New York Night Helicopter Tours
Hours, prices and access verified by the New York Night Tours team — last checked 2026-09-27.
New York Night helicopter tours fly for 25 to 30 minutes over the harbor, the downtown towers and the Hudson, from two airfields in New Jersey. Choose the airfield you can reach, then a time after dark.
Night flights over the city
★★★★★ 4.7 (664 reviews · 25 to 30 minutes in the air)
Helicopter flight25 to 30 min in the airLinden Airport, New JerseyYou pick the flight time
A shared flight of 25 to 30 minutes from Linden, New Jersey, at a time you choose: the statue, Lower Manhattan, up the Hudson to the George Washington Bridge and back. The pilot narrates; landing fees and fuel are in the fare.
From $330 per person
Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.
★★★★★ 4.9 (20 reviews · 25 to 30 minutes in the air)
Helicopter flight25 to 30 min in the airEssex County Airport, NJYou pick the flight time
A shared flight of 25 to 30 minutes from Fairfield, New Jersey, about 45 minutes by taxi from Midtown. Children from two pay the full fare, anyone over 275 lb buys a second seat, and photo ID is a must.
From $334 per person
Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.
★★★★★ 4.8 (122 reviews)
Helicopter flightFlight length not listedEssex County Airport, NJYou pick the flight time
The lowest helicopter fare here, from Fairfield, New Jersey, with every fee and tax in it. It needs four passengers or the time moves to combine groups, and the limit is 250 lb a person. The flight length is not listed.
From $275 per person
Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.
Fly at the time you choose, from Linden, New Jersey
25 to 30 minutes over the harbor, Lower Manhattan and up the Hudson, with the pilot narrating, for $330 a person.
See this tour
What a night helicopter tour of New York is
It is a shared flight of about half an hour over the lit city, in a helicopter of up to six.
You take off from an airfield in New Jersey, cross to the harbor, pass the statue and the towers
of Lower Manhattan, and fly up the Hudson past Midtown before turning back. On HeliNY and Charm
the pilot or a live commentary talks you through it.
None of these flights leaves from Manhattan. HeliNY flies from Linden Airport, which you reach
by NJ Transit from Penn Station and a short shuttle or taxi. Charm Aviation and Zip Aviation fly
from Essex County Airport in Fairfield, about 45 minutes by taxi from Midtown or by the Lakeland
bus from the Port Authority. Getting there is part of the evening, so plan it before you book.
Why choose a night helicopter tour
The only view from above the towers
A deck on a skyscraper looks across at its neighbours. A helicopter looks down on all of them
at once, with the bridges and the black water of the harbor between.
You choose when it gets dark
On HeliNY you pick the departure time when you book. Take one after full dark, which is about
9:02pm in mid-June and before 5pm in December, and you fly over the city already lit.
A small cabin
Six people at most share a flight. HeliNY's cabin has floor-to-ceiling windows and is
climate-controlled, and so is Charm's.
Fees in the fare
The landing and facility fees and the fuel surcharge are included, so the price you see is
the price of the flight. Souvenir photos are extra.
Night helicopter tours vs a private plane flight
The other way into the air is a small plane from Linden, with nobody else on board. Here is
what changes.
| Helicopter flight | Private plane |
|---|
| Time in the air | 25 to 30 minutes | About 45 minutes in all |
| Who flies with you | Up to six, shared | Your party only, up to three |
| Fare | $275 to $334 a person | $178 a person |
| When | A time you pick, or one set to fill the cabin | An evening flight |
| Refund | In full up to 24 hours ahead | None once booked |
| Airfield | Linden or Fairfield, New Jersey | Linden, New Jersey |
Check availability from $330
The plane costs less a head and gives your party the cabin, but it cannot be refunded. The
helicopter flights refund in full if your plans change a day ahead. Our guide to night tour prices sets both beside every other fare.
What you get, and what you don't
- Always: a shared flight, and the landing fees and fuel, or every fee and
tax, in the fare.
- On HeliNY: a free shuttle from Linden station on request, free lockers for
your bags, and a departure time you choose.
- Not included: getting to New Jersey and back, and souvenir photos.
- Never: a take-off from Manhattan, or a flight without government photo ID.
Fly from Fairfield with live commentary
Charm Aviation's 25 to 30 minutes over the harbor, Manhattan and the Hudson, for $334 a person. Arrive 45 minutes before a slot after 4pm.
Check availability
Planning a night helicopter tour
- Budget: $275 to $334 a person, and children from age 2 pay the full fare on
Charm Aviation. Add the train or the taxi to New Jersey.
- Where: Linden Airport for HeliNY and Essex County Airport for Charm and Zip;
both are on our meeting-points map.
- Check-in: 50 minutes before on HeliNY, 30 minutes on Zip, and 30 on Charm
(45 after 4pm), with photo ID for everyone.
- Weight: 275 lb a person on HeliNY and Charm, 250 lb on Zip. HeliNY has no
seat-belt extenders, and Charm sells a second seat.
- Booking: every flight here refunds in full up to 24 hours ahead, but Charm
charges to rebook inside that window and treats a missed flight as non-refundable.
Our post on getting to
the airfields covers the trains, and the sunset and dark times by month show when your slot will be dark.
Who should choose something else
- If a trip to New Jersey is too much for one evening. The night boat tours leave
from Manhattan piers and pass the statue at sunset.
- If anyone in your party is over the weight limit. Book the harbor or the
skyline night tours; a flight cannot take them, or charges a second seat.
- If you need a refund after a missed slot. Traffic to Fairfield is hard to
predict, and Charm keeps the fare. HeliNY's airfield can be reached by train.
- If you want time on your feet. A flight is half an hour in a seat. The
Manhattan night tours give you two hours on the lit streets.
Frequently asked questions
Can I choose when my helicopter flight leaves?
On HeliNY, yes: you pick the departure time when you book, so pick one after dark. Zip Aviation needs four passengers and may move your time to combine groups, and Charm Aviation makes no promise of a sunset view.
What happens if I am late for my flight?
Charm Aviation treats a missed flight as non-refundable, and a flight without photo ID as a missed one. Allow for traffic into New Jersey: Charm asks for 45 minutes before the slot after 4pm, and HeliNY for 50 minutes.
Can I take a bag on the helicopter?
Not on HeliNY: only a camera, a phone and sunglasses go aboard, and free lockers hold the rest. Travel light to any airfield and leave large bags at your hotel.
Where do New York night helicopter tours leave from?
New Jersey, not Manhattan. HeliNY flies from Linden Airport, which you reach by NJ Transit from Penn Station and then a shuttle or a short taxi. Charm and Zip Aviation fly from Essex County Airport in Fairfield, about 45 minutes by taxi or by the Lakeland bus from Port Authority.
How long is a night helicopter flight?
HeliNY and Charm Aviation both list 25 to 30 minutes in the air. Check in 30 to 50 minutes before your slot, depending on the operator, with photo ID.
Is there a weight limit on the flights?
Yes: 275 lb per passenger on HeliNY and Charm Aviation, and 250 lb on Zip Aviation. HeliNY has no seat-belt extenders.
Can children go on a helicopter night flight?
Yes, with an adult. HeliNY seats under-2s on a lap, while Charm Aviation charges the full fare from age 2.
Can I cancel a New York night tour?
Almost every tour refunds in full if you cancel at least 24 hours before it starts. The private night flight by plane is non-refundable, and its card says so. Operators may also cancel for bad weather or too few bookings, then offer a new date or a full refund.
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