Did you know that Grand Canyon National Park is comprised of more than 1 million acres? It would certainly take a long time to see it all. But not if you take an airplane tour. To get you closer to the perfect flight, here are five things you need to know.
First thing you need to decide is which rim you want to visit. There are two. You can go to the South or the West Rim. Las Vegas is the starting point for air tours to the West Rim. The South can be done from Vegas and Tusayan, the gateway to the National Park. It needs to be noted that there are no flights between the two rims.
The Air Tours
Next, you get to choose between a landing tour and an aerial tour. Aerial tours fly you over the canyon and circle back to the airport. They are a great way to sample the Grand Canyon and are the most affordable option. Landing tours are a lot of fun because you can get out of the plane and see the canyon from ground level.
Here is a little more information about the landing tours. The landing tours are only offered when you depart from Vegas. If you fly to the West Rim, you can deplane and walk on the famous glass Skywalk. They also let you add a helicopter ride to the bottom of the canyon as well as a boat ride on the Colorado River.
You can also fly out of Vegas and head to the South Rim for a landing tour. It will take about sixty minutes for the plane to get to the rim and then you'll have a few hours to explore the area on foot including seeing Mather and Yavapai Points. Plus it's fast, especially compared to a 5-hour bus ride or self-drive via rental.
Window Seating
OK, another thing I want to point is seating. Nineteen people can fit on one of these sightseeing planes. Inside, cabins are usually configured two seats on each side of the aisle. Even if you sit in one of the aisle seats, you still get a fantastic view of the scenery below. Few travelers know this but you book the window seat for an extra $10 (this is an approximate cost but it's close).
Just be sure to book your tour online. That is the preferred way to purchase your tickets. Purchasing over the Internet is fast, quick and secure. Plus, you will get the best deal. You might be able to save as much as 25 percent by booking online. That's quite a significant savings if you're a group of three or more people. But to get the internet rate, you need to complete your transaction online.
These Grand Canyon airplane tours are all inclusive too. That means the price you pay covers everything. Nothing more, nothing less. When you depart from Vegas, you even get lunch and free shuttle service to and from your hotel. You'll also enjoy the services of an entertaining tour guide during your trip. You can see the airplane tours offer you a fantastic value.
Conclusion
Hopefully this information helps you understand more about airplane tours over the Grand Canyon. Do bear in mind that these trips are very popular and often sell out during holidays, especially Spring Break and Summer vacation. As long as you book your seats about one week ahead of time, you shouldn't have any trouble getting the exact tour you want.
For anyone who is ready to fly Grand Canyon, begin with this list of the best airplane tour operators:
http://grandcanyoncheap.com/airplane-tours.html Then here for discounted rates on excellent flights:
http://grandcanyoncheap.com/airplane-deals.html
