Big Island Helicopter Tours from Kona
Big Island helicopter tours — Kīlauea Eruption, Kohala Waterfalls & Volcanic Coastlines
Kilauea Volcano Eruption
1 hour 45 minute helicopter tour from Kona. Fly over Kīlauea Volcano and witness the current state of the eruption — lava fields, craters, and volcanic landscapes from above.
Departure: Hawaii Island, Kona
New: Big Island Full Circle Expedition
2 hours 30 minutes Big Island helicopter tour from Kona. Experience the entire Island of Hawaiʻi by helicopter with 5 volcanoes, both coastlines, lush waterfalls and the majestic valleys of Kohala in a single flight. Expedition includes a 30 minute mid-adventure landing.
Departure: Hawaii Island, Kona
Kona Coast Hualalai Volcano
60-minute Big Island helicopter tour from Kona. Explore dramatic volcanic coastline, tropical reefs, and ancient lava flows. Fly above Hualalai Volcano, Kaloko Fish Ponds, and the famous Kona Coffee farms. Doors-off included on this Kona helicopter tour.
Departure: Hawaii Island, Kona
Kohala Coast Volcanoes Waterfalls
90 minute Big Island helicopter tour from Kona. Experience an epic Kohala Coast helicopter tour featuring Mauna Loa, Mauna Kea and Hualālai volcanoes as well as the Big Island’s most dramatic waterfalls.
Departure: Hawaii Island, Kona
Coastal Sights Unseen
45 minute Big Island helicopter tour from Kona. Discover a unique side of Hawaii Island with Hualalai Volcano, Magic Sands Beach, Kaloko Fish Ponds, Kailua Bay, Alii Drive and the famous Kona Coffee farms from above.
Departure: Hawaii Island, Kona
Kona Coast Scenic
30 minute Big Island helicopter tour from Kona. Experience Captain Cook Monument, Kealakekua Bay Marine Preserve and the stunning Kona coastline — Hawaii's most historic shoreline from above.
Departure: Hawaii Island, Kona
Private helicopter charters on the Big Island
Luxury Picnic Volcanoes & Waterfalls
2 hour 30 minute Big Island private helicopter charter from Kona featuring a scenic landing and gourmet chef-catered picnic. Enjoy pilot-narrated flightseeing over Mauna Loa Volcano, Waipiʻo Valley, and the Kohala Coast’s waterfalls and rugged cliffs.
Departure: Hawaii Island, Kona
Romantic Kona Coffee & Landing
1 hour 5 minute Kona private helicopter charter featuring a scenic coffee farm landing with a Kona coffee tasting. Enjoy a private, romantic experience with pilot-narrated flightseeing along the Kona Coast, including Kailua Bay, Hualālai Volcano, and the secluded shoreline of Kīholo Bay.
Departure: Hawaii Island, Kona
Custom & Specialized Big Island Flights
Big Island Helicopter Pilot Experience
Hands-on private helicopter piloting adventure on the Big Island. Take the controls and fly under the guidance of a certified instructor pilot. No experience required.
Departure: Hawaii Island, Kona
Big Island Aerial Photo / Videography
Rainbow Helicopters works with photographers, filmmakers, and production teams to capture clean, intentional aerial imagery for creative and commercial use.
Departure: Hawaii Island, Kona
Big Island Private Custom Charters
Rainbow Helicopters offers inter-island travel, custom luxury experiences, proposal flights and on-demand services to meet your needs. We can get you wherever you want to go!
Departure: Hawaii Island, Kona
“The tour was breathtaking! The pilot was so informative and not only showed us the island safely, he gave us so much knowledge on what we were seeing. Rainbow offers the best Big Island helicopter tours!!”
CANDACE • 2025
Recent reviews
Choosing a Big Island Helicopter Tour
Not sure which tour to choose? Here’s the fastest way to find the right Big Island helicopter tour experience based on your time, budget, and what you want to see. Compare scenic flights over Kīlauea Volcano, Waipiʻo Valley, and the Kohala Coast — including waterfalls, coastlines, and doors-off helicopter tours departing from Kona.
See Everything (Best for First-Time Vistors)
Short Flights (30 min.)
Best Photography & Scenic Variety
Private & Premium Experiences
↳ One of the top Kona helicopter tours, this experience combines volcanic landscapes, lava fields, and dramatic coastlines found only on Hawaii’s Big Island helicopter tours.
Big Island Volcano Helicopter Tours from Kona
Experience Hawaii’s volcanic landscape from the air on a Big Island volcano helicopter tour from Kona. Departing from Kona Airport, these flights explore Kīlauea, Mauna Loa, Hualālai, dramatic lava fields, steaming vents, and the rugged volcanic coastline of Hawaii Island from a safe aerial perspective.
When volcanic activity is present, guests may witness active lava flows and glowing eruption activity from above — one of the most unforgettable sights in Hawaii. Rainbow’s Big Island helicopter tours also offer optional doors-off experiences for panoramic photography and unobstructed views of the island’s constantly evolving terrain.
For more information about current volcanic conditions, visit our live “Is Kīlauea erupting right now?” volcano updates and live cams page or the official USGS volcano updates page.
LIVE: Halemaʻumaʻu crater cameras
Experience the volcano from the air on our immersive Kīlauea volcano helicopter tour.
Compare Big Island Helicopter Tour Prices
↳ Compare Kona helicopter tours by duration, price, and doors-off availability.
Big Island helicopter tour prices vary by flight length, route, and experience, with options ranging from short scenic flights to extended volcano and coastline adventures. Departing from Kona, these tours cover the island’s most dramatic landscapes—including volcanic regions, deep valleys, waterfalls, and rugged coastlines—with optional doors-off seating and private charter upgrades available. Use the comparison below to explore flights by duration and experience, from Kona Coast scenic routes to longer aerial journeys over Kīlauea, Waipiʻo Valley, and the Kohala Coast—scenery you simply can’t experience from the ground.
Open-Air & Doors-Off Helicopter Tours
Experience the Island of Hawaiʻi with unobstructed aerial views on Rainbow Helicopters’ open-air and doors-off helicopter tours from Kona. Optional doors-off seating is included at no additional cost, allowing guests to fly above active volcanoes, lava fields, waterfalls, sea cliffs, and remote coastlines with panoramic views ideal for sightseeing and aerial photography across the Big Island.
Big Island Helicopter Tours for Families
Rainbow Helicopters welcomes families on most Big Island helicopter tours. Our Airbus Astar seats up to six guests, making it ideal for families flying together in one aircraft.
The Kona Coast Scenic (30 min) is a popular choice for younger children — a comfortable duration with coastal views over Kailua-Kona and Keauhou Bay. Families looking for more want the Kona Coast Hualalai Volcano (60 min), which adds volcanic landscapes and Kohala coastline.
We recommend doors-on for children under 10. All passengers must sit upright and fit securely in a seatbelt.
↳ Spacious Airbus Astar seating is family-friendly for up to 6 guests.
Kona Cruise Port Helicopter Tours
Kona is a tender port — cruise ships anchor offshore and ferry passengers to Kailua Pier by tender. Most ships allow approximately 7–8 hours in port, which is enough time for a helicopter tour.
The Kona Coast Scenic (30 min) and Kona Coast Hualalai Volcano (60 min) are the most practical options for cruise passengers. Both Big Island Helicopter Tours depart from Kona Airport, a short drive from the pier, and return you with time for lunch before tender cutoff.
Book direct with Rainbow rather than through your cruise line — you’ll pay significantly less for the same flight. We recommend morning departures for best visibility. Kona occasionally skips due to ocean swells; we offer full refunds for documented port cancellations.
Planning Your Helicopter Tour
Highlights include active volcanoes, lush valleys, towering waterfalls, and dramatic coastlines. Popular sights include Waipiʻo Valley, Kohala waterfalls, Kīlauea and Mauna Loa volcanoes, and the Kona Coast. Rainbow’s unique Big Island helicopter tours showcase Hawaii Island’s most breathtaking scenery.
Popular Big Island Sights
A Bay (Anaehoomalu Bay)
Aliʻi Drive
Captain Cook Monument
Hualālai Volcano
Kaiholo Bay
Kaloko Fish Ponds
Kaupulehu Crater
Kawaihae Coast
Kealakekua Bay Marine Preserve
Kiholo Bay
Kohala Coast Waterfalls
Kohala Volcano
Kona Coffee Farms
Kona Coast
Laupāhoehoe Nui Falls
Magic Sands Beach
Makalawena Beach
Mauna Kea Volcano
Mauna Loa Volcano
Place of Refuge (Puʻuhonua o Honaunau)
Pololu Valley
Pūu Waʻawaʻa Forest Reserve
Waimanu Valley
Waiʻilikahi Falls
Waipiʻo Valley
Best Time for Big Island Helicopter Tours
The best time for Big Island helicopter tours is when skies are clearest and winds are calmest. Morning flights offer the best visibility for coastline cliffs, volcanic features, and active areas of Kīlauea. Afternoon flights are still beautiful, but conditions are more variable. For a complete guide, see the best time for Hawaii helicopter tours to plan the ideal conditions for your flight.
Exploring multiple Hawaiian islands?
Explore our Oahu helicopter tours Hawaii for Waikiki, Diamond Head, and North Shore helicopter experiences.
Rainbow Helicopters:
Kona, Hawaii Island
Find us on the Big Island
Rainbow Helicopters provides spectacular Big Island helicopter tours and private helicopter charters in Hawaii. With air and land adventures on both Oahu and the Big Island, guests can choose from a variety of premium flight experiences onboard our colorful fleet of Robinson R-44 and Airbus Astar helicopters.
As part of the seating arrangement in our Robinson R-44 helicopters (3 passengers), every guest has a window seat. Guests can choose to fly with their door open “Doors off” or closed (a free customization of your choice, during checkout). Our Airbus Astar helicopters (6 passengers) are known for their spacious and comfortable cabins, as well as for the panoramic views that offer excellent visibility from all seats.
↳ See Hawaii Island like never before on the Kohala Coast Volcanoes & Waterfalls helicopter tour.
Rainbow Helicopters flies spectacular Oahu helicopter tours from Honolulu International Airport and Big Island helicopter tours from Kailua-Kona, Hawaii Island. We offer a variety of daytime helicopter tours, as well as romantic proposal flights and luxury picnic experiences.
For guests seeking an exclusive experience, we also offer private helicopter charters for both intra-island and inter-island private charter flights. We can get you where you want to go: Big Island volcanoes and lava, Haleakala on Maui, the sea cliffs of Molokai, the rainforests along the Na Pali coast, as well as surf events, and more. Fly with Rainbow for the best Big Island helicopter tours Hawaii has to offer!
Rainbow Helicopters
Discover Hawaii by helicopter.
Explore Hawaii from above with Rainbow Helicopters.
Oahu helicopter tours,
Big Island helicopter tours,
private helicopter charters, and
custom helicopter flight services across Hawaii.
From volcanic landscapes and waterfalls to proposal flights and aerial photography, our experienced pilots deliver unforgettable island experiences.
Big Island Helicopter Tours FAQ
Planning a Big Island helicopter tour? Whether you’re flying doors-off over volcanoes or seeking the best helicopter ride in Hawaii, this guide answers common questions about tour safety, pricing, duration, and more.
Q: What are the best Big Island helicopter tours?
The best Big Island helicopter tour depends on what you want to see. For the most complete experience, the Big Island Full Circle Expedition covers Kīlauea volcano, Kohala waterfalls, the Hāmākua Coast, and Hualālai in one 2.5-hour flight. For a focused volcano experience, the Kīlauea Volcano Eruption tour flies directly over the active summit crater. For coastal scenery, the Kohala Coast Volcanoes & Waterfalls tour covers the dramatic northern coastline. All tours depart from Kona International Airport (KOA).
Q: How much do Big Island helicopter tours cost?
Big Island helicopter tours with Rainbow Helicopters start from $540 per person for a 30-minute coastal flight, up to $1,920 per person for the full 2.5-hour Big Island Full Circle Expedition. The Kīlauea Volcano Eruption tour is $1,180 per person for 1 hour 45 minutes. Private charter options are available across all routes. Book direct at rainbowhelicopters.com for the best rate — no third-party fees.
Q: How long do Big Island helicopter tours last?
Big Island helicopter tours range from 30 minutes to 2.5 hours depending on the route. The Kona Coast Scenic is 30 minutes, the Kohala Coast Volcanoes & Waterfalls is 90 minutes, the Kīlauea Volcano Eruption tour is 1 hour 45 minutes, and the Big Island Full Circle Expedition is a full 2.5 hours. Plan to arrive at Kona Airport (KOA) at least 30 minutes before departure.
Q: Do Big Island helicopter tours fly over the Kīlauea volcano eruption?
Yes. Rainbow Helicopters operates dedicated Kīlauea volcano eruption tours that fly directly over Halemaʻumaʻu Crater inside Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. The current eruption has been producing episodic lava fountaining events since December 2024. Eruption activity changes frequently — check our live volcano status page for current conditions before booking.
Q: Do Big Island helicopter tours offer a doors-off option?
Yes — and it’s free. Rainbow Helicopters offers doors-off flights on select Big Island routes at no extra charge, making it one of the only operators in Hawaii to include this as a complimentary upgrade. Doors-off flying gives you unobstructed views of the volcano crater, coastline, and waterfalls — with zero window glare for photography. Select it at checkout. Closed-toe shoes and layers are required.
Q: What is the best time of day for a Big Island helicopter tour?
Morning flights offer the clearest visibility and calmest air on the Big Island — trade winds typically build through the afternoon. For volcano viewing, morning light shows the crater glow most dramatically before daylight overpowers it. For waterfall and coastal flights along the Kohala Coast, golden-hour morning light produces the best photography. Sunset tours are also available.
Q: Can I take photos on a Big Island helicopter tour?
Yes — cameras, GoPros, and smartphones are all welcome. A wrist strap is strongly recommended for doors-off flights. The doors-off option eliminates window glare entirely, making it the best choice for aerial photography over Kīlauea crater, the Kohala Coast, and the Hāmākua sea cliffs. Professional video packages and aerial photography charter options are available at checkout.
Q: What should I wear on a Big Island helicopter tour?
Wear comfortable, weather-appropriate clothing. At altitude over the Big Island, temperatures can be significantly cooler than at sea level — bring a jacket or light layer, especially for doors-off flights. Closed-toe shoes are required for all doors-off tours. Avoid loose hats and secure long hair with a tie. Dark or neutral colours photograph better against the volcanic landscape.
Q: Are Big Island helicopter tours safe?
Yes. Rainbow Helicopters holds the HAI Platinum Maintenance Award — one of the highest safety certifications in the helicopter industry. All aircraft undergo rigorous FAA-compliant maintenance and all pilots are commercially licensed with extensive Hawaii flying hours. Flying over active volcanic terrain requires specific experience; our pilots are trained for it.
Q: Can children join a Big Island helicopter tour?
Yes — children are welcome on Big Island helicopter tours. All passengers regardless of age require their own seat and are subject to weight requirements. Children under 2 are not permitted. For families, the Kohala Coast Volcanoes & Waterfalls tour is a popular choice — dramatic scenery without the extended flight time of the full circle route. Contact us before booking if you have specific questions about your group.
Q: Do Big Island helicopter tours run year-round?
Yes. Rainbow Helicopters operates Big Island helicopter tours year-round from Kona International Airport (KOA). Hawaii’s climate means consistent flying conditions, though weather can affect specific routes on any given day. Tours affected by weather are rescheduled or refunded. The volcano eruption tours are subject to USGS access restrictions based on current activity levels.
Q: Can I book a Big Island helicopter tour from the Kona cruise port?
Yes. Rainbow Helicopters is a popular shore excursion for cruise passengers docking at Kona. Our base at Kona International Airport (KOA) is approximately 10 minutes from the Kona cruise pier. We recommend booking in advance — cruise day availability fills quickly. Contact us directly to confirm timing against your ship’s departure schedule.
Q: Are private helicopter tours available on the Big Island?
Yes. Any Rainbow Helicopters Big Island tour can be flown as a fully private experience — select the private option at checkout. Private Big Island helicopter charters are popular for proposals, anniversaries, aerial photography, and corporate events. Custom routes, exclusive scenic landings, and luxury picnic experiences are available on request.
