NYC Helicopter Tour: Manhattan Skyline & Statue of Liberty

★★★★★★★★★★ 4.67 (663 reviews) 85% rated it 5 stars

Free cancellationTravelers' pickLikely to sell out

1/10

Duration25m–30m

GroupUp to 6

LanguagesEN

Mobile ticketAccepted

See Manhattan from Both Sides of the Helicopter in 30 Minutes

You board a shared helicopter at Linden Airport in New Jersey and fly 25–30 minutes over Manhattan, passing the Statue of Liberty, Central Park, Empire State Building, Hudson River, and George Washington Bridge. The pilot narrates live, windows wrap around both sides of the cabin, and you choose daytime, sunset, or night departure. A free shuttle runs from Linden Station, and all landing fees are included in the price.

25m–30m

Step-by-step itinerary

Helicopter flight over NYC landmarks

Fly above Linden Airport
Fly above Staten Island
Fly by Coney Island
Fly above New York Harbor
Glide past Statue of Liberty
Fly past Ellis Island
Fly above Verrazzano Bridge
Fly past Governors Island
View Manhattan Skyline
See One World Trade Center
Fly past 9/11 Memorial
View Empire State Building
Fly past Chrysler Building
Fly by Little Island
See Intrepid Museum
Fly by Chelsea Piers
Fly past Rockefeller Center
View Hudson Yards
Fly by The Vessel
See Madison Square Garden
Fly past One Vanderbilt
Fly by Times Square
Fly by Central Park Tower
Fly by Central Park
Fly past Columbia University
Fly above George Washington Bridge
Fly past Yankee Stadium
Fly by Palisade cliffs of New Jersey

The Experience

The shuttle from Linden Station runs a bit behind schedule, which means you're standing in the heliport office with five other people, all of you checking your phones and wondering if you're going to miss the window. Then the pilot walks in, hands you a waiver, and suddenly the whole thing feels real. You sign, they check your ID, and within ten minutes you're buckled into a seat with windows that go floor to ceiling, and the rotors are already spinning. The New York City helicopter tour departs from Linden Airport in New Jersey—just a short ride from the train station—and it's the only sightseeing flight that runs on Sundays, which is worth knowing if you're planning around a weekend.

The flight itself is 25 to 30 minutes, and it covers a lot of ground. You lift off and head south over Staten Island, then swing past Coney Island and into New York Harbor where the Statue of Liberty sits smaller than you'd expect from the ground but somehow more present when you're at eye level with it. The pilot narrates the whole thing—pointing out Ellis Island, the Verrazzano Bridge, Governors Island with downtown Manhattan rising behind it. Then you turn north and follow the Hudson River up the spine of Manhattan. Central Park appears like a green rectangle in the middle of all that concrete. The Empire State Building, the Chrysler Building, One World Trade Center, Hudson Yards with the Vessel sitting in the middle of it like a sculpture someone dropped from space. Times Square glows if you're on a sunset or night tour. You pass over the George Washington Bridge, see Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, and then you're heading back down to Linden.

The windows are the thing—you get views from both sides of the helicopter as it banks, so there's no bad seat. The cabin is climate controlled, and the pilot's narration is live, not a recording, so it changes depending on what's happening that day. If you choose the sunset tour, you'll watch the city light up beneath you as the sky goes from blue to orange to dark. The night tour is different—Times Square and the buildings are all lit up, and the whole skyline looks like someone turned on every light at once. You can bring a camera and your phone, but that's it; everything else goes in a complimentary locker. The fuel surcharge and heliport fees are included, so there are no surprises when you check in.

Getting there is straightforward if you're coming from the city. Take NJT to Linden Station, and you can request a free shuttle to the airport—it's about a 10-minute drive. If you'd rather not wait for the shuttle, Uber and Lyft both serve the station. You'll need a current government-issued photo ID on the day you fly, and all passengers sign a waiver before boarding. Children under 2 sit on an adult's lap at no charge; older kids need their own seat. The helicopter is wheelchair accessible, and service animals are allowed.

What’s included

Your tour includes heliport landing and facility fees, a shared helicopter flight with other passengers, fuel surcharge, live pilot narration throughout the flight, floor-to-ceiling windows for views from both sides of the cabin, a climate-controlled cabin, and complimentary lockers to store your belongings. A free shuttle from Linden Station to Linden Airport is available by request.

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportPets welcomePublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by HeliNY

Is this one for you?This works well if you want to see the Manhattan skyline, Statue of Liberty, and major landmarks from the air without arranging your own transportation or worrying about hidden fees—the flight time is short enough to fit into a day trip, and the Sunday schedule makes it an option when ground tours are crowded.