Have you thought about spicing up your London family vacation by doing something unexpected? Helicopter sightseeing in London may be just the thing!
A helicopter tour may give the kids a thrill while allowing older children and adults to see the biggest London attractions from a new view. You may even decide that a helicopter tour is the perfect way to add some adult romance even with the kids in tow.
If you think London is beautiful from the ground, wait until you lift off and see it from up in the clouds! If this type of sightseeing tour appeals to your family, then you have some great options in London.
Top Helicopter Sightseeing in London:
The following list will introduce you to four of our top picks for helicopter sightseeing tours in London.
1. A2B Heli (Charters)
Select from 10-minute, 20-minute, and 30-minute sightseeing flights, departing from the London Heliport in Battersea. Each flight can accommodate up to five passengers and is available for daytime or nighttime bookings. You can even upgrade to flowers and champagne if you want to treat the family to something unexpected.
Some of the attractions that you may see during an A2B sightseeing tour in London include:
- Buckingham Palace
- The Shard
- Tower Bridge
Prices start at £995 for a 10-minute flight with up to five passengers. Nighttime tours are a bit more expensive than daytime tours of the same length. The 30-minute London Battersea Maxi Tour will cost you more than £2,000 for up to four passengers.
2. Wingly UK
Wingly is a great place to shop for London helicopter tours because it features a variety of flight options with highly trained, experienced pilots. You can see the departure and landing sights for each flight plus a personal introduction from the pilot and pictures of the helicopter used for each tour. The site features flights of varying lengths and even includes acrobatic flights for the daredevils in the family.
One of the best sightseeing helicopter tours on Wingly is the 30-minute sightseeing flight over Central London on a Bell 206 Jetranger for four passengers. It starts at £139 per passenger and departs from Biggin Hill Airport in London.
You can find similar flights lasting up to an hour if you look at Wingly closely. Make sure to look at the airfield used for each flight because they aren’t all in London even if they fly over London.
3. Heli Air
If you want options when it comes to sights, prices, and flight length, Heli Air is a good option. This reputable sightseeing helicopter tour operation offers around 10 flight options at any given time. There are also many flights exploring other areas of the UK, so you’re not limited to London.
You can book tours for up to five people. There are smaller helicopters available for fewer passengers, so you don’t have to pay the full price of a five-person tour if you have a smaller family. Prices range from around £150 to over £500, depending on the size of the plane and the tour length.
4. Bumblebee Charters
Bumblebee Charters offers a few London helicopter tours, starting around £420. for two seats on flights lasting about 35 minutes. The price for four seats is around £500, and the price goes up to around £800 for six seats. Flight times can go up to 90 minutes for families interested in investing a bit more in the experience.
You can add a bottle of champagne to a two-seat flight for a marginal fee. Other optional add-ons include flowers, chocolates, and special photographs. The photographs are a nice touch for families interested in preserving the memories for years to come.
Preparing for a Helicopter Sightseeing in London with Kids
Family helicopter tours are fun, but what can you do to prepare children for the experience? The following list of helicopter preparation tips will help:
- Talk openly to set expectations. You want your children to get excited about flying in a helicopter, but you don’t want them shocked at the limited space inside the helicopter and the noise that comes with the ride. Explaining everything that may happen will set realistic expectations while allowing excitement to grow.
- Make sure every member of the family pays attention during the safety talks. Most flights will require you to go through safety guidelines first, and it’s easy to zone out if you aren’t interested. Resist the urge and make sure even the little ones pay attention.
- Watch videos of helicopter tours online. YouTube is a great resource. It will show your kids what a helicopter ride is like so that they aren’t left to their imaginations.
- Bring a helicopter-safe toy for your little one just in case a distraction is needed while in the air.
The more you talk to your kids during the helicopter ride, the more engaged they’re likely to remain. Let them see your excitement and feed off your enthusiasm for helicopter sightseeing.