Guide · Open door

Open-door helicopter tour in New York

Without doors you feel the wind and photograph without glass, but the rules are stricter and the flight costs a lot if it is cancelled. Here you find who flies this way, the operator conditions, and the safety rules.

Check availabilityfrom $273 · free cancellation

Editorial team, giroinelicotteronewyork.comUpdated on October 17, 20267 min read28 sources

The tour of this guide Helicopter tour over Manhattan 4.8 (7,321 reviews) 15-30 minMaximum 6 passengersFrom Manhattan or from New Jersey from$273per person Check availabilityFree cancellation up to 24 hours in advance

In short

01Who offers it: FlyNYON flies open-door from its terminal in Kearny, New Jersey.¹
02The flight this site covers: HeliNY always flies with the doors closed, behind floor-to-ceiling windows.²
03Arrival: For an open-door FlyNYON flight, arrive at the terminal 1 hour and 15 minutes early.³
04Cold: Below 2 °C, FlyNYON normally flies with the doors closed.⁴
05Refund: FlyNYON flights are not refundable.⁵

What flying without doors means

An open-door helicopter tour in New York removes the last barrier between you and the city. No reflecting glass, no frame: the wind enters the cabin, the noise is full, and the view drops straight down onto the streets and the water. For photographers this is the main reason: without glass there are no reflections and the images come out cleaner. For everyone else it is a different emotion, more physical, which some love and others find too intense.

In New York the name that keeps coming back is FlyNYON, which presents itself as an open-door helicopter aerial photography experience.⁶ Its terminal is in Kearny, New Jersey, at 78 John Miller Way.¹ It has no fixed routes: the NYC Experience flight stays over Lower Manhattan and the harbor, while the NYC Classic, with double the time in the air, goes from the Statue all the way to Central Park.⁷ You agree the views you want to photograph with the pilot during the briefing, together with the other passengers.⁸

The flight this site covers is different. HeliNY always flies with the doors closed, but with floor-to-ceiling windows, so you see well from every seat.² If you are looking for the thrill of open doors, that flight is not for you; if you want the view without wind and without a harness, it is the calmer choice. The next sections help you understand which of the two experiences you are really looking for.

Step by step

An open-door flight, from arrival to landing

Before the flight

Arrival at the terminal

FlyNYON asks you to arrive 1 hour and 15 minutes before takeoff.³
At the desk

ID and weighing

Show a photo ID and all passengers are weighed.⁹ ¹⁰
Briefing

Safety and route

During the safety briefing you talk with the pilot about the views you want to photograph.⁸
Harness

Quick-release

FAA rules require that the system holding you in must be able to release quickly.¹¹
In the air

Flight time

Flight time is counted from takeoff to landing.¹²

The rules born after 2018

The current rules have a specific history. On March 11, 2018, a helicopter on an open-door flight lost power and ditched in the East River; the five passengers, strapped with supplemental restraint systems, could not get out.¹³ From that incident came the FAA emergency order, the federal aviation authority, which applies to all paid open-door flights in the United States.¹¹

The order bans supplemental restraint systems for passengers who cannot be quickly released in an emergency.¹¹ In practice, on today's open-door flights, the device that keeps you in the cabin must be able to open quickly. During the briefing, ask to practice the release calmly until the motion feels natural: that is the right moment to ask questions, not on board with the rotor spinning.

This does not mean one flight is safer or less safe than another: it means the rules ask you to participate. Listen to the video and the briefing, follow the pilot's instructions, do not touch levers or controls in the cabin, and keep your belongings secure. FlyNYON asks anyone who flies to demonstrate that they can follow the safety instructions, and for anyone under 18 a signature from a parent or guardian present is required.¹⁴ ¹⁵

Comparison

Open doors and closed doors, point by point

Voice	Open doors (FlyNYON)	Closed doors (HeliNY)
Base	Kearny, New Jersey	Manhattan or Linden
Passengers	6 per flight	6 per flight
Arrive early	1 h 15 min	30 or 45 min
On board	Camera with no lens changes	Camera, phone, sunglasses
Refund	No, voucher	Yes, up to 24 hours before on GetYourGuide

FlyNYON conditions from its site; for HeliNY the operator site and the GetYourGuide listing.¹ ¹⁶ ¹⁷ ¹⁸ ³ ¹⁹ ²⁰ ⁵

Three ways to fly

Glass, wind or private cabin

NYC: Manhattan Sightseeing Helicopter Tour

Worry-free

Closed doors

The HeliNY tour

Price: from $273
In the air: 15-30 min
Refund: up to 24 hours before

See dates

For photographers

Open doors

FlyNYON from Kearny

Passengers: 6 per flight
Arrival: 1 h 15 early
Refund: no, voucher

See dates

From Westchester: NYC Private Helicopter Tour for Couples

Just the two of you

Private for couples

From Westchester

Price: from $995
In the air: 30-45 min
Group: private

See dates

Open or closed

Which flight suits you

Answer honestly: the right flight is the one you enjoy.

Glass-free photos No wind and no harness Inflexible dates A trip in the middle of winter Less than an hour to arrive and depart

Open doors

FlyNYON presents itself as an open-door aerial photography experience.⁶

Closed doors

HeliNY always flies with closed doors, with large windows.²

Closed doors

The HeliNY flight cancels for free up to 24 hours before.

Closed doors

Below 2 °C FlyNYON normally keeps the doors closed anyway.⁴

Closed doors

For FlyNYON you need 1 hour and 15 minutes before the flight.³

The emergency prohibition order prohibits the use of supplemental passenger restraint systems (SPRS) that cannot be quickly released in an emergency.

Federal Aviation Administration (Federal Register)translation from the original English · Source 11

What you can bring on board

On FlyNYON flights they ask for a valid photo ID and what you need to photograph.⁹ The rules on equipment are strict: filters, lens hoods, and lens changes are not allowed.¹⁹ So choose the camera body and the right lens on the ground for the photos you want, and mount them before the briefing. Once in the air you cannot change your mind, and with the doors open there is no room for bags or accessories.

Glasses also follow a simple rule: they are fine, as long as they stay in place for the whole flight.²¹ Contact lens wearers do well to have sunglasses, to protect their eyes from the wind. The phone is the object that worries people most: keep it always secured or firmly held, and do not take it out unless you are sure you can keep it steady. What falls from an open helicopter does not come back.

On a closed-door flight the rules are simpler. On HeliNY you only bring a camera, phone, and sunglasses, while bags, hats, and scarves stay in a free locker.²⁰ Inside the helicopter you can photograph freely.²² For shots without reflections, rest the lens near the glass and use your free hand as a sunshade against the glass. Clean the lens before boarding: fingerprints on the glass and lens show up more than you think.

Checklist

Ready for open doors

To wear

Laced shoes, no slippers²³
In winter layers like for skiing, gloves and a hat²⁴
Well-fitted glasses or sunglasses over lenses²¹

To bring

Valid photo ID⁹
Camera body and lens already mounted¹⁹
Margin to arrive 1 hour and 15 minutes early³

Calculator

A closed-door flight for the group

The closed-door flights you can book here, for your group.

HeliNY tour15-30 minfrom $273 Statue and skyline12-30 minfrom $270 Panoramic tour15-30 minfrom $272

People 2

Total from$545

per person from $273

Check availabilityfree cancellation

"From" prices according to GetYourGuide, converted at the reference ECB rate. The exact price is shown at the time of booking.

Video

An open-door flight, from the seat next to the pilot

The video loads only when you press play.

How to dress with wind in the cabin

With the doors open wind enters the cabin for the entire flight. FlyNYON requires well-laced shoes or shoes with straps, no flip-flops or slip-ons, and advises against loose clothing.²³ In summer comfortable long or short pants are enough, as long as they do not bother you with the harness. Tie up long hair and leave scarves, hats, and anything that can blow away on the ground. Loose bracelets and long necklaces are also better left in your backpack on the ground, along with anything you would hate to lose.

In winter the approach changes entirely. FlyNYON recommends dressing in layers, like for skiing, with gloves, warm socks, and a hat.²⁴ The flight wind adds cold to cold, and in January the average low in Central Park is -2.6 °C, in February -1.7 °C.²⁵ If you fly in those months, bring a neck warmer and thin gloves that let you use your phone. Cold hands lose sensitivity fast, and a successful shot depends on that too.

There is also a temperature limit. Normally FlyNYON flies with the doors closed when the temperature drops below 2 °C, and the pilot makes the call.⁴ The operator flies year-round and tries to keep the doors open whenever possible.²⁶ If an open-door flight is the reason for your booking, choose a milder month: in May the average high is 22 °C, in September 24.7 °C.²⁵ In mild months you truly enjoy the cabin wind, instead of counting the minutes until landing.

Times, group, and refunds

An open-door flight requires more time on the ground. FlyNYON asks you to arrive at the terminal 1 hour and 15 minutes before the flight, and latecomers lose their seat.³ On arrival all passengers are weighed, because seats are assigned based on the helicopter's weight and balance.¹⁰ Flight time is counted from takeoff to landing, so briefing and preparation do not reduce it.¹²

Flights are shared: in New York FlyNYON boards six passengers per flight and requires at least three departing from Kearny.¹⁷ If you are flying solo, you share the cabin with other passengers.²⁷ Getting there from Manhattan requires some planning: the PATH train to Journal Square or NJ Transit to Newark Penn Station, and then a taxi to the hangar.¹ Plan your return times well, especially if you already have a commitment in the city after the flight.

The biggest difference, before booking, is refunds. FlyNYON flights are non-refundable: if weather grounds the flight or you need to reschedule, you receive a voucher valid for up to 12 months.⁵ The HeliNY flight on this site, on the other hand, cancels for free up to 24 hours in advance with a full refund. If your dates in New York are few, this detail matters as much as the view. Before paying, check the forecast and keep a spare day free in your schedule.

Open doors or closed doors: how to choose

Choose open doors if photography is your goal and if wind and altitude excite you more than they scare you. You need flexible dates, a month that is not too cold, and the patience for well over an hour of preparation. In return you get reflection-free images and a flying sensation that no window can give. Try to picture yourself sitting on the edge of the cabin: if the idea thrills you, you already have your answer.

Choose closed doors if you want to enjoy the city worry-free. The HeliNY ride lasts from 15 to 30 minutes in the air, carries a maximum of 6 passengers, and departs from Manhattan or New Jersey. HeliNY reminds that anyone afraid of flying, heights, or enclosed spaces should think carefully before boarding a helicopter, with or without doors.²⁸ If you have doubts, the closed-door flight is a good way to discover how you react to height, before trying the thrill of open doors.

If you are traveling in a group, discuss it beforehand. On shared flights seats are decided by weight, and couples and friends do not always end up sitting together.¹⁰ An open-door flight next to someone who is afraid ruins the day for both. Sometimes the best solution is to split up: those who want the thrill fly without doors, the others choose the closed-door flight, and you meet up afterward for dinner to compare photos.

Ready to fly?

Manhattan awaits you, seen from above

Choose duration, date, and departure point: the price is shown right away, payment can wait.

Check datesfrom $273 · free cancellation 4.8 · 7,321 reviews, verified

You ask,we answer.

Can the HeliNY flight be done with open doors?

No, always with closed doors. HeliNY always flies with closed doors, with floor-to-ceiling windows for great views from every seat.²

Who offers flights without doors in New York?

FlyNYON, from Kearny. The FlyNYON terminal is at 78 John Miller Way, Kearny, New Jersey.¹

Is there a minimum age for open-door flights?

Under 18 a parent is required. FlyNYON requires a parent or guardian to be present to sign consent if you are under 18.¹⁵

Can I change lenses during the flight?

No. On FlyNYON flights filters, sunshades, and lens changes are not allowed: choose your lens on the ground.¹⁹

Do they fly without doors in winter too?

Not below 2 °C, normally. FlyNYON flies year-round, but below 2 °C they normally keep the doors closed.⁴ ²⁶

How early do I need to arrive?

1 hour and 15 minutes early. That is the time FlyNYON asks for briefing and preparation; latecomers lose the flight.³

If the flight is cancelled, do they refund me?

From FlyNYON no, you get a voucher. FlyNYON flights are non-refundable; with weather or a date change you receive a voucher valid for up to 12 months.⁵

Sources