The West Rim of the Grand Canyon is only 120 miles from Las Vegas, but it's a six-hour trip from Sin City to the South Rim. That's why most Vegas-based travelers wind up going to the West Rim. Other people simply prefer the West Rim, or maybe they don't know they can get to the South Rim quickly. People staying in Vegas can arrive at the South Rim in under an hour by taking a short, direct plane flight.

Las Vegas air tours fly out of several airfields in the Vegas metro area, including Boulder City and Henderson, NV. Flights for aerial tours leave at different times of the day, and the last one leaves in the afternoon and lets you see magnificent sunset views on your trip back.

Grand Canyon air tours are very scenic and you get to fly over the Hoover Dam and Lake Mead. Most Vegas-based South Rim airplane tours fly south of the Colorado River and then bear east until landing at Grand Canyon National Park Airport. Before you arrive you get to see about three-fourths of the Grand Canyon from your plane windows.

The most popular South Rim airplane tour includes a 2-hour motor coach tour in the National Park. The bus tour takes you to Yaki Point, Mather Point, and Grand Canyon Village where you can visit museums, shops, restaurants, and even hotels.

You could also choose a thirty-minute helicopter flight that takes you to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon and back. You will be treated to a spectacular view of the Dragoon Corridor which is the deepest and widest part of the canyon, as well as flyovers of Grand Canyon Village and Kaibab National Forest. You'll get a great perspective on the National Park during the flight.

The airplanes used for the South Rim tours hold nineteen people. What's really great is they are designed for the ultimate sightseeing experience. They have huge windows for spectacular scenic vistas and the cabins have plenty of room. You are provided with a personal headset so you can listen to information about the landmarks you see out the windows during the tour.

Las Vegas air tours use safety-certified airplanes and they're required to meet all Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations applicable to cargo planes. Plus, they're all fitted with state-of-the-art communications equipment and navigational instrumentation. The planes are manned by FAA licensed pilots and co-pilots who have to pass tough yearly physical exams.

The helicopters and buses used in Grand Canyon tours are just as classy. The choppers offer headsets so you can talk to passengers and the pilot, and they are very comfortable and provide panoramic views of the canyon below. The buses are luxurious too and offer oversized windows, restrooms, climate controls, and plasma TVs.

Vegas-based South Rim airplane tours are popular and often sell out. Plan on booking your trip at least a week ahead of time. If you wait, your choices are more limited and you may not get a seat at all. Make the mistake of buying your tickets the day of the flight and you'll pay through the nose. If you are traveling with a family or group, you may have to split up to find enough available seats if you don't secure them in advance.

You get the best deal on your tickets when you buy them online. There's no need to spend hours searching, though. Just go to the tour operator's site and you can buy your tickets there. You will always find the lowest prices on the tour operator's website and you have the added safety of a 24-hour cancellation policy.