Downtown Miami and Brickell make up the city’s high-rise core, a dense wall of towers along the western shore of Biscayne Bay, with Brickell Key sitting just offshore at the mouth of the Miami River. From the street the towers crowd the view. From a helicopter over the bay you see the whole skyline end to end, with the water in front and the causeways running out towards Miami Beach. Every private flight on the Miami hub includes it in some form.
The Miami South Beach, Downtown and Islands 30-Minute Helicopter Tour puts the skyline alongside the beaches and islands. In about 30 minutes in the air, about 40 minutes in total, it takes in the Downtown skyline and Brickell along with South Beach, Fisher Island, Key Biscayne, the Venetian Islands, the Port of Miami and the southern shore. It costs from US$299 per person with a minimum of 2 guests, from US$598 for two.
The shortest option is the Miami Skyline and South Miami 20-Minute Helicopter Tour, about 20 minutes in the air and about 30 minutes in total, from US$199 per person, minimum 2 (from US$398 for two). It sees Brickell Key and Downtown from a distance while it follows Coconut Grove, Coral Gables and Vizcaya. The South Beach Sunset tour passes Brickell Key in the early evening, from US$349 per person, minimum 2, and the Miami Ultimate tour includes Downtown and Brickell in 50 minutes, from US$499 per person, minimum 2.
So how close do you want to be? On the 20-minute flight the skyline is a backdrop across the water, not the main subject. On the 30-minute flights you get the towers together with the islands and beaches, which is what most first-time visitors want. The 50-minute tour adds the northern coast of Miami Beach. None of these flights lands in the city, and none promises a set time over any one building. If the skyline is the reason you are flying, choose a 30-minute tour rather than the shortest one, because the towers are much closer on those routes.
Because every flight is private, the helicopter carries only your group of 2 or 3. Prices are per person with a minimum of 2, so a couple pays for two seats and a third guest adds one more. The skyline pairs well with the Venetian Islands, which link Downtown to Miami Beach, and with the cruise ships of the Port of Miami, just offshore. The flights run daily, all through the year.
Meet at the CR Aviation building at Miami Executive Airport (Kendall-Tamiami), 14359 SW 127th St, Miami. Parking is free, but there is no hotel pickup, so allow for traffic. Arrive 30 minutes early to check in, sign the waiver and show a passport or driver’s license; the person who paid must show the card used. The US$19 per person airport fee, paid at check-in, is added to the tour price. Cancel 24 hours or more ahead for a full refund. For the skyline with the beaches and islands, book the South Beach, Downtown and Islands tour.
See Downtown Miami and Brickell 直升机上空 in Miami. Book the Miami South Beach, Downtown and Islands 30-Minute Helicopter Tour.