Las Vegas Helicopter Ride with Dinner or a Show:
5 Night Combos Compared
Here's something people don't expect: a helicopter flight over the Las Vegas Strip lasts only about 10 to 15 minutes. It's an amazing 10 to 15 minutes, but it's short. That's why Papillon now sells the night flight bundled with something else, like a champagne toast, a Cirque du Soleil show, a sit-down Italian dinner, a food tour or the Neon Museum. Pick the right combo and the flight becomes the highlight of a whole night out.
I went through all five, and here's what each one really includes, how the evening runs, and the catch with each one that the booking page doesn't make obvious.
THE FLIGHT ITSELF IS THE SAME IN ALL FIVE
Whichever combo you pick, the helicopter part is the same. You fly in an Airbus EC130 EcoStar, the one with forward-facing seats and the big wraparound windshield. The flight is about 10 to 15 minutes, up and down both sides of the Strip and over Downtown. You'll see the Luxor light beam, Allegiant Stadium, the Bellagio fountains, the Eiffel Tower at Paris, the High Roller and the Sphere lit up below you. So the real choice is what the rest of your evening looks like.
THE 5 COMBOS AT A GLANCE
Listed from the least to the most expensive:
| Combo | What you get with the flight | Evening | Hotel transport |
|---|---|---|---|
| VIP After Dark | Champagne toast | About 1½ hours | Both ways |
| Neon Night Flight Spectacular | Neon Museum Boneyard tour and the Brilliant! show | About 3½ hours | Pickup only |
| Night Flight & Mystere | Cirque du Soleil Mystere at Treasure Island | About 3½ hours | Home only |
| Luxury Night Out | 4-course Italian dinner at Matteo's, The Venetian | About 4 hours | Home only |
| Strip Flight & VIP Foodie Tour | Guided tasting at 3 restaurants in ARIA and Cosmopolitan | About 4½ hours | Home only |
1. VIP AFTER DARK: THE FLIGHT, DONE RIGHT
This is the simplest of the five, and it's my favorite (more on that at the end). Papillon picks you up at most Strip and Downtown hotels about an hour before your flight and takes you to its VIP terminal. You get a champagne toast before you board, take the flight, and get driven back to your hotel. It takes about an hour and a half, start to finish.
The catch: there's no dinner and no show. If you want those, you can add the Mystere show, the Neon Museum or the foodie tour when you book.
2. NEON NIGHT FLIGHT SPECTACULAR: FLY OVER THE NEW LIGHTS, THEN SEE THE OLD ONES
After the flight, Papillon drops you at the Neon Museum for a guided walk through the Boneyard, where old Vegas signs go to retire, plus the Brilliant! show in the North Gallery. The Boneyard tour is about 45 minutes, and the whole evening runs about 3½ hours. Seeing today's Strip from the air and then the signs from the old Strip up close makes a fun pair, and it's a good one for history buffs.
The catch: the ride home isn't included. You get yourself back from the museum. Also, the Neon Museum doesn't allow cameras, though photos on your phone are fine.
3. NIGHT FLIGHT & CIRQUE DU SOLEIL MYSTERE: THE SHOW COMES FIRST
This one runs in reverse. You make your own way to Treasure Island for Mystere. Doors open at 5:30, the show starts at 6:30 and ends around 8:00. A Papillon shuttle then takes you to the terminal for a flight at about 9:00, and drops you back at your hotel afterwards. Flying over the lights right after a Cirque show is a great way to end the night.
The catch: no food is included, and the show starts early, so plan dinner before the show or a late bite after the flight. Also, getting to Treasure Island is up to you.
4. LUXURY NIGHT OUT: DINNER, THEN THE FLIGHT
This is the date-night package. You start with a four-course Northern Italian tasting menu at Matteo's Ristorante Italiano in The Venetian, with the restaurant tip already included. Afterwards Papillon picks you up at The Venetian, flies you over the Strip, and takes you back to your hotel. Plan on about four hours from your dinner check-in to the drop-off at your hotel.
The catch: drinks are NOT included. Wine and everything else you order is paid at the restaurant. You have to book for at least two people. And dinner check-in is about three hours before your flight time, so read the timing on your confirmation carefully.
5. STRIP FLIGHT & VIP FOODIE TOUR: FOR PEOPLE WHO TRAVEL TO EAT
You meet the guide from Lip Smacking Foodie Tours at the Focus water wall in ARIA at 4:45. Then you walk to three restaurants inside ARIA and The Cosmopolitan, where you get three or four dishes at each one, plus dessert. Papillon keeps the restaurants a secret until you get there. The tasting takes about 2½ hours, then comes the flight, then the ride back to your hotel. It's the longest evening of the five, at about 4½ hours, and restaurant tips are included.
The catch: your guide leads you on foot from restaurant to restaurant, so wear comfortable shoes. The restaurants also expect business casual or cocktail attire, so no shorts and flip-flops. Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and other diets can be accommodated, but you have to call Papillon before your tour date to set it up.
WHICH ONE IS RIGHT FOR YOU?
First time in Vegas, or short on time: VIP After Dark. You see the best of the Strip in under two hours and still have the whole night to yourself.
Couples and anniversaries: Luxury Night Out. Dinner for two followed by the lights is about as romantic as Vegas gets.
Show lovers: the Mystere package. Just plan your dinner around it.
Foodies: the VIP Foodie Tour, if you've got the time and the appetite.
History and photo lovers: the Neon Night Flight.
Bringing the kids? A short night flight is a great first helicopter ride for children. I cover the age rules in Grand Canyon Helicopter Tours with Kids. And if all you want is the flight, with no extras and no transfers, read my basic vs. deluxe Strip tour explainer.
A FEW TIPS BEFORE YOU BOOK
Bring a government-issued photo ID, because Papillon requires one for every adult passenger. Leave the selfie stick at the hotel, because they aren't allowed in or around the helicopter. You can bring a bottle of water, but you can't open it on board. If you want a front seat, Papillon sells a front-seat upgrade, but it depends on availability and is confirmed at check-in, because seats are assigned by weight and balance. And Papillon recommends booking early in your trip. I agree: if something like weather moves your flight, you'll still have nights left to fly.
MY PICK: VIP AFTER DARK
If you made me choose one, I'd pick VIP After Dark every time. It's the whole point of a Strip flight, the lights from above, with none of the waiting around. You're picked up and dropped off at your hotel, you get a glass of champagne to start, and you're back in about an hour and a half with the rest of your night free. Want dinner or a show too? Book the one you actually want, wherever you want it, or add Mystere, the Neon Museum or the foodie tour to this package. To me, that beats building a whole evening around a 15-minute flight.
1. VIP After Dark (my pick)
2. Neon Night Flight Spectacular
3. Night Flight & Cirque du Soleil Mystere
4. Luxury Night Out
5. Strip Flight & VIP Foodie Tour
Have a grand night,
