There's no better place than Las Vegas to set off on a Grand Canyon helicopter tour. Labor Day marks the end of summer vacation time, and it is also the last three day weekend of the year. There's no better way to celebrate than by taking a helicopter tour of the canyon.

Air Tours Of The West Rim

Las Vegas is closest to the West Rim of the Grand Canyon, which is just 125 miles away. The Las Vegas helicopters fly over Hoover Dam and Lake Mead on the way to the canyon, in all, it takes about 45 minutes to get there.

The West Rim is the only place in the canyon where helicopters can fly to the canyon floor, so you can take air-only or landing tours there. The aerial tours offer spectacular panoramic sightseeing, and they are more affordable than the landing tours. However, the landing tours come with a flyover too, plus some fun adventures after you land on top of the rim or on the canyon floor.

One tour to consider taking is the bottom landing champagne picnic tour. This one will take you right inside the canyon, allowing you to see the beautiful rock walls from an angle that few get to experience. You could even supplement this with a riverboat ride on the Colorado River, or for the full experience, add in a top landing, and take a walk on the transparent Skywalk that is suspended thousands of feet above the canyon below.

About Deluxe Air Tours

Buying your tour online is the way to find the lowest price, and you'll also get to choose between a basic or deluxe tour before you buy. While you'll have a great time on a basic tour too, you should be aware that they fly on older style traditional helicopters. The deluxe tours are more comfortable, so you should try to book one for your Labor Day excursion.

Deluxe tours use the newer EcoStar 130 chopper. This high performance machine has bigger viewing windows, a 180 degree panoramic windshield, a larger cabin, and a seating plan that has been designed to provide unobstructed views to everyone on board. These helicopters also depart directly from the Strip, and tickets come with a complimentary limousine shuttle. While you'll have to pay more for a deluxe helicopter tour, it is worth the expense.

Buy Your Tour Online

The 2015 Labor Day weekend is nearly here, so don't delay buying your tour, since the Las Vegas flights are so popular. This will ensure that you get to fly on the day you want, at the time you want. It also costs less to buy your tour online since you can bypass fees added on by a travel agent. Just pick out your tour, pay with a credit card, and you'll get confirmation of the date and time of your tour.

Conclusion

A helicopter tour is a unique and fun way to celebrate the last long weekend of the summer. Be sure to book your seats as soon as you can before it sells out, and buy it online to save some money. You'll have lots of options when you book your tour, so you can customize your trip to ensure a fantastic day at America's famous natural landmark.