Bay Aerial Helicopter Tours

The helicopter tour was so amazing! And John is awesome and so knowledgable!
I’ve lived in SF for 5 years now, but seeing it from above was such a cool experience. It reminded me how beautiful and diverse the Bay Area is!
We had to reschedule due to the weather the first time around, but so glad we did, because the weather today (Valentines Day) was perfect!
Totally worth the money/​time! Do it! Thanks John and Bay Aerial Helicopter Tours!

Best option out there! Value for money and a sincere, honest, down to earth business!
My folks were visiting for the Thanksgiving holiday and as an early birthday gift, I wanted to give Mom a helicopter ride of SF (helicopter ride was on the bucket list) — after searching online for 2 weeks, I found other businesses that involved 20 mins for $ 185, 30 mins for $ 235 and 1 hr for up to 3 people for $ 710. Bay Aerial was the only business that came up that seemed worth it (1hr for $ 620 up to 3 people) and after leaving a message, John called back and we were able to confirm a booking that very day for 4pm.
It was an absolutely gorgeous clear day for an aerial view of the bay and John took us all around from San Carlos airport up around the bay to the other side of GG bridge (and under the bridge!) and down the pacific coast — it was amazing! we even had the lucky chance to see 4 – 5 whales spouting water and coming above the surface a few times — it was a truly unbelievable experience and ending in time to see sunset as well. John was great giving various tidbits of history and descriptive details throughout the ride and pointing out his favorites highlights.
I’m so glad I chose Bay Aerial among the many options I found online and would gladly do this again (and likely will) as other family members and friends come visit. Thank you John!

Wow!!! Just had the most amazing Helicopter Tour.
John our Pilot was Epic. Knowledgable, Fun and made us feel very relaxed.
Spectacular Tour including an unexpected Detour underneath the Golden Gate Bridge.
If you’re looking for a Tour look no further. Worth every penny!
Thank You.

My dad who is 86 years old suggested we go on a helicopter ride. Never having flown with Bay Aerial we chose it because the San Carlos airport is fairly easy to get to and park. The alternative was to book with another company in downtown SF and that seemed too chaotic. Also, their ride was only 15 minutes; Bay Aerial’s is 1 hour.
Our ride was one of those «once in a lifetime» experiences. We are native San Franciscians’ and thought we had seen it all, until we took this trip. John duGan did a great job piloting our ride. We were impressed with the quietness and stability of the craft. We have been on much noisier and choppy helicopter rides and this was as smooth as glass.
We are already talking about taking the trip again next year and hope my dad is still around to go up with us again. Thanks John.

Worth it!
I had booked a tour for the Friday we were driving up from LA. My parents had not been back to SF in over 20 years and they are now in their early 80s, so I had to make this trip count. I decided to go with Bay Aerial because all the reviews were great! 9 out of 10 times Unilocal has steered me the right way and this was no exception.
Upon arriving to SF we noticed the fog had rolled in and I was worried that we wouldn’t be able to see any of the sights in all it’s glory. Called Bay Aerial and they said we’d be okay after checking the webcams in the different areas, BUT they would be willing to reschedule to Saturday in hopes of better weather. Totally accommodating!
Saturday turned out to be the best day out of the weekend in SF! Sun was shining and fog was gone! Super psyched, we drove down to Bay Aerial and showed up ready for our flight. It was me, my dad, and my brother-​in-​law. My dad has limited mobility, but uses a cane to get around and is only 5 foot tall so I was worried about getting into the helicopter. No worries, John had a stepping stool and was very patient with my dad. John was super cool, laid back, and answered all our questions. You might think that the ride might be scary or like a roller coaster, but it was really smooth. Going as fast as we were we didn’t really feel the speed until later on the ride when we got close to the water, then you could really get a sense of speed in this copter!
Highlight of the tour was when we approached the Golden Gate and actually went under it then over it for an awesome view of the bridge from several directions. As we approached then dipped down, people from the bridge railing were looking at us and I waved as we flew by. It was an awesome experience!
Thank you John and Bay Aerial for making a memory my family will never forget!

Thank you John for the amazing heli experience!!!
It was my bestfriend’s birthday, and what other better way to spend it on a helicopter ride?! I initially reserved our flight for 11am but due to the cloudy weather in SF, John was honest and said that it would be best to reschedule so we can see the Bay clearer. I was ready to accept his offer but then he said, «if you’re able to wait until 4pm then it may clear up and I can take you both up.» And, well, duh, we accepted and the rest was history!
John was very clear with all safety and procedures. He definitely assured the both of us that we were both in good hands. So… I remember myself saying, «Fannypack floaties ready? Yup! Seatbelts ready? Yup! Headphones ready? Yup! LET’S GOOOOO!»
Remember walking the Golden Gate Bridge and look straight at the water? Well, have you ever gone UNDER the Golden Gate with a heli? I bet not lol. John took us under and the bridge where we were able to see a different perspective of the bridge.
Aside the ride and the views, prepare to be engaged in a full on conversation with John if you do decide to choose him for a ride. The one hour that you’re in the heli was definitely worth the $$ you spent.
Will definitely choose him again to take other special people up!

Such an amazing experience! The hour long tour showed everything from the Golden Gate to wales off the coast of Mavericks. An incredibly reasonable price and the best way to see one of the most beautiful cities in America… don’t think, just book your heli tour at Bay Aerial Tours!

Bay Aerial was a huge help facilitating my professional aerial photography needs. My pilot was intuitive and was an important part of helping me to capture these amazing aerial views of San Francisco and the Bay Area:

Really neat experience. John was a great guide and we had a memorable experience. Definitely recommend for anyone in the area!

So happy!
As a Midwesterner transplanted to the Bay Area, I have always wanted to see the famous sights from the air, but didn’t need to get into the typical tourist-​trap-​type excursions you see peddled around Fisherman’s Wharf. You know the kind… «A million dollars for one minute aboard a crowded plane with a hundred people but hey, we’ll show you the the bridge!» Yeah, no to that.
So I put this off for a while, discouraged over prices, quality and availability… until I discovered Bay Aerial Helicopter.
Pilot John answered all my questions over the phone before booking, and was honest about the booking challenges (weather, fog, etc). Being a local, I was not locked in to a specific date, but was able to get a spot in the time frame I had in mind. A morning call on the day of the flight confirmed that the fog was still heavy over the bay, and it would be best to push the noon booking to mid afternoon. John was flexible, and took my friend and I up later that same day. My husband, who was not joining us, was even allowed onto the tarmac to take pictures of takeoff, which we thought was a very nice perk.
The flight was amazing! John was full of interesting facts even locals would be entertained by. My friend, a freelance photographer, was set up with some amazing shots. We went from the port of Oakland, over Treasure Island and Alcatraz, to the Marin headlands, over the bridges, UNDER the Golden Gate bridge, over the city of San Francisco, down to Pacifica and Half Moon Bay, past cliff caves and over whales (!), to the hillsides over ranches, and back up to San Carlos. My favorite favorite part was dipping down towards the water to get a sense of speed. I wish we could have done the whole thing that way, but then I wouldn’t have seen anything. :-)
My only tip is to call for info. Weather doesn’t operate at your command, so if you are set with a vacation schedule, you cannot just book online and assume you are good to go. But if you have flexibility, this ride is worth the wait and the price! PS. A helicopter feels just like a car, very stable and gentle. Highly recommend this for anyone.
So happy!

This was an awesome tour! My boyfriend and I just got back from a Helicopter tour with John as our pilot. We are Bay Area locals but definitely had never seen San Francisco like this! Great views of the Golden Gate Bridge, the San Francisco Coastline, and more. Definitely a thumbs up & would recommend John to anyone thinking of taking a helicopter tour.
Thanks for everything John, we had a blast!

This is a Bay Area must! While I’m a local, the tour and views are awesome. It’s a perspective of the city that shouldn’t be missed. John, the pilot, was an exceptional guide. I’m recommending this to all my friends and adding it to my list of cool things to do with out of town guests.

My wedding was the most magical and significant day of my life and it was only perfected with the help and support of John Du Gan and Lindsie Strand from Bay Aerial Helicopters.
Culturally, the arrival of the groom is important but the transportation is what makes the arrival vital. The Indian tradition of an Elephant as transportation was not an option due to venue location. Few weeks before my wedding, I had an absolute horrific experience with the very misleading and unprofessional Golden Gate Helicopters. Making my only helicopter reservation now nonexistent due to there lack of knowledge.
Thankfully, I was recommended to contact John Dugan. After explaining my recent chaotic experience, he quickly understood how imperative my situation was and in response he sincerely wanted to be part of the solution. Johns outstanding communication and customer service happily assured me that my wedding day still had a chance of being perfect! John and Lindsie were knowledgeable, organized, detailed and most importantly honest about the pros and cons of helicopter transportation.
Although John was firm with rules and regulations, I appreciated how genuine, informative and punctual he was and most importantly how he put safety first. The glamorous arrival of my husband was not only in a dope helicopter, even better, it was a surprise arrival. Everyone was cheering while still in shock. At the end of the night, I was occupied and unable to be reached so John contacted my venue informing us that the weather conditions are safe for pick up. Leaving our wedding reception with my husband, having all of our loved ones lined up with sparklers leading up to the helicopter landing at the perfect time was captivating.
Our exit/​departure was described as many things but my favorites were «Romantic» and «Hollywood Movie style» the way the helicopter lifted from the ground and dramatically turned to the side and quickly disappeared into the night. John and Lyndsie flew the scenic route taking us to the airport. We were flying over the city lights and the beautiful bay area waters making my wedding day no longer a fantasy but breathtakingly a dream come true. It was an amazing first time experience for my husband and I riding in a helicopter and we will again with John for our anniversaries to come.

An awesome Valentine’s Day tour! (3:00pm) We enjoyed it very much. John is a great tour guide. His knowledge is superb. If you want a relaxed and enjoyable aerial tour of San Francisco, this is the place to book your tour. We will re-​visit!

The most AMAZING helicopter tour of the San Francisco Bay, Pacific Ocean and coast line. I have tried them all folks, and this one was the best. A full hour really allowed us to explore, and our group of 3 people got the helicopter all to ourselves. SO much better than the tourist-​oriented 20 minute rides that leave from SFO. Thank you John duGan for a fantastic experience!!!

This is a must and a major check off on the bucket list. Not only is the hour helicopter tour amazing but so is John. He is extremely professional and knowledgable and shows you amazing views that you can appreciate for a lifetime. I took my fiancé and my brother in law for their birthday and they both said they don’t know how I’m going to top that next year. Make a reservation. What you experience is priceless.

I surprised my husband for his birthday with a helicopter tour and John was our pilot. He was super friendly, easy going and fun to take the tour with. We’ve lived in the bay area for quite some time and it was amazing to see the city from a different vantage point. I was a little nervous but John assured me I would want a helicopter after the ride, it’s like riding in a car. He was right. We are both hooked and can’t wait to take another trip. The trip was amazing I would highly recommend this tour.

Recently my wife and I went to San Francisco for a vacation. One of the highlights of our trip was our helicopter tour. John, our pilot, was great! He was friendly, pointed out different sights and made sure we were engaged and having fun.
The tour was 1 full hour. We flew over the Bay Bridge, above San Francisco’s financial district, under the Golden Gate Bridge and finished up at Half Moon Bay before circling back.
The overall experience exceeded our expectations. The views were breathtaking and we were able to get so many good photos. I would definitely recommend this to anyone looking to take a helicopter tour.

We arrived and we’re met by an easy-​going gentleman names John who offered us water before taking us out to the helicopter, which was well maintained and offered large clean windows. We were given flotation devices (so I guess the complaint by the previous poster has been addessed?).
It was really nice to be shown the area by someone who so clearly loves it. John was full of little anecdotes that really made the tour interesting. The tour was fantastic and hit all the bases: landmarks, hovering for photos, and exciting runs over the ocean. John had a particular knack for lining up good camera angles and suggesting exactly when to snap the picture.
Spectacular views and a very comfy ride made the trip well worth the price. Definitely go for the hour-​long tour.

Awesome loops under the Golden Gate bridge and great relaxed tour with a good level of interaction.

I have never been in a helicopter and it was my girlfriend’s bday and I wanted to surprise her with something new, so I made a reservation for a 3 pm flight on a Sunday afternoon.
First off, fyi, but you have to call 2 hours prior to flight time to make sure there are no weather issues. If there are, you have to reschedule. So I called at 1 pm and John (our pilot) said it was fairly clear.
Upon arriving, he mentioned that it was a bit foggy in certain areas, in particualar the Golden Gate Bridge etc. However, i’m from the bay area so it’s not like I’m not new to seeing certain landmarks. B/​c we were already there, we decided to hop in and go for the 1 hour «Works Tour».
It was funny b/​c John our pilot (nice guy) said there were no flotation devices after my g/​f inquired about safety precautions. He also mentioned it wasn’t necessary b/​c we were only going to go over 4 feet of water. Uhh, maybe I missed something and correct me if i’m wrong but it looked like more than 4 feet of water.
Anyways, they give you headphones so you can hear your pilot and other pilots about incoming information. It’s kind of cool hearing all their lingo. Example, «KNBR, sunken ship, clear etc». As soon as we starting flying, there was this huge elevation change that I wasn’t expecting but it was cool.
However, about 30 min into the ride, I was feeling slightly nauseuous. I took dramamine just in case and by 45 min in, it was taking over. Now i’m a roller coaster junkie but for whatever reason, I just didn’t feel 100%. I wasn’t insanely nauseous but enough to where I was a little uncomfortable.
But I plowed through it. We got pretty darn close to the Golden Gate bridge and flew across the entire bay area. We caught glimpes of Alcatraz (couldn’t go as close due to turbulance, fog), and spectacular scenery along Berkeley, ritzy areas such as Tiberon etc.
Overall, it was a good experience. The helicopter holds 3 passengers max. I highly recommend that if you get nauseated easily, to reconsider. If you still want to try it, take dramamine and have something stable in your stomach (bread, saltines etc).