Is a helicopter tour in Oahu worth it?

For most first-time visitors, yes, if the budget fits and you want to see the whole island in one hour. If your trip is built around the North Shore, or you want a private flight without engine noise, a glider ride from Dillingham Airfield gives you the aerial view for less and with nobody else on board.

How safe are helicopter tours in Hawaii?

Tour helicopters in Hawaii are flown by commercial pilots under FAA rules, and the pilot calls off flights when the weather is not right. Every air tour, including ours, works that way. A glider adds one more thing: it is built to fly with no engine at all, so gliding down gently is how it lands every single time.

Are gliders safer than planes?

Both are FAA-certificated aircraft flown by certificated pilots. The difference is what a glider does with no power: nothing changes. It flies on the lift its long wings make, and it glides down slowly and smoothly on its own. Your pilot keeps the runway within an easy glide the whole flight.

How much does a helicopter tour cost in Hawaii?

They are priced on different bases. Helicopter tours on Oahu are priced per person and vary by operator, tour length and whether the doors are off. A glider ride is priced per flight, so one price covers one or two passengers. Check current rates with each operator before you book.

Glider flying above the green Waiʻanae mountains on Oahu's North Shore

Choosing an air tour

Glider ride or helicopter tour on Oahu? What you see, hear and pay

Both fly the same coast. Here is what is different, side by side, so you can pick the one that fits your trip.

What travelers ask

A helicopter tour is what most people picture. You lift off from Honolulu airport, loop the island in about an hour, and see everything from Diamond Head to the North Shore. A glider ride on Oahu is different. It is a real aircraft with no engine. A pilot flies it, and it glides along the North Shore on the wind. There is nothing to hear but air moving over the wings. Both are great. They are not the same, and the table below shows where they split.

Side by side
	Glider ride	Helicopter tour
What you see	The North Shore coast, the Waiʻanae mountains and the reef, slow and close.	Most of the island in one loop, at speed.
What you hear	Wind over the wings. That is it.	Engine and rotor the whole flight, through a headset.
Who is on board	You and your pilot, or you, one other person and the pilot.	Up to six passengers plus the pilot.
Price	Priced per flight, so one or two people share one price.	Priced per person, and it varies by operator and tour.
Time in the air	20, 30 or 60 minutes.	Usually 45 to 60 minutes for the island loop.
Leaves from	Dillingham Airfield in Mokulēia, about an hour from Waikiki.	Honolulu airport, about 20 minutes from Waikiki.
Fuel	None once it is flying.	Jet fuel for the whole flight.

Air tours

Should I book a helicopter tour or a glider ride on Oahu?

Answered by Hawaii Glider Rides

The answers

What you seeThe viewAsked most
Both fly over the North Shore, and it is the prettiest stretch of the island from the air. The helicopter shows you more places in less time: Pearl Harbor, Diamond Head, the windward cliffs. The glider stays on the North Shore and the Waiʻanae side, but it turns slowly and lingers, so you see the reef, the surf lines and the ridges in detail instead of at a glance.
What you hearThe sound
In a helicopter you wear a headset because the engine and rotor run the whole time. In a glider there is no engine. Once you are up, the only sound is wind over the wings, and you can talk to your pilot in a normal voice. People who have done both say the quiet is the thing they did not expect.
Who is on boardPrivacy
Tour helicopters on Oahu carry up to six passengers, so you may share the cabin with strangers and be placed by weight. A glider ride is just you and your pilot, or you, one other person and the pilot. Nobody else in the picture.
What it costsPrice
The two are priced on different bases, which matters more than the headline number. A helicopter tour is priced per person, so a couple pays twice, and doors-off or private flights cost more again. A glider ride is priced per flight at 20, 30 or 60 minutes, and one price covers one or two passengers. For a couple that usually makes the glider the lower total. Current glider prices are on the pricing page; check each helicopter operator for theirs.
How long you are upTime
Most Oahu helicopter tours give you 45 to 60 minutes in the air after 30 to 45 minutes of check-in and briefing. Glider flights are 20, 30 or 60 minutes. The 30-minute flight is the one we point most people to. It is long enough to reach the coast, ride the ridge and take your photos without watching the clock.
Which one to pickOur honest take
Pick the helicopter if you want to see the whole island in one shot and do not mind sharing the ride. Pick the glider if you want it quiet, private and slow, and you would rather spend the morning on the North Shore than at the airport. If you are choosing between them for a proposal or an anniversary, two seats beats six.

Choosing an air tour

Try the quiet one

20, 30 or 60 minutes over Oahu's North Shore with no engine running. Free reschedule up to 48 hours before you fly.

Book Your Flight See What It's Like

Quick answers

What people ask next

For most first-time visitors, yes, if the budget fits and you want to see the whole island in one hour. If your trip is built around the North Shore, or you want a private flight without engine noise, a glider ride from Dillingham Airfield gives you the aerial view for less and with nobody else on board.

This page is written and published by Hawaii Glider Rides. It summarizes the advice we hear most often from visitors and locals planning a trip to Oahu. It is not affiliated with or sourced from Reddit, Inc. Confirm hours, conditions and bookings directly with each operator.