Manhattan Heliport

What Manhattan Heliport does

Manhattan Helicopters is a privately held, New York City-based helicopter tour operator founded in 2006, providing scheduled aerial sightseeing tours and private charters over Manhattan from the Downtown Manhattan Heliport at Pier 6 on the East River. The company serves primarily international and domestic tourists, supplemented by local residents, special-occasion customers (proposals, anniversaries), and corporate/charter clients. All charter flight operations are executed through its sister company Zip Aviation, which shares ownership under CEO and Chief Pilot Itai Shoshani. The company markets four customer segments — tourists, special occasions, corporate/charter, and locals — across a three-tier public tour lineup (Classic 12–15 minutes, Deluxe 18–20 minutes, VIP 25–30 minutes) and corresponding private group flights for up to six passengers.

The business operates a fleet of Bell 407 (including the 407GX variant with Quiet Cruise noise-reduction technology) and Bell 206B Jet Ranger helicopters equipped with Garmin G1000 all-glass cockpit avionics, skid floats, and FAA-approved flotation life vests in compliance with SFAR 71. Tour content is delivered through premium aviation headsets offering narration in nine languages (English, Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese, German, Japanese, Chinese, Russian), and seating is assigned on a weight-and-balance basis to accommodate passengers with disabilities. The fleet is among the most modern in the NYC sightseeing segment and includes the first 407GX deployed for tours in New York.

Revenue is generated on a per-seat or per-group transactional basis, with public tours priced at $259–$389 plus a mandatory $40 heliport pass-through fee, and private charters at $1,554–$2,334 per group of six. Ancillary revenue streams include in-house photo and USB sales ($25/$35), and distribution is omnichannel: direct via the company website powered by ECWID and FareHarbor booking integrations, by phone through multi-lingual reservation agents, through hotel concierges and third-party tour operators, and via promotional deal platforms including Groupon (the company received the Best of Groupon 2016 Designation). Customers book self-serve online or via phone reservations, and Afterpay installment payments have been added to broaden accessibility. The company reports flying over 200 passengers per day from all states and countries, and holds a TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence alongside multi-year consistent operating history since 2006.

Name

Manhattan Heliport

Legal name

Manhattan Helicopters

Website

https://manhattanhelicopters.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Manhattan Helicopters is a privately held NYC helicopter tour operator founded in 2006, offering scheduled aerial sightseeing tours and private charters from the Downtown Manhattan Heliport to tourists, special-occasion customers, corporate clients, and local residents.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Helicopter Sightseeing Tours

NAICS

Nonscheduled Chartered Passenger Air Transportation (481211), Other Nonscheduled Air Transportation (481219), Nonscheduled Air Transportation (48121)

SIC

Air Transportation, Nonscheduled (4522), Air Transportation, Scheduled (4512)

akta.pro primary industry

Helicopter Sightseeing & Scenic Tours (TLAFACAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Scenic & Sightseeing Helicopter Tours (THABAGAE)

Keywords

• Helicopter tours
• Aerial sightseeing
• Private charters
• Scenic flights
• Aviation services

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Public Helicopter Tours: Per-seat sales on scheduled helicopter tours departing from Downtown Manhattan Heliport. Tours are filled with multiple passengers (up to 6 per aircraft).
2. Private Charter Tours: Full helicopter rental for exclusive private tours. Group bookings for 6 passengers (Bell 407) at set prices, allowing families or groups to fly alone.
3. Photography Services: Photos available for sale at the kiosk for $25 each or USB drive of photos for $35.
4. Heliport Fee Collection: $40 per person heliport fee as mandated by Downtown Manhattan Heliport, passed through to customers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Manhattan Helicopters operates aerial sightseeing helicopter tours over New York City landmarks from the Downtown Manhattan Heliport at Pier 6. The company offers three public per-seat tour tiers (Classic, Deluxe, VIP) ranging from 12 to 30 minutes, plus corresponding private exclusive group tours for up to 6 passengers and helicopter charter services performed by its sister company Zip Aviation.

Product overview

Manhattan Helicopters operates a fleet of Bell helicopters (Bell 407 and Bell 206B Jet Ranger) offering aerial sightseeing tours over New York City. The company provides three public tour tiers (Classic, Deluxe, VIP) priced per passenger at $259-$389, plus corresponding private exclusive tours for groups of 6 at $1,554-$2,334. All tours depart from the Downtown Manhattan Heliport at Pier 6. The company also offers helicopter charter services through its sister company Zip Aviation for private transportation needs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Classic Manhattan Helicopter Tour A 12-15 minute per-seat helicopter tour departing from the Downtown Manhattan Heliport, providing aerial views of the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, One World Trade Center, Brooklyn Bridge, and the Manhattan skyline. Priced at $259 per person plus a $40 heliport fee.
• Deluxe Manhattan Helicopter Tour An 18-20 minute per-seat helicopter tour that extends the Classic route with views of Midtown Manhattan, the Empire State Building, and Central Park. Priced at $279 per person plus a $40 heliport fee.
• VIP Manhattan Helicopter Tour A 25-30 minute per-seat extended helicopter tour covering Palisades Cliffs, Coney Island, the George Washington Bridge, and Harlem. Requires a minimum of 4 passengers. Priced at $389 per person plus a $40 heliport fee.
• Private Classic Manhattan Helicopter Tour An exclusive private helicopter experience for groups of up to 6 passengers covering the Classic route (Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, One World Trade Center, Empire State Building, and Central Park) in 12-15 minutes. Priced at $1,554 per group plus a $40 per-person heliport fee.
• Private Deluxe Manhattan Helicopter Tour An 18-20 minute private helicopter tour for groups of 6, including overflight of Uptown Manhattan, Columbia University, Harlem, and Yankee Stadium in The Bronx. Priced at $1,674 per group plus a $40 per-person heliport fee.
• Private VIP Manhattan Helicopter Tour A fully exclusive VIP private helicopter tour for groups of 6, lasting 25-30 minutes, with an extended route featuring Coney Island Beach, the Amusement Park, and Palisades Mountains. Priced at $2,334 per group of 6 plus a $40 per-person heliport fee.
• NYC Helicopter Charters Private helicopter charter services for business meetings, executive transportation, and corporate events. Fully-licensed professional pilots provide privacy, convenience, and scenic aerial views. All charter flight operations are performed by sister company Zip Aviation.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 200 passengers flown daily
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Zip AviationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerZip Aviation operates as the sister company performing all charter helicopter flight operations. Manhattan Helicopters and Zip Aviation share ownership under Itai Shoshani and together have received the fewest noise complaints from Manhattan residents while operating the first 407GX for tours in New York.
• ECWIDcoreTechnology or IntegrationE-commerce platform partnership providing user-friendly online reservation booking process with drag-and-drop functionality. The system allows passengers to book from any page and prepay for experiences including heliport fees and photo packages.
• FareHarborcoreTechnology or IntegrationBooking platform integration enabling online tour reservations with calendar functionality and seamless checkout experience for customers booking helicopter tours.
• GrouponminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDeal platform partnership for promotional campaigns. Manhattan Helicopters was honored with Best of Groupon 2016 Designation recognizing popularity of campaigns and customer service levels.
• Downtown Manhattan HeliportcoreOthersOperates from Downtown Manhattan Heliport at Pier 6, East River. Heliport mandates $40 per person heliport fee. Facility provides security screening, operational infrastructure, and regulated tour routes.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Emerging players

• BLADE (Blade Urban Air Mobility): Tech-enabled urban air mobility platform offering scheduled helicopter and seaplane services between Manhattan, airports, and surrounding regions, competing for the same premium NYC short-hop and sightseeing customer.

Direct peers

• FlyNYON: NYC-based helicopter tour and aerial sightseeing operator offering door-off and standard tours over Manhattan landmarks, directly competing with Manhattan Helicopters for the same tourist customer base and route corridors.
• Wings Air Helicopters: NYC and Westchester-based helicopter tour and charter operator offering Manhattan sightseeing tours and Northeast regional charter services, directly overlapping with Manhattan Helicopters' tour and charter offerings.
• Liberty Helicopter Tours: Long-standing helicopter sightseeing company operating from the same Downtown Manhattan Heliport area, offering comparable Statue of Liberty, Manhattan skyline, and NYC landmark tours at similar per-seat price points.
• Air Pegasus: NYC helicopter tour operator running sightseeing flights over Manhattan and surrounding areas with similar pricing tiers and tour durations targeting the same tourist segment.
• Zip Aviation: Sister company under shared owner Itai Shoshani that performs Manhattan Helicopters' charter flight operations; also offers independent charter and tour services, making it a directly comparable operator with shared fleet and management.
• NYC Helicopter (Helicopter Flight Services): Direct competitor offering scheduled helicopter tours and charters departing from NYC heliports, targeting tourists and corporate clients with overlapping Manhattan sightseeing routes and pricing tiers.

Broad incumbents

• Sikorsky (Lockheed Martin): Major helicopter OEM and broader aerospace incumbent whose rotorcraft underpin the commercial sightseeing industry (including Bell's parent ecosystem), relevant as a large-scale supplier and category shaper rather than a direct tour competitor.
• Bell (Bell Textron): Manufacturer of the Bell 407 and Bell 206B Jet Ranger helicopters that constitute Manhattan Helicopters' fleet, serving as a key enabling supplier and category-defining incumbent in the commercial helicopter ecosystem.

Regional players

• HeliFlite: Northeast US-based helicopter charter and tour operator headquartered in New Jersey, offering Manhattan-area aerial tours and corporate charter services with overlapping customer demographics but a different home base.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ManhattanHeli
• Facebookfacebook.com/ManHeli
• Instagraminstagram.com/manhattanhelicopters
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/manhattan-helicopters

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Manhattan Heliport