Helicopter Tours on the Big Island of Hawaii

Taking a helicopter tour is a great way to see a lot of the Big Island in a short amount of time. There are a number of different tours available departing from both the Kona side and the Hilo side of the Big Island. Some tours focus on our active volcano while other tours fly over the lush, green valleys and waterfalls of the Kohala area and the Hamakua coastline.
 
Tour options for Blue Hawaiian Helicopters are listed below. (At this moment no night-time flights are permitted on the Big Island.)

 

Types of Helicopter Tours:

Circle of Fire and Waterfalls – From Hilo This is a 50-minute tour of the most geologically active environment on earth, the famous Kilauea volcano. Our volcano has been continuously erupting since 1983. Tour emphasis is on the most current areas of volcanic activity. View lava flows and black sand beaches. See tropical rain forests and cascading waterfalls while learning about the history and culture of Hawaii.
Tour routes and sights visited may vary according to wind and weather conditions. Volcanic activity varies hourly.

Kohala Coast Adventure – From Waikoloa
Tour the Kohala coast, valleys, and waterfalls. Many consider this area to have the most spectacular scenery on the Big Island. The towering sea cliffs open into the dramatically deep and meandering valleys of the Kohala Mountains. Beautiful waterfalls cascade thousands of feet into the rainforest below and remnants of ancient Hawaiian settlements are still visible. This tour is 50 minutes long.

Big Island Spectacular – From Waikoloa
Discover both the Big Island's beauty and its volcanic fury. Tour the most geologically active environment on earth-the famous Kilauea volcano, which has been continuously erupting since 1983. View lava flows and black sand beaches. Experience all the awesome spectacle of Madame Pele's lava and volcanic badlands, then explore the lush rainforests of the Hamakua Coast. The towering sea cliffs open into the dramatically deep and meandering valleys of the Kohala Mountains. Beautiful waterfalls cascade thousands of feet into the rainforest below and remnants of ancient Hawaiian settlements are still visible. This is the perfect finish to the ultimate Big Island adventure. This tour was voted #1 by The Travel Channel as the "World's Best Helicopter Thrill."
Tour routes and sights visited may vary according to wind and weather conditions. Volcanic activity varies hourly. This tour is 2 hours long.

Departure Points:
All Blue Hawaiian helicopter tours depart from either the Hilo International airport or their Waikaloa headquarters (a 45 minute drive north of Kona).

Blue Hawaiian Helicopter tours depart from the Hilo International Airport or the Blue Hawaiian headquarters in Waikoloa.

Please select the correct map below. Check-in time for all helicopter tours in 45 minutes prior to your tour.

Please contact us with any questions that you may have.

Blue Hawaiian Helicopter Tours MAP
Hilo International Airport
Hilo, HI 96720

Blue Hawaiian Helicopter Tours
Waikoloa Rd
Waikoloa, HI 96738

Types of Helicopters

Know your aircraft before you book any tour!
The helicopter you fly in has a huge impact on the quality of your air-tour experience. Blue Hawaiian Helicopters offers their tours in both the A-Star and the Eco-Star state-of-the-art choppers.


American Eurocopter A-Star (AS350):
Less personal space than the Eco-Star but with a similar open cabin design for 180º views from each seat, this model is utilized by the majority of air tour operators in Hawaii.

American Eurocopter Eco-Star (EC130):
Every seat offers greater personal space, first-class individual seats, and expansive glass for exceptional visibility. This is the world’s newest and most expensive model of touring helicopter, and the first specifically designed for air tours.



More about the Eco-Star:
Blue Hawaiian Helicopters now offers the option of upgrading any of your tours on their state-of-the-art Eco-Star Helicopters. Eco-Star’s 23% increase in cabin space over the A-Star affords significantly greater personal space for guests, along with improved visibility with over 65 square feet of glass for 180 degree unobstructed views.
- Eco-Star features superior comfort; individual seats for every passenger afford the kind of shoulder room and personal space found in airline "First Class" seating.
- Eco-Star features raised rear seating and wrap-around glass cockpit, for significantly improved visibility from every seat.
- Eco-Star: First helicopter specifically designed for touring, utilizing the latest aircraft and avionics technologies.
- Eco-Star: high-tech, enclosed "Fenestron," or "Fan in Fin," replaces A-Star’s conventional tail rotor. Fenestron is: Safer, Quieter and More efficient—using 25% less engine horsepower, which can now be utilized by the main rotorsystem.
- Eco-Star’s state-of-the-art fuel control automatically optimizes main rotor speed for quietest operations and instant power response. Achieved with a "Full Authority Digital Electronic Control" (FADEC), utilizing dual electronic channels with one electrical backup channel and a third hydro-mechanical backup control.
- Eco-Star’s engine uses latest "Grown Crystal" technology for turbine blades—increasing power, heat tolerance and fuel efficiency. This, along with the FADEC, is the same technology used in state-of-the-art airline engines such those on the leading-edge Boeing 777.
- Eco-Star features dual hydraulic systems.
- Eco-Star cost is over $2 million - approximately 30% more than a new A-Star.