Views like never before
From the northern beaches of Carova where the wild horses roam, to a bird's eye view into the maritime history of the NC coast, our Outer Banks air tours are legendary. Our pilots bring a unique perspective to each and every air tour and are well-versed in the history, geography and culture of the area. You'll experience a true highlight of your trip and a memory that will last forever.
Choose Your Adventure:
Best Airplane Tour on the OBX
Cessna 172
1 to 3 Passengers
30 - 60 min
$190-350
OBX Tour Details
Our Outer Banks Air Tour is a nice, relaxing flight that will let you see many of the area’s most popular attractions from the sky. Tours last around 30 minutes. Folks often tell us that the air tour was the highlight of their trip to the Outer Banks, and, chances are, it’ll be an experience you’ll cherish for years to come.
What You'll See
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Roanoke Island
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Roanoke Sound
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Andy Griffith’s Estate
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Wright Brother’s Memorial
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Kill Devil Hills
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Nags Head
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South Nags Head
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Look for Marine Life – Whales, Porpoise, etc.
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Jockey’s Ridge
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Oregon Inlet (Where Pamlico, Roanoke and Croatoan Sounds Meet)
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Oregon Inlet Fishing Center
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Oregon Inlet Coast Guard Station
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Remote Island Fishing/Hunting Lodges/Duck Blinds
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Bodie Island Lighthouse
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Wanchese Seafood Industrial Park
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Virginia Dare Bridge
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Roanoke Island Festival Park
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Elizabeth II Ship
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Marshes Light Replica
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Waterside Theatre, Home of The Lost Colony
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Elizabethan Gardens
Departure Location
Our standard air tours depart from Dare County Regional Airport. After you book your tour, just arrive at least 15 minutes early to our office at 407 Airport Rd, Manteo, NC 27954.
We can also offer tours from any of the other Outer Banks Airports.
Best Airplane Tour on the OBX
OPTION 1:
Cessna 172
1 to 3 Passengers
30 - 60 min
$190-310
Fly Big Red
OPTION 2:
Waco Bi-Plane
1 to 2 Passengers
10 - 60 min
$150-550
OBX Standard Tour Details
Our Standard Outer Banks Air Tour is a nice, relaxing flight that will let you see many of the area’s most popular attractions from the sky. Tours last around 30 minutes. Folks often tell us that the air tour was the highlight of their trip to the Outer Banks, and, chances are, it’ll be an experience you’ll cherish for years to come.
Fly Big Red
The red biplane is an open cockpit Waco UPF-7, affectionately known to us as “Big Red.” It rolled off Waco’s assembly line in January of 1942 and was given the tail number “NC32159.”
Being only weeks after the attack on Pearl Harbor, Big Red went right to work training students in Owensboro, KY for the War Training Service (See our description of the CPTP). Big Red flew over 2000 hours its first two years training WWII pilots, compared to averaging only 63 hours a year since 1944 when the program ended. Since then, the airplane has been owned by at least 20 different parties. It has spent time in Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, New Hampshire, California, and now here in North Carolina. She is a true antique, so come on out and experience the golden age of aviation for yourself with a ride over the beautiful Outer Banks of North Carolina.
What You'll See
-
Roanoke Island
-
Roanoke Sound
-
Andy Griffith’s Estate
-
Wright Brother’s Memorial
-
Kill Devil Hills
-
Nags Head
-
South Nags Head
-
Look for Marine Life – Whales, Porpoise, etc.
-
Jockey’s Ridge
-
Oregon Inlet (Where Pamlico, Roanoke and Croatoan Sounds Meet)
-
Oregon Inlet Fishing Center
-
Oregon Inlet Coast Guard Station
-
Remote Island Fishing/Hunting Lodges/Duck Blinds
-
Bodie Island Lighthouse
-
Wanchese Seafood Industrial Park
-
Virginia Dare Bridge
-
Roanoke Island Festival Park
-
Elizabeth II Ship
-
Marshes Light Replica
-
Waterside Theatre, Home of The Lost Colony
-
Elizabethan Gardens
Departure Location
Our standard air tours depart from Dare County Regional Airport. After you book your tour, just arrive at least 15 minutes early to our office at 407 Airport Rd, Manteo, NC 27954.
We can also offer tours from any of the other Outer Banks Airports and you can book your Outer Banks custom air tour.
We can fly anywhere you want to go
Piper PA-32
1 to 5 Passengers
1 hr +
$745 / hour
OBXA Custom Air Tours
Looking to turn the ordinary into the extraordinary? Let us help you plan an air adventure that you'll be talking about for years to come. Maybe you want to see more of the area’s iconic lighthouses or catch a glimpse of the wild horses at Carova Beach. The Cape Hatteras Lighthouse and Ocracoke Island are two of the most popular attractions requested, but we’ve included a more detailed list below for your convenience.
Outer Banks Air Adventures
Depart MQI for a beautiful overflight of the Outer Banks, Virginia Beach Oceanfront, and the picturesque Eastern Shore of Virginia. Hang a left over Onancock VA, and 12 minutes later land on Tangier Island in the middle of the Chesapeake Bay.
A short walk into town brings us to Lorraine’s Restaurant, one of the island’s social hubs. After a fabulous lunch of crab cakes, seafood, and other local fare, take some time to stroll around the island. Ice cream parlors, museums, local shops, and history markers abound and wait to be explored.
Departing Tangier, we fly east over Virginia’s Barrier Islands and back down the coast to MQI, finishing our trip mere feet over the waves as you’re treated to the Best Air Tour on the Outer Banks.
Depart MQI:
9:30 AM
Land TGI:
10:45 AM
Depart TGI:
3:00 PM (est.)
Land MQI:
4:30 PM (est.)
Cost: $2500 Inclusive
Catering and in-flight requests are available for an additional charge.
Depart MQI on a flight south over Oregon Inlet, Pea Island, Rodanthe, Avon, Hatteras, and Frisco. Land at the airport on Ocracoke, where you’ll have only a short walk down to the wide-open Ocracoke beach.
After your beach visit, hop on the provided transportation for a ride into local landmark Howard’s Pub for refreshments and lunch at the Raw Bar. Make sure to talk to Ann if she’s in… she’s a great friend of Outer Banks Aviation and has some awesome Ocracoke stories to share!
Once you’ve had your fill at Howard’s, walk or ride around Ocracoke proper to tour the historic town, see the fascinating Ocracoke Lighthouse, and visit the many local shops and craft eateries the town has to offer. Cap your day with a scenic flight back north up the Outer Banks to MQI.
Depart MQI:
10:30 AM
Land TGI:
11:15 AM
Depart TGI:
3:30 PM (est.)
Land MQI:
4:30 PM (est.)
Cost: $2100 Inclusive
(Golf Cart rental included. $50 covers a 4 person cart rental for 4 hrs.)
Catering and in-flight requests are available for an additional charge.
Popular Attractions
Whatever you’re looking for, we can make it happen. We love helping our customers plan their tour to ensure we cover exactly what they want to see and do!
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Cape Hatteras
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Ocracoke Island
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Portsmouth Island
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Complete Lighthouse Tour (2.5-3 hours)
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Northern Carova Beaches (wild horses)
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Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge