Is a Tokyo Helicopter Tour Worth It?

A Tokyo helicopter tour is worth it if you want to see the size of the city, and both of its towers, in a way no observation deck can show, or to mark a moment such as a proposal or an anniversary. It is expensive for the time: the Skytree and Tokyo Tower flight is 30 minutes from US$416 a person. It is not worth it if a view from one high window is all you want, or if a storm is forecast for your only free evening.

Check Skytree and Tokyo Tower flight dates

What the money buys

An observation deck shows Tokyo from one fixed point, behind glass and among a crowd. A helicopter moves through the city: low over the bay, beside the Skytree rather than inside it, round Tokyo Tower, with a pilot pointing out what you are looking at, and only your own group on board. That is the difference people pay for, and the reviews say it is the part they remember.

What reviewers say

The 30-minute flight is rated 5.0 from 30 reviews. One group wrote that it was extremely enriching for their whole holiday and exceeded expectations they had already set high; another said the pilot pointed out every landmark and they felt safe on their first helicopter flight. On the private flight from Tokyo Heliport, rated 4.9, a reviewer wrote that the usual viewpoints pale in comparison. The honest complaints are about getting there, not the flight: the heliport for the Skytree flight is in Chiba and two reviewers found it hard to reach, and one had a pilot’s microphone that did not work.

When it is not worth it

• You want one view. An observation deck at the Skytree or in Shibuya gives the panorama for a small fraction of the price.
• The weather is poor. Low cloud flattens the views and wind can cancel the flight; keep a spare day.
• You do not like small aircraft. The cabins are small and they move; try 10 minutes before committing to 50.
• Your budget is tight. Even the cheapest flight costs more than most days out in Tokyo.

Getting the most for the money

For two or three of you, the private 10-minute flight at US$574 for the helicopter is the cheapest way up. For the lights, book the Skytree and Tokyo Tower flight after dark, after 19:00 to be sure of Tokyo Tower. For the single most memorable flight, and the most expensive, fly to Mount Fuji on a clear winter morning: the Mount Fuji page has the two private flights. The price guide has every price.