San Diego Air Tours

Got this Hidden Gem on Living Social. My husband and I flew on the biplane for two, for our Anniversary, over the coast for 20 minutes with a fly over Qualcomm Stadium with spectacular views of Tierrasanta and Admiral Baker Golf Course on the way back. It was fantastic and the views were spectacular. It is really a treat and would reccommend this the anyone. It is a must do. Open air cockpit and a biplane is the way to view the coast from La Jolla to Mission Beach.

After the first company we booked was a no show, San Diego Air Tours saved the day! We called San Diego AirTours with a request for a last minute tour to save my birthday celebration. They were able to fit us in on short notice. Customer service here was phenomenal! The flight itself was incredible. We booked the 40 minute flight and enjoyed every minute of it. Our pilot Bill even took us on a few extra maneuvers while out over the ocean which gave us a quick thrill before we headed back. Bonnie went above and beyond to ensure we had a great experience and took a lot of pictures of us with our camera before and after. Highly recommend this company!

Such a great way to see San Diego and the most fun 20 minute tour ever!
We are from San Diego and still loved this tour. Couldn’t wipe the smiles off our face when we landed.

I enjoyed an open-​air cockpit vintage biplane flight over San Diego and it’s beautiful coastline. Amazingly stunning/​breathtaking views of San Diego’s beautiful coastline. :-). I give this company five stars all the way…

What an incredible experience! Bonnie and pilot Vic were very pleasant and seemed to do all they could to make our experience a most memorable one. I have lived in San Diego County for decades and have flown in and out of the city many times. But I have never had the perspective I had today in an open cockpit at 800′. I highly recommend!

I had a great experience with Air Tours! We booked a 20 minute open bi-​plane ride and it got my singing, «I believe I can fly!» The whole thing went really smoothly. The staff were very nice, they took the time to take plenty of pictures for us in front of the plane, the pilot was professional, the views were spectacular, and it was such a cool way to see San Diego. The pilot had some fun and did some maneuvers/​dips/​turns that took the ride to another level.
I would say that 20 minutes is a good amount of time and I was really happy with it – I don’t feel like 40 minutes or 1 hour would add too much more.

I took my wife here as a surprise birthday gift and she loved it. The staff was super friendly, when we got there we were greeted and up and flying in less than ten minutes. Smooth ride with a beautiful view of the beach and surrounding city. No hidden fees, great price, would definitely recommend to anyone who was looking to try something different for a special occasion.

Rude lady answering phone. Didn’t even try to be helpful. Hung up on me when I questioned that they were booked up 3 ½ months from now on a weekday. .really?

My boyfriend took me here for my birthday and it was a great experience from start to finish! Everyone we met was very helpful and our pilot Vic was great! He made the flight fun and safe and was knowledgeable about the surrounding areas. The views were amazing, we couldn’t get enough! No complaints here. Would recommend San Diego Air Tours to anyone and will definitely come back!

This one is difficult to rate. That is because one must know the purpose of the trip: Want to experience open cockpit flight in a 1929 Travel Air bi-​plane? Want to take cool photos from the air? Want to site-​see? Well, the Travel Air does all of these things, but with the «Travel Air» experience — which is certainly unique! Let me explain.
While given nifty head gear so that we could talk to each other, the communication was rather scratchy and unintelligible. No matter — we got the jist of what the pilot had to say about the points of interest.
The flight in the Travel Air was all about sitting 3 or 4 feet behind this roaring engine pulling the rest of the aircraft through the air. Your experience will be hurricane force wind and engine noise that makes speech impossible. There is also significant vibration — but you will likely be overwhelmed by the noise and wind to have any feeling other than «cold». Dress warmly.
My photos were not that great. They came out with too much shake and bad focus. The force of the wind played hell with attempting to take a photo outside the wind shield. The telephoto lens was blown back, the neck strap was whipped around my head.
The sensation of flight was like «standing still» since the plane was crawling along at 100 mph or so. There were no barrel rolls or loops. The ride was smooth as glass — aside from the roar of the engine, wind and vibration.
We went for the 1 hour flight. I think the 20 minute flight would have done better as I was thrashed by the time we landed. The noise, vibration and wind was enough to make me dizzy when I got out of the plane and exhausted enough to want to take a nap.
The odd part of the experience was the tipping. The experience cost about $ 450 and then I was expected to leave a tip. This begs the question, «Don’t you pay your pilots?» I don’t know — I asked about the pilot. He had made about 4 trips that day. He was kind of an old guy like me and I thought, «God! One trip is enough to do me in and I didn’t even have to pay attention!» — so when we left the gratuity and I didn’t feel bad about it. Just be warned that tipping is mandatory.
The takeoff was pretty exciting. Here’s the movie:

Received as a 70^th birthday present. What a hoot. Great time and beautiful scenery. Friendly staff.

Wonderful service and super fun. The restaurant upstairs, El Macado, was good too. Everyone involved with the air tour was very friendly and took good care of my dad and son. They had a wonderful little adventure. Thank you so much!

I called these guys last minute to schedule a ride for my boyfriends birthday. We arrived VERY early, but they were able to get us going right away! Our pilot was awesome. It was an experience we definitely won’t forget, thank you!

Great tour!!! Bonnie is a sweetheart she will take good care of you!!! And Bill is a great pilot!!! I totally recommend it and I hope I can come back

The boo bear and I took a San Diego air tour last year in September (way overdue review) and it was a fantastic experience. I purchased a deal through UT San diego which was a steal for this biplane ride. This was where I proposed to the boo bear in mid air. Thanks for the Air tour for bailing me out on my last minute proposal!
I forgot the names of who helped me but there was a lady that worked the front who was exceptional in friendliness and went beyond boundaries to make it a fantastic experience. Our pilot was great as well. This ended up being a wonderful experience that I’m sure I will never forget.

My girlfriend got me the biplane ride for 2 for 45 mins and it was amazing! Loved it and definitely want to come back for another ride! The people were very friendly and made it a relaxing time.

What an experience! My husband and I went on the 20 minute La Jolla tour a few days ago. It was absolutely amazing! The weather was perfect and the sights were gorgeous! Bonnie was great at check in. Very energetic and made me comfortable with our adventure (I was a very nervous flyer!) Our pilot Bill was fabulous! He took us on a great tour! I don’t fly, so I wasn’t sure what to expect, but it was beyond words! Being in the sky over our beautiful city was just amazing! Seeing the beaches and downtown all in one glance, I’ll never forget it! I loved being in the open air too! I loved when we flew over the ocean. It made for a very unique experience. We even saw some dolphins when we were by La Jolla! I can’t say enough good things about our time and this company. Thank you San Diego Air Tours for such a great adventure! My husband and I will never forget it! Now our kids want to go on a ride too :)

A very unique way to see San Diego! We went with another couple for flights last weekend. Bonnie was wonderful to us and our friends, taking lots of pictures, letting us out on the runway to watch the others, and making it a great experience! Our pilot was amazing as well! The plane is actually fairly spacious and the ride was very smooth. Even our friend who was very frightened to go ended up enjoying it immensely. We’ll definitely be going back again.

Trying to schedule rides for my niece & nephew involved making several appointments and cancellations, which had to be trying for poor Bonnie and Travis. But no! They were amazingly understanding and accommodating! All reported a fantastic adventure and wonderful pilot. I am so pleased and could not be happier.

I was somewhat disappointed by this trip only because I expected some aerobatics as was advertised in their video. I even asked before our flight. Also, Bonnie was very pushy after the flight to tip the pilot and it was uncomfortable because she asked several times before and after the flight. I would have given a large tip had it been a great experience, but it was just mediocre. If you’ve flown in a small plane before this is nothing too special. I would steer you to something more exciting. Pilot was a nice guy, but it could have been more energetic.
If this is your first experience in a small plane and you want a quiet ride with a view you will probably love it though.
P. S. the radio headsets are a bit old and nearly impossible to hear.

I can’t say enough about how great this company is! I recently booked a tour for a 40 minute bi-​plane flight over San Diego. After renting a car and driving to the facility, I was more than crushed to find out once I got there that the plane itself was having mechanical problems. Bonnie was just as crushed as I was and after a few minutes, I had an offer for a similar trip in a cessna. Matter of fact, the company actually called around to a competitor helicopter company just to see of they could offer any comparable flight since they weren’t able to take me up in the biplane. After some discussion, I decided to go with the cessna trip and I’m so glad I did! The pilot, Bill, walked me through take off, performing basic aerial maneuvers and he even let me land the plane (he may be second-​guessing that last one, it wasn’t exactly pretty). Never once did I feel as if we were in danger, Bill was an experienced pilot and cool as a cucumber with a total stranger taking the controls. He made the trip fun, informative and exciting. Bonnie also has the patience of a saint because I called her no less than 5 times in the span of about 45 minutes attempting to get directions to the office because my phone/​gps was acting up. Thank you to Travis, Bonnie and Bill for a wonderful experience– one that could have ended up much different but with their work and dedication, turned out great!

Friend bought me a pass to ride around in a biplane over San Diego. The entire tour took about forty five minutes and the pilot took me around downtown, the harbor, beach areas, point loma. The day couldn’t have been more perfect, the weather was clear. You haven’t experienced flying until you get to fly around in one of these things, the outside air blowing around you gives you a great feeling. Was definitely a fun trip.

My wife and I enjoyed an hour tour of San Diego on Valentine’s Day aboard a classic Biplane. It has been a great conversation topic ever since. So, just go do it. It is worth every penny and you will not regret this exhilarating experience. The staff and the Pilot are so friendly, polite, and courteous which makes your time that much more rewarding. Check out their website, give them a call and you won’t regret it. We had a perfect sunny and warm day, they will tell you what to bring based on the weather. You do wear a head set so you can hear each other over the wind and engine noise. So, you will have a little messy hair. Bring a hat or scarf for your head when you are through flying. Go and ENJOY.

Unforgettable!
I booked a biplane ride for my fiancé and I two years ago for his 30^th birthday. We still talk about it to this day.
It should be mentioned I’m afraid of heights, but the plane ride was smooth and I was able to enjoy every moment. My fiancé loved it.
Vic, our pilot, even obliged us and took photos with us.
Book it! You won’t regret it!

We had a great experience. The company is professional in their approach and they really went out of their way to make sure we had a great time.
The pilot was knowledgeable about San Diego. We are locals so we would know if he got it wrong.
Great company and we recommend them without hesitation!

Originally I went through a third-​party site to purchase our biplane flight, but it was a bust. It’s better to deal directly through
.
Their customer service was exceptional, especially since it’s a small company. As in I only saw three employees. I dealt mostly with Bonnie who helped me a lot when it came to making a reservation. Thank you for all your help Bonnie!
So when we arrived the weather was perfect! Our pilot Vick was on time, made us feel comfortable and took us along the San Diego coast. On the website it compares the sensation of the flight to that of a roller coaster and It literally does feel like a roller coaster ride. Personally I don’t like to fly, but I felt at ease on the bi-​plane. As for weather, do call an hour in advance to confirm weather conditions and do bring a sweater or windbreaker, because it can get cold up there.
We had an amazing time. Thank you Barnstorming for your great customer service and an adventure we will never forget. :)

WOW! What an adventure! My wife and I took the open cockpit biwing tour from Montgomery Field — out over La Jolla, and along the shores south toward San Diego — then back over the Chargers stadium on our way back to Montgomery Field. The weather was fantastic for flying — sunny, warm, and relatively calm.
We took some beautiful photos of the trip, while on the ground and while flyiing over La Jolla and the coast. The staff was friendly and helpful and the pilot was fantastic. The pilot spotted some dolphins along the coast a couple of times and would do a spiral so we got to see them. FUN. He told us when we flew over the base where portions of Top Gun was filmed, named the surrounding mountains for us, and advised us of Qualcomm Stadium.
The staff was very helpful with getting the ground photos — for memories.
Overall, a great trip! We would highly recommend this trip to our adventurous friends.

This is solely based on their customer service, specifically Bonnie.
I was merely looking to set up a flight date. My wife had purchased an e-​ticket for me for our Anniversary, hoping to use it for my 40^th Bday in November. She purchased on the company’s website.
Let me first say that the e-​ticket expired 10 days ago. I also own my own business so I know what it means when a person tries to use something we issue that has been expired. If the Eticket had expired in August/Sept/Oct…I would really understand her rationale…
Anyways, she said that it states that it’s expired and can only rebook for an extra $ 50. After being on hold for 4:36 she got back to me stating the computer was acting funny… she was probably thinking that I would hang up.
I asked if there was any way she could waive the $ 50, being that my wife spent a lot on the package, she said «no»…asked if I could speak to someone else, she said that I was already speaking to the owner… so I explained to her, that as a business owner, I do what I can to help out clients/​customers in these type of situations (we also provide a service), she said that they don’t…the eticket clearly states the expiration.
Nonetheless, I said go ahead and let’s book a date this month for my Bday, I asked for the specific date and she immediately said, we’re booked… cannot fly that day… I then asked, so does the extra $ 50 extend my Eticket another 6 months… she said no… I asked for how long… again on hold… only 2 minutes this time… she then states that she can get me in on that day!
I am sure that the experience will be great and without a doubt very memorable, but I will be a one and done with this company… there are other companies providing this service and will gladly give them my money… as I will do the same for my wife’s 40^th in a couple of months…
As a business owner, you should try to separate yourself from the competition… and Bonnie sure accomplished that!

Best wedding present! One of my husband’s closest friends spent a lot of time researching what to get us as a wedding present. He decided to purchase a bi-​plane flight for two with Barnstorming Adventures! To say I was scared is an understatement. Even since a very bumpy flight last year, I’ve been terrified about flying. Getting into a open cockpit, 1920s bi-​plane freaked me out, but I didn’t want to alarm my husband too much, so I kept my fears hidden as much as I could.
When we arrived, we had to fill in some basic paperwork and waited for our pilot, as he was out flying. We were waiting in the airport lobby and saw two other pilots demo a dogfight simulation they were about to do with two other guys. Barnstorming does offer dogfight simulation flights, but I did NOT want to try that out. We saw one guy come back from a dogfight and his wife made the comment that he looked really green/​sick. So be prepared!
Once our pilot arrived, we were escorted out to the plane. It’s a tight fit in the front seat for two people, and all we had was a lap seatbelt to keep us in the plane. We donned our 1920s helmets and headphones, and we were off! It was such a smooth ride and really nothing to be afraid of. I couldn’t even feel the takeoff! We had a beautiful ride down to Mission Bay, downtown San Diego, Coronado Island, and up the coast along Ocean Beach up to La Jolla. It was a perfect day for flying. The pilot did only one maneuver, a 180 degree turn. As for being in an open cockpit– it is loud and windy if you stick anything outside of the windshield. You have a mike to talk to the pilot behind you, but it is hard to hear with all the wind. I was wearing my contacts and my eyes got really dry, so keep that in mind!
I’d highly recommend taking a flight with Barnstorming Adventures. They are very professional and offer you a great way to see San Diego from a different perspective.

My husband and I aren’t fans of staying on the ground, in fact, we enjoy our time under water or in the air, it’s a known fact. So when our anniversary was coming up, it was only fair we did something different. My husband booked a hot air balloon ride for our first wedding anniversary, so it was only fair for me to book the biplane for us for our 5-​year dating anniversary. I love flying and would love to get a pilot license one day, in the meantime, this will do.
I booked this through Barnstorming Adventures and loved every second of it! We had to delay it by a week since it was raining the week prior, but yesterday was the perfect day to fly! Gorgeous, sunny day! We were running a few minutes late and they didn’t seem to mind, I even called ahead to tell them that and they remembered my name! Very personable people!
I didn’t really come prepped, with a tank top, shorts and a light jacket, so they made sure I stayed warm while I was up there. I even forgot my sunglasses and they had extras for us. Very cool!
When we were up there, I felt like a bird! We flew over Del Mar, La Jolla, Carlsbad, Gaslamp, Encinitas, etc. I didn’t want to come down! I loved how he flew really low, slow and would do flips and turns for us to get every angle of certain views! The last 5 minutes made us nauseous and when we got down, the pilot gives us a card showing when we flied with him. Very cool!