Reviews

We had a great flight with Tim over Kīlauea and the lava fields. Tim was an excellent pilot and narrator and we all had an amazing time. I was hoping to see red flowing lava but it really isn't there to be seen. We flew over on a day when the lava was creeping towards houses. You won't see fountains of lava or even much red flowing lava at all, but you can't really appreciate the whole scene until you see it from the air. Also, the main active vent right now can only be seen from the air. An excellent experience - highly recommended!

So after a shakey start (helicopter needed a service, had to wait for another hour for our trip... But after getting annoyed at the next time slot boarding and flying before us, we did get the Eco star after paying for an A star) so Coleen took us over the live volcanoes, epic viewing and we saw lots of waterfalls. She was very knowledgable and interacted with all of us- just at the right level so we could enjoy the view and chat! The views were fabulous! Some difficulties if your from the uk and you want to buy the inflight DVD! (Needs converting) def a great experience once your up in the air

We took the tour out of the Waikoloa airport. Seems to be very popular even though it is very expensive. The tour started out by going over the farmland to the volcano. At the volcano we circled a crater and followed an active lava flow. My husband was disappointed that he didn't see more magma, so if you are looking to see a lot of the orange/red magma flowing don't take this tour. Either way, I thought it was interesting to watch a lava flow that is probably going to destroy some nearby homes very soon. After the volcano, we took a much needed quick break in Hilo. My ears were hurting and I felt a little motion sickness (which I normally don't get) from all the quick turns around the crater. Once we were back on the helicopter we flew down the coast and saw the beautiful waterfalls prior to turning into a valley full of them. The scenery was spectacular and breathtaking. While my ears were still aggravating me, it was worth it. You can ask the pilot to go easy on the altitude changes, but who wants to complain on a souvenir video. They record the whole trip, so everything you say is permanent and you don't want to ruin it for someone else. If you take a bottle of water with you that helps. Overall, I highly recommend splurging on this fun activity and get a view of the island you will not see anywhere else. Plus the helicopters are really nice.

We (a family of 4) did a two-hour tour around Big Island and it was a mesmerizing experence. Our pilot, John, had wonderful, dry sense of humor and packed in so much information while making our kids feel right at home as his "co-pilots". The whole company is extremey well organized, from the internet booking until the flight itself. We would definitely want to fly with them again

First time on a helicopter; our ride was very smooth. We took a 50 minute ride down to the south coast and the eruption at Pu'u O'o, back to the waterfalls east of Hilo. Our pilot was great and shared a ton of information on the region with us, and got us acquainted with the Island as we set out to explore!

Visiting the Volcano National Park you'll find that some of the trails and lookouts may be closed for various reasons. You should call in advance to find out what is open when planning your nature adventure. Any park ranger will tell you however the best way to view the volcano is by helicopter. If you're interested in a first hand view of one of the world's most active volcanoes this is the best way to do it. It is a bit of an investment for a one hour tour but worth it....they offered kama'aina fares. The promotional videos are a bit misleading....the helicopters don't take you as close as to the active lava flow, or to the ocean as the lava pours into the ocean as they show in their advertising on television but it is still worth the awesome views and the experience. Our family has never flown in a helicopter before and it was a first time experience for us. Pilot Nathan was informative. The Blue Hawaiian Helicopter staff were professional and friendly.

I read a prior negative review and could not disagree more. The trip was easily scheduled, well organized and the pilot was very friendly and knowledgeable. We took the 'Circle of Fire and Waterfalls', 50 minute tour out of Hilo. We paid the extra fee for the Eco Star model and enjoyed the extra space although I would have to compare with a ride in the A Star to determine if the extra cost was worth it. Safety is a priority and we felt very secure during the entire trip. The currrent Pu'u O'o lava flow could not be seen from an over-flight due to a 2 mile FAA restriction. Smoke from burning vegetation was easily seen from the flow. We were able to fly directly over the extended lava tube that was burning trees and debri in its path. When booking, provide your accurate weight so they may balance the helicopter. One parent following my ride learned the hard way; one member of his family was unable to join them because of the disparity of the weight they provided for her compared to her heavier weight determined upon arrival. Wear dark clothing as they suggest, it reduces interior reflections to increase the quality of photographs taken.

Totally worth every dime we spent, our pilot was awesome. We toured in an EcoStar Helicopter. We went over the active volcano and saw waterfalls 1/2 mile long that would be impossible to see unless you have a birds eye view.

Nice tour all in all. A bit too expensive if we were not lucky enough to see the lava. As the captain said the night before a lava tube opened and he had not seen this much red lava in a couple of months. This means that other people may not be able to see what I saw. tours had about an hour of delay, however, the staff were nice and accommodating.

We booked before we left because this was a priority for us. We paid in advance. We then attended a timeshare presentation and earned a discount card. We presented this card to Blue Hawaiian Helicopters and they put a credit on our card! The tour itself was informative, we saw some fresh lava break through the ground, and I always felt safe. They offer a dvd of the trip for only $25, with views both in and outside the helicopter.

This is such a spectacular ride and I definitely recommend this to anyone who comes to Hawaii. They have great pilots who answer all questions and the views are incredible. There really is nothing like it.

Stupendous views and well worth the investment. You will be taking to places you will never be able to access by car. The ride was very comfortable and enjoyable with great pilot, Scott.

Wonderful trip to see/understand an erupting volcano and waterfalls not reachable by foot. Well organized - they picked us up, organized seating by algorithm (so no fighting!), smooth ride with great views. Highly informative as well as entertaining. Only wish they served some snacks afterwards - good 2 hour ride and we needed something afterward. they might have recommended that we have something for afterwards so we'd have it in the car.

This was my 3rd time to take this tour. This time was good but not as good as the tours in 1999 and 2001 because of environmental/health considerations. They used to actually fly over the crater but they no longer do that because of the fumes. In any case, it was a good tour. . . . . . interesting to see how much area had been covered by the lava over the 15 year period. Each time I have taken the tour, it was with a different friend. Our pilot, Nathan, was great. It's good that you can have a conversation with the pilot while in flight and ask questions. Our trip was on the A-Star rather than the Eco-Star helicopter. You get a great view without spending all that extra money. Be sure to buy the video after you return. You will enjoy playing it when you get home.

Scott our pilot was fantastic. The Volcano co-operated, and lava was flowing. It was a must do, and must not miss thing to do. I will be telling people about the tour and for sure to go with Blue Hawaiian Helo.