Sights from a bird's eye view
Seeing the world from a different perspective can be a fascinating experience. Sightseeing airlines make exactly that possible: impressive views of breathtaking landscapes, metropolises and cultural treasures – and all this quite simply from the air. In recent years, these sightseeing flights have become more popular around the world and more and more airlines are offering special tours of this type. With the steady growth of this market and the increasing demand for individual and sustainable travel experiences, it is very likely that Sightseeing Airlines will continue to gain popularity in the future.
The 20 most popular sightseeing airlines worldwide
- Scenic Airlines (USA, Australia, New Zealand)
- Whitsunday Seaplanes (Australia)
- Cape Town Helicopters (South Africa)
- Costa Rica Green Airways (Costa Rica)
- ALPEN AIR (Germany)
- Harbour Air Seaplanes (Canada)
- Kenmore Air (USA)
- London Helicopter (UK)
- Liberty Helicopters (USA)
- Loch Lomond Seaplanes (Scotland, UK)
- Heli Securite (France)
- Maverick Helicopters (USA)
- Nordic Unique Travels (Finland)
- Helijet (Canada)
- Royal Charters (India)
- Kauai Air Tours (Hawaii, USA)
- Blue Hawaiian Helicopters (Hawaii, USA)
- Cinnamon Air (Sri Lanka)
- Trans Maldivian Airways (Maledives)
- Icefield Discovery (Canada)
Pecularities of these sightseeing airlines
There are many other sightseeing airlines that operate regionally and internationally. The popularity of such flights has increased in recent years and it is likely that there will be more and more operators specializing in this area.
But what exactly makes the airlines so special apart from their exciting location?
Sightseeing Airlines
- Scenic Airlines: With an impressive fleet of light aircraft and helicopters, Scenic Airways offers breathtaking scenic flights over national parks like de Yosemite National Park and the Grand Canyon in Nevada and California. Passengers can choose from various flight packages that not only showcase the scenic beauty of each region, but also provide interesting information about the history and culture of the areas visited. https://www.scenic.com
- Air Whitsunday Seaplanes: Whitsunday Seaplanes specializes in seaplane tours over the heart of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef and Whitsunday Islands. The company offers a variety of tours, including flights to remote sandbars and islands, snorkeling trips, and even overnight stays at exclusive resorts. The unique aerial perspective and opportunity to experience the Great Barrier Reef up close make these flights an unforgettable experience. https://airwhitsunday.com.au
- Cape Town Helicopters: Cape Town Helicopters offers spectacular helicopter tours over the breathtaking coastal scenery of Cape Town, South Africa. Air tours include sights such as Table Mountain, the Twelve Apostles, and Robben Island. The company also offers tailor-made tours for special occasions such as wine tours, marriage proposals, lunch flights or heli-hiking. https://www.helicopterscapetown.co.za
- Costa Rica Green Airways: In Central America, Costa Rica Green Airways is a leader in organizing sightseeing flights. The airline allows passengers to admire the country’s stunning flora and fauna from the air, including its famous cloud forests and coastal regions. The flights also offer spectacular views of active volcanoes and pristine beaches. https://costaricagreenair.com/en/
- ALPEN AIR: The sightseeing flights over the German Alps offer spectacular views of the snow-capped peaks, green valleys and crystal-clear lakes of the Alps, as well as famous castles such as Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau. https://www.alpenair.de
- Harbour Air Seaplanes: This airline allows passengers to experience the stunning coastal scenery of British Columbia, Canada from the air, including the scenic city of Vancouver and scenic Vancouver Island. https://harbourair.com
- Loch Lomond Seaplanes: Seaplane tours of the Scottish Highlands offer breathtaking views of the region’s rugged landscapes, historic castles and idyllic lochs. https://www.lochlomondseaplanes.com
- Heli Securite: This French airline offers luxury helicopter tours over the French Alps, Côte d’Azur and Monaco, including exclusive transfers to and from luxury resorts and events such as the Cannes Film Festival. https://helisecurite.fr/en/home/
- Trans Maldivian Airways: Seaplane tours allow guests to experience the stunning Maldives from the air and land on the islands’ crystal clear lagoons. https://www.transmaldivian.com
- Icefield Discovery: This Canadian airline offers scenic flights over the spectacular glaciers and ice fields of British Columbia and the Yukon, with the opportunity to land on remote glaciers and experience the scenery up close. https://www.icefielddiscovery.com
Trend development
Sightseeing airlines are a fascinating trend that has developed rapidly in recent years. Whether it’s breathtaking landscapes, cultural highlights or remote natural wonders, the increasing demand for unique and personal travel experiences has led to more and more airlines offering scenic flights and special air tours. In addition, technological advances in the aviation industry have improved the safety and comfort of these flights. In addition, more and more people value sustainable travel, and many sightseeing airlines are increasingly using environmentally friendly technologies to reduce the ecological footprint of their flights. With the steady growth of this market and the increasing demand for individual and sustainable travel experiences, it is very likely that sightseeing airlines will continue to gain popularity in the future.
Adventure tourism
The type of tours offered has also changed. Tailor-made packages tailored to the individual wishes and needs of passengers are increasingly being offered. Guests can often not only choose between different flight routes, but also from a variety of additional services, such as photo documentation of the flight, accompaniment by an expert or exclusive landing permits at remote locations.
Another factor contributing to the popularity of sightseeing airlines is the growing availability of drone technology. The combination of drone flights with manned sightseeing flights enables airlines to offer their customers an even more impressive experience. For example, high-resolution images and videos can be taken from the air, giving passengers a lasting reminder of their adventure.
ALPEN AIR – A scenic journey over the German Alps
A sightseeing airline that provides impressive flight experiences in Germany is ALPEN AIR. With its Tecnam P 2012 Traveler, the company offers various sightseeing flights over the picturesque German Alps, Munich and neighboring regions in Bavaria.
ALPEN AIR‘s tours not only offer spectacular views of the snow-capped peaks, verdant valleys and crystal-clear lakes of the Alps, but also allow passengers to experience the region’s cultural treasures from a new perspective. Highlights include castles such as Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau, the imposing Zugspitze – Germany’s highest mountain – and the idyllic towns of Garmisch-Partenkirchen and Mittenwald.
And ALPEN AIR flies as resource-efficiently as possible – they offset the emitted emissions with their partner First Climate, as well as with a green server for IT, recycled business cards and an economical aircraft.
These special features make ALPEN AIR an outstanding sightseeing airline that offers its guests an unforgettable experience over the impressive landscape of the German Alps.
