Airplane flights over Los Angeles from Van Nuys start at $229 for 60 minutes with one person flying, or $299 for two people, with no tax, fuel surcharge or booking fee on top. That is the whole price. What makes comparing it against a helicopter tour or a sightseeing flight difficult is not the number, it is that the industry quotes in two incompatible units: per aircraft for a block of time, or per person for a fixed route.
This page puts every price we charge in one table, converts them to cost per person and cost per minute, and shows you how to do the same arithmetic to any quote you are given, so you can compare like with like. For the list of what each flight actually includes and where it goes, see airplane rides in Los Angeles. For how our own tiers are built up, see discovery flight cost.
Every Price In One Table
| Flight | Duration | People | Price | Per Person |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Discovery Flight | 60 min | 1 | $229 | $229 |
| Discovery Flight | 90 min | 1 | $299 | $299 |
| Discovery Flight | 120 min | 1 | $399 | $399 |
| Discovery Flight For Two, Downtown | 60 min | 2 | $299 | $149.50 |
| Discovery Flight For Two, Downtown | 90 min | 2 | $399 | $199.50 |
| Discovery Flight For Two, Downtown | 120 min | 2 | $499 | $249.50 |
| Discovery Flight For Two, Malibu Coast | 60 min | 2 | $299 | $149.50 |
| Discovery Flight For Two, Malibu Coast | 90 min | 2 | $399 | $199.50 |
| Discovery Flight For Two, Malibu Coast | 120 min | 2 | $499 | $249.50 |
| Luxury Cirrus SR22 For Two | 60 min | 2 | $399 | $199.50 |
| Luxury Cirrus SR22 For Two | 90 min | 2 | $549 | $274.50 |
| Luxury Cirrus SR22 For Two | 120 min | 2 | $699 | $349.50 |
| Night Discovery Flight | 60 min | 1 | $329 | $329 |
| Night Discovery Flight For Two | 60 min | 2 | $399 | $199.50 |
| Multi-Engine Discovery Flight For Two | 60 min | 2 | $499 | $249.50 |
| Multi-Engine Discovery Flight, extra passenger | 60 min | 3 | $599 | $199.67 |
| Full-Motion Simulator Experience | 60 min | 1 | $189 | $189 |
Two things jump out of that table. The cheapest way to get into the left seat is the simulator at $189. The cheapest way per person to get airborne is a flight for two at $149.50 each, which is less than the single-person flight costs one person. If two of you are going, the for-two booking is always the better buy.
Price Per Person Is The Number That Matters
Sightseeing operators almost always quote per person. Flight schools almost always quote per aircraft. Those two numbers are not comparable and the gap between them widens with every extra passenger.
Our 60-minute flight for two is $299. Split across two people that is $149.50 each. A per-person quote of $149.50 from a tour operator sounds identical, but it is not, because at three people their price goes to $448.50 and ours does not move until the aircraft runs out of seats. Per-aircraft pricing is a fixed cost that gets cheaper per head; per-person pricing is a variable cost that does not.
The counterpoint, in fairness: per-person pricing is cheaper if you are going alone and the operator will fly you with strangers. A solo traveler buying one seat on a shared tour will usually pay less than $229. If you are on your own and the only objective is to see the city from the air, that is a real option and we would say so.
How Airplane Flights And Helicopter Tours Are Priced Differently
Beyond per-person versus per-aircraft, four structural differences move the final number, and they are the ones to check in any quote.
Passenger minimums. Many tour flights have a minimum number of passengers before they will depart, which means either waiting to be paired with strangers or buying the empty seats. Ask whether the price assumes a full aircraft.
Fuel surcharges. Some operators quote a base price and add a fuel surcharge at the end. Ask whether the quoted price is the total. Ours is.
Booking, airport and landing fees. Fees are common on tour bookings and are often added at checkout rather than shown in the headline. We charge none on any of the flights above.
The clock definition. This is the one that catches people out. Some operators quote total experience time including check-in and briefing, and some quote flight time. Ours is aircraft time, from engine start to shutdown, with the briefing and the debrief on top and not on the clock. A quoted twenty-minute tour and a quoted twenty minutes of aircraft time can be very different amounts of flying.
To compare honestly, get four numbers out of any quote: the total you will pay, the number of people it covers, the airborne minutes it buys, and whether anything is added later. Then divide.
Cost Per Minute, Worked Out
| Flight | Price | Minutes | Per Minute | Per Minute Per Person |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Discovery Flight, 60 min | $229 | 60 | $3.82 | $3.82 |
| Discovery Flight, 90 min | $299 | 90 | $3.32 | $3.32 |
| Discovery Flight, 120 min | $399 | 120 | $3.33 | $3.33 |
| For Two, 60 min | $299 | 60 | $4.98 | $2.49 |
| For Two, 90 min | $399 | 90 | $4.43 | $2.22 |
| For Two, 120 min | $499 | 120 | $4.16 | $2.08 |
| Cirrus SR22 For Two, 60 min | $399 | 60 | $6.65 | $3.33 |
| Simulator, 60 min | $189 | 60 | $3.15 | $3.15 |
The pattern is consistent: longer is cheaper per minute, and two people is cheaper per person. The 90-minute flight for two at $2.22 per person per minute is the best value on the list, and the 60-minute single flight at $3.82 is the most expensive per minute, because the fixed costs of a briefing, a preflight and two taxis are spread over the fewest minutes.
One honest caveat about airborne time. A 60-minute booking is 60 minutes of aircraft time, and taxi at a field as busy as Van Nuys takes five to ten minutes at each end, so you get roughly forty to forty-five minutes actually airborne. Apply the same deduction to any quote you compare against, and ask the other operator whether their clock starts at engine start or at wheels-up.
What The Price Includes
Every price on this page includes the aircraft, the fuel, a certificated flight instructor, headsets for everyone on board, a pre-flight briefing of twenty to thirty minutes, the preflight walkaround done with you, and a debrief afterwards. If you want it, a logbook entry recording dual instruction received.
There is no tax on flight instruction here, no booking fee, no fuel surcharge and no per-person supplement. The number on the product page is the number you pay.
What is not included: anything at Catalina Airport, which charges its own landing fee if your flight lands there, and any aircraft rental you might do later as a licensed pilot, which is priced separately on aircraft rental at Van Nuys.
And one item of value that no tour includes: credit. Enroll in a flight training course within 24 hours of your flight and we credit the full cost of the flight against the course. On a $229 booking that makes the effective price of the flight zero if you decide to carry on. Our flight school cost breakdown shows what the courses themselves cost.
The Cheapest Way To Get Airborne In Los Angeles
If price is the binding constraint, in order:
- The full-motion simulator at $189. An hour in an FAA-approved Redbird MCX with an instructor. No weight limit, no weather, and the hours are creditable toward a certificate within the limits the regulations allow. It is not a flight, but it is not a video game either.
- A flight for two at $299, split. $149.50 each is the lowest per-person price we have for a real flight.
- The 60-minute discovery flight at $229. The standard single booking.
- The 90-minute flight at $299. The best value per minute, and the booking most people wish they had made.
What we would not recommend is buying the cheapest thing that does not do what you wanted. If the point is to fly an airplane, a shared seat on a sightseeing flight is cheaper and will not satisfy you. If the point is to photograph a landmark, a discovery flight makes you the pilot, which is exactly the wrong job for a photographer.
Why Our Flights Are Not Air Tours
A commercial sightseeing flight for compensation or hire operates under 14 CFR 91.147, which covers non-stop passenger-carrying flights beginning and ending at the same airport within a 25-statute-mile radius, and requires a Letter of Authorization from the FAA along with a drug and alcohol testing program. We do not hold that authorization and we do not sell air tours.
What we sell is flight instruction. That is why the pricing is per aircraft per hour rather than per seat per route, why there is no minimum passenger count, and why the hour goes into a logbook as dual instruction received counting toward the 40-hour requirement in 14 CFR 61.109. It is a different product with a different price structure, and on most bookings it is also the cheaper one.
Related Reading
- Airplane rides in Los Angeles — every ride, route and aircraft explained.
- Discovery flight cost — how our own tiers are built and what drives the differences.
- Helicopter versus airplane discovery flight — the aircraft comparison, not the price one.
- Full-motion flight simulator — the $189 option, and what it can and cannot do.
- Flight school cost in Los Angeles — where the credit goes if you carry on.
- Unique things to do in Los Angeles from the air — what you get for the money.
- Fly over Los Angeles yourself — route by route from Van Nuys, with what each one costs.
Airplane Tour Prices FAQ
How Much Is An Airplane Tour In Los Angeles?
Our flights are $229 for 60 minutes with one person flying, $299 for two people, $399 for the Cirrus SR22 for two, $329 for a night flight and $189 for the full-motion simulator. Prices are per aircraft for a block of time, with no tax, fuel surcharge or booking fee added.
Is An Airplane Flight Cheaper Than A Helicopter Tour In Los Angeles?
Usually, and the reason is structural. Helicopter tours are normally sold per person with a minimum passenger count, so two people pay twice; our flights are sold per aircraft, so two people pay once. Get the total price, the number of people it covers and the airborne minutes out of any quote, then divide, and compare that figure.
What Is The Cheapest Way To Fly Over Los Angeles?
Per person, a discovery flight for two at $299 works out at $149.50 each, which is the lowest real-flight price we have. The full-motion simulator is $189 for an hour and is cheaper still, though it does not leave the ground. A single 60-minute discovery flight is $229.
Are There Hidden Fees On A Discovery Flight?
No. There is no tax on flight instruction here, no booking fee, no fuel surcharge and no per-person supplement. The price on the product page includes the aircraft, the fuel, the instructor, headsets, the briefing and the debrief. The only outside charge is a landing fee if your flight lands at Catalina Airport.
How Many Minutes Are You Actually Airborne On A 60-Minute Flight?
Roughly forty to forty-five. The 60 minutes is aircraft time from engine start to shutdown, and taxi at a field as busy as Van Nuys takes five to ten minutes at each end. Ask any operator you compare against whether their clock starts at engine start or at wheels-up.
Does The Cost Of The Flight Count Toward Flight Training?
Yes. Enroll in a course within 24 hours of your flight and the full cost of the flight is credited toward it. The hour is also logged as dual instruction received and counts toward the 40-hour minimum in 14 CFR 61.109 for a private pilot certificate.
Book At The Price You See
The 60-minute discovery flight is $229 and the flight for two is $299, both with everything included and nothing added at checkout. If you are comparing quotes and want a straight answer about whether a flight or a tour suits what you are actually after, book a free consultation or call (818) 330-1318 any day from 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM. We are at 7900 Balboa Blvd, Van Nuys, CA 91406, on Van Nuys Airport.