Honolulu: 20-Min Helicopter Tour, Doors Off & Diamond Head

Twenty minutes above Honolulu, from the crater rim to the harbor

You fly out of Honolulu International Airport for a 20-minute loop over Waikiki, Diamond Head, Punchbowl Crater, and Pearl Harbor, with views into the crater and down to the USS Arizona Memorial. Choose doors-off for unobstructed photos or doors-on for a standard window view. The tour includes a phone strap to secure your camera and parking fees, and you're back on the ground before the experience feels rushed.

Step-by-step itinerary

Helicopter tour over Honolulu and Pearl Harbor

• Take off from Honolulu International Airport
• Fly over Honolulu Harbor and South Shore
• View Ala Moana Center and Magic Island
• See Waikiki beaches and ocean activities
• Fly above Diamond Head crater
• Pass over Punchbowl Crater and Military Cemetery
• Fly to Pearl Harbor National Memorial
• Pass USS Arizona Memorial and Battleship Missouri

The experience

The rotor blades spin up and the ground drops away fast. Within seconds you're climbing past the Ala Moana Center and out over Honolulu Harbor, the city shrinking into a grid of streets and the ocean opening up in every direction. This 20-minute helicopter tour launches from Honolulu International Airport and takes you over the South Shore first: Waikiki's white sand packed with surfers and swimmers, the sailboats dotting the water, the whole scene that makes people say they're never leaving. Your phone strap keeps the camera secure (they include it), and if you booked doors-off, you're already leaning into the wind with nothing between you and the view.

Diamond Head comes up fast, and from the air it's a different thing entirely. You're looking straight down into the crater, watching hikers on the ridge below look up at you. The scale changes everything. After that you swing inland past Punchbowl Crater and the U.S. National Military Cemetery of the Pacific, then head west toward Pearl Harbor. The USS Arizona Memorial sits in the water where it went down, and the Battleship Missouri is moored nearby, both of them small and exact from above. The whole route takes you through the layers of Honolulu (the busy parts, the natural parts, the historical parts), and by the end you understand why the tour calls itself City By The Sea.

If you're doing doors-off, know that your seat might not be directly next to the open door: the operator balances weight and seat placement for safety. You'll need closed-toe shoes, a jacket or sweatshirt, and hair tied back. Long pants are recommended. Only passengers weighing 80 pounds or more can fly doors-off in the Robinson R44 helicopter, or 100 pounds or more in the Airbus Astar. The doors-on option gives you the same route and the same 20 minutes, just with the window between you and the air.

What’s included

• Helicopter flight departing Honolulu International Airport.
• phone strap for camera security.
• parking fees.
• views of Waikiki Beach, Diamond Head crater, Punchbowl Crater, Pearl Harbor, USS Arizona Memorial, and Battleship Missouri.
• choice of doors-on or doors-off seating.

Options for this experience

4 options

Private tour with doors offGuide in English · 8 departure times: the first at 09:00, the last at 17:00Make your tour private, with just your party

Doors Off TourGuide in English · 8 departure times: the first at 09:00, the last at 17:00Helicopter with doors off

Doors On TourGuide in English · 8 departure times: the first at 09:00, the last at 17:00Helicopter with doors on

Private tour with doors onGuide in English · 8 departure times: the first at 09:00, the last at 17:00Make your tour private, with just your party, doors on

You see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates & prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day8 departure times: the first at 09:00, the last at 17:00

Book up to2h before

AgesAdult (2 and older) · Infant (under 2): free

GroupUp to 15

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 4 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleStroller friendlyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Rainbow Helicopters

Is this one for you?Book this if you want the main Honolulu landmarks in 20 minutes without arranging ground transport or timing a land-based tour. The helicopter does the routing and the timing for you, and you see everything from above in one flight.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Infant (under 2): free.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

How long is the actual flight time?

20 minutes in the air, from takeoff at Honolulu International Airport through all five main stops and back.

What's included with the tour?

The helicopter flight, a phone strap for your camera, and parking fees. Everything else is your own gear.

Can I choose doors-off if I'm nervous about heights?

Yes, doors-on gives you the same route and views through the window. You decide at booking which option suits you.

Is there a weight requirement for doors-off?

Yes. You need to weigh at least 80 pounds in the Robinson R44 helicopter or 100 pounds in the Airbus Astar to fly with the door open.

What do I need to wear for a doors-off flight?

Closed-toe shoes, a jacket or sweatshirt, and hair tied back. Long pants are recommended to protect your legs from wind and sun.

Will my seat be next to the open door?

Not necessarily. The operator places passengers based on weight and balance, so your seat location isn't guaranteed even if you book doors-off.

What if I weigh 250 pounds or more?

A weight and balance fee applies after booking. Guests weighing 250–275 pounds pay 50% of the seat price. Those 275 pounds or heavier need to purchase an additional seat.