Booking choice: The Entire Kauai Island Air Tour, from $159 per person. Check dates Compare the options below
Two companies fly full-island sightseeing tours of Kauai in airplanes, both from the commuter terminal at Lihue Airport and both in the same six-seat GA8 Airvan: Air Ventures Hawaii, whose flight is sold as the Entire Kauai Island Air Tour, and Wings Over Kauai.
Prices below are from the live Viator listings and the operators' own websites in October 2026. They move with the season, so the checkout price is the one that counts.
The quick answer
The Entire Kauai Island Air Tour costs from $159 per person on Viator for about 65 minutes in the air, the same as the Wings Over Kauai small-group flight. Both operators list $149 on their own sites before about 6% taxes and fees, so the gap is a dollar or two. Helicopter tours of the island start at about $336.
How much is a Kauai airplane tour in 2026?
The full-island airplane tours cost from $159 per person on Viator, for about 65 minutes in the air.
The price is per seat, and every seat is a window seat, so there is no premium for a better view. Private planes cost more per person but less than any helicopter.
| Flight | From | Length | Who flies |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entire Kauai Island Air Tour | $159 | 65 minutes | Up to 6, shared |
| Wings Over Kauai small-group | $159 | 65 minutes | Up to 6, shared |
| Private Cessna for one or two | $189 per person | 65 minutes | Your party only |
| Safari helicopter (for comparison) | $336 | 55 minutes | Up to 6, shared |
Have a date in mind? Book the full-island flight with free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
Check dates for the Entire Kauai Island Air TourWhat does the ticket include?
About 65 minutes of narrated flying, noise-reducing two-way headsets, and local taxes.
Hotel pickup is not included, and neither are tips for the pilot. You drive yourself to the Lihue Airport Commuter Terminal and check in 30 minutes before take-off. The flight loops the whole island: Na Pali, Waimea Canyon, the Waialeale crater, Jurassic Falls, Hanalei Bay and the waterfalls of the east side.
Is it cheaper to book direct or on Viator?
Only by a dollar or two: the operators list $149 before about 6% taxes and fees, which comes to around $158, against $159 on Viator.
What Viator adds is free cancellation up to 24 hours before for any reason, one checkout for the rest of your trip, and more than 4,000 guest reviews across the two flights. Booking direct makes more sense for a private charter, which the operators sell by phone.
Same price, easier cancellation: check your date before you plan the rest of the week.
Check dates for the Entire Kauai Island Air TourWhat is the weight limit on a Kauai air tour?
On the Entire Kauai Island Air Tour the limit is 300 lb per person and 1,100 lb per plane; Wings Over Kauai lists 275 lb per person on Viator.
You give each passenger's weight in pounds when you book, and you may be weighed at check-in. Wings Over Kauai warns that anyone more than 10 lb over their declared weight may not fly, without a refund. The weights are not about comfort: they decide where everyone sits so the plane is balanced. Groups that add up to more than 1,100 lb fly in two planes.
How do helicopter prices compare?
Helicopter tours of a similar length cost about twice as much: from $336 with Safari Helicopters to $489 with Blue Hawaiian.
Private and doors-off helicopters sit in between, from about $384 to $460, and a tour with a canyon landing is about $396. What the extra buys is a helicopter's ability to hover and turn tightly inside the crater and canyon. Airplane vs helicopter goes through it in detail.
Weighing up a helicopter? Safari's Waterfall Safari is one of the lower-priced full loops, at about 55 minutes.
Explore the Safari helicopter tourIs a private plane worth the extra?
For a couple, often yes: the private Cessna flight is from $189 per person, only $30 more than a shared seat.
The Wings Over Kauai private flight takes one or two people (530 lb in total, 275 lb each), with commentary tailored to what you ask. The shared Airvan has bigger windows and room for six; the Cessna is smaller but the whole plane is yours.
Flying as a couple? A private Cessna and pilot cost only a little more than two shared seats.
Explore the private Cessna flightDo kids pay full price?
Children under 2 fly free on an adult's lap; from 2 or 3 they need their own seat.
Wings Over Kauai sells a child ticket for ages 2 and 3; the Entire Kauai Island Air Tour prices everyone from age 3 as an adult. See Kauai air tours with kids for headsets, seating and age rules.
Is the airplane tour good value?
Yes, for most visitors: it is the cheapest way to see the whole island, including places no road reaches.
Guests in the reviews keep coming back to the same point: most of Kauai cannot be seen by car or boat. With Waimea Canyon's road lookouts and the Kalalau Trail closed after Hurricane Lowell, that is truer than ever this autumn.
Ready to pick a time? Morning flights tend to see the most of the interior.
Check dates for the Entire Kauai Island Air TourFrequently asked questions
Is the Entire Kauai Island Air Tour the same as Wings Over Kauai?
No. They are different operators, Air Ventures Hawaii and Wings Over Kauai, but they fly the same aircraft type from the same commuter terminal on a very similar full-island loop at the same price.
Do I tip the pilot?
Tips are not included and are up to you. Many guests tip as they would a tour guide.
Is there a fuel surcharge?
No surcharge is listed on the Viator price, which includes local taxes.
Can I pay on the day?
Book ahead: flights take six passengers at most, and after Hurricane Lowell some operators run fewer departures.
Ready to book
Choose your flight
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before on every option. Prices are from-prices in USD and move with the season.
Entire Kauai Island Air Tour
- About 65 minutes in the air, narrated by the pilot
- GA8 Airvan: high wing, bubble windows, a window at every seat
- Noise-reducing two-way headsets and local taxes
Wings Over Kauai Small-Group Flight
- About 65 minutes in the air, small group of up to 6
- GA8 Airvan with bubble windows; every seat a window
- Na Pali, Waimea Canyon, Waialeale, Hanalei Bay, Kipu Kai
Private Cessna Flight for One or Two
A private plane and pilot for a couple
