Best Helicopter Rides in New Orleans

If you've already seen the plantations, the bayous and the other cultural sights of New Orleans on a ground tour, imagine how impressive it would be to fly over the area.

New Orleans has many places to see and see, but flying over the city is definitely one of those things you can't miss to see and do in New Orleans.

One of the best helicopter tours of New Orleans is the one that takes you over the city to enjoy the incredible views from the sky while you sip champagne and do a cheese and chocolate tasting.

This is a perfect VIP flight for couples, where you get to see the sights from a different perspective. From the air the marshlands of the Mississippi area are even more impressive and extensive.

On the other hand, one of the best things about this route is that you can plan the route you want, by prior arrangement with the pilot and taking into account the sights you would like to see from above. This flight has a maximum number of passengers per experience.

• Duration: This tour lasts approximately 30 to 45 minutes in a private, VIP experience.
• Approximate Price: You can enjoy this premium experience for an approximate cost of 145 euros per person.
• Timetable: It can be done during the day or in the evening, depending on the weather.
• The best thing about this option: One of the best things about this option is that you can have a cheese and wine tasting from the air, at the same time that you can see the whole city of New Orleans. It is also an advantage that this is an exclusive ride for couples and friends because the route and type of tour is planned according to the requests of the passengers. In addition, the experience is completely private and you will not have to share it with people other than your group.
• What's included: You will be piloted by a professional pilot with more than 20,000 combined flight hours. You will also be able to enjoy the commentary on board the aircraft by the pilot, who will describe everything you will see. To make the experience even more comfortable, you will have the possibility to use aviation headsets to listen to all the commentary. If selected, a bottle of champagne and a gourmet chocolate bar can be included. A bottle of wine, cheese tasting and crackers are also available, as well as a mystery snack, should you choose this option.

One of the best things about doing this VIP flight is that you will have the opportunity to choose the itinerary together with the pilot. The whole route can be set according to your tastes and interests, but beforehand you have to agree on the destinations you want to see from above.

Generally, these flights fly over the plantations, the marshes on the banks of the Mississippi and, above all, the French Quarter, and this VIP flight is no exception. It's definitely a completely different experience from flying over the best plantation tours in New Orleans.

Traveller Tip

The tour will be especially enjoyable for you if you've already taken tours or guided tours of the places you'll be flying over.

French Quarter

French culture is deeply rooted and connected to the city of New Orleans, hence its culture is divided between Cajun and Creole, terms used to differentiate French-Canadians who were displaced at the time and their descendants, and French and French-descended people.

One of the places with the largest French presence in the area is the French Quarter. If you visit this place from the ground, through its streets and stopping at every restaurant to taste its gastronomy, you can get to know and understand the heart of the Cajun culture, as well as have a great experience doing one of the best gastronomic tours in New Orleans.

But it is definitely magical to fly over the place in a helicopter or small plane. You'll be able to see from above the colourful and popular details that make this place stand out. If you still don't know the French Quarter of New Orleans from the inside,

Mercedes-Benz Superdome

If seeing this venue from the inside is already impressive, seeing it from above is a once-in-a-lifetime experience you can't miss.

The Mercedes-Benz Superdome is the home of the New Orleans Saints and one of the most prolific sports venues in the southern United States.

As the stadium that has hosted the Super Bowl the most times, this sports venue is a must-see during your aerial tour of the city of New Orleans and its surroundings.

Mississippi River

This is perhaps the place you'd most expect to see from the air, and it's nothing less than the banks of the Mississippi River, home to sugar cane plantations with large mansions dating back to before the Civil War, as well as the various swamps that surround the area.

For a close-up view of the wildlife, I can't recommend any of the best swamp tours in New Orleans.

One of the first things to keep in mind when taking a helicopter or light aircraft tour is that the weather must be good. In case of bad weather, the flight may be cancelled.

On the other hand, you have the option of doing the tour during the day or at night. During the day you will have the opportunity to observe in detail each of the places you will fly over. From the branches of the Mississippi to the swamps, the plantations and above all the city of New Orleans itself.

Should you decide to take the night tour, the scenery may change a little, with the most striking thing being the many lights of the city that can only be seen from above. Seeing the city from above after sunset is definitely one of the best things to do in New Orleans at night.

On the night tour you'll be able to see little of the swamps and plantations, so I recommend taking a tour of the New Orleans swampsduring the day.

In addition to this, given the weather conditions and temperatures in winter, this is an activity I would include on my list of things to do in New Orleans in the summer, as the skies are clear and the views are truly breathtaking.

Before you board the helicopter or light aircraft (depending on your chosen activity), you need to know a few important details to make your tour as enjoyable as possible. Some of the details you need to know are described below.

• As this is a VIP experience for couples or friends only, and liquor is included, this trip does not allow anyone under the age of 21 on board, so it is not an ideal tour to include among the things to see and do in New Orleans with children.
• The tour is for a limited group of people, so if you are with a group of more than three people, the tour will not be feasible, at least not at the same time and on the same flight.
• As for the weight of each passenger, it is important to know that in order to maintain balance in the air, each passenger cannot weigh more than 136 kilograms.
• The overall weight should be a maximum of 200 kilograms in order to maintain the performance and balance of the aircraft.
• It is not a suitable activity for pregnant women due to the air pressure that can be felt at high altitudes, which may affect a woman's pregnancy.
• It is not a suitable experience for wheelchair users because the apparatus is not adapted for this purpose.
• Assistance animals are not accepted to prevent pets from being frightened during the flight.
• You may be charged an additional refuelling fee, although this will be known at the time of booking.
• This experience may be cancelled in the event of bad weather or if the minimum number of passengers for the flight is not reached. In the event of either of these two options, you may have access to another experience, or change the date to enjoy the experience. There is no refund for cancellation.
• The tour is private, so before embarking on this adventure, make sure you have your party of three.

Being in the air is not an activity that happens every day, that's why I want to give you some tips that I' m sure will be very useful for you when you are flying over the city of New Orleans.

One of the best tips I can give you is to have your mobile phone ready to take as many pictures as you want.

Take the best pictures from the air

Believe it or not, one of the hardest things about being in the air over the city is getting good panoramas. To get good pictures of the scenery from the air, you will have to focus on a general point to get a perfect panorama.

On the other hand, something important to take into account is the height from which you are going to take the photos. It is best to take them when you have just taken off and are in the air. You should not take them when you are taking off nor when you are landing, it is best to wait until the helicopter or light aircraft is completely in the air.

It is also important that you take into account the angle of the photo and that the sun is not directly in front of you. Try to set your camera settings to manual mode so that you can change the speed, shutter and other parameters that will capture each photo with better quality.

Once you are in the air, try not to lean on the window to take the photos. It is also necessary that the sky is clear and cloudless, this will help to get the photos as sharp as possible.

What is the weather like from above?

This is a tour that I recommend you to do in spring and summer, as during these seasons the temperatures are much more pleasant than during winter or autumn.

However, summer brings quite high temperatures, although at high altitudes the air temperature depends on the time of day you do the tour. If you do a night tour, be aware that it can get a little chilly at high altitudes.

If you opt for a daytime tour, you won't notice much difference in temperature, although it all depends on the altitude at which you fly.

To find out all the information about the temperature during each season of the year, I recommend you check what the weather forecast is before you start your flight.

What to wear to see New Orleans from above?

The clothes you wear will depend on the season of the year you decide to take the flight. If you are going to take the flight in summer, I recommend you wear light clothing, although it never hurts to take a jumper as a precaution in case the temperature changes suddenly.

In case you want to do the tour in winter or at night, I recommend you wear a jumper that will keep you warm at all times. As for the ideal shoes for this type of experience, I recommend that you wear comfortable shoes, preferably closed toe shoes.

You must take into consideration that the plane does not have air conditioning, so the temperatures inside are relative to the ambient temperature.