Big Island helicopter tours at a glance
Distances on Hawaiʻi Island are long: from Hilo airport to Kailua-Kona is about 1 hour 45 minutes by car. A helicopter ride over the Big Island covers in one flight what takes hours on the road. The main flights leave from the airport in Hilo on the east side, close to Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, and from a heliport in Waikoloa Village on the west side. Coast flights add shorter routes along the shore. Flight times range from about 45 minutes to 2 hours.
Over the national park, commercial air tours follow a fixed plan set by the park service and the aviation authority. It limits the number of flights, the routes and the days. That shapes what a volcano flight can show, so read the section below before you choose.
Our picks: helicopter tours
The 55-minute flight is the shorter way to see the park from the air, and the Hilo flight is similar. The two-hour tour covers more of the island, but it is the biggest budget step.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide and Viator. Prices are indicative starting prices in US dollars (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Two-hour helicopter tour with a pilot guide
- Noise-cancelling headsets
- Pilot who guides
- Fees and taxes
A two-hour flight with noise-cancelling headsets and two-way talk with the pilot, who is also a certified guide. Fees and taxes are included.
Check availability →One-hour helicopter flight from Hilo
- Helicopter flight
- Departs from Hilo
A one-hour helicopter flight that leaves from Hilo. Ask before booking which route it flies, because routes around the national park follow fixed rules.
Check availability →
55-minute helicopter flight over the national park
- Flight over the park
- Safety briefing
- Fees and taxes
About 55 minutes in the air with a safety briefing, fees and taxes included. The flight follows the permitted routes and does not promise a view of lava.
Check availability →Big Island helicopter tours
Volcano flights from Hilo and long island flights from Waikoloa, with live prices and availability.
Hilo helicopter tours
Short flights from the east side, where the national park is closest.
Volcano flight over the national park
The main Hilo product is a flight of about 55 minutes to 1 hour over Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. A safety briefing and all fees and taxes are part of it. Check-in is at the small commuter terminal next to the main terminal at Hilo airport.
Short flight around Hilo
A shorter flight of about 50 minutes also starts in Hilo. It includes noise-cancelling headsets, two-way microphones to talk with the pilot and a pilot guide who is a state-certified tour guide. Check the route in the tour details before you book.
Why Hilo for the volcano
From Hilo airport, the national park is about 45 minutes by car; from Kailua-Kona it takes about 2 to 2.5 hours. A flight from Hilo therefore spends less of its time getting to the park. If you stay on the west side, add the drive to Hilo to your day.
Hilo guide →Kona helicopter tours: flights from Waikoloa
The long island flight starts in Waikoloa Village, not in Kailua-Kona town.
Long island flight
The longest flight runs about 105 minutes to 2 hours from the heliport on Waikoloa Road in Waikoloa Village. A headset and a pilot guide are included, and the pilots are also state-certified tour guides. The route is set by the operator, so read it in the tour details.
Check-in and weight
For the long flight, check-in is 1 hour before departure for a weight check and safety briefing. Plan that hour into your day, together with the drive.
Getting to the heliport
Transport to and from the heliport is not included. From Kona airport, the coastal Waikoloa area and Waikoloa Village are taxi destinations; a rental car is simpler if you stay in Kailua-Kona or on the Kohala Coast.
Airport and car rental →Coast flights: Kohala coast, waterfalls and volcano views
Shorter routes along the shore.
Coastal sights flight
A coastal sights flight takes about 45 minutes and follows the shoreline. It is sold with the doors on or off. A doors-off flight is open to wind and noise, so check what you are booking and keep loose items in a bag.
Kohala, volcano and waterfall flight
A longer coast flight of about 1.5 hours combines the Kohala coast with volcano views and a waterfall. The route is set by the operator. Over the national park the air tour rules below apply, so a volcano view does not mean flying over the crater.
Helicopter flights compared
The flight types in 2026.
| Flight | Starts at | Length | Included | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volcano flight | Hilo airport | About 55 minutes to 1 hour | Flight over the national park, safety briefing, fees and taxes | Stays in Hilo or Volcano Village |
| Short Hilo flight | Hilo | About 50 minutes | Headsets, two-way microphones, pilot guide | A short first flight |
| Coast flights | Check the tour details | About 45 minutes to 1.5 hours | Doors on or off on some flights | Shore views in less time |
| Long island flight | Waikoloa Village | About 105 minutes to 2 hours | Headset, pilot guide | Stays on the Kohala Coast or in Kailua-Kona |
For most visitors staying on the east side, the Hilo volcano flight is the obvious choice: short drive, short check-in and the park close by. If you are based on the west side and want one long flight instead of a day trip to Hilo, the Waikoloa flight saves the drive across the island.
Big Island volcano helicopter tour: what the rules allow
The air tour management plan for Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, completed in December 2023, allows up to 1,548 commercial air tours a year. They fly on 3 fixed routes over the park and within half a mile of its boundary, and the routes avoid the summit of Kīlauea. A volcano flight is therefore not a flight in circles over the active crater.
Under the plan, air tours over the park fly on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Quieter aircraft that qualify may fly from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on those days and on Wednesday. On Sundays and on named cultural days there are no air tours in the plan area. That rule covers the park area, not every helicopter flight on the island.
A flight over the volcano does not promise lava. Eruption activity at Kīlauea changes over time. Check the current updates of the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory and the park service close to your flight date, and read the Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park guide for the ground view.
Before you book
Three points that decide whether the flight fits your trip.
Day of the week
If you want to fly over the national park, avoid Sundays and the named cultural days, when the plan allows no air tours there. The flight days of single products can differ, so check the calendar in the tour details.
Whales from the air
Aircraft must keep at least 1,000 feet (300 m) from humpback whales, all year. You may see whales from above, but a helicopter will not drop low to circle them. For a closer look, a boat tour from Kona is the better fit.
Ground alternative
If the flight does not fit your budget or day, a guided volcano tour by van covers the national park on the ground; most include park stops on the ground.
Helicopter flights are also popular on the neighbouring islands; the Kauai helicopter tours guide covers the flights there.
Big Island helicopter tours: frequently asked questions
Where do helicopter tours on the Big Island start?
The main flights start at Hilo airport on the east side and at a heliport in Waikoloa Village on the west side. Coast flights start elsewhere, so check the start in the tour details and plan the drive.
Will I see lava from the helicopter?
That cannot be promised. Eruption activity at Kīlauea changes, and the fixed air tour routes avoid the summit. Check the USGS and park service updates before your flight.
How long is a Big Island helicopter tour?
Between about 45 minutes and 2 hours. The volcano flight from Hilo takes about 55 minutes to 1 hour, coast flights about 45 minutes to 1.5 hours and the long flight from Waikoloa about 105 minutes to 2 hours.
Can I fly on a Sunday?
Not over the national park: the air tour plan allows no flights in the plan area on Sundays and named cultural days. That does not ban every helicopter flight on the island, so check the calendar of your flight.
Why is my weight needed?
For the long flight from Waikoloa, check-in is 1 hour before departure for a weight check and safety briefing. Plan that hour into your day and arrive on time.