I often get asked by travelers about which Grand Canyon airplane tours are the best. This is a tricky question since every flight has its own unique experiences to offer. Still, a few tours are favored because they offer fantastic trips that allow you to see all the high points in the region.

When you want to tour the Grand Canyon by airplane, you first need to decide which rim you want to visit. There are two: The West Rim and the South Rim. The West Rim is accessible from Las Vegas, NV. The South Rim is a bit trickier, but you can get there from Las Vegas, too, as well as from Grand Canyon National Park Airport, AZ. You can't fly from the West Rim to the South Rim.

You can book an aerial flight over the Grand Canyon every day, even on holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas. Rarely are flights cancelled, but if they are, you will in most cases receive a 100 percent refund or a reschedule to a time and date that best fits your itinerary.

It takes around 30 minutes to fly from Las Vegas to the West Rim since it is only 120 miles away. There are two types of flight tours to choose from, the landing tour and the air only tour. The air tour is fantastic if you are on a budget, have limited time or want to quickly sample the best the canyon has to offer.

Most people prefer landing tours if they have the time. If you are going to see one of the top natural wonders of the world, then you might as well go all out. Taking this approach, you'll interact with the canyon from the air and the ground. When your tour is over, you will have an immense appreciation for the beauty and majesty of the region.

So which landing tours are best? I'd start with the one that lands at Grand Canyon West Airport, comes with a helicopter ride to the bottom and a VIP pass to the Grand Canyon Skywalk. Another option is to choose a tour that lands on top of the rim and gives you a little over two hours to explore these exciting points of interest:

The educational Indian Cultural Center

Eagle Point

The lookout at Guano Point

Hualapai Ranch

These landing tours are fairly long and can take from six to nine hours.

Vegas to South Rim is another trip that folks love. The flight takes less than an hour (compared to a 5.5 hour bus ride!) and comes with a 2.5 hour bus tour that hits all the Park's highlights like Mather Point and Grand Canyon Village. This same trip can be extended to include a rim to rim helicopter tour.

The South Rim flight that departs Grand Canyon Airport is perfect for travelers coming up from Phoenix, Sedona, Scottsdale and Flagstaff. This is an extensive air tour that lasts 45 minutes and lets you fully appreciate the immensity of the canyon. The tour goes over the North Rim, East Rim, South Rim, and includes these landmarks:

The impressive Colorado River Confluence

The Navajo Reservation

Dragoon Corridor (widest, deepest section)

The notable Zuni Corridor

Painted Desert

The tallest point called Imperial Point

There are other exciting options as well such as a 15 mile float tour on the Colorado River that takes you from Glen Canyon Dam to historic Lee's Ferry, and a thrilling Jeep tour through Antelope Canyon. The Colorado River tour has no rough waters so it is great fun for everyone, even kids over the age of four.

The airplane tours mentioned offer fantastic experiences and give you a lot for the price. Look them over. You are sure to find the ideal air tour that fits the interests of everyone in your group.