How to Shop for Grand Canyon Helicopter Tours

Dec 17
21:00

2013

Tracy Delvecchio

Tracy Delvecchio

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Looking for great rates on helicopter tours to the Grand Canyon? I got one tip for you: Timing. Learn more by reading this article.

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Touring the Grand Canyon in a chopper is an amazing experience. And now there's a way to get these flights at a great rate. How? It has to do with timing. What exactly do I mean by that?Well,How to Shop for Grand Canyon Helicopter Tours Articles as many in the industry know, the travel industry is seasonal. In the case of the Grand Canyon, summer is the popular time to go and winter is the "low season."Now for the good part. In order to draw in customers, tour companies slash tour prices during the months of November through February. Makes sense. But this is how it pertains to you:Purchase a flight now for 2014 and get the ridiculously low 2013 winter rate. It requires you plan ahead but you can save big on your vacation on more things than just a Grand Canyon tour such as Vegas shows and your hotel. What if your plans change? Good question. Just be sure to book your tour with a reputable company that offers a solid cancellation policy. Look for an operator that lets you cancel your tour up to 24 hours before departure time. Further, if there's a weather issue, the best companies will reschedule your flight for the next available time or later that week or refund you money. Helicopter tours depart from Vegas as well as Tusayan near the South Rim. Flights leave most every day of the year. There are usually no flights on Christmas Day. In Vegas, the choppers take off from the strip or another airfield in Boulder City. The air tours that take off from the Strip are very inconvenient but you have to pay more for the convenience. If you want to save some money, then choose the Boulder City tour. You have your choice of air-only or landing tours. Landing tours cost the most. Air-only tours are ideal when your short on time. However, if you have a choice, you should opt for a landing tour. How come? Because you get to explore the canyon up close and personal when you land and get out of the chopper. A popular tour is one that lands on the canyon floor. The landing tours out of Las Vegas are very special. On these tours you can actually fly below the rim of the canyon. You can't do this anywhere else in the National Park and that's what makes these flights so extraordinary. The South Rim, which many refer to as the "official" Grand Canyon, is where you go for incredible views and scenery. The South Rim is too far away to go by helicopter, but it is only an hour away by airplane. Most air tours to the South Rim are aerial-only and none of them fly below the rim. In this case, I always recommend taking the 50-minute flight because you see nearly all of the park. There is no other way to see so much of the canyon in such a short amount of time.ConclusionI wrote this article specifically for folks planning to take a Grand Canyon helicopter tour in 2014. I know it sounds like I'm way ahead of the curve but my point is this: Those who purchase their tour now get the low winter rate versus the high spring and summer rate. And, based on my experience, the difference in pricing is significant. So are the savings.