By car
15–30 minutes from Midtown, depending on traffic and FDR-Drive conditions. Drop-off is at Pier 6, South Street — no on-site parking. Use a public garage at Battery Park or near the Whitehall Ferry Terminal (~$30–45 for 2 hours).
JRB · Downtown Manhattan Heliport
Manhattan-side departure, four operators, one heliport at Pier 6
The only Manhattan-based heliport for tourist helicopter tours. 25 minutes by subway from Times Square, $40 facility fee per person at check-in, no flights on Sundays.
Why JRB is the default for Manhattan tours
The Downtown Manhattan Heliport sits on Pier 6 at the southern tip of Manhattan, a five-minute walk from the South Ferry subway terminal and ten minutes from the World Trade Center. It is the only heliport inside New York City that hosts tourist helicopter sightseeing — every Manhattan-departure tour in this guide leaves from here. Four operators share the pier: HeliNY runs the heaviest schedule, Zip Aviation and its sister brand Manhattan Helicopters share a single fleet of Bell 407s, and Charm Aviation rounds out the line-up with AS350 and Bell 407 aircraft. The trade-off for the Manhattan address is the $40 per-person facility fee, paid in cash or by card at check-in on top of whatever you booked online. The heliport is closed on Sundays for sightseeing — Saturday and weekday slots fill up fastest on summer afternoons.
Location
Drag, zoom, and tap the marker for the heliport address.
Open in Google Maps 6 East River Piers, New York, NY 10004
How to get there
Public transit
Subway line 1 to South Ferry (Times Square ~25 min), or R/W to Whitehall Street (Midtown ~20 min). From the station it is a 5-minute walk along South Street to Pier 6. Staten Island Ferry passengers exit directly opposite the heliport.
Parking
No parking at the heliport itself. Closest paid garages: Battery Garage (74 Greenwich St), 17 Battery Pl Garage, or the SP+ at 56 Beaver St — all 5–10 minutes on foot. Plan ~$25–45 for a 2-hour visit. Uber and yellow cabs drop directly at Pier 6.
Operators flying from here
HeliNY
TOPS + WYVERN Wingman certified — the only NYC operator with both. Bell 407 fleet, six tour types.
See HeliNY tours →
Zip Aviation
Same operator as Manhattan Helicopters
Bell 407 plus a Sikorsky S-76C++ twin-engine — the only NYC sightseeing operator with a medium twin in the fleet.
See Zip Aviation tours →
Manhattan Helicopters
Same operator as Zip Aviation
Brand name of Zip Aviation — same fleet, same crew, same Manhattan heliport. Distributed primarily through Viator.
See Manhattan Helicopters tours →
Charm Aviation
USA Today 10Best 2026: #4 helicopter tour in America (#3 in 2025). No 4-passenger minimums on the Empire tour.
See Charm Aviation tours →Frequently asked questions
Can I fly from JRB on a Sunday?
No. The Downtown Manhattan Heliport is closed on Sundays for sightseeing tours — this is a city ordinance, not an operator policy. The same four operators (HeliNY, Zip Aviation, Manhattan Helicopters and Charm Aviation) run NJ-side departures on Sundays from Linden, Essex County and other heliports. If your only available day is Sunday, book a Linden, Essex County, Kearny or Westchester tour instead.
How much is the JRB heliport fee and how do I pay it?
The fee is $40 per person, paid at check-in by cash or credit card. It is not included in the booking price on GetYourGuide, Tiqets, Viator or the operator websites — except for selected Headout bundles that combine it into the displayed price. HeliNY adds an extra $5 fuel surcharge for a $45 total at their desk. The fee covers heliport operations, security and FAA-mandated services at Pier 6 and is the same regardless of which of the four operators you fly with.
What is the fastest way to get to JRB from Midtown?
Subway line 1 from Times Square to South Ferry takes about 25 minutes plus a 5-minute walk along South Street. The R or W line to Whitehall Street is slightly shorter (~20 minutes from Midtown) and brings you to the same area. Uber or yellow cab takes 15–30 minutes depending on FDR Drive traffic and drops directly at Pier 6 — fast on weekends but expensive in peak hours. There is no direct ferry from Midtown.
What ID do I need at JRB check-in?
A government-issued photo ID for every passenger — passport, driver licence or national ID card. Children need ID too: passport works at any age, school ID without photo does not. Without ID, the operator can refuse boarding with no refund. Plan to arrive 30 minutes before your scheduled departure: the heliport does its own security check (weight, ID, briefing) on top of operator check-in, and the line on summer Saturdays can absorb 15–20 minutes.
Will I be weighed at JRB check-in?
Yes — every operator at JRB weighs all passengers at check-in to balance the helicopter for safe flight. HeliNY and Zip use floor scales, Charm uses an electronic platform; the result is private and not visible to other passengers. The standard limit is 275 lb / 125 kg per person. Above that you need a "comfort seat" or extra seat (typical surcharge $99–$150 per leg). If you are close to the limit, contact the operator a day in advance to confirm seating — buying a comfort seat on-site is more expensive and depends on availability.
Ready to fly from Manhattan?
Compare all four JRB operators side by side — same routes, different cabin and crew, live prices across GetYourGuide, Tiqets, Headout and Viator.
Compare Manhattan tours