The last big weekend of the summer, Labor Day, is coming on September 2nd. If you're planning a trip that includes the magnificent Grand Canyon, you'll need to book your tour now. Booking early means you can get the tour you like at a great price.

All airplane tours of the Grand Canyon follow their usual schedule during the holiday weekend. You can catch an air tour from Tusayan or Las Vegas hourly throughout the day. They begin at 7 a.m. and go on until sunset.

The flights originating in Tusayan, Arizona go only to the South Rim but the tours out of Vegas can go to the West Rim or the South Rim. Unfortunately, there aren't any Grand Canyon airplane tours that fly from the West Rim to the South Rim, or the other way around.

Lots Of Choices

If you will be in Vegas, you are in luck because Vegas air tours offer the most fun options. The basic air tour flies over the main landmarks of the canyon as well as Lake Mead and Hoover Dam.

You will be impressed by the air-only tour, but you can have even more fun when you choose a landing tour to the West Rim. These air tours land on top of Grand Canyon West and then you can board a chopper for a thrilling descent to the bottom of the canyon. Waiting at the bottom is a pontoon boat you can hop on for a fun-filled raft ride along the smooth water portion of the Colorado River.

By the way, Grand Canyon West is the only spot in the Park where choppers are allowed to land on the canyon bottom. It is a thrilling and unforgettable experience you don't want to miss.

If you take an air tour of the South Rim instead, you can expect to be in the air for about fifty minutes. In addition, you will fly over to the eastern edge of the Park and the North Rim too. Another package folks always rave about comes with an off-road Jeep tour to the Slot Canyons and a rafting tour down the Colorado River.

The Planes

The planes used in these tours hold 19 passengers and were created specifically for sightseeing. They're equipped with comfy reclining seats, larger-than-normal viewing windows, and wings that are attached to the fuselage in a way that allows unobstructed views. You can even listen to a recording in ten different languages that tells all about your tour through the personal headset you are provided.

Book Early

Labor Day is on Monday, which makes it a three-day weekend for many people. It's also the last summer holiday, so it's likely to be busy at the Park. You should try to get your tickets one or two weeks in advance of your tour date. There is a chance you will luck out and find tickets at the last minute, but waiting is a big risk.

Be sure to book your tour online. That's where you'll find the best prices-especially on the websites owned by the tour companies themselves. Since they operate the tours, they can cut out the middleman and give you the lowest rate.

Let's Recap

If past holidays are any indication, Labor Day will be bustling at the Grand Canyon. Book your seats early so they won't sell out on you. You should be fine as long as you book in advance, and you'll get a great price if you do it online. Complete your purchase on the tour company's site and you'll qualify for a terrific Internet rate!