Best London helicopter tours

Well I've taken my time to discover all available, yet achievable helicopter tours anyone can take out of the capital, I've selected ten of my best helicopter tours in London.

To consider the best London helicopter tours; duration of flight with value for money should be taken into consideration. Well a London helicopter tour for one would be more flexible, yet a tour for two may be cheaper. My best heli tours have all the captials landmarks to be seen from the air.

Did you know I had to explore up to a hundred possible helicopter flights that evolve around or over london from all tour operators I could find.

I then refined my best of the lot by listing them from best to worst. In the end I could only select ten of the best helicopter tours of London.

If I am being honest, if I were to list any more tours, then I would be adding tours that are quite similar in regard to the flight path and service on offer.

In refining my list, I've taken into consideration by only selecting mostly helicopter flights out of Central London, with tour duration and extra's that maybe available to you.

Know one will get the most out of a London heli tour in five minutes, and well a 10 minutes tour is limited somewhat, that time duration is available.

Where you depart from will determine the flight path you take over central London.

But as most flights start at Battersea, assume that the helicopter will follow the River Themes well zigzagging up and over to get as close to major Landmarks at possible.

Best heli tours should include the best tourists spots in London, therefore they will feature all major landmarks including:

Houses of Parliament, Westminster Cathedral, London Eye, Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square, the Globe Theatre, the Gherkin, Cheese Grater, Walkie Talkie, The Shard, HMS Belfast, London Bridge, Tower Bridge and the Tower of London.

Although viewing the Olympic Stadium, Wembley Stadium, Canary Wharf, the O2, London City Airport and the Thames Barrier will require quite the detour by your pilot.

Flights out of Central London

I consider the best London helicopter tours as those ones that fly directly out of central London - as oppose to leaving London to then only take a flight back over it.

Visiting London from abroad or indeed from within the UK can be really off putting with more expense needed to take public transport to the airfield you're departing from.

Your precise time is wasted getting to the heliport when you could be using it more productively - like seeing the sights, shopping or going to the theatre.

Not so with helicopter tours out of Central London; with only a quick train, tube or taxi ride to mostly Battersea London Heliport on the southbank.

Its also within distance of Central London where the location can be walked if need be.

Extended time to make it worth it

Well close approximately to the centre of London is ideal, one thing you should be considering when taking a London helicopter tour is... how long is the flight.

And when I say flight, I only mean the time you will spend up in the air. Not total time that includes safety briefing or time taking pictures with the pilot out of the chopper.

London is one of the biggest capital cities in the world; so all helicopter tours that are only minutes long will not be worth your money, so spend a little more, for more time.

Five minutes or so will not provide enough timeo for you to see anything due to the lack of distance you will be unable to reach in just 5 minutes.

Instead, those helicopter tours I think are the best are those ones that are a minimum 10 minutes long; with anywhere up to 20 minutes or more better still.

All flights out of London are expensive, even more so the longer the duration of your tour.

Services that go beyond flights

In order to keep the cost down many of you would probably be thinking of helicopter tour only, with no additional services thrown in as to avoid more expense.

But I can't list my best London helicopter tours that don't include luxury flights that are more suited to the more well-off.

So with that in mind, at least you can see what you could of had, rather than not knowing about it all together.

If you're familiar with helicopter tour companies, you'll notice many put on bells and whistles to make the experience more memorable.

In order to do that they will offer helicopter rides with a glass of champagne; not the whole bottle I might add - and perhaps flowers and a set meal or lunch.

All this does come at great expense, so its worth paying a little extra for a glass of champagne, well the other add-on's can wait for another time.

My top 10 best helicopters tours of London

I've tried to organize my favorite heli tours by best to worse, so you might have other thoughts which are best.

London Heli Flight with Lunch at Gordon Ramsay's London House for Two

2 People, 10 minutes, £449.00 with Virgin Experience Days via Edmiston London Heliport

Take a helicopter experience you won't forget for two which includes a beautiful lunch at Gorden Ramsay's fancy restaurant in close proximity to the heliport after the flight.

Once you've had your safety briefing and you're all strapped in the helicopter, up and away you go viewing the major landmarks across London.

Well the chopper will fly up to 2000ft. above the city, its only here where you'll see Central London - from a distance rather than close up.

And that's how you'll see the rest of the London; looking left or right out of the helicopter well the pilot follows the strict helicopter route for tourists over the capital.

Once you've arrived back at the Battersea London heliport; you'll descend the heli to begin your journal to the restaurant where a booking will be under your name.

London Sights Charter For Six

6 People, 20 Minutes, £1,500 with intotheblue.co.uk via Edmiston London Heliport

Not one for those on a budget this one, but one of the best London helicopter tours you must take if there's a group of six.

It must be a group of six people with not a person more or less to qualify for the chartered, privately put on pleasure flight over London for a group of friends or a family helicopter flight like no other.

There's plenty to see in this time as the flight will last 20 minutes; which is all the time you'll need to enjoy Central London at its finest.

You and your fellow passengers will see from a far: Hyde Park, Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, St Paul Cathedral.

Then farther a field you'll go on to view City Hall, Tower of London, Tower Bridge and Canary Wharf before turning back.

London Max Exclusive Helicopter Ride For Six

6 People, 30 Minutes, £2,000 with Experience Days via Edmiston London Heliport

Another helicopter tour over the city that will absolutely need six of you to qualify for the flight - so it would help if all of you put in if that's possible.

A private helicopter that will take and your friends in an exclusive flight with no strangers; though as you're traveling over water, you'll need to wear life-jackets.

Once you've taken off, the helicopter will bare left as it follows the River Themes towards Central London as you cruise at 2000ft. at 120mph approximately.

So not only will you get to see all major landmarks, you'll get to see what else London has to offer away from the busy tourist hotspots.

During this exciting 30 minute tour; you'll head from Syon Park and Kew Gardens to Richmond; all the way to The Dome and the Thames Barrier in Greenwich - well seeing all the sights of London from the air.

20 Minute London Helicopter Flight for One

1 Person, 20 Minutes, £350.00 with Red Letter Day via Edmiston London Heliport

Get an amazing perspective of the capital's landmarks for just you as you share a heli tour with like minded passengers - enjoying the sights well taking all the pictures you can.

All this will take place in a 30 minute helicopter tour of London with no major landmark missing out - as you'll see it from a far, or closer up below you.

The flight path will follow the River Themes before deviating away to fly away from Central London to Barnes in the west to Greenwich.

Early in the flight you'll see the approaching landmarks in Central London including: The London Eye and the Houses of Parliament, well a little farther on you'll see The Shard.

As you return to the heliport in Battersea; you'll see all the sights you missed from the north or south of the river, all while giving you an opportunity to take it in one more time.

London Helicopter Buzz Flight

1 Person, 10 Minutes, £200.00 with Experience Days via Edmiston London Heliport

As soon has you arrive at the Edmiston London Heliport, your helicopter experience will begin as you'll be greeted by staff before taking your safety briefing.

On schedule, you'll head out to the heliport to enter the helicopter where you'll be belted in along with your fellow passengers - this is a passenger sharing flight.

Then up and away you go at a steady cruising speed that should not exceed more than 120mph, well flying at an attitude of no more than 2000 feet for a 10 minute flight.

It won't feel vary fast nor will it seem very high as all major landmarks come into view on the left or right side of the helicopter as you approach them.

All while you will be looking over the city with all the activity going on below. With Hyde Park coming up to your left and perhaps Regents ParK in the distance.

Once over Central London, all attractions will be easy to pick out as they're recognized from the air - either by you or an enthusiastic passenger pointing away.

20 Minute Helicopter Flight of London for One

1 Person, 20 Minutes, £350.00 with Buy A Gift via Edmiston London Heliport

Take a bird's eye view of the countries capital from a relaxing flight above; and as you'll be one, you won't miss anything as you concentrate on the sights.

Once you're up in the air the flight will briefly follow the Themes as you approach Central London - well all landmarks will be visible from out of the right side of the helicopter.

As you manoeuvre all sight will be ahead of you; before getting ever closer as you pass over them one by one below you.

All sights won't be seen up close, but you won't miss most as the windows make for large viewing platforms, as to make sure you don't miss out.

Take this flight for one as you won't have to worry about anyone distracting you in flight.

Surrey Countryside and London Skyline Helicopter Tour for Two

2 People, 10 Minutes, £170.00 with Virgin Experience Days via Redhill Aerodrome

I recommend the best London helicopter flights out of Central London only; but I can't help but squeeze this unique helicopter tour out of Surrey - just outside of London.

If you're visiting London you will need to make your way to the heliport by yourself.

Though with the transport available in the area you shouldn't have trouble reaching your destination at Redhill Aerodrome.

Its because of the location I consider this helicopter tour to view the London skyline at a distance to be one of the best; as it takes in the beautiful English countryside.

As you lift off from Redhill you'll head north towards the capital; all while you'll see the green disappear as Central London's skyline should be within sight.

This it not a London helicopter tour so to speak, but its one that must be taken as you'll see what else is going on outside of the capital.

London Helicopter Tour for One

1 Person, 50 Minutes, £149.00 with Heli Air via White Waltham Airfield

Not a helicopter flight out of London but one that departs from High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire to the west of the London.

And what a flight it is too; a tour for one that takes in much of Buckinghamshire before you cross over the M25 motorway well viewing all of London's western borough's.

You approach London from the south/west to avoid the busy Heathrow Airport; which should allow you to view airliners landing and taking off at a distance.

Then as you approach the restricted helicopter flight path corridor, you'll follow the River Themes into Central London - right at the heart of the capital.

Its just as well this is a 50 minute helicopter tour as it gives you lots of times to fly in to the capital and back again, covering 77 miles in total.

You won't miss all the major attractions on the ground but remember you'll also have the bonus of viewing what Buckinghamshire as to offer from the air.

Central London Helicopter Flight for Two

2 People, 10 Minutes, £400.00 with Virgin Experience Days via Edmiston London Heliport

I love helicopter flights out of London as it makes it so much easier, so I must include this one where you'll take in Central London where you'll see all iconic spots on the ground.

Its not just the usual tourist destinations you'll see here; taking off from the London Heliport will mean you'll see Battersea Power Station and near by famous landmarks.

Then it time to spot all the tourist sports you've probably visited previously on the day well walking around London.

Only this time you'll see what the Houses Of Parliament, London Eye and the The Shard look like from 2000ft. up in the sky.

Buckingham Palace should be easy to see thanks to its large grounds; along with the enormous Hyde Park with all its greenery.

Exclusive Central London Tour with Champagne

2 People, 45 Minutes, £565.00 with EBG Helicopters via Redhill Aerodrome

And finally, one of the best London helicopter tours must come with a glass of champagne with the option for any add-on's for that special someone.

As its a helicopter tour with champagne, this flight should be considered a romantic helicopter ride for two people, or at least a gift for someone special.

This helicopter tour will involve a ride out of Surrey via EBG Helicopters in a Robinson R44 helicopter, which help make the experience more affordable.

You'll depart Redhill Aerodrome where you'll approach London well taking in the countryside as well as outer towns.

Its then time to link up with the River Themes at Barnes before following the route up the river towards Central London.

All sights will be see as well has football grounds, museums or parks will be seen even before viewing the landmarks you'll be more familiar with.

In all, you'll see the London Eye, Houses of Parliament, Royal Albert Hall and so many more before heading back via Isle of Dogs.

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