Joy Rides
From $199 per guest
- Pop-Up Flight10 min · $199
- Learn to Fly60 + 30 min · $899
Make it privatefrom $547
Palm Springs, California
Soar above the desert
Helicopter tours from Atlantic Aviation at Palm Springs International Airport: the valley's icons from Sunnylands to PGA West, Pioneertown's boulder fields, the San Gorgonio windmills, the San Jacinto Mountains and Joshua Tree, from a 10-minute Pop-Up Flight to an hour at sunrise or sunset. Or take the controls yourself. Private charters to wherever you need to be.
Operational hub
Atlantic Aviation at PSP
Flight times
10 to 60 minutes in the air
Pricing
Per guest, two-guest minimum
Experiences
Ten ways to fly
Four families of flights, all from Atlantic Aviation at PSP. Every tour is priced per guest with a two-guest minimum, or make it private and have the whole helicopter to yourselves.
Desert Rider
From $749 per guest
- Desert Rider45 min · $749
- Desert Rider Grand60 min · $999
Make it privatefrom $2,059
City Tours
From $499 per guest
- Palm Springs Highlights30 min · $499
- Palm Springs Grand Tour60 min · $999
Make it privatefrom $1,372
Sunrise & Sunset
From $499 per guest
- Golden Hour30 min · $499
- Golden Hour Grand60 min · $999
- First Light30 min · $499
- First Light Grand60 min · $999
Make it privatefrom $1,372
First time up?
Which flight suits you?
Three quick taps and we'll point you at the right one.
Answer the three questions and your flight appears here.
the routes
See the routes
Pick a tour to trace its path. Every flight leaves from and returns to Atlantic Aviation at PSP.
Select a waypoint
Stop 1 of 2
Downtown Palm Springs
Palm Canyon Drive and Forever Marilyn
The heart of the village: Palm Canyon Drive, its midcentury storefronts and hotels, and the Forever Marilyn statue, all laid out at the foot of Mount San Jacinto.
Mount San Jacinto rises more than 10,000 feet behind it.
For your safety, flight routes may change with weather, air traffic and other conditions on the day.
Private charters
Need to be somewhere?
From Atlantic Aviation at Palm Springs International Airport, a private charter puts Big Bear 20 minutes away, Orange County and San Diego about 45, Los Angeles about an hour and Las Vegas about an hour and a half. Prices are published for 53 destinations.
Our operational hub
Atlantic Aviation at PSP
Our operational hub is the Atlantic Aviation terminal at Palm Springs International Airport, minutes from downtown Palm Springs and easy to reach from anywhere in the valley. Every experience and every charter departs from and returns to the same place.
- Airport
- Palm Springs International Airport, PSP
- Terminal
- Atlantic Aviation
- Where
- 145 N Gene Autry Trail, Palm Springs, California
- From downtown
- About 10 minutes by car
- Nearby
- Palm Springs, Cathedral City, Rancho Mirage, Desert Hot Springs
Open in Google Maps (opens in a new tab)
33.8189, -116.4935
Safety & standards
Who you're flying with
The details worth knowing before you step aboard.
- The aircraft
- Robinson R44 helicopters, carrying up to three passengers. 299 lb limit per passenger, about 575 lb for all passengers together.
- Seats
- Three passenger seats, one up front and two behind, and every one is a window seat.
- Your pilot
- To confirm: pilot experience, e.g. minimum flight hours and local time
- Certificate
- To confirm: operator and FAA operating certificate (e.g. Part 135) with number
- Insurance
- To confirm: insurance statement
- Every flight
- Planned around weight and balance, flown in good visibility only, with a safety briefing before take-off.
Cancellations
You can cancel up to 24 hours before your flight. Cancellations within 24 hours of departure are non-refundable. If we cancel for weather, you get a full refund or a new date. No minimum age; children under two fly free on a lap.
Practical things
Know before you fly
The questions we're asked most. There are plenty more answered in full on the FAQ page.
Where do flights leave from?
Atlantic Aviation FBO at Palm Springs International Airport (PSP), 145 N Gene Autry Trail. Every tour and charter departs from and returns here. Please check in 30 minutes early.
How is pricing set?
Every tour is priced per guest, with a two-guest minimum. The third seat is open to other guests, or make it private: the whole helicopter for your group, third seat 25% off.
When do the sunrise and sunset flights leave?
Departure times follow a seasonal schedule set around sunrise and sunset. We confirm your exact time when you book.
How long are the flights?
From 10 minutes for the Pop-Up Flight to an hour for the Grand tours. On the 30 and 45 minute tours you can upgrade to a longer flight at checkout.
Can I fly the helicopter myself?
Yes. Learn to Fly starts with 60 minutes of ground school, where you plan your own route with the pilot, then 30 minutes at the controls. $899 per student, and a guest rides free.
Can you fly me somewhere?
Yes. Private charters fly from Palm Springs to 53 destinations with published prices, and for anything else there are special requests.
Questions
Get in touch
Ask us anything about a flight, a charter or a group. We reply by email.