Papillon's Highlights Air Tour is hands down the best value when it comes to airplane rides. In fact, it's so affordable that I frequently urge readers to consider it over a bus tour.

Don't get me wrong. Bus trips are awesome but they take an entire day to do. The Highlights tour, by contrast, gets the job done in a mere three hours. There truly is no better (or faster) way to sample the National Park.

These flights depart hourly every day of the week and they also fly during all key holidays, including Thanksgiving and Christmas as well as all U.S. government holidays. So, if you find yourself in Vegas on New Year's Eve, no worries because these "birds" lift off while other kinds of tours take the day off.

Planes head west and go over Lake Mead, the largest reservoir in the U.S., Fortification Hill (an extinct volcano) and Hoover Dam, the imperious structure that controls the flow of the iconic Colorado River.

Before long, you'll crest Grand Cliff's Wash, which is the entry point into Grand Canyon airspace. Quickly, you'll spot the Colorado River, which over millennia has ground through Earth's crust to create the canyon.

Over the canyon, you'll marvel at the depth of the gorge, which averages one mile deep and up to 18 miles wide. Most of the time, you'll have clear, endless horizons, which serve to underscore the canyon's gargantuan proportions.

The plane will bank south at pass by the Grand Canyon Skywalk, the world's largest all-glass cantilevered bridge. The glass walkway, which lets guests walk 70 feet past the rim's edge, is quite a sight as it glitters like diamonds under the prismatic desert sun.

Your pilot now begins the process of heading the plane back to Las Vegas, which by air is just 120 miles away. Remember my earlier comments about bus tours? Well, it takes a bus 2.5 hours to cross this distance while an airplane can do it in 30 minutes.

Total tour time (from hotel pick up to drop off) is 3 hours.

Planes & Options

Lots of travelers are under the impression that the planes used on these trips are small. Not the case. Papillon only uses 19-seat deHavilland Twin Otters. These planes have been totally customized for sightseeing (e.g. oversized windows, lounge-style seats, powerful A/C), and are professionally flown by a captain and a co-pilot.

The Highlights tour covers all the bases when it comes to a Las Vegas air tour to Grand Canyon. Bear in mind, however, that planes fly at a higher altitude than helicopters. For many, this is fine, but I do know travelers who want to get closer to the action. To do that, consider this air-only helicopter tour

This plane tour is only available from Las Vegas and it ONLY goes to the West Rim. If you want to visit the South Rim, which many consider the "official" Grand Canyon, you will have to take this airplane tour. This is a favorite with travelers because it gets them to their destination in 1 hour (versus 5.5 hours by bus!). Further, it includes a 2.5+ hour bus tour inside the Park. The upgrade to this tour includes a 30-minute rim-to-rim helicopter ride.

Here's a complete list of West Rim airplane flights. [link]

Reservations & Deals

The Highlights Tour is very popular and sells out. A lot. That's why I recommend that you at least try to book it a week in advance. There are number of benefits in doing this, the primary ones include getting more flight times and better rates. Plus, as far as I'm concerned, you don't have to plan your vacation while your enjoying it.

Deals exist and the majority of them are online. However, I've been running into a lot of readers who've invested hours of their time hunting down inferior offers. Avoid that. It's frustrating. Instead, purchase your air tour direct from the source (versus using One Travel, Expedia, Priceline, etc.). The actual tour suppliers are the ones that have the power to offer the best deals so take advantage of that. Just remember:

"Always complete your transaction online in order to qualify
for the ridiculously great Internet discount."

Conclusion

The Highlights Tour is the cheapest and fastest air tour in which to sample the Grand Canyon and more (e.g. Hoover Dam). With daily departures, you're nearly certain to get seats. But don't wait too long. The "cat's out of the bag" on these flights and they are now regularly selling out. Total tour time is 3 hours, and that includes complimentary door-to-door shuttle service. So here's to getting airborne and to having an incredible experience!

Click Here for Las Vegas-to-Grand-Canyon-Airplane Tours

Cheers!

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