A helicopter tour of Manhattan is a magical experience! I took my son, turning 10, to NYC to celebrate his special day! I checked all the helicopter companies on TA, to see if one was a better option than another. It turns out that Manhattan Helicopters and Zip Aviation are one and the same company, despite their different websites and name. Each share a check-in desk and the staff from each help everyone. Liberty Aviation is in the other half of the building and share the same heliport. I can only imagine the main difference between the three is pricing, so I would go with whichever one has the best deal. We chose Manhattan because they had a 20% off discount we found on-line and charged a $25 pp heliport fee instead of the other companies' $30 pp fee.
We took the subway (#1 or R to South Ferry), did the Statue of Liberty Cruise (see my other review) from 9 am to 12 noon, grabbed lunch, then walked over to the heliport for a 1 pm flight. (We got a little lost and ended up taking a cab to find it. When you leave the Statue of Liberty Cruise or subway station, just stay on the sidewalk closest to the water and follow it up the east side of Manhattan--the opposite side of the peninsula than the ferry cruises. It's an easy walk, 10 minutes or less, past the Governor's Island departure building. Just stay in view of the river and you can't miss it.)
We booked the cheapest tour (15 minutes) and it cost about $300 all together for the two of us, including the 20% off and the heliport fee of $25 pp. They charge $2 for a locker to store your belongings and 3% for using a credit card. You can only bring a camera (not camera bag) or cell phone (no purse, bag, etc.) on the helicopter. They use wands to check for metals, weapons. We had a short wait outside to enter the building (5 minutes) to be "wanded" and about a 30 minute wait inside for our turn. The lobby was full of customers, as it was the week before Easter, but we were quickly paired with another couple, shown a safety video, given life vest belts, and put on a copter.
My son was given the co-pilot's seat, as it was his birthday celebration. He loved every minute. Our pilot Dave was very professional. He apologized for using the recorded commentary on our flight, but said the skies were really full as there were many flights that day and he needed to focus on safety. He did interject comments and made sure both sides of the chopper had a good chance for photos of all major sights (Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building, Brooklyn Bridge, etc.).
It took a good 10 minutes for staff to come let us out of the helicopter, and the pilot seemed frustrated that we had to wait so long. He radioed the ground crew several times, politely asking for someone to let us out. But the staff seemed quite busy and a few times staff stood near us (not doing any other tasks) and didn't approach to let us out. The pilot was great and apologized again and again for the wait.
The photographer took shots of us by the helicopter and of my son in the front seat with the pilot. They were out of USBs but a printed photo in a mat frame was $20. It was a great flight and a memory for a lifetime! Be sure to allow plenty of time to wait, as it is unpredictable exactly how long it will be before your flight takes off. We saw some people waiting after us, who arrived before us. I'm sure it depends on which flight you book so that they can match you up with another group of the same lenght flight and when a chopper is available. Also, weather can delay your flight so plan it early in your trip in case you have to reschedule due to rain, wind, etc.