Island Express Helicopters

I used this service to get over to Catalina Island. When we saw whales the pilot actually circled so I could get a better look.
I loved riding in a helicopter. It is unlike anything else I have experienced.
The people at this company were all very nice and made sure my experience was a good one.

Excellent service and great for the price point. Quick flight, easy commuter ride. They treat you well and leave on time — what more could you ask for?

The nicest staff on departure and return! Such a nice experience! Would definitely recommend!!!

Amazing customer service. Daisy went above and beyond and helped us out with our needs. Thank you so much.

Awesome experience!!! Me and my old lady rode the boat to Catalina and didn’t enjoy that at all! By far the worst part of the trip. So when I saw a sign that said fly home in 14 minutes I had to call the number. What an unbelievable experience that was my first time on a helicopter and it was awesome!!! We got on the helicopter really fast flew for about 15 and got right off and boom we were home! We took a taxi back to where we parked our car for the Catalina express and home sweet home we were. I will never ride that boat again!

I can’t believe I never left a review for them! I vaguely remember leaving a review of another helicopter company but it must have been for a different trip with someone else. But anyhow, better late than never, I had planned a surprise mini weekend getaway for the Mr and I a while back and I decided that Catalina was going to be quickest and easiest. I didn’t want to take a boat because I don’t know how long I could withstand the rocking for an hour (?). Luckily you can get to Catalina via a helicopter! My husband loved it! The staff was friendly, lots of available parking to leave your car by their office for the weekend, and the ride was less than 15 minutes! The total including tax was $ 500 for two people som would consider that a bit steep. But when you look at it you would spend way over that amount for two anyway if you were to fly to Vegas or San Fran for the weekend. Cheers and happy flying!

Pros:
— Flying over the sea is a great experience
— The pilot was very nice and welcoming
Cons:
— They tend to pack people to make the flight profitable (2 in front, 4 in backseats), the backseat is tiny, it was very uncomfortable to be squeezed between 2 random passengers
— Only 12 minutes, a bit overpriced for such a short flight. One full hour over the grand Canyon was just $ 100 more.

I was very pleased by the professional, courteous, and personal service I received from IE management. I’m looking forward to this as a new way to get over to my favorite place in the world.

My fiancé and I took a helicopter to Catalina. It was a great experience. The trip was quick and smooth. Our pilot flew low over a huge pod of dolphins to give us a little extra, then he took us across Avalon Harbor to extend the picturesque view. I would choose the helicopter every single time if it were more economical. We’re taking it again for our mini-​moon.

What an amazing experience !
I could not have asked for a more perfect birthday experience with my love we have the same birthday and you actually get to fly for free on your birthday ! We missed it by 1 day since we flew out the day before but we were given a discount thanks !
We took the helicopter ride from Long Beach area to Catalina Island and stayed there for the night.
The pilot and staff we very friendly and the views were just amazing and incredible. It’s about a 15 – 20 minute ride.
The island is really cool and just a quaint little town with a lot of character. I really enjoyed the 1 night stay over on the island and hope to come back.

The views as you drive along the coast from LA to Santa Barbara are beautiful, but can’t compare to the spectacular sights from the air!
Luckily, there was no heavy fog to ground us yesterday… because my son & his bride treated me to a helicopter ride to their wedding venue in Santa Barbara area.
I drove 10 minutes from my house to Zamperini Field in Torrance, where pilot Gary picked me up & then took me up, up and away.
Gary and I talked via headsets as he explained all the sights to me along the way.
The flight took almost an hour & I loved every minute. Gary said I was the happiest passenger he’d transported in a month.
We landed right on the property where the wedding was held. Wow, what a way to travel!
The return flight, after dark, was amazing, with all the lights of LA below us.
We flew over what appeared to be a police pursuit along PCH. We flew over LAX.
With a good tail wind moving us along at 170 mph, the return flight took less time (sadly, because I could have stayed up there forever).
It’s so cool to hear your pilot communicating with the ground along your route.
Gary’s been flying for 20 years & I think he has the best job in the world.
Thanks, Gary, for being so wonderful & for providing me with an experience I won’t forget!

Do not book a helicopter flight if you are coming by plane. If your flight is delayed, and you don’t make it, there is no recourse. We are out $ 200 for nothing. They had several hours to rebook our seats and it did not appear that they even tried. It was our first time visiting Catalina Is. and we wanted to experience both the boat and helicopter ride. However, our flight was delayed and we were unable to make our flight. We were told we would receive a discounted rate if we took a later flight, but the girl at the front desk is incapable of simple math and tried to charge us for a round trip flight when I called to reschedule. Happy anniversary to us!

Very professional, fun and FAST! Highly recommended. No crowds!

Let me start by saying I didn’t use them, so this review is simply based on the phone call. I called to make a reservation, nice guy, and then i asked if there was a 20% discount because i told him $ 500 bucks was a little much for my budget so it would help, and there was a pause, and he just hung up on me. It wasn’t a line break or disconnection, i could hear the phone being hung up on the plastic cradle.
Pretty f’ing rude. I would have done the flight whether there was a 20% discount or not, and their website says they have a 20% discount (thought he parameters were not clear to me) so i was simply wondering if it applied.
So now i am just going to take the ferry boat and pocket the $. plus, no possibility of crashing and dying in a helicopter! (though i was sort of looking forward to the flight, never been in one before!)

My family & I took the helicopter ride to Catalina this past weekend and it was fabulous. The facility, crew, & ride are all top notch. Super friendly and accommodating. For example, on the flight to the island the pilot asked if we had transportation to our first event when we landed. We did not, so they called a cab for us. We also saw whales and the pilot is very friendly & knowledgeable about the island and sea life. You will have a blast and avoid the choppy seas of the boat. I highly recommend Island Express.

Do you usually visit Catalina by boat? Just once try a helicopter flight. It’s fun and the view is awesome. Staff is friendly and you get safety flight instructions and a personable pilot. It’s only 15 minutes to the island. If your lucky your flight may be diverted to their «other» air terminal to pick up another passenger… added air time! BTW the flight is smooth as glass. Great for celebrating stuff and you’ll tell all your friends: guaranteed! !!!

Just so you know: if you have a reservation or are planning on taking the flight out to Catalina, call ahead to check the weather and make sure they are not on hold. This happened to us going to and coming from Catalina Island. This was a big part of our trip and we were looking forward to it. It is not the company’s fault but non the less it sucked. The Upsetting part is no one from the company advised us of this probable issue ahead of time… You could potentially wait all day and end up taking a late ferry anyway wasting the better part of a day waiting for clear air to fly.
They were nice and refunded our money no problem.
Much to our dismay we ended up on the ferry both ways…
Just be prepared for disappointment if the weather is not clear and you have to take the boat instead.

Great flight!
Loved this place it was such a fun experience. Everyone should try it. It’s an expensive few minuets but a ton if fun!
Great pilot and staff.

Flying out of Long Beach to Catalina Island is a lot faster and nicer than the boat, especially since a girl got the flight for us as part of my birthday gift. The ride is not that smooth, but at least you get a sky view of the city, ocean, and the island.

Cost per person for a one-​way flight to Avalon: $ 105
Parking for a day in the Queen Mary lot: $ 15
Taking a helicopter to make a special day a little more special: Priceless
Flights need to be booked over the phone. Check-​in 30 minutes prior to departure is required. During this time, you and your bags get weighed, you’re shown a 10-​minute safety video, and you can help yourself to coffee and water. Then it’s off to Catalina on a smooth 15-​minute ride. If you ask nicely, the people helping you board may even take your picture in front of the chopper.
No frills, but a lot of fun.