San Francisco · SAN FRANCISCO AIR TOURS

The 12 Best Flights Over San Francisco Bay

12 tours  ·  from $289

Twenty minutes in the air puts the bridge, the island and the whole peninsula in one frame. These 12 compare aircraft, route, flight time and price, with a note on how the fog decides your morning.

San Francisco Golden Gate Seaplane Tour - Starting in Sausalito with a water takeoff
San Francisco Air Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

San Francisco Golden Gate Seaplane Tour

1.San Francisco Golden Gate Seaplane Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 145 reviews · 30 minutes (approx.) · from $326Our pick

Board a small seaplane in Sausalito for a 30-minute flight over Muir Woods, the Golden Gate Bridge, downtown San Francisco, Alcatraz, and Angel Island. Every passenger gets a window seat, and the pilot provides commentary. A minimum of two adults is required.

“An incredible experience, can highly recommend it. Pilot highly professional and knowledgeable even the drive to the airfield was enjoyable.”

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San Francisco: Golden Gate Bridge Seaplane Tour - The Golden Gate Bridge from above
Golden Gate Bridge Tours, San Francisco Air Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

San Francisco: Golden Gate Bridge Seaplane Tour

2.Golden Gate Bridge Seaplane Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 128 reviews · 30 min · from $299

Take a 30-minute Alaska Bush Seaplane from Sausalito over the Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, Alcatraz, Angel Island, Tiburon, and Sausalito. Meet at the seaplane base in Mill Valley or add a Fisherman’s Wharf shuttle. Every GetYourGuide booking includes a guaranteed window seat.

“We had a great flight and our 9 year old daughter was allowed to sit in the front as a copilot. Thank You!”

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San Francisco: Airplane Private Sunset Bay Tour - Crossing the Bay Bridge toward San Francisco
Evening Experiences, Private, San Francisco Air Tours, San Francisco Sunset Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

San Francisco: Airplane Private Sunset Bay Tour

3.Airplane Private Sunset Bay Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 50 reviews · 40 min · from $329

Meet your English-speaking pilot at Hayward Executive Airport for a private 35 to 40-minute sunset flight. Fly over Oakland, the Bay Bridge, San Francisco, Alcatraz, Coit Tower, and the Golden Gate Bridge while Rick Cascelli or another pilot provides commentary through a headset.

“Rick was such a Great person my bf and I felt safe and had an amazin experience. It was just Perfect views Are amazing”

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San Francisco: Airplane Private Bay Tour - Fisherman’s Wharf, Pier 39, and the Bay Entrance
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San Francisco: Airplane Private Bay Tour

4.Airplane Private Bay Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 49 reviews · from $289Best value

Take a private 40-minute flight from Hayward Airport in a four-seat Cessna 172 with an English-speaking pilot. See Fisherman’s Wharf, Pier 39, the Golden Gate Bridge, Downtown San Francisco, Alcatraz, Angel Island, Tiburon, and Sausalito from above. Pilots include Abel and Rick.

“Everything was perfect. Kind of hard to find the location, but the flight was great.”

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San Francisco: Golden Gate Helicopter Adventure - From Sausalito heliport to the first coastal views
Helicopter Tours, San Francisco Air Tours, Sausalito Tours, Tour Reviews

San Francisco: Golden Gate Helicopter Adventure

5.Golden Gate Helicopter Adventure

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 48 reviews · 30 min · from $339

Take a 30-minute helicopter flight from Sausalito over Baker Beach, Ocean Beach, Golden Gate Park, the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, Angel Island, and downtown San Francisco. Your English-speaking pilot handles the narration, with space for up to four passengers.

“Good service with the owner and our helicopter pilot was amazing man good match”

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Airplane Elite San Francisco Flight Tour - Oakland and the Bay Bridge: the opening view
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Airplane Elite San Francisco Flight Tour

6.Airplane Elite San Francisco Flight Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 43 reviews · 50 minutes to 1 hour (approx.) · from $339

Take a private airplane flight from Hayward over Oakland, the Bay Bridge, Treasure Island, Alcatraz, the Golden Gate Bridge, downtown San Francisco, Twin Peaks, and San Mateo. Pilots such as Rick, Sebastian, and Matt provide commentary, while the small aircraft offers close-up views and strong photo opportunities.

“Booked this as a surprise birthday present and it was absolutely perfect. Thank you! Very cool experience, friendly staff.”

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San Francisco: Airplane Elite Bay Tour - Downtown, Fisherman’s Wharf, and Pier 39
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San Francisco: Airplane Elite Bay Tour

7.Airplane Elite Bay Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 40 reviews · 1 hour · from $339

Take a private 1-hour flight from Hayward Airport in a small Cessna 172 Skyhawk. With an English-speaking pilot, you will see the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, San Francisco waterfront, Angel Island, Sausalito, Tiburon, and the Pacific coast from above.

“Pilot very good, no excellent! Staff very fruendly! The pilot, after the fantastic flight experience drove us to the nearedt BSRT stsrion. All together: 50 out of 10!!!!!!!”

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San Francisco: Airplane Private Night Bay Tour - Meeting your pilot at Hayward Executive Airport
Evening Experiences, Private, San Francisco Air Tours, San Francisco Night Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

San Francisco: Airplane Private Night Bay Tour

8.Airplane Private Night Bay Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 27 reviews · 40 min · from $329

Meet your English-speaking pilot at Hayward Executive Airport for a private 40-minute night flight over San Francisco Bay. See the Bay Bridge light installation, Golden Gate Bridge, downtown, Fisherman's Wharf, and Pier 39 from the air. Richard is one pilot praised by name for friendly service.

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San Francisco: Greater Bay Area Seaplane Tour - Point Bonita and the Marin Coast
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San Francisco: Greater Bay Area Seaplane Tour

9.Greater Bay Area Seaplane Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 21 reviews · 45 min · from $349

Take a 45-minute seaplane flight from Mill Valley over the Marin coast, Point Bonita, Stinson Beach, Muir Woods, San Francisco, Alcatraz, and Angel Island. A pilot provides live commentary, with flights limited to six people. Shuttle service from Fisherman’s Wharf is optional.

“If I could have given more than 5 stars for this activity I would gladly have done so! We were blessed with perfect conditions, and Aaron our pilot/guide was fantastic, very knowledgeable about all of the areas below us, as well as being very witty. The tour was tinged with a hint of excitement, we've never been in a seaplane before, and the take off and landing were fabulous. Would heartily recommend this to anyone.”

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San Francisco: Seaplane Flight with Champagne - Taking off from the Seaplane Adventures base
San Francisco Air Tours, Tour Reviews

San Francisco: Seaplane Flight with Champagne

10.Seaplane Flight with Champagne

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 20 reviews · 40 min · from $389

Take a 40-minute seaplane ride from San Francisco Bay with a guaranteed window seat when you book through GetYourGuide. Fly over the Golden Gate, Alcatraz, Pier 39, Angel Island, Tiburon, and Belvedere Peninsula while enjoying Moët Chandon Champagne. English, French, and Dutch commentary is available.

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From Sausalito: San Francisco and Alcatraz Helicopter Tour - Taking off from Sausalito beside Richardson Bay
Alcatraz Tours, Helicopter Tours, San Francisco Air Tours, Sausalito Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

From Sausalito: San Francisco and Alcatraz Helicopter Tour

11.San Francisco and Alcatraz Helicopter Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 7 reviews · 20 min · from $339

Take off from Sausalito with an English-speaking pilot and guide for a 20-minute flight over the Golden Gate Bridge, Crissy Field, Oracle Park, Alcatraz, and Angel Island. Flights carry a small number of passengers, though reservations may be combined to meet the four-person minimum.

“The was one of the best experiences ever. Absolutely stunning! Our pilot was awesome, knew a ton, and was hilarious! (For the record, I get vertigo driving over bridges sometimes and was completely fine once we were up. I’m soooo glad I didn’t let that stop me from booking, bc it almost did.)”

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Alcatraz City Sites Helicopter Adventure - Alcatraz, the Main Reason Many People Book
Alcatraz Tours, Helicopter Tours, San Francisco Air Tours, Tour Reviews

Alcatraz City Sites Helicopter Adventure

12.Alcatraz City Sites Helicopter Adventure

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 6 reviews · 50 minutes (approx.) · from $339

Fly from Mill Valley with pilot Mile or another Seaplane Adventures pilot on a private 50-minute aerial tour. With a noise-canceling headset, you’ll hear clear English commentary while viewing Alcatraz, the Golden Gate Bridge, Angel Island, the Bay Bridge, Fisherman’s Wharf, and Sausalito.

“Perfect tour of the area in a small helicopter with a great pilot Mile! Appreciate all the views and a new knowledge”

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