Las Vegas Grand Canyon Tours: The Helicopter and Boat Add-On
Travel Analysts
We read 108 reviews of Grand Canyon bus tours from Las Vegas, and of Grand Canyon West itself, that mention the helicopter. Most are at four or five stars, and 22 of those 83 single out the helicopter as worth it or the best part of the day. Of the 25 at one to three stars, 18 are about the add-on: it ate the rest of the visit, the boat was not running, the bus arrived too late for it, or the bus waited for the people who bought it.
Explore the full guide & expert tips ➜What the add-on is, as reviewers describe it
On the bus tours to Grand Canyon West, the helicopter is an extra bought on top of the bus seat. Reviewers describe a short flight down to the Colorado River, a boat ride on the river, and a flight back up to the rim, done while the rest of the group tours the viewpoints.
“Took a helicopter flight down to the bottom, & took a boat trip, loved it, then helicopter back up..”
— Google Maps, 5 stars, July 2026
Among the 83 reviews at four and five stars, 22 single out the helicopter or the add-on, not just the tour, as worth it, the highlight, or something to add.
“If you can stretch to it, then the helicopter flight provides a really different perspective of the Grand Canyon, and was the highlight of our day.”
— TripAdvisor, 5 stars, December 2025
The trade-off: the add-on turns a day of viewpoints into a day with one experience at the bottom of the canyon, and it costs much more than the bus seat. Prices are set by the operators and change.
It is sold on the bus
In 12 of the 83 good reviews, the guide is the one who offered the add-on, recommended it or booked it on the way. Some reviewers took it on the day; one regrets not doing it.
“He recommended us about helicopter ride through the Grand Canyon and it was worth doing one !”
— Google Maps, 5 stars, May 2026
“I only wish I had listened to Gia and booked the helicopter and boat ride too!”
— TripAdvisor, 5 stars, September 2026
In two of the low-rated reviews, the same selling feels like pressure, one upsell after another.
The trade-off: deciding on the bus lets you see the weather and how you feel before you pay; deciding at home lets you check the price and what is included without a guide waiting for an answer.
What it costs the rest of the day
Of the 25 low-rated reviews, 5 describe buyers who lost part of the visit to the add-on: a Skywalk line abandoned, a lunch skipped, a viewpoint missed, or hours of waiting.
“It is impossible to do it all in the 4 hrs unless the helicopter ride occurs the moment you arrive.”
— Google Maps, 1 star, October 2023
The good reviews describe the same squeeze in milder words.
“we paid a discounted $300 (+VAT) for the helicopter and boat ride - which were great although a little rushed and it means you’re catching up with the group after - but it’s definitely an amazing experience and you don’t need to also do the skywalk.”
— TripAdvisor, 5 stars, September 2026
Four reviews are from passengers who did not buy it and waited on the bus while the guide sorted out those who did.
“having us sit on the bus for over 25 minutes at the grand canyon while he first sorted those who were taking the helicopter”
— TripAdvisor, 3 stars, November 2025
| Of the 25 reviews at one to three stars… | Reviews |
|---|---|
| ⏱️ Bought it and lost part of the visit, or waited hours | 5 |
| 🚤 The boat was not running or not given | 4 |
| 🚌 Did not buy it and waited on the bus | 4 |
| ❌ Lost the flight to a late bus or missing information | 3 |
| 📣 Felt the selling on the bus as pressure | 2 |
| 💵 The price changed on the day | 1 |
| ➖ Not about the add-on | 7 |
How the hours of a West Rim bus day are spent is in our hour-by-hour article.
The trade-off: the add-on gets the praise, and it shares a fixed number of hours with everything else. If you also want the Skywalk, ask when your flight is before you pay for both.
When the boat or the flight does not happen
Four low-rated reviews say the boat was not running or was not given, and three say they lost the flight because the bus arrived late or they were not told where to go.
“The boat ride was also not operating and had not been for some months.”
— Google Maps, 1 star, October 2023
“we bought a tour for $1,800.00 with a helicopter trip and we lost the trip because the bus was 1:40 minutes late.”
— Google Maps, 1 star, December 2023
The seven reviews in this section were written between 2020 and 2023, and the boat's status changes; what they show is that the add-on depends on the bus arriving on time. What reviewers say about getting money back is in our article on booking without getting burned.
The trade-off: a package that bundles bus, flight and boat is one booking, and it means one late bus can cost the flight and the boat with it. Before you pay, ask whether the boat is running that week and what happens if the bus arrives after your flight time.
Common questions
❓ Is the Grand Canyon West helicopter and boat ride worth it?
Of 83 four- and five-star reviews of bus tours that mention the helicopter, 22 single it out as worth it or the highlight. Most of the low-rated ones are about what the add-on cost the rest of the day, or a boat that did not run.
❓ Can you add the helicopter on a Grand Canyon bus tour from Las Vegas?
Reviewers describe buying it in advance with the tour or on the day, often through the guide on the bus. Availability, price and the boat are set by the operators and change.
❓ Does the helicopter add-on leave time for the Skywalk?
Not always. Five low-rated reviews describe buyers who lost the Skywalk, lunch or a viewpoint to the add-on. Ask when your flight is before you pay for both.
Method and Limits
This article reads 108 reviews that mention the helicopter: 78 from Google Maps and 30 from TripAdvisor, of Grand Canyon bus tours from Las Vegas and of the Grand Canyon West attraction, written between October 2019 and September 2026, most of them in 2026. Reviews of helicopter operators, of a shooting range and of the Hoover Dam listing were left out. All 22 reviews at one or two stars come from Google Maps; the TripAdvisor reviews in this set include three at three stars and none lower.
The 25 reviews at one to three stars were read and classified one by one by what went wrong; some fit more than one group. The groups are small, and the article gives them as counts, not rates. The 22 and the 12 among the good reviews were also classified by reading, so that praise of the tour in general is not counted as praise of the helicopter.
Quotes are reproduced exactly as written, including the writers' spelling, and each was checked word for word against the stored review. Prices, flight lengths, the boat and what each package includes are set by the operators and change.
About the Author
Intercoper Curator Team
Travel Analysts
Our team researches and curates tour experiences. We combine local knowledge with rigorous verification to recommend only tours worth your time.
