Rust's Flying Service
Rust's Flying Service
5
7:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Monday
7:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Tuesday
7:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Wednesday
7:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Thursday
7:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Friday
7:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Saturday
7:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Sunday
7:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Full view
About
Take a flight our float planes to the real Alaska whether flight seeing glaciers and mountains, bear viewing at remote lodges and national parks or fly in fishing. We've been flying people to Alaska's wilderness since 1963; located at Lake Hood in Anchorage, Alaska.
Anchorage, Alaska
Features animals
Awards
Travelers' Choice
2022
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Rust's Flying Service
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(186 reviews)
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
5.0
1,345 reviews
Excellent
1,196
Very good
63
Average
28
Poor
18
Terrible
40
TigerMan1981
Providence, RI1 contribution
Aug 2022
My goal for visiting Alaska was to see a moose (for the 1st time) and a bear. We saw the moose (and 2 babies) in Denali! We then turned to Rust for a chance to see a bear. We scheduled months in advance hoping that weather would not be a problem in August - it wasn't! The weather was excellent! We were picked up at our hotel on time and arrived at the seaplane base with high expectations. The 4 of us were put on a large seaplane with 6 others and our adventure began only to turn around to return to base without taking off (safety 1st). The pilot got an engine warning alarm and the mechanic spent close to an hour correcting the issue. During that time Rust staff called around other flight services to try to find an available plane to take us out to Lake Clark National Park, but to no avail. Once fixed we boarded the seaplane again and spent the next 45 minutes in awe of the Alaskan wilderness by plane. With a smooth lake landing we boarded a boat with a guide. We can't say enough great things about Rae the guide - she was fantastic! The boat excursion started slowly not seeing any wildlife for about 30 minutes, but Rae knew where to look. Bears started popping out of the woods seemingly everywhere! We saw 20+ Coastal Brown and Black Bears. Twice we saw interactions between 2 different Black Bears (with cubs) and different Brown Bears! Rae indicated that she had not seen that before. Along the way we also saw a juvenile Bald Eagle. This was a great way to end our Alaskan adventure. Rust staff was very professional, experienced and accommodating. We would highly recommend them for anyone seeking adventure!
Written August 6, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Debi D
3 contributions
Sep 2022
Adventure of a lifetime. We had booked the 30 minute tour but when we got there they had time and offered us an upgrade to an 1 1/2 hour tour at a discount. Our pilot Gary was absolutely amazing. 3 of us had never been on a seaplane and he made us at ease with great tips to keep us comfortable. We saw 2 moose, a bear and a pod of 6 beluga whales. He would circle to make sure that everyone on the plane got an opportunity to get a great view of the animals and the sights. I can't even describe the glacier we saw.... awe inspiring. Even the young lady that picked us up at the hotel and dropped us off was a delight.
Written September 25, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Wander257611
3 contributions
Jun 2021
We booked our overnight camping trip in Denali through Alaska Alpine Adventures, but flew in and out from the campsite on a float plane from Rust's. What an amazing flight! The pilots were very professional and the float planes were very well maintained. On our trip home our pilot made an extra effort to loop closely past Denali mountain since he had heard it was too cloudy to see when we flew in. He then gave us another extra special treat by doing a second loop just outside the park that gave us another fantastic view. I highly recommend this company - they clearly love Alaska, love what they do and want to make sure you have a spectacular time here!
Written July 8, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Ascension Aynat P
2 contributions
Jul 2022
Today I did the bear tour with Rust's Flying Service to the Chinitna Bay. I have done several tours in the Chinitna bay and in other parts of Alaska and this is by far the worse bear tour I have been so far (and one of the most expensive ones). Today there were 8 groups from other companies just next to the bears clamming in the beach (where I have always been with previous tours). However our guide, Tony, didn't want to take us to the beach, so we had to watch a bear miles far. We were a group of photographers, an even with 600mm lenses we just saw the shape of a bear in the distance. Wildlife is unpredictable, there are tours where you cant see anything, and it's fine. It's nature. The problem here is that other companies and tour guides do care about their customer getting close enough to see the bears and this one not. We even finished 45 min earlier that what the program says... I want my money back!
P.S. The flight was great and our pilot Mark was outstanding, but I don't recommend hiring any Chinitna Bay Tour with Rust's Flying Service until they stop collaborating with the "Bear Mountain Lodge" at Chinitna Bay.
P.S. The flight was great and our pilot Mark was outstanding, but I don't recommend hiring any Chinitna Bay Tour with Rust's Flying Service until they stop collaborating with the "Bear Mountain Lodge" at Chinitna Bay.
Written July 30, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Lenore D
Huntington, NY97 contributions
Sep 2022
The Lake Clark bear excursion was absolutely the best part of my Alaska trip.
The weather didn’t permit us to leave in the morning so they decided to reconvene a little later and offer us a later departure ( with a 200.00 credit ) The weather permitted this and the lodge at Crescent Lake accommodated us to spend more time since we arrived later than anticipated.
Out pilot Paul was great. The plane ride was smooth and the views going over were incredible. Every seat has a window so you don’t miss anything. As we were landing on the lake we saw bears immediately on our way in.
Lunch was exceptional ( silver salmon, fresh caught )
After our meal we were put onto a pontoon boat to see the bears along the lake shores. There were so many as we navigated all around the lake. Some larger than others. Momma bear and her cubs strolling along was exciting to see.
Our tour guide Rae was very knowledgeable. She gave us much information about the “ regular” bears that they encounter on a daily basis. The bears would grab salmon right in front of us and enjoyed their meals. We got to see them strolling the shores, swim, hunt, eat berries and a few of the younger boys would wrestle on land and in the water.
This tour is well worth the money !! You get up close ( but not too close ) on the boat and you can see a lot being on the water.
The weather didn’t permit us to leave in the morning so they decided to reconvene a little later and offer us a later departure ( with a 200.00 credit ) The weather permitted this and the lodge at Crescent Lake accommodated us to spend more time since we arrived later than anticipated.
Out pilot Paul was great. The plane ride was smooth and the views going over were incredible. Every seat has a window so you don’t miss anything. As we were landing on the lake we saw bears immediately on our way in.
Lunch was exceptional ( silver salmon, fresh caught )
After our meal we were put onto a pontoon boat to see the bears along the lake shores. There were so many as we navigated all around the lake. Some larger than others. Momma bear and her cubs strolling along was exciting to see.
Our tour guide Rae was very knowledgeable. She gave us much information about the “ regular” bears that they encounter on a daily basis. The bears would grab salmon right in front of us and enjoyed their meals. We got to see them strolling the shores, swim, hunt, eat berries and a few of the younger boys would wrestle on land and in the water.
This tour is well worth the money !! You get up close ( but not too close ) on the boat and you can see a lot being on the water.
Written September 11, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
TreeFarmer95
Brandon, MS33 contributions
Sep 2022 • Couples
Great Glaciers! We were scheduled for a Denali flight seeing tour; however, the weather there wasn’t good. Rust’s suggested changing to the Glacier tour at a lower price. Great change. Gary, our pilot was excellent and made sure we had a great time.
It just happened that the tour only included the two of us and the pilot.
Super day
Rust’s provided transportation to & from our hotel and all communications $ booking was handled very well.
We would do another trip with them.
It just happened that the tour only included the two of us and the pilot.
Super day
Rust’s provided transportation to & from our hotel and all communications $ booking was handled very well.
We would do another trip with them.
Written September 13, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
JPDalTX
Dallas, TX27 contributions
Jul 2022
Our flight to Katmai was amazing! Quinn did a good job with keeping us informed along the way. Was a bit surprised that he didn’t ask our names or introduce himself in the beginning and I’m not sure he ever knew our names. Comparing this to another flight we took with a competitor.
It was quite a trek to get to the Visitor Center for Bear Camp 101 and back to Brooks Falls fore viewing bears, so be prepared for that. Overall the bear experience was very good and we expected that as the cost of this trip was more than what was charged our friends who flew with a different company.
It was quite a trek to get to the Visitor Center for Bear Camp 101 and back to Brooks Falls fore viewing bears, so be prepared for that. Overall the bear experience was very good and we expected that as the cost of this trip was more than what was charged our friends who flew with a different company.
Written July 10, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
George A
1 contribution
Sep 2022 • Couples
Although it was a rainy day and the couple I was paired with cancelled at the last minute, Rust’s was able to shift things around and get me in on a later tour. I was surprised at how smooth our flight was considering the weather. I attribute that to our superb pilot Mark, who was an absolute professional, and extremely informative during the ride. We had about 10 miles of visibility, so we were still able to get outstanding views of everything. The only thing we did not do was land in the lake, but Rust’s took care of that by giving back that portion of the fee. Would highly recommend to anyone visiting anchorage to give this a shot.
Written September 12, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Nicole D
Maryland Heights, MO3 contributions
Dec 2022 • Couples
Rust's worked with our tight schedule and the limited daylight to take us on a flight seeing tour of the mountains in Anchorage. I booked our tour online and received a confirmation on our request quickly. Anchorage had a record two day snow fall the day before our scheduled flight and Rust's worked to ensure that our tour was able to continue as scheduled. Our pilot did a wonderful job showing us the gorgeous mountainous area surrounding Anchorage, pointed out the glaciers as we flew over, and explained the various geological attributes of Alaska (glaciers, volcanoes, earthquake/fault line, and others), and when he spotted mountain sheep and those of us on the right side of the aircraft did not see them TWICE, he made sure to fly back around until we all did. I had an embarrassing air sickness situation and he handled it very kindly and discreetly. Everyone we interacted with at Rust's was wonderful, kind, and knowledgeable (we especially loved the interactions we had with the pups).
Written December 13, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
IndyAdventureGirl
Indianapolis, IN95 contributions
Jul 2021
We were scheduled to fly from Anchorage to Katmai National Park for bear viewing and, unfortunately the trip was cancelled due to bad weather, but we were very impressed with how Rust’s handled everything. They monitored the weather patterns closely and kept us well informed during the hour between our check in and our scheduled departure time. Although we did not get to go to Katmai, I was glad that they put safety first and did not try to chance it. Once it was clear that we would not be able to make the trip, they offered the option of a full refund or an alternate trip with a partial refund. We took the alternate trip and flew to Redoubt Bay instead. I have a fear of small planes, but the ride was smooth and comfortable and the pilots to and from were highly skilled; I always felt safe. Redoubt Bay was a great alternate trip to a tucked away location with a nice, gourmet lunch, a pontoon ride with great views of brown bear swimming and fishing in the bay, and a roaring fire to warm us up after being out on the water. The staff at Rust’s and on our full trip to Redoubt were all friendly and accommodating and we really enjoyed our day. Rust’s also offers free shuttle service to and from the area hotels.
Written December 5, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Georgina D
Hong Kong, China17 contributions
Hi. I'm very keen to see bears in July. Which is best- the Brooks Fall or the Lake Clark day trip? Similar costs but different length of time...Thanks
Jason T
Anchorage, AK1 contribution
By far Brooks Falls. Best money I have spent. The bears there are wild and there is a very good chance you will come into close (10 or so) contact with them. It’s amazing to see wild bears in their habit passing by people and the two respecting each other. The viewing platforms are all amazing. During my trip there were about 25 bears in the water fishing. My trip was late July 2021, but the bear activity has to do with the salmon run too. But this trip gives you the highest probability of seeing bears.
jpmack210
Baltimore, MD123 contributions
Would appreciate feedback on Rust's 2 different DENALI flight seeing tours --- Glacier landing vs. Lake landing? Our family of four is interested in Rust's Denali Glacier landing tour, but due to athletic builds (...plus mom & dad's sagging middles... lol), we can't take the tour as a foursome (would need to be 2 separate flights with 2 people each). So we're trying to decide between doing 2 separate Glacier landing flights or have the entire family together doing the Lake landing tour (a different plane and different max weight). Being separated isn't a huge deal, nor is the price difference between tours; I'd just like to better understand the tour differences so we can decide if doing it separately is worth it. THANKS for any and all feedback/suggestions.
lindatea11
4 contributions
I would strongly suggest you call Rust's directly and explain all this and ask for their input. I only took this one flight tour with them and loved it, but I am not familiar with the other one you are describing. Also, ask them for complete details about each flight, that should help you decide. Good luck and enjoy your time in AK!
LOCRIS84
Manosque, France1 contribution
bonjour
ce serait pour savoir si fin mai debut juin les ours sont visibles s ils pechent deja les saumons
merci
K2AviationMarketing
Talkeetna, AK
Hi LOCRI84.
Thank you for inquiring. While there is no salmon run in prime bear viewing areas at this time, we do offer an incredible bear viewing trip to Chinitna Bay. Located at the southern in of Lake Clark National Park, bears in this area are very active this time of year. The bears feed on clams and sedge grasses. It is a very popular tour.
GCC25
Raleigh, NC204 contributions
Did you go on a morning flight or afternoon? My assumption is that the plane landed and you were able to walk around and see the bears? Were you able to take pictures from the plane?
Aristotle P
Haverhill, MA89 contributions
Afternoon. They have a variety of plane tours. We did not go on one that landed. Yes--pictures from plane are possible.
Rcshumate
Hillsborough, NC
How many people can go in a group
Cole Chambers
Anchorage, AK1 contribution
Hello. It depends on the flight. Most of our tours can accommodate a group of 10 in our de Haviland Otter. We can also take larger groups if willing to go in multiple aircraft. I would love assist you and answer any specific questions. You may call me direct at 907.771.2117.
My best,
Cole
Nursebette
Placerville, CA1 contribution
Can Rust's Flying Service accommodate solo traveler's? Interested in guided fishing for silvers and grizzly tour.
Possible lodge stay for 3 or 4 nites?
Jason T
Anchorage, AK1 contribution
I went on solo trips to Redoubt Bay and Katmai National Park (Brooks Falls). Of the two I would say spend the extra money in Katmai NP because it’s amazing. It is a long flight and for safety reasons sometimes the flight is modified/rescheduled. I don’t work for Rust’s but I know from personal experience their customer service is excellent. If you have time to be flexible in your trip and can reschedule Katmai (if necessary) it’s a trip you will never forget. It’s a two hour flight from Anchorage but the sights are amazing. My trips were July 2021 (FYI).
