Rainbow Helicopters
Rainbow Helicopters is a privately held, founder-owned Hawaii helicopter tour operator founded in 2011, offering aerial sightseeing, private charters, pilot experiences, and aerial photography from bases on Oahu and the Big Island to tourists and specialty customer segments.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2011
- HeadquartersHonolulu, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Rainbow Helicopters does
Rainbow Helicopters is a privately held Hawaii-based helicopter tour operator founded in 2011 by Nicole Battjes. The company offers aerial sightseeing tours, private charters, flight instruction, and aerial photography services across two island bases: Honolulu on Oahu and Kailua-Kona on the Big Island. Its primary customers are tourists and vacationers seeking unique aerial access to remote Hawaiian landscapes, including active volcanic craters, hidden valleys, and coastlines inaccessible by land, with secondary segments including couples seeking romantic experiences, families, professional photographers, cruise ship passengers, and aviation enthusiasts.
The company operates a fleet of three helicopter types — Airbus Astar (up to 6 passengers), Robinson R44 (up to 3 passengers), and Robinson R66 (up to 4 passengers) — with a distinctive complimentary doors-off flight option on select routes. Product offerings span shared group tours ranging from 20-minute Pearl Harbor flyovers ($405 per person) to 2.5-hour Big Island Full Circle Expeditions ($1,920 per person), plus premium private charters (proposal flights starting at $1,320, luxury picnic experiences up to $6,750), hands-on pilot training experiences, and professional aerial photography services. The company holds FAA Part 135 certification for commercial helicopter operations and the HAI Platinum Maintenance Award, indicating compliance with federal air carrier regulations and industry-leading safety standards.
The business model is direct-to-consumer, with bookings made through the company's website (rainbowhelicopters.com) and phone reservations. Revenue is generated primarily through per-seat pricing on shared tours and hourly or per-flight pricing on private charters, supplemented by add-ons such as in-flight photography, booking protection, weight/balance fees, and gift cards. Distribution is concentrated on owned digital channels — website, email, and organic social — supplemented by TripAdvisor and Yelp review platforms, with no disclosed third-party reseller or travel agency partnerships. The company is founder-owned and bootstrapped, with no disclosed institutional investors, parent company, or M&A activity.
Rainbow Helicopters firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Rainbow Helicopters
- Legal name
- Rainbow Helicopters
- Website
- https://rainbowhelicopters.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2011
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Rainbow Helicopters is a privately held, founder-owned Hawaii helicopter tour operator founded in 2011, offering aerial sightseeing, private charters, pilot experiences, and aerial photography from bases on Oahu and the Big Island to tourists and specialty customer segments.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Rainbow Helicopters industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Helicopter Tour Services
- NAICS
- Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation (487), Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Other (487990)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Scenic & Sightseeing Helicopter Tours (THABAGAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Helicopter Sightseeing & Scenic Tours (TLAFACAD), On-Demand Helicopter Charter (Private/Corporate) (TLAFACAB), VIP/Executive Helicopter Transport (THABAGAH)
Keywords
Where Rainbow Helicopters is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Honolulu
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Rainbow Helicopters business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Shared Helicopter Tours: Per-person tickets for scheduled group helicopter tours on Oahu and Big Island, ranging from 20 minutes to 2.5 hours. Revenue is generated per flight seat with pricing based on duration and route complexity.
- Private Helicopter Charters: Exclusive use of helicopter for private groups with customizable routes, scenic landings, and premium experiences. Pricing varies by duration and experience tier (proposal flights, luxury picnics, romantic flights).
- Tour Upgrades and Add-ons: Additional revenue from optional upgrades including: romantic proposal flight add-ons, in-flight photographer services, photo/video packages, booking protection, and weight/balance fees for heavier passengers.
- Helicopter Flight Instruction: Hands-on piloting experiences where customers take controls of helicopter under instructor guidance. Available on both Oahu and Big Island.
- Gift Cards: Hawaii helicopter tour gift cards available for purchase as gift experiences.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Oahu Shared Tours - Short Duration |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Big Island Shared Tours - By Duration |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Oahu Private Charters |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Big Island Private Charters |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Pilot Experience / Flight Instruction |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Aerial Photography/Charter Services |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels9 records
Rainbow Helicopters product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Rainbow Helicopters operates scheduled shared helicopter sightseeing tours, private charter flights, hands-on pilot experience programs, and professional aerial photography/videography services across the Hawaiian islands of Oahu (from Honolulu) and the Big Island (from Kona). Tours range from 20 minutes to 2.5 hours and feature routes over volcanic craters, hidden valleys, coastlines, and waterfalls, with a complimentary doors-off option available on select routes.
Product overview
Rainbow Helicopters is a Hawaii helicopter tour operator offering a portfolio of sightseeing and charter experiences across Oahu and the Big Island. The core product lineup comprises standardized group helicopter tours (ranging from 20 to 60 minutes on Oahu, and 30 minutes to 2.5 hours on the Big Island) and premium private charter experiences (including romantic proposal flights, luxury picnic landings, and gourmet experiences). The portfolio also includes educational pilot experience programs, aerial photography/videography services, and a distinctive complimentary doors-off flight option. The fleet consists of Airbus Astar (up to 6 passengers), Robinson R44 (up to 3 passengers), and Robinson R66 (up to 4 passengers) helicopters operating from bases at Honolulu International Airport on Oahu and Kona International Airport on the Big Island.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Royal Crown of Oahu 60-minute Oahu helicopter tour from Honolulu showcasing South Shore, North Shore, Windward Coast, Ko'olau Mountains, Sacred Falls, and Pearl Harbor; $540 per person.
- Isle Sights Unseen 45-minute Oahu helicopter tour from Honolulu featuring the windward side including Sacred Falls, Lanikai Beach, Ka'a'awa Valley, and Makapu'u coastline with doors-off option; $490 per person.
- Path to Pali Passage 30-minute Oahu helicopter tour over Diamond Head, Pearl Harbor, USS Arizona Memorial, and Nu'uanu Pali cliffs through Ko'olau Mountains; $440 per person.
- City by the Sea 20-minute Pearl Harbor helicopter tour from Honolulu featuring Pearl Harbor, downtown Honolulu, Waikiki Beach, Diamond Head, and Punchbowl Crater; $405 per person.
- Waikiki Sunset 50-minute seasonal Waikiki sunset helicopter tour from Honolulu featuring twilight flight over Waikiki skyline, Diamond Head, and Pearl Harbor; $515 per person.
- Kilauea Volcano Eruption 1 hour 45 minute helicopter tour from Kona directly over Kilauea Volcano, Halema'uma'u crater, active lava fields, Mauna Loa, and Mauna Kea; $1,180 per person.
- Kohala Coast Volcanoes Waterfalls 90-minute Big Island helicopter tour from Kona over Mauna Loa, Mauna Kea, Hualalai volcanoes, Kohala Coast waterfalls, and rainforests with optional lava flyover add-on; $895 per person.
- Big Island Full Circle Expedition
Companies that use Rainbow Helicopters
Customer profileSegments6 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Rainbow Helicopters technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Rainbow Helicopters partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Wyland FoundationminorRainbow Helicopters partnered with artist Wyland to deliver financial assistance to 10 organizations on Maui following the 2023 wildfire disaster. The collaboration raised $50,000 for affected communities, demonstrating community support and humanitarian engagement.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Rainbow Helicopters competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- Holoholo Charters: Kauai-based boat tour and helicopter operator offering Na Pali coast experiences. Adjacent peer competing for the same Hawaii tourist spend with comparable direct-to-consumer booking model and premium pricing tiers.
Direct peers
- Safari Helicopters: Oahu-based helicopter tour operator offering doors-off and shared tours over the island. Direct competitor on the Honolulu/Oahu route network where Rainbow operates its primary base.
- Paradise Helicopters: Big Island-based helicopter tour operator specializing in volcano and waterfall tours departing from Kona and Hilo. Directly competes with Rainbow's Big Island product portfolio including the Kilauea eruption and Kohala Coast routes.
- Blue Hawaiian Helicopters: Largest helicopter tour operator in Hawaii, offering shared tours and private charters on Oahu, Big Island, Maui, and Kauai. Direct head-to-head competitor across nearly all of Rainbow's routes and product tiers.
- Sunshine Helicopters: Long-established helicopter tour operator on Maui offering scenic and doors-off tours. Direct business-model peer with comparable product mix (shared tours, private charters, aerial photography); operates in a different island of Hawaii.
- Air Maui Helicopters: Maui-based helicopter tour operator offering Hana, Haleakala, and volcano routes. Direct business-model peer with shared tours, private charters, and doors-off options targeting Hawaii tourists.
Broad incumbents
- Papillon Grand Canyon Helicopters: Large-scale helicopter tour operator at the Grand Canyon and Las Vegas with comparable tour/charter/up-sell model. Comparable in product structure (tiered tour durations, private charter upgrades) though geographically distinct.
- Maverick Helicopters: Multi-destination helicopter tour and charter operator (Las Vegas, Grand Canyon, Maui). Broader incumbent in the helicopter tour category with overlapping offerings on Maui and similar tour/charter product structure.
Others
- Hawaii Island Air Tour Operators: Consolidated regional helicopter tour presence on Hawaii Island including fixed-wing air tour operators. Adjacent/competing tourism air experience providers sharing the same Kona customer base and volcano viewing demand.
Emerging players
- Northstar Helicopters: Smaller Hawaii helicopter tour operator offering premium doors-off tours. Comparable product positioning (doors-off experience, photography focus) but smaller scale than Rainbow.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Rainbow Helicopters social profiles
Digital presenceRainbow Helicopters compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance6 records
Rainbow Helicopters financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Rainbow Helicopters leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Rainbow Helicopters funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Rainbow Helicopters M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Rainbow Helicopters
What does Rainbow Helicopters do?
Rainbow Helicopters operates scheduled shared helicopter sightseeing tours, private charter flights, hands-on pilot experience programs, and professional aerial photography/videography services across the Hawaiian islands of Oahu (from Honolulu) and the Big Island (from Kona). Tours range from 20 minutes to 2.5 hours and feature routes over volcanic craters, hidden valleys, coastlines, and waterfalls, with a complimentary doors-off option available on select routes.
Is Rainbow Helicopters a public or private company?
Rainbow Helicopters is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Rainbow Helicopters founded?
Rainbow Helicopters was founded in 2011. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Rainbow Helicopters based?
Rainbow Helicopters is headquartered in Honolulu, United States, in the North America region.
How does Rainbow Helicopters make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Shared Helicopter Tours are the primary driver. The others are private Helicopter Charters, tour Upgrades and Add-ons, helicopter Flight Instruction and gift Cards.
Who are Rainbow Helicopters's main competitors?
Holoholo Charters is listed as a regional player. Direct peers are Safari Helicopters, Paradise Helicopters, Blue Hawaiian Helicopters, Sunshine Helicopters and Air Maui Helicopters. Broad incumbents are Papillon Grand Canyon Helicopters and Maverick Helicopters. Hawaii Island Air Tour Operators is listed as an others. Northstar Helicopters is listed as an emerging player.
Does Rainbow Helicopters have an API?
No public API is recorded for Rainbow Helicopters.
What industry is Rainbow Helicopters in?
Rainbow Helicopters's product category is Helicopter Tour Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THABAGAE, Scenic & Sightseeing Helicopter Tours, with a secondary code of TLAFACAD, Helicopter Sightseeing & Scenic Tours. Its NAICS code is 487.