Steller Air Service
Steller Air Service
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Steller air offers Bear Viewing, Flight Seeing, float plane charters, and remote drop offs.
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Steller Air Service
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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.
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5.0
121 reviews
Excellent
113
Very good
2
Average
1
Poor
0
Terrible
5
ScubaMandi
Colorado Springs, CO72 contributions
Jul 2024 • Couples
We had a fanatic evening with Andrei from Homer to Katmai Natl Park. The flight on the floatplane was 1 1/2 hours, leaving 3 hours with the bears before flying back. There are 3 viewing platforms, including the one at famous Brooks Falls.
We love the afternoon flight because the falls are way less crowded than morning trips so the waitlist at the falls isn’t an issue. When there are more than 40 people at the Brooks Falls platform, there is a 40 minute time limit and a waitlist monitored by a NP volunteer. Most companies fly in the morning only which means you have time limits.
Andrei is a stickler for safety and insists on knowing your weight (with clothes on and camera gear so don’t freak out when you add up what you’re bringing.) The flight was smooth with plenty to see. Andrei gives lots of local facts and bear tips. You can tell he loves what he does and where he lives.
You can bring food which you store in a food cache closet as soon as you arrive at Katmai. For safety, you cannot carry any food/gum/drinks on you at all during your time at Katmai, but water is ok.
What I wish we knew before we went: it is much warmer at Katmai than Homer. When we left Homer, it was in the 50s and rainy and chilly so we wore jackets and layers. When we landed in Katmai, it was sunny and 82F. We could leave our jackets in the plane but it was just extra stuff we carried that we didn’t need.
Stellar’s price is extremely competitive. We flew with Stellar in 2019 and again in 2024 and would absolutely choose to fly with Andrei again.
We love the afternoon flight because the falls are way less crowded than morning trips so the waitlist at the falls isn’t an issue. When there are more than 40 people at the Brooks Falls platform, there is a 40 minute time limit and a waitlist monitored by a NP volunteer. Most companies fly in the morning only which means you have time limits.
Andrei is a stickler for safety and insists on knowing your weight (with clothes on and camera gear so don’t freak out when you add up what you’re bringing.) The flight was smooth with plenty to see. Andrei gives lots of local facts and bear tips. You can tell he loves what he does and where he lives.
You can bring food which you store in a food cache closet as soon as you arrive at Katmai. For safety, you cannot carry any food/gum/drinks on you at all during your time at Katmai, but water is ok.
What I wish we knew before we went: it is much warmer at Katmai than Homer. When we left Homer, it was in the 50s and rainy and chilly so we wore jackets and layers. When we landed in Katmai, it was sunny and 82F. We could leave our jackets in the plane but it was just extra stuff we carried that we didn’t need.
Stellar’s price is extremely competitive. We flew with Stellar in 2019 and again in 2024 and would absolutely choose to fly with Andrei again.
Written July 31, 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.
danidmd
Terrassa, España14 contributions
Jul 2023 • Couples
We booked a fly with Andrei to Brooks falls. The weather was not the best. Nevertheless, he did an incredible job avoiding the storm.
We were a bit nervous due to the storm but Andrei realized and kept our minds busy with his explanations about the falls, clarifying questions, etc.
We arrived to Brooks falls a bit later than expected but Andrei told us not to worry about the delay and let us stay the whole duration agreed upon reservation.
We had a really wonderful time and could enjoy the awesome Bears.
When we head back to the plane there was a baby Bear near the plane. Andrei didn't stress at all even though we were quite delay. He just waited quietly until the Bear left and help us all to get into the plane.
Andrei is a very relax, flexible, friendly and professional pilot/guide.
I'm totally recommending his services. You cannot be in better hands!
If one day we are back to Alaska and need a ride we will definitely book it with him.
Many thanks Andrei and all the best!
We were a bit nervous due to the storm but Andrei realized and kept our minds busy with his explanations about the falls, clarifying questions, etc.
We arrived to Brooks falls a bit later than expected but Andrei told us not to worry about the delay and let us stay the whole duration agreed upon reservation.
We had a really wonderful time and could enjoy the awesome Bears.
When we head back to the plane there was a baby Bear near the plane. Andrei didn't stress at all even though we were quite delay. He just waited quietly until the Bear left and help us all to get into the plane.
Andrei is a very relax, flexible, friendly and professional pilot/guide.
I'm totally recommending his services. You cannot be in better hands!
If one day we are back to Alaska and need a ride we will definitely book it with him.
Many thanks Andrei and all the best!
Written April 20, 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.
Christina S
Mesquite, NV32 contributions
Aug 2024 • Couples
Wow! We were so lucky Andrei was willing to take us to Katmei National Forest on short notice as we were only in town for a brief stay. Andrei is an incredibly talented, kind, and caring guide who went out of his way to give us a spectacular trip! We learned so much during our time with him. Going over to Brooks Falls was one of the greatest parts of our entire Alaskan trip!
Written August 10, 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.
Gina M
12 contributions
Jul 2023 • Friends
I’m a pilot, and Andrei checked all the safe boxes for me! It’s hard to pick when there’s so many options, but our group was pretty budget-conscious so Steller Air made the short list. After examining a couple other options, I picked Steller Air for us. First, the price—$750 per person, was stellar (pun intended). Secondly, there were five of us, and Steller Air uses a Cessna 206 floatplane, which I figured would be a great size for all of us. Lastly, although I didn’t truly know how this would work out, he ran afternoon trips. Board the plane at 2:15, back by 9PM, get to Katmai just as everyone else is leaving. We never had to wait for a platform, and basically just wandered from one to the other bear watching! *Especially if you’re going in busy season, I’d pick the afternoon.
We went on July 8th, and a cooler, wetter June hasn’t been seen in years in Alaska. So, the bears and salmon were slow to the party this year. To his credit, Andrei let us know that up front when we texted him a few days before our trip. We hadn’t exchanged any money at that point, and I suppose we could’ve cancelled, but we had faith and sure enough the day before he texted to let us know the bears were in—and boy were they! We had a great few hours that went by like minutes. The bears are incredible to watch.
More flying stuff—the trip length varies depending on where the weather is, but Andrei knows a lot about the area and has some good stories. His humor is a little deadpan, and he’s a bit blunt (told us he’d leave us on the beach if we weren’t on time to go home, but we didn’t test it so I think that was a joke!) Our 90 minute trip each way was half breathtaking scenery over mountains and alpine tundra, half over the water. Andrei flew very safely and astutely, it’s obvious that he knows the area well and has decades of experience. He will want to know your weights, and since we booked in January and were a group of women…well, that’s always a sticky point. When you book, just be very honest about what you might weigh, including your shoes (no boots necessary), pack, water, snacks, heavy cameras, etc. Our group came in at about 790# total and we were fine, but getting close to maximum useful load with the fuel he needs to take, and safety first!
As for weather—I have no idea how I picked such a great weather day. It was gorgeous. I wish the same luck for you!
We went on July 8th, and a cooler, wetter June hasn’t been seen in years in Alaska. So, the bears and salmon were slow to the party this year. To his credit, Andrei let us know that up front when we texted him a few days before our trip. We hadn’t exchanged any money at that point, and I suppose we could’ve cancelled, but we had faith and sure enough the day before he texted to let us know the bears were in—and boy were they! We had a great few hours that went by like minutes. The bears are incredible to watch.
More flying stuff—the trip length varies depending on where the weather is, but Andrei knows a lot about the area and has some good stories. His humor is a little deadpan, and he’s a bit blunt (told us he’d leave us on the beach if we weren’t on time to go home, but we didn’t test it so I think that was a joke!) Our 90 minute trip each way was half breathtaking scenery over mountains and alpine tundra, half over the water. Andrei flew very safely and astutely, it’s obvious that he knows the area well and has decades of experience. He will want to know your weights, and since we booked in January and were a group of women…well, that’s always a sticky point. When you book, just be very honest about what you might weigh, including your shoes (no boots necessary), pack, water, snacks, heavy cameras, etc. Our group came in at about 790# total and we were fine, but getting close to maximum useful load with the fuel he needs to take, and safety first!
As for weather—I have no idea how I picked such a great weather day. It was gorgeous. I wish the same luck for you!
Written July 10, 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.
Irina N
4 contributions
Jul 2023
Usually, I'm too lazy to write the reviews, but this time I have to do it.
Our flight to the bear viewing at Katmai Park was the best part of the trip to Alaska, and Andrei was the one who made it the best. I would give Andrei 10 stars but unfortunately 5 is a limit. He is reliable, knowledgeable, personal, fun, and he cares. He went above and beyond to make our trip effective, safe, and educational.
If you are in Homer, fly with Andrei and only with Andrei. You will learn about Alaska, you will hear the local stories, you will get the best possible views of the area, you will waste no time, and you will feel safe next to Andrei.
THANK YOU, ANDREI.
Our flight to the bear viewing at Katmai Park was the best part of the trip to Alaska, and Andrei was the one who made it the best. I would give Andrei 10 stars but unfortunately 5 is a limit. He is reliable, knowledgeable, personal, fun, and he cares. He went above and beyond to make our trip effective, safe, and educational.
If you are in Homer, fly with Andrei and only with Andrei. You will learn about Alaska, you will hear the local stories, you will get the best possible views of the area, you will waste no time, and you will feel safe next to Andrei.
THANK YOU, ANDREI.
Written July 24, 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.
stellka_in_evora
Columbia, MD32 contributions
Jul 2021
This was a wonderful experience visiting Brooks Falls in July with Steller Air. I communicated with Andrei via text and email, starting beginning of March. We agreed on everything and no payment was necessary until the day of our trip. I need to mention that the price for the trip was about $200 less than other companies.
The flight was very smooth and Andrei gave a good overview of the area we could see from the plane.
I was very glad that I listened to Andrei and we took the 2 pm flight to Brooks Falls. We arrived to the Brooks Falls around 4 pm and Andrei promptly went to the platform and signed us up for the bear viewing. But when we got there it turned out that it was under 40 people anyways and we stayed on the platform for about 3 hours. The ranger left the platform around 5 pm. We saw around 37 bears in this area, few more down the platform and bunch on the beach where the plane have landed.
One of the highlights of this trip was when we went to use a restroom before the flight back, my daughter and I found ourselves locked inside it because the bear was right outside the restroom door. We had to wait for the ranger to scare bear away from the door before we could safely exit it.
The flight was very smooth and Andrei gave a good overview of the area we could see from the plane.
I was very glad that I listened to Andrei and we took the 2 pm flight to Brooks Falls. We arrived to the Brooks Falls around 4 pm and Andrei promptly went to the platform and signed us up for the bear viewing. But when we got there it turned out that it was under 40 people anyways and we stayed on the platform for about 3 hours. The ranger left the platform around 5 pm. We saw around 37 bears in this area, few more down the platform and bunch on the beach where the plane have landed.
One of the highlights of this trip was when we went to use a restroom before the flight back, my daughter and I found ourselves locked inside it because the bear was right outside the restroom door. We had to wait for the ranger to scare bear away from the door before we could safely exit it.
Written August 11, 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.
Kerri-Anne T
2 contributions
Jul 2023 • Couples
Andrei made our experience to go to Katmai amazing. We would not hesitate to recommend Steller Air. He went above and beyond to make our flight incredibly memorable with flying over volcanoes and circling back to check out a pod of Dahl’s Porpoises!!! He was a great pilot and shared an amazing amount of local knowledge with us.
Written July 19, 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.
Katherine H
2 contributions
Jul 2021
Our trip to Brooks Falls with Steller Air was honestly the highlight of our recent family trip to Alaska. We had previously booked with another company who cancelled on us because of mechanical issues 48 hours before our flight, but we followed up on a recommendation for Steller Air and we were thrilled with the way it worked out. Andrei went above and beyond and found a way to fit us in his schedule. He was extremely professional, and gave us a spectacular tour of geography all the way to Brooks Falls and back. The flight was smooth and the views were amazing, truly a once in a lifetime experience. The bears themselves were fabulous as well - they were in full swing in late July and well worth the trip! We would highly recommend Steller Air to anyone!
Written August 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.
alexg456
New York City, NY25 contributions
Jul 2021 • Solo
This was an awesome experience visiting Brooks Falls in July with Steller Air. I communicated with Andrei via text, starting in February. Honor system. No prepayment necessary. What I really liked about Steller Air.
1. While almost all other flights to Brooks Falls depart at 9am (busy, busy!!), Andrei prefers to fly at 3pm, which is brilliant, because there are significantly fewer people at Brooks Falls and you are not limited to 30-40 minutes at the high platform; you can stay there as long as you want. Also, from what I heard from people who were at Brooks Falls over multiple days (you have to stay at the lodge for that), bears are more active later in a day. This could be anecdotal evidence, but I’m mentioning it for what it’s worth.
2. The plane itself (Cessna 206) is a 5-seater + pilot. It’s a smaller plane than most others I’ve seen there, which means — yes, fewer people in your group and a cooler experience, I think. For example, Bald Mountain Air flies 2 de Haviland 10-seater planes (20 people at once).
3. The price of the trip was at least $200 less than other companies.
The structure of the trip. Depart at 3pm. 1.5 hour flight to Brooks Falls. About 3.5 hours on the ground with bears, 1.5 hour flight back. You are back in Homer at 9:30pm or so.
Highly recommend!
1. While almost all other flights to Brooks Falls depart at 9am (busy, busy!!), Andrei prefers to fly at 3pm, which is brilliant, because there are significantly fewer people at Brooks Falls and you are not limited to 30-40 minutes at the high platform; you can stay there as long as you want. Also, from what I heard from people who were at Brooks Falls over multiple days (you have to stay at the lodge for that), bears are more active later in a day. This could be anecdotal evidence, but I’m mentioning it for what it’s worth.
2. The plane itself (Cessna 206) is a 5-seater + pilot. It’s a smaller plane than most others I’ve seen there, which means — yes, fewer people in your group and a cooler experience, I think. For example, Bald Mountain Air flies 2 de Haviland 10-seater planes (20 people at once).
3. The price of the trip was at least $200 less than other companies.
The structure of the trip. Depart at 3pm. 1.5 hour flight to Brooks Falls. About 3.5 hours on the ground with bears, 1.5 hour flight back. You are back in Homer at 9:30pm or so.
Highly recommend!
Written July 15, 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.
Audrey R
washington105 contributions
Jun 2022
Great experience and perhaps the highlight of our trip to Alaska. We all enjoyed Andrei's experience of the Cessna 206 that took us to the top of the Glacier- Gelwig and also to beautiful lakes nearbye. My son loves to fly and got the co-pilots seat and we all enjoyed going up from Beluga Lake. Seaplanes are not super common here so it was fun to try out experience!
Written July 8, 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 long in advance you let us book?
i tried to call your phone - no answer
Written January 27, 2020
Steller Air
Homer, Alaska
In September I start booking for the next summer. Email and text messaging are the best way to get ahold of me
Written February 26, 2025
How long in advance do you have to book?
Anything else we should know about payment?
We will be in Homer beginning of August.
Thanks!
Written April 13, 2015
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