Soar over the Honolulu skyline and Waikiki's white-sand beaches as you discover the seaside city of Oahu. Enjoy views of Diamond Head, Punchbowl Crater, and the U.S.S. Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor. Choose our exciting doors-off option and get crystal clear photographs of this beautiful city.
Tour Options
Doors ON Tour
Doors On Helicopter
Doors On Private Tour
Doors ON Private Tour: Make your tour private with just your party!
Doors OFF Tour
Doors Off Helicopter
Doors OFF Private Tour
Private Tour: Make your tour private with just your party!
Itinerary
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Fly high above the world famous city of Honolulu on our City-By-The-Sea helicopter tour. Your helicopter takes off from Honolulu International Airport and takes you over Honolulu Harbor and Oahu’s beautiful South Shore.
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Flying past Honolulu's skyline, you can see the busy shops of the Ala Moana Center and the popular picnic grounds of Magic Island.
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As you near the white-sand beaches of Waikiki marvel at the multitude of surfers, beachgoers, sailboats, and swimmers savoring the beauty and joy of the island affectionately known as The Gathering Place.
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Rising from Waikiki's beaches is mighty Diamond Head. Your bird's eye view will let you peer directly into the crater and wave to the hikers on the ridge beneath you.
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After flying over Punchbowl Crater and the U.S. National Military Cemetery of the Pacific, you head for Pearl Harbor.
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At the famous port, you will pass over the USS Arizona memorial and the famous Battleship Missouri. At the end of your tour, you will understand why so many people fall in love with this city-by-the-sea.
Highlights
Phone Strap
Parking Fees
What's included
Included
Phone Strap
Parking Fees
Not included
Gratuities
Traveller Ratings
4.9
33 reviews
5
31
4
2
3
0
2
0
1
0
Important Information
Wheelchair accessible
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Safety of flight is our primary concern. The operator reserves the right to refuse service to passengers who are intoxicated or appear to be intoxicated. Intoxicated passengers will not fly and they will be charged in full.
For doors off tours, jackets and/or sweatshirts, closed toe shoes, and hair ties are required. Long pants are recommended.
When booking the doors off experience, your seat may or may not be directly adjacent to an open door.
Only passengers weighing 80 lbs or more may fly with the door off in our Robinson R44 helicopter. Only passengers weighing 100 lbs or more may fly with the door off in our Airbus Astar helicopter.
All passengers 24 months and older must purchase a full fare seat.
For each guest weighing 250 pounds or more, a weight and balance fee is required to safely balance the aircraft. For guests weighing between 250-275 lbs, a fee in the amount of 50% of the seat price will be assessed after booking. For guests weighing 275 lbs or higher, an additional seat purchase will be assessed after booking.
Frequently asked questions
How long does City By The Sea - 20 Min Helicopter Tour - Doors Off or On take?
City By The Sea - 20 Min Helicopter Tour - Doors Off or On lasts about 20 min. The itinerary has 6 stops.
How much does City By The Sea - 20 Min Helicopter Tour - Doors Off or On cost?
Prices start at $405 per person for this Honolulu experience, booked through Viator with the price shown before checkout. There are 4 booking options, so the final price depends on the option you choose.
Can I cancel City By The Sea - 20 Min Helicopter Tour - Doors Off or On for free?
Yes. Cancel at least 1 day before the start for a full refund. Later cancellations are non-refundable.
Where does the tour start?
The meeting point is We are located in the Caste and Cooke Aviation building. Please park in the lot to the left across the street. . Hotel pickup is not part of this experience.
What languages is City By The Sea - 20 Min Helicopter Tour - Doors Off or On offered in?
The experience is available in EN.
Is this a private or a group tour?
It is a small-group experience with a maximum of 15 participants.
Is the tour suitable for children?
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
Is the tour wheelchair accessible?
Wheelchair accessible
Reviews(33)
T
Tatev_D
July 28, 2025
Amazing experience
I recently had the opportunity to take a helicopter flight, and it was absolutely unforgettable! From start to finish, the experience was smooth, professional, and exhilarating.
Operator response
Aloha Tatev,
We’re so glad to hear your City By The Sea tour was such an amazing experience! We take great pride in creating one‑of‑a‑kind journeys that are safe, memorable, and truly exhilarating, and it’s wonderful to know your flight reflected that from start to finish.
Thank you for sharing your kind words; we’d be delighted to welcome you back for another incredible adventure!
Mahalo,
The Rainbow Helicopters Team
W
William B
January 19, 2025
Wonderful experience
Great views, knowledgeable friendly staff, and pilot was incredible. Worth every penny we spent. Would love to do it again
Operator response
Aloha William,
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We're so happy to hear that you had such a great experience with us. It’s fantastic to know that you enjoyed the views, and we’re glad our friendly staff and pilot made your time even more special. We truly appreciate you finding it worth every penny!
We’d love to have you back for another incredible flight over Oahu anytime.
Mahalo,
The Rainbow Team
B
beingmikameans
December 11, 2024
Hawaii From Above
Emma was our pilot and she really made us feel comfortable with our decision to fly with the doors off. We were able to get so many wonderful pictures and I was able to cross this off my bucket list.
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Lorraine_B
November 28, 2024
Excellent experience
Absolutely fantastic, I cant rate highly enough, the staff were all very attentive and extremely helpful and knowledgeable of the experience, and attention was paid to safety. Would 100% recommend.
T
Troy_T
April 15, 2024
Excellent customer service
Due to weather we were not able to complete our tour but the staff remained in continuous contact with us. The trip was canceled and rescheduled twice and once we had to completely cancel due to our travel plans the refund process was extremely was easy. When I return to Hawaii they are first on my list.
T
Tiffany_C
September 28, 2023
Fabulous
Great amazing the r8de was unforgettable and the views were the best ever Thanks ViATOR ..I would recommend this once in a lifetime experience
Z
Z7849UCchristopherm
December 4, 2022
A 1000 foot view of beauty 😍 - absolute must do
Excellent experience and premium 5 🌟 service. We did a 🚁 on our last visit and went with doors off this time. If you have never had the experience, you are missing out. It is a once in a lifetime experience that I would recommend you don't hesitate to do. Thank you so much 💓
Christopher
R
Randell_S
November 10, 2022
Beautiful experience over the island of Oahu
Harley our pilot was extremely professional and knowledgeable nice guy!
An exquisite adventure.
Worth every penny!!!
G
George_G
May 15, 2022
Great experience
Absolutely amazing, Highly recommend , our pilot was great ,we chose to have the doors off .I would definitely try again in the future
D
Deniesha_W
March 22, 2022
Our pilot Matt was great!...
Our pilot Matt was great! Awesome experience smooth ride. I’m afraid of heights and I was very nervous but it turned out great! Beautiful views… I would definitely do it again.
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City By The Sea - 20 Min Helicopter Tour - Doors Off or On
