Big Island Private Helicopter Tours Charter Costs for Private Groups
Book the whole helicopter, and the island is yours alone - Kilauea's crater, the Kohala valleys and a chef's landing on a remote coast. Every private charter here reserves the entire cabin for your group, with doors-on or doors-off on most flights, so no strangers and no middle seats.
"Fantastic experience! Donovan was a great pilot and shared so much info during the tour. The views were beautiful and I enjoyed every minute. Highly recommend!"
4.7★average rating51traveler reviews100%free cancellation12countries travelers came from
Which private helicopter tour on the Big Island fits your trip?
A private charter means the whole cabin is yours: no strangers, a pilot who talks only about what interests your group, and every seat with a view. The choice comes down to length and focus, a short coastal loop, a flight with a landing on the ground, or a long route over volcanoes and valleys.
Scuba divingWait a full 24 hours after your last dive before flying.
Small childrenEvery passenger from 24 months up needs a full-fare seat; younger infants sit on a lap on some tours.
Check-inArrive about an hour before takeoff for weighing and the safety briefing.
Booking aheadPrime morning slots in summer and the December holidays sell out two to four weeks in advance.
WeatherLow cloud or rain can cancel or reroute a flight, and a canceled flight is refunded or rescheduled, so book early in your trip to keep spare days.
ClothingWear solid dark colors to keep reflections out of your photos, and closed-toe shoes plus a jacket for doors-off flights.
TimingFlights between 8 and 11 in the morning usually get the calmest air and the clearest views before afternoon clouds build.
Finding the private helicopter tour that fits your Big Island group
Answer a few quick questions and the finder points you to the flight that matches your group, budget and trip.
importantPrivate charters weigh every passenger at check-in, and someone over the operator's weight limit may need an extra seat booked after reservation.
Give accurate weights for everyone in your group when you book, so the operator can balance the aircraft and confirm your party fits. If anyone has gone scuba diving, plan the flight at least 24 hours after the last dive.
Which private helicopter ride suits your group
Best for couples
65 minutes·English
5.0(1)
Romantic Kona Coffee & Landing: Private Helicopter Tour
A 65-minute private flight with a 20-minute landing at a Kona coffee farm for a tasting just for the two of you.
Free cancellationStraps and cases for cell phonesParking
Inside a private helicopter tour - what you'll see
about 2 h
The Big Island: Private Helicopter Experience + Volcanoes gives your group the whole aircraft for a two-hour flight across the island's east side. A pilot flies you over Kilauea's volcanic terrain, then follows the Hamakua Coast, where hundreds of waterfalls drop through rainforest toward the sea.
The route also reaches the remote valleys of North Kohala, a roadless stretch of coast where the cliffs can be reached only by air or boat.
Because the cabin holds only your party, the narration bends to what you want to know, whether that is geology, Hawaiian history or a question you have been saving. The tour includes the safety briefing, equipment and access to routes closed to regular flights. Hotel pickup, photography packages and gratuities are not included.
1Kilauea from overhead· about 30 minThe flight opens over Kilauea's lava fields and craters. From directly above, an aerial angle shows features of the Halemaʻumaʻu crater, like the lava lake extending beneath the overhang, that no ground viewpoint reveals.2Hilo and the east side· about 25 minYou cross Hawaii's largest town surrounded by dense rainforest, the green half of the island that trade-wind rainfall keeps wet while Kona's coast stays dry over black lava fields.3Hamakua Coast waterfalls· about 35 minThe route follows the dramatic Hamakua Coast, where the pilot points out waterfall after waterfall cascading into ravines, many hidden in wilderness with no trail or road to reach them.4North Kohala valleys· about 30 minThe flight reaches the remote valleys of North Kohala, where erosion carved gorges between steep-sided sea cliffs. Some of these back valleys can be entered only by air or a long hike.
Private helicopter flight for your groupProfessional pilot and narrationVolcano, coastline, valley, and waterfall sightseeingScenic aerial views of the Big IslandSafety briefing and equipmentAccess to exclusive flight routes
Not included
Hotel pickup and drop-offGratuitiesProfessional photography packagesTravel insurance
What a private helicopter charter costs, compared
Green marks the lowest price. Each price says whether it is per person or per group.
Tour
Price
Duration
Best for
Our pick
Big Island: Private Helicopter Experience + Volcanoes
from $3,200per group
2 hours
travelers who want the whole cabin to themselves over volcanoes and waterfalls
Most reviewers praised their pilot by name, saying the friendly commentary on island history and geology made the flight.
Best surprise
Several flyers did not expect to spot whales from the air and called the smooth ride one of the best of their lives.
Most common wish
A few wished the route flew further inland over the craters, wanting more volcano time in the air.
How to book your Big Island private helicopter tour
01
Pick your date early in the trip
Choose a day in the first half of your stay. If low clouds or rain ground the flight, you still have open days to reschedule into, and an early flight gives you an island overview that helps plan the rest of the trip.
Pro tipMorning slots between 8 and 11 am bring the calmest air and clearest views over the craters and Kohala valleys
Common mistakeBooking the flight for your last day, when a weather cancellation leaves no second chance
02
Choose the doors-on or doors-off option
Each charter lists both configurations at booking. Doors off means wind, a cooler cabin and unobstructed photos; doors on means a climate-controlled cabin. Pick one, then pick your date and time slot.
ImportantOn a doors-off Robinson R44 a passenger must weigh at least 80 lbs, and 100 lbs in the Airbus AStar
Pro tipA doors-off seat is not always next to the open door, so set expectations with your group before you book
03
Pay and read the confirmation
After payment a confirmation arrives with your meeting point at the departure base. Note the cancellation window on your charter, since it runs from 24 hours to 2 days out for a full refund.
ImportantThe cancellation deadline differs between the private charters, so mark it in your calendar the moment you book
04
Plan your check-in the day before
Set an alarm for the check-in window: about 45 minutes before a Hilo departure and 60 minutes before Waikoloa. You will be weighed for the aircraft's balance and sit through a safety briefing before boarding.
ImportantAnyone who scuba dived within 24 hours of the flight cannot board, so schedule the dive for after
RecommendedWear solid dark clothing, which keeps reflections out of your window photos
05
Pack right for the morning of the flight
Bring closed-toe shoes, sunglasses and a hair tie, and secure your phone with a wrist or neck strap. On a doors-off flight leave hats, bags, purses and selfie sticks behind or stowed.
Common mistakeShowing up with loose items in hand, which ground staff will send back to the car
RecommendedCarry ginger chews if turns usually bother you, and take them before takeoff
What to know before you book a private charter
Can stop the dayGood to knowGood news
01
ChoosingWhat it is, who it suits, when to go
6
Weight limitsCan stop the day
Weight rules shape who can fly and how seats are assigned. On doors-off flights in a Robinson R44 a passenger must weigh at least 80 lbs, in an Airbus AStar at least 100 lbs. Guests at 250 lbs or above trigger a weight-and-balance fee or an extra seat, assessed after booking.
Age rules
Every passenger aged 24 months and up needs a full-fare seat on these private charters. Scuba divers must stay out of the air for 24 hours before the flight, because cabin pressure raises the risk of decompression sickness.
Doors off
Private charters run with the doors on or off, your choice when both options are offered. With the doors off, no loose items ride in the cabin: hats, bags, scarves, water bottles, selfie sticks, and spare lenses get stowed before boarding.
Cameras
Phones and cameras go on a wrist or neck strap for the whole flight, set to airplane mode, and several operators supply the straps and cases. Sunglasses stay put because the aviation headsets hold them firmly to your head.
Check-in
Plan to arrive at the heliport up to an hour before takeoff for weigh-in and the safety briefing. Seating is set by FAA weight-and-balance rules, so nobody picks their own seat, though a private cabin means your whole party fills it.
Tipping
Tipping your pilot is optional but common when you land. The usual amount runs ten to twenty dollars per passenger, or about twenty dollars a couple, and ground crew share whatever is left at the desk.
02
BookingHow far ahead, and what happens if plans change
3
Booking lead time
Peak summer and the December holiday stretch sell out 2 to 4 weeks ahead, and prime morning slots often go a month to six weeks early. Reserve as soon as your dates are set.
Trip timing
Book your flight for early in your vacation. If weather forces a cancellation, you have open days left to rebook, and the aerial overview helps you plan the rest of the island by land.
Cancellation
The private tours on this page can be canceled for a full refund up to 24 hours or 2 days before departure, depending on the operator. If weather cancels the flight itself, you get a refund or a rescheduled slot.
03
Before you goPapers, health, what to bring
3
Health limitsCan stop the day
People with vertigo, severe motion sickness, or claustrophobia may not be suited to these flights. Anyone who cannot sit upright, is pregnant, or has a cold or flu should also check before booking whether the flight works for them.
What to wear
For doors-off flights, closed-toe shoes and a jacket or sweatshirt are required, and long hair gets tied back. Dark, solid colors cut down window glare in photos, and for landings on ranches or coffee estates wear athletic shoes that handle wet or uneven ground.
Weather days
Rain and low clouds can ground a flight or reroute it, and morning slots between 8 and 11 am give you the calmest air and clearest skies. Hilo-side flights meet more rain than Kona ones, so a passing shower is normal and usually no reason to cancel.
How to plan a private helicopter tour on the Big Island
Chartering the whole aircraft on the Big Island starts at a serious number, and how you book changes it. What follows settles the price, the cabin, the routes and the weather, up to a reservation of your own.
Kilauea, Hawaii· 19.72° N, 156.04° W
If you only remember three things
1
Buy out every seat on a shared tour before assuming a custom hourly charter is cheaper.
2
Aim for a departure between 8 and 11 am, when the air is calmest and the skies clearest.
3
Book early in your trip, with buffer days, so a washed-out morning can be rescheduled.
Is a private helicopter flight on the Big Island worth the money?
Five minutes into the Kohala valleys the pilot swings the nose toward a waterfall no trail reaches, and the cabin goes quiet except for the headsets. That is the moment people who charter the whole aircraft point back to. The question is what having it to yourselves is worth.
The island's scenery carries the argument on its own. One flight stacks up volcanic craters, lava fields, black sand beaches and waterfalls dropping into ravines, and parts of this island cannot be seen any other way.
The roadless north coast and its back valleys take a boat, a long hike or a helicopter, and nothing between.
One caveat decides expectations. Kilauea erupts in short windows, so molten red lava is never guaranteed. On a quiet volcano the flight still crosses steam vents, vast craters and hardened flows, and regulars say the green Kohala valleys then outshine the craters.
What a private charter costs, and how pricing works
Charter pricing works differently from a tour ticket, and this is where most groups get it wrong. The quote covers the whole aircraft, so the figure depends on the airframe and the airtime, and your headcount only changes the math per person.
That opens a loophole worth knowing before you book. Buying out every seat on a standard shared tour, at its per-seat rates, has often cost less than a custom hourly charter.
A six-passenger tour aircraft bought out ran noticeably under the hourly charter rate in past years. Price both routes before assuming the word charter carries a premium.
Duration sets the brackets, and the listings count different things. Kona coast-only loops log about 30 minutes in the air, and routes that add Hualalai run 45 to 60 minutes; those are the short loop airtimes.
Hilo volcano flights list 50 to 55 minutes overall. A Kona departure aimed at Kilauea lists a full 1.5 hours, and the difference is the crossing, because those flights spend their first stretch over the island before the mountain comes into view.
Departure point matters as much as airtime, since Hilo sits next to the volcano. Landings change the picture too: a coffee-farm touchdown adds ground time a plain scenic loop never has.
The main private options, side by side
Romantic Kona Coffee & Landing
Kona coastal private loop
Luxury picnic charter
Flight time
65 minutes total
30 to 45 minutes
2.5 hours total
Departure
Kailua-Kona
Kona area
Waikoloa Village
Private landing
20 minutes at a coffee farm with a tasting
none
60 minutes with a chef-catered meal
Doors
on or off
on or off
on or off
Best for
couples and proposals
families with young children
milestone celebrations
Romantic Kona Coffee & Landing
Flight time
65 minutes total
Departure
Kailua-Kona
Private landing
20 minutes at a coffee farm with a tasting
Doors
on or off
Best for
couples and proposals
Kona coastal private loop
Flight time
30 to 45 minutes
Departure
Kona area
Private landing
none
Doors
on or off
Best for
families with young children
Luxury picnic charter
Flight time
2.5 hours total
Departure
Waikoloa Village
Private landing
60 minutes with a chef-catered meal
Doors
on or off
Best for
milestone celebrations
Price your headcount against each row and the right aircraft usually picks itself. The coffee charter suits a couple, the coastal loop a small family, and the picnic flight a celebration with hours to spare.
Will your whole group fit in one private helicopter?
The airframe decides the party, so pick it before you compare anything else. A Robinson R44 takes up to 3 passengers, an R66 takes 4, the Airbus A-Star and EC-130 Eco-Star carry 6, and a twin-engine Bell 430 seats 7.
A family of five that wants one aircraft is already looking at an Eco-Star or bigger.
Then come the weight ceilings, and they bite quietly. Four-passenger charters enforce a maximum combined group weight of 700 lbs with a 285 lb cap per seat. On six-passenger Eco-Stars, the two front-row seats together cannot exceed 470 lbs.
One tour operator adds its own rule: an extra seat is required for anyone weighing 250 lb or more, or when two passengers together reach 420 lb.
Every passenger is weighed at check-in. Weight and balance calculations, set by federal rules, determine who sits where, so no one in a private cabin picks their own seat either. Declare weights honestly when you book; a wrong number surfaces at the pad and reshuffles the plan on the spot.
Those limits shrink fast in practice, and the numbers worth memorizing fit on three lines.
Private charter capacity and weight limits
3 to 7passengers per charter aircraft
700 lbsmaximum combined group weight
285 lbsmaximum individual passenger weight
A group over 700 lbs combined, or with several heavier passengers, may need the six-seat aircraft even if three seats would do. Weigh the party before you price the charter, and the airframe question answers itself.
What you actually see over Kilauea on a private volcano flight
Set the expectations now and the flight cannot disappoint you. When Kilauea is quiet, there is no molten red lava to see from the air.
What stays is still substantial: steam vents, vast crater formations and hardened flows from earlier eruptions, black fields stretching to the coast that some travelers find repetitive and others find the whole point.
When the mountain is active, the caldera becomes the sort of sight people describe for years. The aerial angle shows things the rim cannot, and one of them made the news in its own right: the lava lake that extended beneath the overhang inside Halemaʻumaʻu, visible only from overhead.
The route is not fully yours, even in a private cabin. During eruptions, temporary flight restrictions can close the airspace above the caldera, extending two nautical miles from Halemaʻumaʻu crater with a ceiling of 5,000 feet.
The park's air-tour plan also routes authorized flights so they avoid the Kilauea summit, keeping them off the caldera's crown. A pilot who hits cloud on a planned line must leave the route and fly another where the weather allows.
One Kona departure, the Kilauea Volcano Eruption Heli Tour - Door On/Off, gives a full 1.5 hours aimed squarely at the mountain, with the doors-on or doors-off choice left to you. Lava viewing depends on current activity, which can change within weeks, so check conditions the week you fly.
Tour for this
Big Island: Kilauea Volcano Eruption Heli Tour - Door On/Off4.4★ (5) · 1.5 hours · Free cancellation
The private flight over valleys and sea cliffs no road can reach
This is the chapter the flight often turns out to be about. The North Kohala coast's sea cliffs formed when a shift in the earth's deep structure sheared away whole lava formations, and water has been carving gorges into the rugged north coast ever since.
Some valleys are so steep they can be reached only by boat or helicopter. The back valleys take a long hike, or your flight.
From the cabin, the scale reads directly. The Kohala valleys drop between walls of 2,000 to 4,000 feet, and the waterfall flights in the North Kohala mountains hover inside cascading amphitheaters with walls around 2,500 feet. No rental car gets near any of it.
The waterfalls change with the season. Northeast trade winds push ocean moisture up the slopes and feed the Hamakua Coast falls all year, but volume peaks from November through March, when winter storms add heavy rain and the falls run thunderous. May through September brings a steady, moderate flow from routine showers instead.
From Waikoloa, the Big Island Spectacular Helicopter Tour spends 105 minutes to 2 hours threading rainforest, valleys, sea cliffs and volcano country in one line, and it can add a landing at the base of Laupahoehoe Nui, a 1,200-foot waterfall. Even with a quiet volcano, this leg alone justifies the airfare for many regulars.
Match the route to the group and the browsing stops here. Families with young children do best on the short coastal hop: one operator calls the 30-minute Kona Coast Scenic its popular choice for exactly that crowd, long enough for the fish ponds, Kailua Bay and the coffee farms, short enough for short attention spans.
Couples after a landing have a clear answer. The Romantic Kona Coffee & Landing: Private Helicopter Tour flies 45 minutes over Kaloko Fish Ponds, Kailua Bay, Magic Sands Beach and the Captain Cook Monument, then touches down at a coffee farm for a 20-minute private tasting above the coast.
It is the route people pick for proposals.
For the once-in-a-lifetime end of the list, the Big Island: Private Helicopter Experience + Volcanoes gives the whole group 2 hours across volcanoes, the Hamakua Coast and hundreds of waterfalls, and the Luxury Picnic charter stretches to 2.5 hours with a 60-minute landing and a chef-catered meal.
Three questions settle the rest: how many seats you need, whether a landing belongs in the day, and which departure base saves you driving.
How to choose a private charter
Check
Why it matters
Our pick
Aircraft capacity for your group
Three to seven passengers depending on the model; overweight groups need the bigger airframe
Flies a two-person party in an R44 or A-Star, so the whole cabin is yours
A private landing included
Landings turn a flight into a ground stop, and they only come with certain routes
Includes a 20-minute coffee-farm landing with a private tasting
Doors on or off
Changes clothing, cameras and the wind in the cabin
Offered both ways at booking
Departure base
Kona departures cost drive time to the volcano; Hilo sits next to it
Departs Kailua-Kona, ideal for west-side resorts
For a couple, the coffee charter clears every line on that list, and the same three questions sort the bigger charters the same way: seats first, landing second, departure base third.
Pin the flight to the morning and half the weather risk disappears. Departures between 8 and 11 am get the calmest winds and the clearest skies over both the volcanic summits and the Kohala valleys, before daytime heating builds cloud and choppy air through the afternoon.
Each side of the island has its own rhythm. On the Hilo side, late morning around 11 am tends to dodge the early rainfall that windward flights often meet.
On the Kona side, afternoon upslope clouds regularly close the route up Hualalai, forcing flights to stay on the coastline, so morning is the window for summit views. West Hawaii even peaks for rain in June and July, while November and December bring some of the clearest flying.
Prime morning slots sell out 2 to 4 weeks ahead in peak season, and the best early departures often book out 30 days to 6 weeks, in summer and over the December and January holidays.
In quieter stretches the same slots go later, but the pattern holds: the hour you want is the hour everyone wants.
How busy it gets, month by month
September: 5 out of 5 for how busy it gets.
HighestAug to Oct
In betweenMar to May, Jul, Nov
LowestJun, Dec to Feb
Darker: a higher how busy it gets score, out of 5
Tap a month to read it.
The calendar bends that pattern a little: crowded months swallow every slot, while quieter weeks leave morning openings closer to your dates. Lock the morning slot as soon as the trip dates exist either way.
Getting to the heliport for a private departure - Kona or Hilo?
The drive-time math comes first, because the Big Island is bigger than most visitors expect. From Waikoloa Beach Resort, the Kona departure point sits about 41 minutes away while Hilo Airport takes about 1 hour 21.
From Kailua-Kona the Kona base is minutes from town, and from Mauna Lani the two bases run about even, at roughly 1 hour 31 versus 1 hour 44.
The cross-island drive changes the calculation when the volcano is the goal.
Saddle Road, the Daniel K. Inouye Highway, takes about 1 hour 20 from Waikoloa and 1 hour 25 to 1 hour 30 from Kailua-Kona to reach Hilo, and the official guidance suggests allowing 1.5 to 2.5 hours for weather and elevation along the way.
Hilo wins when Kilauea is the point.Hilo International Airport lies about 30 miles from Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, a 45-minute drive, while Kailua-Kona sits 95 miles out on Highway 11, a 2-to-2.5-hour run.
A Hilo departure starts next to the volcano; a Kona departure crosses the island in the air first, which is why its volcano flights list about 1 hour 45 overall.
At Kona International Airport, the general aviation facilities where the tours check in sit south of the passenger terminals.
Match the drive to your resort first. From Waikoloa or Kailua-Kona, the Kona base wins on convenience, and when the volcano is the whole point, the longer drive to Hilo buys the shorter flight.
Tour for this
Waikoloa: Big Island Spectacular Helicopter Tour4.2★ (10) · 105 minutes - 2 hours · Free cancellation
Doors on or doors off - what to wear on a private charter
The door decision follows you all the way to the closet. Closed cabins are climate-controlled, so ordinary casual clothing works and a heavy jacket becomes too warm.
Open doors are another climate: the in-flight air runs 10 to 15 degrees cooler than the ground, with wind adding to the chill, so long pants, a long-sleeved shirt and a light windbreaker are the working kit, and nothing that flaps, including scarves and hats.
Wear solid dark colors either way. Bright clothing reflects in the cabin glass and shows up in photos as glare or silhouettes; black, navy and charcoal keep the windows clean for the camera. Closed-toe shoes are required on doors-off flights, and long hair goes back in a tight tie.
The loose-item rules are strict in an open cabin. Hats, bags, purses, water bottles, selfie sticks and extra lenses stay behind or in stowage, and every camera and phone rides tethered to you on a wrist or neck strap. Sunglasses stay on, because the headsets hold them firmly to the head.
Tipping is optional but common in Hawaii: passengers routinely hand the pilot a per-couple gratuity on landing, and anything left at the desk goes to the ground crew. Some visitors take ginger or motion-sickness medication before boarding to settle the inner ear during banking turns.
How safe is a private helicopter flight, and who should not fly?
The record answers first. Fatal air tour accidents in Hawaii average less than one per year despite heavy daily flight volumes across the islands, and the statistical risk of injury on a commercial tour flight sits at or below the level of a daily interstate commute on the mainland.
After Hawaii-specific rules arrived in 1994, the crash rate fell by nearly half.
The rules behind that number are concrete. Hawaii air tours generally stay at least 1,500 feet above the surface, pilots fly only at heights and speeds that permit a safe landing after engine failure, and a performance plan is completed before every flight.
Single-engine flights beyond the shore carry flotation gear, and passengers are briefed on water landings before those segments. Helicopters do not fall if an engine quits; pilots train autorotation glides to land safely without power.
Some travelers should sit this one out, and the list is specific. Anyone who has scuba dived in the past 24 hours cannot board, because lower cabin air pressure raises the risk of decompression sickness.
The same operator rules commonly exclude people with vertigo, severe motion sickness or claustrophobia, pregnant travelers on certain flights, and anyone unable to sit upright.
A traveler's note
Fantastic trip! Ben and Joey were excellent, knowledgeable pilots about the Big Island and volcanoes. Weather cooperated so we saw everything! We chose the open-door tour for something different, so glad we did!
First-timers keep saying the same thing on the tarmac afterwards: the takeoff is smooth, with none of the stomach-drop of a roller coaster, and the pilot's briefing settles the nerves before the skids ever leave the deck. If open spaces are the worry, a doors-on cabin answers it.
What happens if weather turns on your private flight?
Low cloud, rain and vog shut down views of the volcano summits regularly, and pilots respond the way the rules require: when weather prevents them from holding a route's prescribed altitude, they leave the route and fly another where conditions allow.
A caldera hidden by cloud often becomes an hour over coastal lava fields and rainforest waterfalls, which run harder after passing showers anyway.
A weather cancellation costs you the flight, not the money. Operators offer a full refund or the chance to reschedule when poor weather or low clouds ground a departure.
The details differ between them, and one line matters: one operator gives no refund or discount when weather changes the route, the sights or the flight time but the flight still goes. If a rescheduled date does not work for you, another operator refunds in full.
Experienced hands therefore put the flight early in the vacation. A cancellation on day two leaves four buffer days to rebook; on the final morning it leaves none. An early flight has a second benefit too: the aerial overview helps you decide what else on the island is worth seeing by land.
The day-change playbook
If this happens
What happens then
Weather cancels the flight
Reschedule or take a full refund
You cannot make the rescheduled date
Full refund, no penalty, with operators that offer this
Weather changes the route or shortens the flight
The flight goes on; one operator gives no refund or discount for the change
Scuba diving within 24 hours of takeoff
Boarding refused
Plans change on your side
Cancel up to 24 hours to 2 days ahead, depending on the tour, for a full refund
Read those lines against your own booking screen, because the terms differ from operator to operator. The constant is the weather itself: a cancellation costs the flight, never the fare.
Treat the flight as the anchor of a full day, and both coasts cooperate.
On the Hilo side, Rainbow Falls sits inside town, 1.5 miles from downtown, an 80-foot curtain known for rainbows in its mist, and the Boiling Pots river pools lie two miles up the same Wailuku River; the pair fits one 45-minute visit.
Akaka Falls runs taller still, a 442-foot drop on a paved half-mile loop about 25 minutes north of town.
Eat the lunch that ends the story. Cafe 100 in Hilo serves more than 30 varieties of loco moco, and the farmers market on Kamehameha Avenue opens daily from 7 am.
The Onomea scenic drive heads north along the coast toward the tropical garden at Onomea Bay, and Liliʻuokalani Gardens on Hilo Bay costs nothing and takes an hour.
On the Kona side, the departure point sits close to the waterfront sights in town, so a morning flight leaves the whole afternoon for the pier, the palace and the beach. The National Park boundary is also a one-hour drive from Hilo if the ground-level crater rim calls after the aerial version.
Most of what sits around the Kona departure point lies within three minutes on foot, so the waterfront sights fill the hour before check-in without any extra driving.
A private charter pays off when your party actually fills the aircraft and a landing belongs to the day: the coffee-farm touchdown for couples, the picnic charter for celebrations.
Price a shared-tour buyout against the hourly charter before you book, take a morning slot, and schedule it early in the trip so the weather has room to disappoint you once.
The valleys and sea cliffs are the part no other island can sell you, with or without lava.
Go ifYour group numbers three or more and wants the cabin to itselfA private landing, coffee farm or picnic, is the point of the dayYou can book a morning slot weeks ahead and early in your trip
Skip ifGuaranteed molten lava is the only reason you are flyingAnyone in the party has scuba dived within 24 hours of takeoffYour group exceeds the aircraft's weight ceilings and no one will resize
Direct answers on charter pricing, group size, weight rules, landings and what your flight will actually look like.
Kilauea, Hawaii2026
We had the whole cabin to ourselves over the Kohala valleys, then touched down for coffee at a farm you can only reach by air. Book a morning slot.
How much are private helicopter rides on the Big Island?
Charter rates depend on flight length, route and whether you add a landing. A short Kona coastal loop is the entry point, a full volcano or Kohala flight costs more, and private picnics or coffee-estate landings sit at the top. Check each tour card for the exact charter rate.
Is a private charter priced per aircraft or per person?
Per aircraft. You book the whole cabin, so the charter rate stays the same whether you fill every seat or fly as a couple. That is why a private flight for two costs far more than a shared seat, and why a full group gets close to the per-seat value of a shared tour.
How many people fit in a private helicopter charter?
Between 3 and 7 passengers depending on the aircraft. A Robinson R44 takes up to 3, a Robinson R66 up to 4, an A-Star or Eco-Star up to 6, and a twin-engine Bell 430 seats 7. Larger groups split across two aircraft or choose the biggest cabin.
Are there weight limits for a private group?
Yes, and they matter when you book the whole aircraft. Four-passenger charters cap the combined party weight around 700 lbs, with about 285 lbs per seat.
On six-seat Eco-Stars the front row has its own combined limit. Everyone is weighed at check-in, and some operators add a fee or require an extra seat above certain weights.
Will everyone in our group get a window seat?
In most private charters, yes. Smaller four-seat aircraft like the R44 have no middle seating at all, so every passenger gets an open view. Six-seat Eco-Stars use raised rear theater-style seating behind wraparound front glass, which keeps sightlines good even for middle seats.
What private landings can a charter include?
Laupāhoehoe Nui, a waterfall landing site on the Kohala Coast, is reachable only by helicopter. One Kona picnic charter touches down along the Kohala Coast for a chef-prepared meal with ocean views, and another lands at a working Kona coffee farm for a private tasting. These stops exist only because you have the whole aircraft.
Can we choose doors on or doors off?
On most private tours here, yes, and that is one of the perks of chartering: the configuration follows your group, not a fixed schedule. If you fly doors off, expect strong wind chill and strict loose-item rules. Phones and cameras need a wrist or neck strap, and hats, bags and scarves stay behind.
Can the pilot tailor the commentary to us?
That is part of what the charter buys. With no other passengers aboard, the pilot talks directly with your group, follows your questions and adjusts the pace. Travelers regularly mention pilots who bring the island's geology and history to life, and some even play a music playlist over the headsets.
What if weather cancels our private flight?
Operators cancel, delay or reroute when low clouds, heavy rain or volcanic haze move in. If that happens, you get a full refund or the chance to reschedule. Book the flight early in your trip so a weather day does not end your chance to fly at all.
When should we schedule a private charter?
Aim for a morning slot between about 8 and 11 am. Air over the volcanic summits and the Kohala valleys is calmest then and clouds build later in the day. Prime morning departures in peak summer and winter holidays sell out weeks ahead, so reserve early.
Will we see red lava if Kilauea is not erupting?
Not while the volcano is quiet. Without an active eruption you fly over steam vents, crater formations and hardened lava fields instead, and they still make a striking sight. Check current volcanic activity before you book if glowing lava is the reason for your flight.
Do any health rules stop someone in our group from flying?
A few. Anyone who has scuba dived within 24 hours cannot board, and vertigo, claustrophobia or a recent illness can rule a person out on some tours. Very young children and lighter passengers may be restricted on doors-off flights, where minimum age and weight rules apply per aircraft.
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