Zivco09

Hello,
If I can afford only one scenic flight in Alaska,
what would you reccomend me to book?
Denali area of Juneau area?
Thnx,
Ziv.

jackal

I've never done any fllights in the JNU area, but Denali is majestic beyond compare, while (to me) the mountains around Juneau are just tree-covered hills. I'd go for Denali.

jerry a. laska

Most flightseeing tours around juneau involve the Juneau Icefield, the fifth largest icefield in the Western Hemisphere, a bit more than trees I think.

Both areas are impressive.

fti

Most Denali flights depart from Talkeetna. There are several options - just a scenic flight, a flight with a glacier landing or a summit flight that flies over Mt. McKinley (oxygen masks needed). There are also flights from Cantwell, from near the Denali NP entrance and from Kantishna.

alphaeagle

I don't think you could go wrong with either. So maybe try to do both The northern lights coupon book has some discounts including buy one get one for Talkeetna Aero Services. There is some other coupon books out there that might have other options, can't remember them off the top of my head.

djp98374

Look at what their booking/cancelation policy is. I would tie this to be weather dependent.

If the cancelation time is closer to something like 3 days you could get a good idea of what the weather will be like.

Without knowing the specifics of each tour its hard to say which one is better. It depends on where they are planning to go. As another poster said you have the large glacier ice fields can see near Juneau--but is that where the flight will go.

Try to find some reviews off trip advisor of which tour company to use.


I dont want to call it a scam, but it isnt. Various tour operators because you are near a national park their tour will bring you into the park. Then you go and you find out you arent going into the park, because you cant.

I have seen these in Moab that are talking of goig down the colorado and seeing canyonlands but you are really only doing the stretch outside the park.

fti

I don't think you understand how things work in Alaska. First of all, if the flight is canceled due to weather (which is fairly common), they give you the option to reschedule or to get a full refund. That is why one reason I suggest that people take a flightseeing trip from say Talkeetna at the first chance they get. Then they can reschedule the flight as they pass through a second time in case the first one gets canceled.

Also, regarding the national park reference, anyone can fly over Denali NP. Many such flights make a glacier landing. In this case, you would indeed be stepping out into the park itself since the glacier would be within the national park boundaries. Other flights are "summit" flights that fly over Mt. McKinley. They fly over the park but don't land. The choice is the passenger's.

CPRich

I took K2 on a glacier landing last summer. Our original date was cancelled on the morning of the flight - on our way up to Denali - due to weather and they booked us for a few days later on our return trip. It wasn't cheap, but it was amazing. We did use the Northern Lights coupon - 25% off, but I think you had to have 4 people minimum.

We did need a Denali pass, which is good for 7 days, or we would have had to pay the National Park entrance fee. $10pp - pretty insignificant in comparison to the cost of the flight. And I'm pretty sure they just asked if we had one and trusted us when we said yes.