Helicopter tours and charters in Abu Dhabi
The Corniche, Emirates Palace, Saadiyat and the Grand Mosque from the air, private helicopters to the island and desert resorts, and the airports they use.
- 17-min tour
- AED 700 per person
- 30-min tour
- AED 1,000 per person
- To Dubai
- About 35 min
- Executive airport
- Al Bateen (OMAD)
Flying over Abu Dhabi by helicopter
Falcon Helitours flies from Zayed Port (Mina Zayed): a 17-minute Scenic Tour costs AED 700 per person and a 30-minute Abu Dhabi Tour AED 1,000, including VAT, as published on 19 October 2026. The whole helicopter costs AED 3,500 or AED 5,000 for six seats. A private charter typically costs AED 5,830 to AED 17,020 per flight hour.
Abu Dhabi's sightseeing flights leave from Zayed Port and trace the Corniche, Emirates Palace and the islands. The city is home base for Falcon Aviation Services and Abu Dhabi Aviation.
Falcon Aviation Services, founded in 2006 and based at Al Bateen Executive Airport, runs the tours as Falcon Helitours and also flies between Abu Dhabi and Dubai in about 35 minutes. Abu Dhabi Aviation describes itself as one of the largest commercial helicopter operators in the Middle East.
Private charters reach the emirate's island and desert resorts: HeliDubai lists Emirates Palace, Qasr Al Sarab, Sir Bani Yas Island, Zaya Nurai Island and Telal Resort Al Ain among its destinations, each subject to landing permission.
Coming for the race? See the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix or private jets to Abu Dhabi.
Sources:Falcon Helitours: Abu Dhabi helicopter tours (read 19 October 2026)Falcon Helitours: FAQ on departure points, weights, weather and cancellations (read 19 October 2026)Falcon Helitours: Dubai to Abu Dhabi city transfer (read 19 October 2026)Wikipedia: Falcon Aviation Services (founded 2006, main base Al Bateen)Abu Dhabi Aviation: company profile (read 19 October 2026)HeliDubai: private charter and helicopter transfers (read 19 October 2026)Wikipedia: Al Bateen Executive Airport (OMAD)
Abu Dhabi helicopter tours and prices
- Flight time
- 17 min
- Shared seat
- AED 700
- Whole helicopter
- AED 3,500 (6 seats), AED 4,085 (7 seats)
- What you see
- Corniche, Marina Mall, Emirates Palace, Presidential Palace, Heritage Village, Hudayriyat Island, Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
- Flight time
- 30 min
- Shared seat
- AED 1,000
- Whole helicopter
- AED 5,000 (6), AED 5,835 (7)
- What you see
- Corniche, Presidential Palace, Emirates Palace, Capital Gate, Louvre Abu Dhabi, Nurai and Saadiyat islands, Grand Mosque
Flights by Falcon Helitours ([[Falcon Aviation Services|/en-ae/operators/falcon-aviation-services-ae/]]) as published on 19 October 2026, including 5% VAT. Bring an original passport or Emirates ID.
Sources:Falcon Helitours: Abu Dhabi helicopter tours (read 19 October 2026)Falcon Helitours (Falcon Aviation Services): Dubai and Abu Dhabi tour prices (read 19 October 2026)
Tell us the dates and passengers. A specialist replies with aircraft options and an all-in price, around the clock.
Helipads and airports in Abu Dhabi
Falcon Helitours' Abu Dhabi base, which its FAQ also calls AD Cruise Port. Tours and the Dubai transfer leave from here; parking is outside the terminal building.
On Abu Dhabi island, 6.5 nm south-east of the city centre, run by Abu Dhabi Airports. A civilian executive airport since 2008 and Falcon Aviation's main operating base.
The main airport. Abu Dhabi Aviation offers helicopter maintenance here through AgustaWestland Aviation Services, its joint venture with Leonardo.
Sir Bani Yas (OMBY) and Dalma Island (OMDL) have airports; resort landings elsewhere need an approved site and permission.
Sources:Falcon Helitours: FAQ on departure points, weights, weather and cancellations (read 19 October 2026)Falcon Helitours: about us, Atlantis and Mina Zayed helipads (read 19 October 2026)Wikipedia: Al Bateen Executive Airport (OMAD)Wikipedia: Falcon Aviation Services (founded 2006, main base Al Bateen)Abu Dhabi Aviation: company profile (read 19 October 2026)Wikipedia: list of airports in the United Arab Emirates, with ICAO codesHeliDubai: private charter and helicopter transfers (read 19 October 2026)
Transfers to and from Abu Dhabi
- Operator
- Falcon Helitours
- Lands at
- Zayed Port to Atlantis The Palm
- Flight time
- About 35 min
- Price
- On request, up to 6 passengers
- Operator
- HeliDubai
- Lands at
- Emirates Palace, Qasr Al Sarab, Sir Bani Yas Island, Zaya Nurai Island, Telal Resort Al Ain
- Flight time
- Quoted per trip
- Price
- On request
- Operator
- Certified UAE operator
- Lands at
- Your chosen site, with permission
- Flight time
- Your schedule
- Price
- AED 5,830 to AED 17,020 per flight hour as a guide
HeliDubai calls its destination list indicative and reconfirms each landing site before payment.
Sources:Falcon Helitours: Dubai to Abu Dhabi city transfer (read 19 October 2026)HeliDubai: private charter and helicopter transfers (read 19 October 2026)
Check-in, ID, children and weather
- Check in at least 45 minutes before a tour with Falcon or HeliDubai; latecomers can miss the flight.
- Carry an original passport or Emirates ID: Falcon requires one for its Abu Dhabi tours and its city transfer.
- Children must be at least 2 on both operators' tours; Falcon requires a seat for every child and does not let children aged 2 to 12 fly without a guardian.
- Falcon allows only cameras, phones and sunglasses on board; bags go in a free locker. It accepts pregnant passengers up to 32 weeks.
- Weather: Falcon may still fly in reduced visibility but can cancel at short notice, and reschedules free or refunds; HeliDubai reschedules or cancels without charge when conditions are unsafe. Falcon suggests booking early in your trip.
- Season: HeliDubai adds a peak surcharge at busy times, especially Christmas and New Year, and Falcon advises booking at least three days ahead.
Sources:Falcon Helitours: FAQ on departure points, weights, weather and cancellations (read 19 October 2026)Falcon Helitours: Abu Dhabi helicopter tours (read 19 October 2026)Falcon Helitours: Dubai to Abu Dhabi city transfer (read 19 October 2026)HeliDubai: Dubai helicopter tours, prices, helipad and FAQs (read 19 October 2026)
Who decides where a helicopter can land
- Civil aviation in the UAE is governed by the Civil Aviation Law of 10 June 1991, which covers flying in UAE territory, UAE-registered aircraft and civil airports.
- The GCAA Law of 1996 made the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) the authority that enforces the Civil Aviation Law. The GCAA publishes the UAE Civil Aviation Regulations (CARs).
- Tours and most transfers use established sites: HeliDubai's helipad at the Dubai Police Academy, Falcon's helipads at Atlantis The Palm and Zayed Port in Abu Dhabi, and the airports.
- HeliDubai states that any other landing depends on an approved landing facility, the property owner's approval and landing permission, and that some destinations have no suitable site.
- HeliDubai also states that its routes are subject to clearance from the local civil aviation authority, and that airport transfers need permissions arranged in advance.
- Each emirate has its own civil aviation authority alongside the federal GCAA, and their permit and paperwork requirements differ, according to the trip planner Universal Weather.
- As a broker, Altivo Jets names the operator flying you before you book; the operator arranges the landing permissions.
Sources:GCAA: aviation laws in the UAE, Civil Aviation Law of 1991 and GCAA Law of 1996 (read 19 October 2026)GCAA: Civil Aviation Regulations (CARs) library (read 19 October 2026)HeliDubai: private charter and helicopter transfers (read 19 October 2026)Falcon Helitours: about us, Atlantis and Mina Zayed helipads (read 19 October 2026)Universal Weather and Aviation: UAE landing and overflight permit requirements
What goes into a helicopter price
A shared tour is priced per seat. A private tour, transfer or charter is priced for the whole helicopter.
- Private charter: as a guide, AED 5,830 to AED 17,020 per flight hour for the whole helicopter.
- Positioning, when the helicopter flies from its base to collect you and back again.
- HeliDubai lists what shapes a charter quote: route, flight time, aircraft type, passengers and weights, handling and landing fees, waiting time, repositioning, special permissions and peak or event surcharges.
- Falcon Helitours' published tour prices include 5% VAT.
- Weight limits apply: Falcon allows 110 kg per passenger on shared tours and 450 kg in total on a private tour; HeliDubai allows 115 kg per passenger.
Sources:HeliDubai: private charter and helicopter transfers (read 19 October 2026)Falcon Helitours (Falcon Aviation Services): Dubai and Abu Dhabi tour prices (read 19 October 2026)Falcon Helitours: FAQ on departure points, weights, weather and cancellations (read 19 October 2026)HeliDubai: Dubai helicopter tours, prices, helipad and FAQs (read 19 October 2026)
Helicopters on Abu Dhabi fleets
Abu Dhabi-based charter fleets in our UAE licence data are led by the Bell 412 and Leonardo AW139.
Leonardo AW139
17 on charter in the UAE. 17 on UAE charter fleets in our data
Leonardo AW169
2 on charter in the UAE. 2 on UAE charter fleets in our data
Helicopter operators in Abu Dhabi
Operators on our UAE list that fly helicopters from Abu Dhabi.
Al Bateen. Falcon Helitours, VIP transfers and charter; founded 2006
Abu Dhabi. 11 group companies and 75 aircraft; GCAA, FAA and EASA approvals
Sources:Wikipedia: Falcon Aviation Services (founded 2006, main base Al Bateen)Falcon Helitours: about us, Atlantis and Mina Zayed helipads (read 19 October 2026)Abu Dhabi Aviation: company profile (read 19 October 2026)
Questions, answered
Still deciding? A charter specialist will talk you through aircraft, airports and price, with no obligation.
Ask a specialistHow much is a helicopter tour in Abu Dhabi?+
AED 700 per person for Falcon's 17-minute Scenic Tour and AED 1,000 for the 30-minute Abu Dhabi Tour, including VAT. The whole helicopter costs from AED 3,500 for six seats.
Where do Abu Dhabi helicopter tours leave from?+
From Falcon Helitours' helipad at Zayed Port (Mina Zayed), which its FAQ also calls AD Cruise Port.
How long is the helicopter from Abu Dhabi to Dubai?+
About 35 minutes with Falcon Helitours, from Zayed Port to Atlantis The Palm, for up to six passengers.
Can I fly by helicopter to Emirates Palace or Sir Bani Yas?+
HeliDubai lists both among its charter destinations, subject to the landing site and permission being confirmed before you pay.
Which airport do private helicopters use in Abu Dhabi?+
Al Bateen Executive Airport (OMAD), 6.5 nm south-east of the city centre, is Falcon Aviation's main base. Zayed International (OMAA) is the main airport.
Do I need ID?+
Yes. Falcon asks every passenger for an original passport or Emirates ID.
Fares, dates and rules on this page were checked on 19 October 2026. Official fares and schedules change every season; the operator or authority named in each source has the final word.
- 1.Falcon Helitours: Abu Dhabi helicopter tours (read 19 October 2026)
- 2.Falcon Helitours: FAQ on departure points, weights, weather and cancellations (read 19 October 2026)
- 3.Falcon Helitours: Dubai to Abu Dhabi city transfer (read 19 October 2026)
- 4.Wikipedia: Falcon Aviation Services (founded 2006, main base Al Bateen)
- 5.Abu Dhabi Aviation: company profile (read 19 October 2026)
- 6.HeliDubai: private charter and helicopter transfers (read 19 October 2026)
- 7.Wikipedia: Al Bateen Executive Airport (OMAD)
- 8.Falcon Helitours (Falcon Aviation Services): Dubai and Abu Dhabi tour prices (read 19 October 2026)
- 9.Falcon Helitours: about us, Atlantis and Mina Zayed helipads (read 19 October 2026)
- 10.Wikipedia: list of airports in the United Arab Emirates, with ICAO codes
- 11.HeliDubai: Dubai helicopter tours, prices, helipad and FAQs (read 19 October 2026)
- 12.GCAA: aviation laws in the UAE, Civil Aviation Law of 1991 and GCAA Law of 1996 (read 19 October 2026)
- 13.GCAA: Civil Aviation Regulations (CARs) library (read 19 October 2026)
- 14.Universal Weather and Aviation: UAE landing and overflight permit requirements
- 15.AIN, 2 March 2026: Gulf business aviation traffic paralysed by Iran conflict
- 16.Gulf Business, 17 March 2026: UAE airspace returns to normal after precautionary restrictions lifted
- 17.Wego, updated 11 September 2026: UAE flight resumption, airspace open and airline status
See Abu Dhabi from above.
A specialist replies around the clock with aircraft options, the operator's name and an all-in price.