Frequently Asked Questions

1. How can I book a tour?
2. Do you make a video of our actual tour? How long is it?
3. What should we wear?
4. Do you recommend taking anti-motion sickness medication?
5. When is the best time to fly?
6. How much experience do your pilots have?
7. How long has Blue Hawaiian been in business?
8. Does Blue Hawaiian offer flights that are not primarily for scenic viewing?
9. What are your hours of operation?
10. Are we going to see lava?
11. Will we be the only ones in the helicopter? How is seating arranged?
12. Are we guaranteed to see all of the sights mentioned in your tour descriptions?
13. How low do you fly?

How can I book a tour?

Choose the tour you are interested in, click the “Book Now” button adjacent to the tour information, and complete the booking form. You can also call us toll free at 1 (800) 745-2583, or utilize our online chat feature. We are available to discuss your schedule and options during our normal business hours: 7:00am – 10:00pm Hawaii Standard Time.

Do you make a video of our actual tour? How long is it?

Every flight is captured on a high quality DVD. Each helicopter is equipped with four cameras; three external and one in the cabin. The video recording begins during the boarding process. On the video, you'll most likely first see yourself as you approach the aircraft for boarding. To orchestrate the most interesting video, the pilot chooses between the forward, side or internal camera as the flight progresses. The cabin camera, for example, usually shows you right after lift-off as it is so much fun to capture our guests’ expressions of amazement. The recording is continuous until landing and includes digital quality music chosen to complement the changing scenery, plus all the pilot's narration. The video is available for purchase right after you return from your flight.

What should we wear?

Our helicopters are temperature-controlled so dress comfortably but wear dark clothing to minimize any window reflections. If your flight includes a landing at higher elevations, bring a sweater in case it's chilly. Hats are not allowed to be worn around the helicopters as they can fly up into the rotors and damage the aircraft. We will be happy to hold any hats for you until you return from your tour.

Do you recommend taking anti-motion sickness medication?

If you are particularly prone to motion sickness, taking a precautionary anti-motion sickness medication is a good idea. However, our flights are very smooth and turns are slow and gentle. This is a professional scenic tour, not a thrill ride. Most people do not experience motion sickness and do not need an anti-motion sickness medication.

When is the best time to fly?

We suggest that you book your helicopter flight prior to arrival in Hawaii. This assures you of a tour time that fits into your vacation plans. It’s also wise to book your tour for the early part of your stay. That way if your pilot determines that weather conditions on a particular day are not optimal for a tour, you will have some options for re-scheduling. As far as the best time of day for a helicopter tour, you should primarily consider your personal schedule. Most of the time we are blessed with beautiful weather in Hawaii and the time of day, whether it be morning or afternoon, will make no difference. If we happen to have a rainy weather pattern the pilot will consult weather reports and other pilots who have been flying to determine if we can operate a good tour. Blue Hawaiian does not want to take our guests on a flight unless we are reasonably certain we can give you an excellent experience.

How much experience do your pilots have?

All pilots for Blue Hawaiian Helicopters are highly experienced. In fact, we believe that this is the most experienced group of helicopter tour pilots anywhere in the world, and each of them is required to obtain certification as a State of Hawaii Tour Guide. Furthermore, Blue Hawaiian is the only helicopter tour company in Hawaii with its own state-of-the-art Flight Simulator, and the only one that puts its pilots through annual factory and FAA recurrent training.

How long has Blue Hawaiian been in business?

The company began on the island of Kauai in 1982, with the name South Sea Helicopters. Blue Hawaiian CEO David Chevalier was flying tours for South Sea when their Maui branch was put up for sale in 1985. Dave and his wife Patti risked everything to buy the company, changing its name to Blue Hawaiian Helicopters in 1989. Blue is now the largest, most successful, and most honored helicopter tour operator in the State of Hawaii, with bases on Oahu, Maui, Kauai, and in both Hilo and Waikoloa on the Big Island

Does Blue Hawaiian offer flights that are not primarily for scenic viewing?

Yes. We are a charter company, and we also offer transportation to golfers, hikers, and travelers who may have limited time or who want to visit lesser-traveled areas. We will fly you where you want to go, at whatever time you prefer, provided our equipment and personnel are available. We are a Department of Defense, Office of Aviation-certified air carrier and can provide services to the United States Government. We also provide utility services, such as external load, firefighting, search and rescue and powerline patrol.

What are your hours of operation?

We open for business at 7:00 am each day and close at 10:00 pm, Hawaii Standard Time. (Note that Hawaii time does not change with Daylight Savings Time.) We are 2 hours earlier than Pacific Standard Time—for example, 9:00am in California is 7:00am in Hawaii. However, Hawaii is 3 hours earlier than Pacific Daylight Savings Time—for example, 9:00am in California is 6:00am in Hawaii.

Are we going to see lava?

Your only chance of seeing flowing lava is on the Big Island of Hawaii during that portion of your flight over Volcanoes National Park. Odds are good that you will see flowing lava but no particular sight can be guaranteed. Routes and times vary with wind and weather, and volcanic activity changes hourly.

Will we be the only ones in the helicopter? How is seating arranged?

Unless you charter the complete helicopter you will be sharing the flight with other guests. We try to seat couples and families side-by-side as much as possible. We cannot guarantee particular seating as it is often dictated by our FAA approved “weight and balance” program. However, visibility from every seat is excellent in both our A-Stars and Eco-Stars, since there are no cabin partitions that would block part of the view as is the case on other types of helicopters.  Please note: tours from Maui, Waikoloa and Hilo operate with both A-Stars and Eco-Stars; tours from Kauai and Oahu utilize the Eco-Star exclusively. There is a comparison seating diagram for these aircraft available on each individual island page.

Are we guaranteed to see all of the sights mentioned in your tour descriptions?

The points of interest mentioned in our tour descriptions are highlights of the tour, which we always do our best to show you depending on wind and weather. On the Big Island, areas of volcanic activity are constantly shifting, as are the areas of waterfalls on every island. Each tour is unique in that we'll show you the best currently available scenery while also trying to accommodate all of your special requests within the generally allotted time.

How low do you fly?

A Federal Aviation Administration altitude restriction of 1500 feet has been in effect since 1994 with deviations to 500 ft. on each major Hawaiian Island. Virtually all helicopter operators in Hawaii share the same deviation authority from the FAA to fly as low as 500 feet in the tour areas.