canyon West Rim. The flight lasts 70 minutes in a climate-controlled aircraft with large windows and headset commentary in many languages. Hotel pickup and drop-off from select Las Vegas hotels is included when the transfer is selected. The whole outing takes about four hours, and it suits travellers who want the canyon from above without landing. There is no landing on this tour.

Highlights

70-minute scenic flight over the Grand Canyon West Rim
Views of Lake Mead, Hoover Dam and the Colorado River
Climate-controlled aircraft with oversized windows
Headset commentary in many languages
Pickup and drop-off from select Las Vegas hotels when selected
About four hours in total, with two departure times
Adults only category, ages 12 and over

Full Description

The Boulder City Air Terminal and the flight

The tour starts at the Boulder City Air Terminal, a short drive from Las Vegas. You board a sightseeing aircraft with comfortable seating, climate control and oversized windows made for photography, then take off for a 70-minute flight. An airplane tour of the Grand Canyon from Las Vegas gives you a long, smooth view of the landscape.

Each passenger wears a headset with narration in many languages, so you learn what you are seeing as it appears. Departures are offered in the morning and afternoon, and the booking panel shows your available times.

Lake Mead, Hoover Dam and the Colorado River

On the way you fly over Lake Mead, the largest reservoir in the US when full, and Hoover Dam, the arch dam that created it in the 1930s. Below you, the Colorado River winds through the desert as the flight crosses into Arizona.

From the air you see how the river carved its route through rock, a story that is hard to grasp from the ground. This is a flight over the dam, not a stop, but it gives one of the clearest views of it, and the lake's blue water against the desert makes for striking photographs.

The Grand Canyon West Rim from above

The main event is the West Rim of the Grand Canyon, where the ground drops away into layered red and orange cliffs. From the air you see the swirling colours, rock formations and side canyons that are hard to reach on foot, through large windows on both sides of the plane.

Is a Grand Canyon airplane tour worth it? If you want the scale of the canyon in a short time, and you prefer a quieter, steadier flight than a helicopter, yes. It does not include a landing, but it gives a wide view. Souvenir photos taken at the terminal are available to purchase.

Hotel pickup, timing and what to bring

Hotel transfers are available from select Las Vegas hotels when selected, with pickup 80 to 130 minutes before departure depending on location, time of day and traffic. Please message us on WhatsApp 24 hours before your date so we can help confirm your pickup time.

All passengers aged 18 and over need a government-issued photo ID, and you should bring your passport or ID card. For the balance and comfort of the aircraft, passengers weighing 136 kg (300 lb) or more must buy an additional seat, paid directly on the day. Children under 2 may travel as lap children with proof of age.

Itinerary

Hotel pickupIf you selected the transfer, you are collected from a select Las Vegas hotel 80 to 130 minutes before departure.
Boulder City Air TerminalYou check in and board the sightseeing aircraft.
Lake Mead and Hoover DamThe flight passes over Lake Mead and Hoover Dam with headset commentary.
Grand Canyon West RimYou fly along the West Rim and see the canyon's colours and rock formations through large windows.
Return to Boulder CityThe aircraft lands back at the terminal after 70 minutes in the air.
Transfer to your hotelYou are driven back to the Las Vegas Strip if you selected the transfer, after about four hours in total.

What's included

70-minute airplane aerial tour
Audio commentary in many languages
Pickup and drop-off at select Las Vegas hotels (if selected)

Not included

Souvenir photos (available to purchase)
Tips

Is this right for you?

Great for

Travellers without a car — hotel pickup is included
Nature and wildlife lovers

Think twice if

You want a private tour — this one is shared with other travellers
Walking is difficult for you — expect active parts

Not suitable for

People weighing 136 kg (300 lb) or more, unless an additional seat is bought
Guests who are afraid of flying
Anyone who feels unwell in small aircraft

Meeting point

Hotel pickup is included from select Las Vegas hotels when the transfer is selected, with 8 pickup locations, 80 to 130 minutes before departure. Message us 24 hours before your date to help confirm your pickup time. Otherwise, check in at the Boulder City Air Terminal.

Important information

Bring your passport or ID card; guests aged 18 and over need a government-issued photo ID
Passengers weighing 136 kg (300 lb) or more must buy an additional seat, paid on the day
Children under 2 may travel as lap children with proof of age
Selfie sticks are not allowed
Hotel pickup is 80 to 130 minutes before departure; confirm 24 hours ahead
Souvenir photos and tips are not included
Booking categories start at age 12; check the booking panel for how children are counted

Good to know