By car
15–30 minutes from Midtown, depending on traffic and FDR-Drive conditions. Drop-off is at Pier 6, South Street, with 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 with the 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 toursFrequently 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.
Four operators at Pier 6, one price table
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