Royal Crown of Oahu - 60 Min Helicopter Tour - Doors Off or On
4.5
Royal Crown of Oahu - 60 Min Helicopter Tour - Doors Off or On
By Rainbow Helicopters
What is Travelers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
About
Get away from Oahu’s tourist crowds on this helicopter tour. Perfect for those with a taste for adventure, this flight, which includes a doors on or off options, takes you into the air to see some of Hawaii’s best-known attractions, from Diamond Heads to Pearl Harbor, from above.
from per adult (price varies by group size)
$415.00
Lowest price guaranteeReserve now & pay laterFree cancellation
Ages 0-99, max of 15 per group
Duration: 1h
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Live guide: English
More
Highlights
- Take an exciting helicopter tour of Oahu with doors on or off
- See some of Hawaii’s most iconic sights from a memorable perspective
- Fly over Diamond Head, Pearl Harbor, Dole Plantation, and Sacred Falls
- Choose a convenient departure time
- Parking Fees
- Phone Strap
What's not included- Gratuities
- Your tour begins at Honolulu International Airport’s south ramp, where you'll board your helicopter. When it’s time for take-off, your pilot-guide lifts the helicopter into the air. You’ll look for surfers at Banzai Pipeline and Waimea Bay and get an intimate view of Sacred Falls as your guide flies close for an up-close experience. Along the way, you’ll see volcanic cliffs, white-sand beaches, and some of Hawaii’s most iconic sights, including Diamond Head, Hanauma Bay, Makapu‘u Lighthouse, Ko’olau Range, Lanikai Beach, Kāne‘ohe Bay, Mokoliʻi, and Ka‘a‘awa Valley. After doing a thrilling loop of Oahu, you’ll land back in Honolulu.
- Start:
- Rainbow Oahu Helicopter Tours, 155 Kapalulu Pl #197, Honolulu, HI 96819, USAWe are located in the Caste and Cooke Aviation building. Please park in the lot to the left across the street.
End:This activity ends back at the meeting point. - Wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Infants must sit on laps
If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 28456P1- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Safety of flight is our primary concern. The operator reserves the right to refuse service to passengers who are intoxicated or appear to be intoxicated. Intoxicated passengers will not fly and they will be charged in full.
- For doors off tours, jackets and/or sweatshirts, closed toe shoes, and hair ties are required. Long pants are recommended.
- When booking the doors off experience, your seat may or may not be directly adjacent to an open door.
- Only passengers weighing 80 lbs or more may fly with the door off in our Robinson R44 helicopter. Only passengers weighing 100 lbs or more may fly with the door off in our Airbus Astar helicopter.
- All passengers 24 months and older must purchase a full fare seat.
- For each guest weighing 260 pounds or more, a weight and balance fee is required to safely balance the aircraft. For guests weighing between 260-279 lbs, a fee in the amount of 50% of the seat price will be assessed after booking. For guests weighing 280 lbs or higher, an additional seat purchase will be assessed after booking.
- Most travelers can participate
- This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
- This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 15 travelers
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.
- If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 28456P1
Reserve your spot
Similar experiences
Itinerary
- 155 Kapalulu Pl #197, Honolulu, HI 96819, USAWe are located in the Caste and Cooke Aviation building. Please park in the lot to the left across the street.
- Pass byWaikiki BeachDiamond Head State MonumentHanauma Bay Nature PreserveMakapuu LighthouseLanikai BeachMokoli’i IslandKaaawaNorth ShoreDole PlantationUSS Arizona Memorial
About the operator
Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
- Libraslove0 contributionsSkyhigh without Doors!My husband and I had an amazing time on our helicopter tour around Oahu! Our Pilot Lucien was very knowledgeable about the island. He and the Crew Turner, JoJo, & Emma made us feel safe before and after our tour. Great Experience with incredible views!Written August 13, 2024
- 289clancym0 contributionsOahu from the skyThe views of the island were insane! Flew over parts that I am not likely to get on my trip so it was fabulous to see them from the sky. Our pilot Kieran was very knowledgeable and was safe and kind.Written July 14, 2024
- AlisaDorman0 contributionsSo glad we chose this tour!We are so pleased we chose to take this tour on our first full day on the island. Our pilot was great. The scenic views were amazing. And it helped us plan where we wanted to go visit other days of our trip. Highly recommend!Written July 6, 2024
- 514crystalb0 contributionsBest Flight Great PilotThe best by far on the island to do! Our pilot Turner was very informative and communicated the entire time with us about different things on the island. Couldn’t have picked a better experience!Written June 7, 2024
- andrealF5833XP0 contributionsWorth the cost!We had a great time. Emma was our pilot and she was very knowledgeable. We had the doors off experience, you will need a jacket if you plan to have the doors off. Everything was easy and organized.Written April 1, 2024
- MarlijnFranken0 contributionsAmazing experience, want to go again!What an amazing adventure we had this morning at Rainbow's. Staff was friendly and our pilot Turner as well. He is very communicative, giving us interesting info. We were lucky with the weather. First 20 mn along the beautiful eastern coast in sunshine, than clouds coming up from above the mountains. Nearly no wind. Just near Kailua we had to turn around to prevent being in the rain (doors off:-) Highly recommended!!Written March 14, 2024
- BTHammers0 contributionsA definite "must do"!!Beautiful tour around the island. Very informative pilot as well as an outstanding and professional staff who prepared us for our flight.Written February 15, 2024
- R2456BCalexiss0 contributionsTerrific Helicopter TourI have been on many helicopter tours, and this one was beyond compare! The staff was exceptionally friendly and went above and beyond to ensure we were prepared and comfortable. Our pilot, Jojo, kept us entertained while pointing out all the gems of Hawaii. I highly recommend Rainbow Helicopter Tours for your Hawaiian flight adventure!Written January 15, 2024
- sherrye5080 contributionsHelicopter tour HonoluluOur pilot, Turner, was fabulous! He was assuring, nice, friendly, told us landmarks, points of interest, history, etc. The scenery was beyond beautiful. I would highly recommend booking with Rainbow Helicopters/Isle Sights Unseen.Written December 31, 2023
- Gergana V0 contributionsFirst Hawaii VisitIt was a beautiful hotel inside and out. The thing that made it for me was the huge tree in the back and the restaurant being right there. It was beautiful and wonderful staff all around.Written December 12, 2023
- christianrF113PS0 contributionsLong delayTheaten us to be on time otherwise we can not fly. But then they are late and we had to wait 1 hour. Only one cookie was offered. The trip itself was beautiful and is recommandable.Written November 25, 2023
- Trek064165378410 contributionsMust doThis was a truly excellent experience. Loved it. Staff did their absolute best to reassure a nervous passenger & made them comfortable and calm. You guys are amazing & highly recommend this.Written November 21, 2023
- savannau20190 contributionsDoors off was awesome, smooth ride and great sightsThe ride was shockingly smooth and with the doors off wasn’t hectic at all. We had a thrill and saw so many good sights.Written November 7, 2023
- Y5528ZMannm0 contributionsIncredible experience worth every pennyIt was just incredible! Worth every penny. I got upgraded to an hour for free. I sat by the pilot with doors off. He was such a great pilot, it was very smooth. The views of the mountains with so many crevices were amazing.Written November 4, 2023
- Almendra5620 contributionsFamily tripThe trip was amazing my family were so excited taking pictures, and all the staff were so friendly. The pilot took us to beautiful spot to take the best pictures.Written October 23, 2023
These reviews are the subjective opinions of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Contribute
Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
142 reviews
Excellent
123
Very good
6
Average
1
Poor
7
Terrible
5
K A
16 contributions
Jul 2021
My review of Rainbow Helicopter 60 minute tour is a mixed bag. My husband and I went on the tour July 28th. The staff/pilot were friendly and the facilities were clean. The views were beautiful and I recommend the taking a helicopter ride in Oahu for that alone. However, there were two unfortunate issues that I must mention as I hope to be of help to others traveling.
My husband wanted doors on and that is how we made our reservation. What was unclear until boarding, is that there are two sets of doors and we ended up in the front with the pilot (doors on) and the back seats in the helicopter had doors off. This freaked my husband out a little (not a thrill seeker) but he managed okay and just didn't look behind him. I asked when we checked in to confirm doors on and this was not explained whatsoever which was deceiving IMO.
The absolute worst part was we both had to be crammed in like sardines in the front row with the pilot. There was not enough space for both of us so it was VERY uncomfortable. We are average sized adults. I noticed the trip after ours had one adult and one young child seated in the front where we had been seated which is probably fine, but there is not enough space for two adults in the front seat next to the pilot. They told us the seating arrangement on arrival; however, there was no way to know that the seating was inadequate until minutes before take off when we were strapped in the helicopter. I spent the entire flight leaning to my left as I tried not to hit the pilot as a result of the way I was squished in. My back hurt for awhile afterward from the awkward position. It was very unpleasant. As a result, I wouldn't use this company again. We went on a separate helicopter ride in Maui (Blue Hawaiian) where we were both seated in the front with the pilot and there was plenty of space plus the ride was smoother. I wish we'd used them in Oahu as well.
My husband wanted doors on and that is how we made our reservation. What was unclear until boarding, is that there are two sets of doors and we ended up in the front with the pilot (doors on) and the back seats in the helicopter had doors off. This freaked my husband out a little (not a thrill seeker) but he managed okay and just didn't look behind him. I asked when we checked in to confirm doors on and this was not explained whatsoever which was deceiving IMO.
The absolute worst part was we both had to be crammed in like sardines in the front row with the pilot. There was not enough space for both of us so it was VERY uncomfortable. We are average sized adults. I noticed the trip after ours had one adult and one young child seated in the front where we had been seated which is probably fine, but there is not enough space for two adults in the front seat next to the pilot. They told us the seating arrangement on arrival; however, there was no way to know that the seating was inadequate until minutes before take off when we were strapped in the helicopter. I spent the entire flight leaning to my left as I tried not to hit the pilot as a result of the way I was squished in. My back hurt for awhile afterward from the awkward position. It was very unpleasant. As a result, I wouldn't use this company again. We went on a separate helicopter ride in Maui (Blue Hawaiian) where we were both seated in the front with the pilot and there was plenty of space plus the ride was smoother. I wish we'd used them in Oahu as well.
Written August 12, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ryan H
1 contribution
Jul 2021 • Couples
The customer service from Jesse was terrible. He was extremely rude on the phone and the company changed their policies and tried to charge us extra after booking over two months in advance. We ended up cancelling two of the four spots two days before the flight. Then less than 24 hours notice before the flight the company cancelled the other two spots. Horrible experience and I would not recommend them.
Written July 30, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Melissa Ray
6 contributions
Oct 2022 • Couples
We enjoyed every part of this open air flight. The lighting was perfect and our pilot (Josh) was very friendly and knowledgeable. He was also an excellent pilot. We definitely recommend the 10 am flight and seating on the left hand side of the craft when possible. This was definitely worth every penny we spent. All of the staff was very friendly and super helpful!
Written October 6, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
azred24
Mesa, AZ20 contributions
Jun 2021 • Family
We were visiting family and it was my daughters first trip to the island. We had a perfect day and it was great to see all the sites that we had been to over the last week. We did the doors off tour which was great and with light jackets was perfect. Our pilot Karsen was very nice. I even got a call within minutes of booking our tour suggesting a different time than what I booked because of possible weather. The communication was very clear as to what time to get there, where to park, where to go, what to wear, what NOT to wear and what to do with your hair. So glad my daughter braided hers because even a ponytail wouldn’t have worked since her hair is so long. All the staff was really friendly and professional. It was pricy but well worth the experience!
Written June 27, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
DennisWK
London, UK183 contributions
My wife and I shared the flight with another couple. Having arrived at HNL my wife and I were weighed and given information regarding ditching, information regarding use of the radio and rules regarding use of cameras etc and keeping equipment within the helicopter body.
Our flight commenced with flying along Waikiki Beach and then up and over Diamond Head and along the coast viewing some of the smaller outlying islands. We then flew inland over forest, hills and viewed waterfalls, the area used for films such as Jurassic Park and finally over Pearl Harbor.
The pilot pointed out the important features and kept us amused with anecdotes and information.
Our flight commenced with flying along Waikiki Beach and then up and over Diamond Head and along the coast viewing some of the smaller outlying islands. We then flew inland over forest, hills and viewed waterfalls, the area used for films such as Jurassic Park and finally over Pearl Harbor.
The pilot pointed out the important features and kept us amused with anecdotes and information.
Written March 24, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Traveler061805
3 contributions
My husband and I had an amazing tour with Rainbow Helicopters. Prior to the tour we received both a text and an email with detailed information as to what to expect. Because we did a doors off ride it was important to know that the ride would be very windy and a bit cold. I’m happy I wore pants, a jacket, and brought a hair tie as instructed. The doors off ride was definitely the way to go so we got the full view of the beautiful island. Thanks to our experienced and knowledgeable pilot, the ride was smooth and safe. I would absolutely recommend Rainbow Helicopters as an excursion during your trip to Oahu.
Written July 2, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Aarw
Coralville, IA92 contributions
10 out of 5, this was easier one of the most memorable moments in our trip to Oahu. The 12-year-old son and Dad took the hour-long flight around the entire island. Great video and epic views of the lush rain forests to the north, the beautiful bays, and several whales visible basking in the sun.
Our pilot Jo Jo was a consummate professional, explained everything, and kept it light enough that we both felt perfectly comfortable at all times.
Be sure to take off the doors and just wear a fleece.
Our pilot Jo Jo was a consummate professional, explained everything, and kept it light enough that we both felt perfectly comfortable at all times.
Be sure to take off the doors and just wear a fleece.
Written March 13, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ALAN N
7 contributions
Jun 2023 • Family
The flight experience was fantastic. The staff did an excellent job briefing us for our doors-off flight and the pilots flew smoothly and informed us of every upcoming change in direction, bank, etc. The narrative was informative without being too wordy. We would highly recommend Rainbow.
Written June 21, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mandy L
3 contributions
Jul 2022
We had issues with headphones on our flight so we could barely hear for half of it until it came on, we were told we would be in the front but I ended up being crammed in the backseat between people because I was smaller. The two in the front of the helicopter complained that it smelled like vomit from the flight before ours. They did offer us a free video for the experience but it wasn't a very good quality one, I would not pay this much money for a helicopter tour like this again.
Written August 2, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ann K
2 contributions
Helicopter ride is excellent choice for seeing the island! The pilot was knowledgeable and friendly. The fact of the overweight fee was demeaning but the staff did not make a big deal of it and it was less money with this company than with the others I shopped.
Overall: a very worthwhile experience
Overall: a very worthwhile experience
Written August 10, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
How many seats on open door? Is there guaranteed view/ open seat/ less seats on a private vs group? & what is the difference betwee Royal Tour and Isle Sights Unseen? Is aircraft same for both tours? Thanks for any and all info and help!
Written August 6, 2021
We had 6 passengers on an open door. Should have been 4. The best view is front passenger. Good side view with open door. But heavy wind makes it uncomfortable. I am not familiar with other tour.
Written August 7, 2021
How many per aircraft? There are just two of us and we want to make sure we get a good view and aren't in the middle.
Written May 14, 2021
1 hour in the sky. You do have to watch a brief safety video, get your phone in a neck holder and stash away items you can’t take on the flight so I’d allow for 2 hours total when planning. Plus you drive time. But it’s worth it!
Written September 1, 2019
I'm 85. was born in Scofield Barracks, left in a few months later, and have never been back. I'm in good shape and I'd like to visit -- concentrating on the old post and Oahu. Is this a good idea? -- J. Phillips
Written August 17, 2019
I would strongly encourage this view of the whole island and the beauty is elating! You see places you can only see from the sky.
Written September 1, 2019
we are interested in booking but only with a company that has pilots that are involved in servicing their own aircraft or helicopter. I know we can arrange such at the airport when we arrive but wanted to try this way first. any info you can provide me is appreciated.
Written February 15, 2019
No idea about pilot conducting servicing. However, the entire operation was impressive. I'm sure maintenance meets the same mark. I did watch as the pilot did a check of the chopper---first flight of day. Seemed thorough.
Written March 30, 2019
Hi just starting to research and find one of these tours, first time we are coming to Hawaii does this flight, tour take you to any waterfalls in the area to view as well?
Written July 12, 2018
Yes there is a couple on the 60 minute flight. The pilot took us right in to get photos of one really big one which u can only get to by air. Hope that helps.
Written July 13, 2018
Hi,On the hour long doors off tour will I be able to see any waterfalls?We will be staying at ParkShore in Oahu do you pick up their?
Written April 11, 2018
The Royal Crown of Oahu tour and the Isle Sights Unseen tours go to Sacred Falls. The shuttle picks up only at hotels in Waikiki.
Written August 16, 2019
Showing results 1-9 of 9
