10 Bucket List Alaska Helicopter Tours for 2026
When it comes to thrilling adventures in the great north, Alaska helicopter tours are second to none. I mean, yes, there’s trophy fishing, snowmobiling, high-altitude mountaineering, and northern lights hunting to name just a few of the adventures to be had in The Last Frontier, but soaring above the mountains is utterly special in its own way!
Having traveled extensively across Alaska ourselves with numerous flights around Denali, Katmai, and the Kenai Peninsula, we can personally vouch for this being one of the best things to do in the state.
We’re talking snow-capped peaks, expansive glaciers, and diverse wildlife – all visible from the comfort of your seat.
Don’t have time to read the entire post? No problem!
This Grand Knik Helicopter Tour is easily the #1 tour on this list!
⭐300 5-Star Reviews
⭐Convenient Anchorage Departure
⭐2 Hours of Flight Time
⭐ 2 Glacier Landings
But, we know that everyone’s Alaska itinerary will vary by region and time of year, which is why we’ve compiled this list of the best helicopter tours in every popular area of the state!
From Anchorage to Girdwood, you can always find a top-rated helicopter ride in the 49th State.
In addition to connecting you with the best local flight companies, we’ve also provided you with a list of the best travel tips to know before your flightseeing experience as well as all of the information you’ll need for a successful trip like what to pack, when to go, and our #1 tour pick!
🚁Anchorage Helicopter Tours
1. Grand Knik Helicopter Tour – 2 hours 3 landings – ANCHORAGE AREA
Easily one of the best tours on this list, this small group helicopter tour out of Palmer offers three separate landings: an alpine landing, an ice wall landing, and in the middle of the Knik Glacier!
Providing the most landings of any tour in the region, this 2-hour tour gives you the most bang for your buck thanks to its scenic flight route and expert guide. You’ll also have the opportunity to look for wildlife while flying over the Knik River Valley.
2. Alaska Helicopter Tour with Glacier Landing – 60 mins – ANCHORAGE AREA
Ever considered experiencing Alaska by drinking glacial water right from the glacier itself? Well, you’ll get the chance on this top-rated Anchorage helicopter tour!
The tour kicks off with a 30-minute helicopter flight over the Anchorage area from Palmer overlooking Alaska’s rugged terrain and highlighting the stunning Knik River and Great Gorge.
Upon arrival, you’ll strap on your gear for a 30-minute guided hike on the secluded Whiteout Glacier, providing incredible views of the surrounding mountain range.
This tour is a year-round favorite, offering a 30-minute Frozen Ice formation walk during winter. This is easily the #1 Alaska helicopter tour out of the Anchorage area, so be sure to book well in advance if you want a spot for your trip!
3. Palmer Helicopter and Glacier Paddle Boarding – PRIVATE
Whether you want to have some fun with your friends or are hoping to pop the question to your partner, there are a lot of reasons why a private Alaskan helicopter tour is a great idea! And this one seriously ticks all the boxes in our opinion.
This half-day tour has you enjoying everything from aerial views to mountaintop landings, and even the chance to paddle board through the stunning glacial waters of a remote area of Alaska!
Easily one of the most adventurous tours on this list, this is on our own personal Alaska bucket list.
🚁Girdwood Helicopter Tours
4. Glacier Landing Tour from Girdwood
Earning Viator’s Badge of Excellence is no easy feat, and this Glacier Landing Tour from Girdwood absolutely deserves the praise!
With flight time dedicated to the mountains and glaciers peppering the Chugach National Forest (one of my personal favorite regions in all of Alaska), guests on Alpine Air Alaska will get to step foot on some of the state’s oldest ice formations.
If you’re lucky, you might even be able to spot a few local mammals in their natural habitat.
And of course, for the photographers out there – this scenic tour gives you over 45 minutes in the air to capture some truly breathtaking aerial shots. Ideal for figuring out your camera settings under extra bright conditions, the more flight time, the better!
5. Prince William Sound Tour with Glacier Landing from Girdwood
Another impressive tour earning Viator’s Badge of Excellence, this enticing Alaska helicopter tour from Girdwood takes you soaring over the breathtaking Prince William Sound!
Enjoy a glacier view window seat as you take in a bird’s eye view of the surrounding mountains, glaciers, and potential wildlife in Alaska’s beautiful Chugach Range.
Following your glacier landing (the specific glacier will be dependent on weather), you’ll get the opportunity for stunning photos of the Sound and the surrounding national forestry.
Perfect for combining with your winter ski trip to Girdwood’s Alyeska Resort, this 70-minute flight provides one of the longest flight times of any tour on this list!
6. 30-Minute Flightseeing Tour from Girdwood
Short on time but want to pack as much as possible into every second of your trip to Alaska? We’ve got you.
In just 30 minutes, you’ll take off from Girdwood (home to the Girdwood Brewing Company – one of our favorites) and initially take in the views from the captivating Seward Highway and Turnagain Arm.
This region is known for its expansive wildlife populations, so you may even have some animal sightings during your trip! From there, you’ll continue to explore the Alyeska Range, numerous glaciers, and get the best bird’s eye view of the journey between Anchorage and the Kenai Peninsula.
Perfect for people of all ages, this 30-minute flightseeing tour from Girdwood packs a lot into a short amount of time!
🚁Ketchikan Helicopter Tours
7. Roundabout Ketchikan Helicopter Tour
Only 10 minutes in duration, this quick flight offers those with a fear of flying the perfect little taste of getting up and over the clouds!
With a very small group size (maximum 3 people) and a knowledgeable pilot, you’ll get a beautiful aerial view of the local glaciers, mountains, and even wildlife in Ketchikan’s Tongass Narrows Waterway.
Bird’s-eye-view photos are some of the best souvenirs from Alaska you can bring home, so even if you have a fear of flying or are simply short on time, you should spare a little time to get up and into the sky!
↪️Pro Tip: Ketchikan is well known for its Salmon and Halibut Fishing Charters, so be sure to take advantage of these unique
🚁Seward Helicopter Tours
8. Seward Glacier and Mountain Viewing Tour
I promise Viator doesn’t give out these awards willy-nilly, but this Glacier and Mountain Viewing Tour is also among the award-winning Alaska helicopter tours that are definitely worth your time if you’ll be heading to Seward!
On this tour, you’ll soar across the stunning Resurrection Bay where you’ll have views of 4 different glaciers before landing on the remote Godwin Glacier (rarely accessed by visitors to Seward).
You’ll be provided with excellent photography opportunities, though with the shorter flight time you’ll want to ensure your settings are accurate before getting onboard, and the chance to spot some whales or sea otters mid-flight!
9. Seward Extended Bear Glacier Scenic Flight
Departing right from Airport Road in Seward, you’ll be treated to probably the most scenic 45 minutes of your life. Not only will you get to soar over some of the most stunning glaciers and Alaskan wildlife, but you’ll also be able to spot Mt. Harding (one of the highest peaks in the Kenai Mountains)!
In the summer, you’ll witness cascading waterfalls, and year-round you will fly through the fjords that make up the beautiful Kenai Fjords National Park.
Along the journey, you’ll fly by the impressive Bear and Aialik Glaciers making for presumably the best Alaska helicopter tour leaving out of Seward!
10. Seward Grand View Tour
An incredible journey departing directly from Seward, guests will enjoy a stunning flight over the Kenai Fjords National Park and Chugach National Forest!
This 1-hour helicopter ride will take you around Resurrection Bay and over to Bear Glacier among other impressive landmarks like the Harding Ice Field, Aialik Bay, and the Aialik Glacier which is typically only reachable by Kenai Fjords boat tours!
Perfect for getting an aerial view of local wildlife, glaciers, and the Kenai Mountains, this tour is a great choice for travelers of all ages.
What to Know Before a Helicopter Ride in AK
Before getting in a helicopter, there are a few things we should note to help ensure you have a good experience.
- Photographers, Be Ready!: If this will be your first time capturing landscapes from above, make sure to learn a few good tricks for ensuring your photos are in focus. It can be exceedingly difficult to avoid overexposure from the snow, blurry images from the constant movement, or to forget to change your aperture if you want everything in focus.
With minimal flight time, usually no more than an hour, you won’t have much time to figure out why your photos aren’t coming out the way you hoped! The best thing you can do is study the best settings for the environment you’ll be in and understand what to do if you need to change them. - Helicopters are Loud: You’ll be given a headset that allows you to communicate with the pilot and other passengers, but don’t be surprised if you have a difficult time hearing everyone. The vibrations make it relatively normal for voices to cut in and out over the headsets, so a lot of the time you can’t really hear what’s going on.
- You Might Get Motionsick: If you’re prone to motion sickness, be sure to prepare beforehand with medication, bracelets, etc. Taking off and landing makes some people squeezy, and turbulence can also happen mid-flight.
- It Can Be Very Cold: The interior of helicopters is not heated, so you’ll want to come prepared with long pants, long sleeves, jackets, and hats even in summer. When you fly over and land on the glaciers, be prepared for chilly temperatures!
- Helicopters Get Canceled: While it may not be as frequent as bush planes or float planes, helicopters need relatively good weather to fly. To ensure you have the best chance of getting off the ground, it’s a good idea to keep one day open on either side of your scheduled tour in case you need to reschedule.
- You Might Want a Private Tour: If getting a window seat is important to you (perhaps you’re a photographer), then it’s best to book a private tour like this one since the pilot typically puts passengers in specific seats based on their size and weight.
With a private tour, you’ll be able to request a window seat and provide your weight in advance, allowing the pilot enough time to make the necessary safety arrangements for the flight. - Pilots Won’t Turn Back for Wildlife: If you do see wildlife while flying, consider yourself lucky. Most pilots avoid circling an animal to ensure that everyone in the helicopter can see it, as doing so signals hunters about the animal’s location and thus makes the animal an easy target.
FAQ
In this last section, we’ve answered some important questions regarding your AK helicopter ride including the best time of year to go, whether or not they’re worth the money, and how to stay safe while onboard.
Are Helicopter Tours Worth the Money?
Helicopter tours are unquestionably worth the money! They’re one of the most adventurous ways to travel across The Last Frontier, allowing you a unique perspective of some of the last untouched regions on the planet.
These tours are designed with safety as a top priority and often include knowledgeable, local pilots who share engaging facts and stories about their personal encounters with glacial melting.
Our pilot mentioned he had been flying over one region for the last 25 years and had seen firsthand how much a particular glacier had receded, destroying much of the land in its path.
Getting the chance to see and even land on some of the largest glaciers on the planet is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that is absolutely worth budgeting for.
What is the Best Time for a Heli Tour?
The best time for a heli tour in Alaska is during early summer to early fall – around June through October.
The weather is typically more predictable and the days are longer (thanks to that glorious midnight sun), giving you a better chance of taking off at your scheduled departure.
Sure, it’s going to be a bit colder in the fall, but this is when we were rewarded with one of the clearest days of the year. Our summer flightseeing tour actually got canceled three times due to rain and poor visibility, so don’t bank on the summer months being the best for heli tours in Alaska.
Are Helicopter Tours Cold?
Especially in Alaska, helicopter tours can get quite cold! The first time Sean and I took a flightseeing tour around Mount Denali from Talkeetna, my hands were so cold (with gloves on) that I could barely use my camera.
Since you’ll be leaving civilization behind and entering a world of mountaintops, glaciers, and let’s face it… snow (yes, even in the summer months), it’s going to be imperative that you bundle up for any of the Alaska helicopter tours listed above!
For more details on the type of weather you can expect during your trip, check out How Cold is Alaska? Alaska Temperatures in 2025.
What Do You Wear on a Helicopter Ride in Alaska?
If you’ll be getting in a helicopter, layering is key. Start with a base layer of thermal or moisture-wicking clothing to keep you dry and warm.
Add a mid-layer such as a fleece for insulation, followed by a waterproof and windproof outer layer to protect against the elements.
Don’t forget a pair of sturdy, warm boots, gloves, a winter hat, and sunglasses for the glare. Remember, it’s better to be overdressed than underprepared – you can always remove a layer if you’re too warm!
What are the Best Helicopter Tours in Alaska?
While there are dozens of amazing companies all across the 49th state, the best helicopter tours in Alaska include the Denali Experience Flightseeing Tour from Talkeetna (it’s actually in a bush plane, but it was my favorite flight in Alaska of all time), the 60-minute Alaska Helicopter Tour with Glacier Landing from Palmer, and the 2-hour Grand Knik Helicopter Tour!
What Helicopter Tours in Alaska Are Good for Avoiding Crowds?
Fortunately, due to the nature of the size of a helicopter, you’ll rarely be with more than a few people during your flightseeing tour.
However, since many helicopter tour companies communicate on the safest routes and glaciers to land on each day, there’s a good chance that when you land you’ll be with a larger group than you started.
Don’t let that put you off though, everybody will be there for the same pictures and views, so you’ll get the same opportunity as everyone to see the best spots!
Can You See Wildlife on Alaska Helicopter Tours?
One of the fantastic perks of helicopter tours is the opportunity to spot diverse wildlife in their natural habitats.
From the sky, you might catch sight of majestic mammals like moose, bears, foxes, and even the occasional roaming caribou. Bald eagles are also quite common, so you can almost count on seeing at least one or two during your flight.
And let’s not forget the marine wildlife! If you’re flying over the coastal areas or near the glaciers, you might spot whales, sea otters, or seals lounging on the icebergs.
Do note, however, that wildlife sightings can never be guaranteed and even if you do see them, most of the time it’ll be at a far distance. If you want to see wildlife up close, take a look at these bear-viewing tours!
Are Alaska Helicopter Tours Safe?
Alaska helicopter tours are generally very safe. All reputable companies place a high emphasis on safety, and pilots are well-trained and experienced, especially in navigating Alaska’s unique weather conditions and terrain.
Before takeoff, you’ll receive a safety briefing to ensure you’re well-prepared for the ride. Additionally, helicopters are regularly inspected and maintained to meet strict safety regulations.
It’s important, however, to book with a trustworthy company that has a good safety record and reviews. Remember, while nothing is 100% risk-free, these measures greatly enhance the safety of your unforgettable adventure in the Alaskan skies.
If you want to know more about what you can do to stay safe during your tour, take a look at this Helicopter Passenger Safety Guide.
Skip to the bottom of the post? Not an issue!
This Grand Knik Helicopter Tour is easily the #1 tour on this list!
⭐300 5-Star Reviews
⭐Convenient Anchorage Departure
⭐2 Hours of Flight Time
⭐ 2 Glacier Landings
Nobody doubts the enjoyment that comes from exploring the coastal city streets and rugged mountaintops of Alaska.
But, what people don’t realize is the best way to experience Alaska isn’t actually via a cruise or basic land itinerary. It takes many people a long time to learn that the best type of Alaska travel is actually via flightseeing tours!
They provide an experience like no other, with breathtaking views of the wilderness and wildlife. Whether you glide over Denali National Park where you enjoy some remote bear viewing or go deep inside the stunning Chugach National Forest where you’ll spot dozens of bald eagles, there’s no saying what you may find during your flightseeing adventure.
These Alaska helicopter tours have changed our lives for the better, and we hope they do the same to yours!
