Labor Day is almost here and a helicopter tour of the Grand Canyon is a great way to wrap up the summer season.

Since the holiday falls on Monday, September 2nd, you will probably have a three day weekend, making it the perfect time to take a Grand Canyon getaway. You can catch the fun air tours of the Grand Canyon in Tusayan, Arizona and Las Vegas, Nevada.

Vegas offers air tours to the West Rim where you can land on the floor of the canyon or on the rim. It is too far for choppers to fly to the South Rim from Vegas so you have to fly to the South Rim by plane and then transfer to a chopper for your tour.

Vegas Routes

Air tours that depart from Vegas take a route that lets you see Hoover Dam and Lake Mead on your way to the West Rim.

These aerial tours are perfect if you don't have a lot of time to spend touring the canyon. If time is not an issue, you ought to take one of the fun landing tours if you can.

If you do want to take a landing tour, keep in mind they are only available on Vegas tours to the West Rim. When you land at the West Rim, you have the chance to walk out on the glass Skywalk, take a raft ride on the Colorado River, and enjoy a picnic on the canyon floor.

South Rim Choppers

Flying to the canyon floor is prohibited at the South Rim. You have a choice between taking a thirty-minute or fifty-minute chopper tour. The flight that lasts thirty minutes takes you over to the North Rim and back again, while the fifty minute flight takes you to the North Rim as well as the eastern edge of the Park.

If you take the 50-minute flight, you will be able to see nearly the entire National Park on your tour. Plus the fifty-minute tour uses the EcoStar 130 helicopter, which is designed for comfort and sightseeing.

Labor Day is going to be a busy time at the Grand Canyon since it is the last major weekend of the summer. You want to book your tour as early as possible. You should plan to get your seats at least one week ahead if it is possible. When you get your seats early, you don't have to worry about getting shut out on tour day.

You'll find the best selection of tours online and when you book early you can choose the one you want since they won't be sold out yet. You should go directly to the tour operator's website though and avoid the big travel sites. Why does it matter? The tour operator is the only one who can offer a low rate because he doesn't have to add on a commission.

Let's Recap

Labor Day is a fantastic time to take an air tour of the Grand Canyon. Get your tickets early in case the tour you want sells out. Remember to book your seats directly with the tour company. Just do it on their website so you get the discounted Internet rate. Consider adding adventure to your tour by landing at the Grand Canyon. Although these tours are more expensive, they are worth every penny. So if you are flying to the West Rim out of Vegas, take a landing tour that flies you to the bottom of the canyon. And if you are going to the South Rim, choose the fifty-minute chopper tour if you have the time.