Private helicopter charter
Island hops, airport transfers, canyon landings and weddings. What a helicopter costs per hour, where you can land, and the trips people book most.
- Bell 407
- $1,400 to $3,500/hr
- Sikorsky S-76
- $3,500 to $6,000/hr
- On the Part 135 list
- 2,857 helicopters
- Repositioning
- 50 to 100% of one way
How helicopter charter works in the US
Published 2026 estimates put a Robinson R44 at about $470 to $900 per hour, a Bell 407 at $1,400 to $3,500, an Airbus H130 at $1,800 to $3,500 and a Sikorsky S-76 at $3,500 to $6,000. Repositioning often adds 50 to 100% of the one-way rate, and landing fees range from $75 at Manhattan heliports to $350 at East Hampton.
You charter the whole helicopter and its pilot, on your schedule, from a heliport or airport near you to wherever it can legally land.
2,857 helicopters fly on the FAA Part 135 charter list. Altivo Jets books them as a broker under DOT Part 295: we name the operator and the total price before you sign.
Scheduled seat services exist on a few routes, such as Blade to the Hamptons and Maverick to Catalina. A private helicopter costs more but leaves when you do, from the pad you choose.
Tours that start and end at the same airport within 25 miles can fly under a Letter of Authorization; anything with a landing elsewhere needs a Part 135 operator.
Sources:Blade: helicopter charter cost guideJettly, Sep 2026: helicopter rental pricesBlade: NYC private charter guide14 CFR Part 295: air charter brokerseCFR 14 CFR 91.147: air tours under Letter of Authorization
Popular helicopter trips
Manhattan to East Hampton in 35 to 45 minutes; seats from $795, private $4,500 to $8,000.
Long Beach to Avalon in about 15 minutes, from $199 per seat.
Las Vegas to a landing below the rim at Grand Canyon West; tours $399 to $819.
Grand Canyon, Valley of Fire, Maui and Alaska packages from $3,369.
Sources:Blade: Hamptons by helicopterBlade: NYC private charter guideMaverick Helicopters: Catalina Island transfersPapillon: Grand Canyon helicopter tour pricesPapillon: Valley of Fire wedding
Tell us the dates and passengers. A specialist replies with aircraft options and an all-in price, around the clock.
Helicopter charter rates by type
- Passengers
- Up to 3
- Per hour
- About $470 to $900
- Good for
- Short scenic hops
- Passengers
- Up to 6
- Per hour
- About $1,400 to $3,500
- Good for
- Island and resort transfers
- Passengers
- Up to 6 or 7
- Per hour
- About $1,800 to $3,500
- Good for
- Tours, wide-view cabin
- Passengers
- Up to 6
- Per hour
- About $2,100 to $6,000
- Good for
- Twin-engine executive transfers
- Passengers
- Up to 6 to 8
- Per hour
- About $3,500 to $6,000
- Good for
- Hamptons and long over-water legs
Ranges from Blade's 2026 cost guide and Jettly (2026). Every trip is quoted on route, positioning and waiting time.
Sources:Blade: helicopter charter cost guideJettly, Sep 2026: helicopter rental prices
What goes into the price
- Flight time for the trip itself, at the hourly rate for the helicopter type.
- Repositioning when the helicopter is based elsewhere, often 50 to 100% of the one-way rate.
- Landing fees: about $75 to $150 at Manhattan heliports, $200 to $350 at East Hampton, $150 to $300 at Westchester.
- Waiting time while the helicopter holds for you, for example $250 per 10 minutes on Blade charters.
- Night surcharges, for example from 8 PM to 8 AM on Blade charters.
- Federal excise tax on taxable charter segments.
Sources:Blade: helicopter charter cost guideBlade: NYC private charter guide
Helicopters on the US charter list
The most common helicopters on the FAA Part 135 list. Each page shows how many fly and from where.
Helicopter operators in the US
Part 135 certificate holders with the largest helicopter fleets on the FAA list. 431 operators fly helicopters in the US.
344 helicopters: Airbus H135, Bell 407, Airbus H130
186 helicopters: Bell 206L LongRanger, Bell 407, Airbus H130
170 helicopters: Airbus H145, Airbus H135, Bell 407
151 helicopters: Bell 407, Airbus H135, Airbus H125
100 helicopters: Bell 407, Airbus H135, Airbus H125
61 helicopters: Airbus H135, Airbus H125, Airbus H130
61 helicopters: Leonardo AW139, Airbus H125, Leonardo AW119 Koala
54 helicopters: Bell 407, Sikorsky S-92, Sikorsky S-76
45 helicopters: Airbus H125, MD 500, Airbus H130
Questions, answered
Still deciding? A charter specialist will talk you through aircraft, airports and price, with no obligation.
Ask a specialistHow much does it cost to charter a helicopter?+
About $470 to $900 per hour for a Robinson R44, $1,400 to $3,500 for a Bell 407 and $3,500 to $6,000 for a Sikorsky S-76, plus repositioning, landing fees and waiting time.
How much is it to rent a helicopter for an hour?+
From about $500 for a small piston helicopter to $6,000 for a large twin. Most charters also bill repositioning from the helicopter's base.
Where can a charter helicopter land?+
At airports, heliports and private sites the operator has approved. National parks such as Grand Canyon prohibit landings except under permit.
How many passengers fit in a helicopter?+
Typically three in a Robinson R44, six in a Bell 407 or AW109, and six to eight in a Sikorsky S-76, subject to weight.
Is a shared seat cheaper than a private helicopter?+
Yes. Hamptons seats start at $795 and Catalina seats at $199, against about $4,500 to $8,000 for a private Hamptons flight.
Who operates the flight?+
A certificated FAA Part 135 operator. As a broker, Altivo Jets names the operator and the full price before you book.
Fares, dates and rules on this page were checked on 13 October 2026. Official fares and schedules change every season; the operator or authority named in each source has the final word.
- 1.Blade: helicopter charter cost guide
- 2.Jettly, Sep 2026: helicopter rental prices
- 3.Blade: NYC private charter guide
- 4.14 CFR Part 295: air charter brokers
- 5.eCFR 14 CFR 91.147: air tours under Letter of Authorization
- 6.Blade: Hamptons by helicopter
- 7.Maverick Helicopters: Catalina Island transfers
- 8.Papillon: Grand Canyon helicopter tour prices
- 9.Papillon: Valley of Fire wedding
Tell us where the helicopter needs to go.
A specialist replies around the clock with aircraft options, the operator's name and an all-in price.