From start to finish this was an exceptional experience! We were picked up at the Ward Cove pier by a wonderful young lady, Brooklyn, who was very pleasant and a wonderful conversationalist who, being from the area all her life answered so many questions about the area. When we arrived to the fly shop we were given some basic information and then led to the plane with our pilot(Jim) and Brooklyn. Once in the plane we were given clear safety instructions by Jim and off we went. One of our group was a small plane pilot himself and even he stated that he was very impressed with Jim's piloting skills. The flight was smooth and the skies were clear which allowed us all to get beautiful views from all sides of the plane. The scenery was magnificent and the information given in a recorded message by our pilot Jim was very informative. We were able to land in the fiord and I can honestly say that the landing was perfection as you did not even know you touched the water before slowing down to drift! We were able to get out of the plane in water that was 600' deep and sit on the floats. The most peaceful place on earth and scenery that was indescribable. We got a photo op and more information about the history and area before getting back into the plane for the ride back to the dock. If you do anything in Alaska it has to be whale watching in Juneau and flying with Family Air in the Misty Fjords National Monument in Ketchikan. Thank you for such a memorable experience! read more

Family Air - Family Air - Aerial Tours Near Me - Ketchikan, Alaska

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Family air is the best in the business! Easy to book, provides a shuttle from downtown, friendly staff, and very smooth flying. The whole package was incredible and would recommend to anyone visiting. Our pilot, Jim, made us very comfortable our first time flying in a small plane and showed us some incredible views. Will be back for one of their fly fishing charters next time. read more

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10 star experience. We were in town for work and got very lucky to be able to book a last minute Anan Creek Bear viewing tour. The owner and pilot Jim is super knowledgeable about the local tour and made a great experience even better. The other companies will drop you off to hike up, Jim goes with you on the hike and you can tell he genuinely loves what he does. The bear tour was amazing. Saw bald eagles, a ton of black bears, a brown bear, a whole ton of cubs. I wasn't sure what to expect but the trip exceeded my expectations in every way. I'm looking forward to returning to Ketchikan and doing more flying with Jim and Family Air Tours read more

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Amazing! Highlight of our trip! So organized, efficient and professional. Jim - owner and pilot - was exceptional. Do not hesitate to book. Pick up at Ward Cove which is a great perk (to avoid the shuttle nightmare). Another bonus is landing and getting out of plane in the Mistys. So amazing! read more

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My husband and I had a spectacular experience with our pilot, Jim. His team was friendly and efficient (including that sweet pup). From start to finish, my husband and I enjoyed our tour to and through the Misty Fjords National Monument - Jim's prerecorded narration and customized music playlist was the cherry on top! We felt very confident in Jim's abilities as a pilot. We were able to land in the middle of a calm body of water, surrounded by the majestic Misty Fjords. This was an unforgettable experience. We hope to join Jim and Family Air on their other tours in the future! Thanks so much Jim for a beautiful experience! read more

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Loved the tour from captain Jim. Beautiful seaplane plane ride ; so smooth on sunny day with 5 friends. Landed in a lake and say the fjords and beautiful sights of mountains and water with a sighting of porpoises. read more

Family Air - DHC-2 dehaviland plane with friends in Ella lake - Aerial Tours Near Me - Ketchikan, Alaska

Efficient, competent, available, safe and highly recommended. Equipment is well cared for and he people couldn't be nicer or more accommodating. EXCELLENT BUSINESS. read more

There were 4 of us, 2 couples, who took this tour on June 15, 2018. Dave and his niece were very nice and professional getting us ready to go. We were very lucky to have beautiful, clear weather that day. The views out of the windows were amazing. We landed in one of the fjords on the water and pulled up to a dock. It was great getting out and hanging out on the dock. It was 360 degrees of pure nature. It was gorgeous. On our way back, Dave pointed out 2 humpback whales swimming next to our cruise ship. That was the cherry on the top of this amazing trip. One member in our party occasionally has vertigo and motion sickness issues, so she was a little nervous about the flight. Unfortunately, her vertigo kicked in and she did not like the flight at all. She did think the scenery was awesome and loved when we landed and got out on the dock. Dave, the pilot, could tell she was uncomfortable and tried to console her. The other 3 of us didn't have any issues and greatly enjoyed our flight. 3 of us would do it again. I recommend it. read more

Family Air is the best in the business! My sis did a fair amount of research on Misty Fjords Seaplane Tours and we decided on this because of the price and value (and their good reviews on tripadvisor and cruise critic): 2 hour flight including up to 30 minutes stop for $181.56 (early booking promotion). They also had a flexible cancellation policy which allowed for full refund up to 24 hours before your flight. The only thing is that the plane is smaller so our group of 7 adults had to be split into two groups. But, the great thing is that everyone had a window view (other companies' bigger planes most probably wouldn't). Note that there is an age minimum (can't remember the exact age), so my 18 month nephew could not come with (we just passed him between the groups). Dave (pilot) and his friend Dave (driver; filled in for the usual driver) were both very friendly and informative. We learned a lot about the way of life in Ketchikan and the surrounding area from them. Dave (pilot) really knew his way around and brought us as far as we could into the Misty Fjords, without compromising visibility, even though most of the other seaplanes turned around way back. I mentioned in passing that I hope to see bears in Alaska and Dave (pilot) helped us spot not 1, not 2, but 3 black bears, and he even circled a few times to make sure we got a good view. Also, we saw Orcas on our way back, which he also gladly made a few circles to get a good glance, and he made sure to show the rest of my family in the 2nd group before they headed to the Misty Fjords. I have flown on Cessna's a few times before as my younger brother is a private pilot but it was my first time feeling somewhat nauseous (it wasn't bad though) because we kept circling to look at the bears and Orcas. I would recommend taking motion sickness medication if you're easily affected. If you want an awesome tour with in depth knowledge of the area, you should definitely choose Family Air! read more

Taking to the air with Dave was a vacation highlight for my son & I. I researched several different excursion types and tour operators before I booked with Family Air Tours. There is a lot to do and see when you are visiting each port but usually a short amount of time. I finally decided an air tour was the best way to see as much stuff as possible. We received a good value for our excursion with Family Air. We enjoyed the outing and the cost was slightly less than other operators. There was another difference; the non-rushed pace we enjoyed. During the flight, we did a water landing by a dock and got out just to enjoy the view. While we were there, another tour operator in a larger plane landed at the dock and about 8 people unfolded themselves as they got out of the plane onto the dock. We were still there enjoying the gorgeous view long after they were herded into their plane and gone. Leaving the dock area, Dave spotted a brown bear by the creek bed. I thought I saw it from a distance. He circled back so I could see it again. Which I didn't. He circled back a 3rd time and I got to see there were actually 2 bears there and then my son spotted another one. We also saw eagles and watched a feisty woodpecker and hummingbird while on the dock. At no time did we feel rushed. In closing, I'd recommend flying with Dave if: You appreciate an experienced & highly competent pilot You want to look at scenery and for wildlife. Dave will help you spot them. You can afford a flight tour & appreciate the overall value and opportunity to see the most beautiful country imaginable. You want to meet a really good guy. Dave really is a delight. Throughout the flight Dave talked about some of the beautiful landscape we were seeing in between my son's incessant questions about being a pilot and planes. As a pilot in training, he learned a lot and appreciated having someone to talk shop with. Dave would be the kind of guy you'd want to have as your best friend or neighbor if you moved to Alaska; down to earth but also funny & intelligent. His niece Kendra picked us up exactly as planned & took us back to the ship after our flight. Absolutely no complaints & would love to go again. read more

Our group of 4 thoroughly enjoyed our seaplane excursion with Captain Dave and Family Air! It was easy to book ahead of time; Kendra picked us up on time right at the cruise ship's dock; and the flight itself was nothing short of fantastic! We highly recommend this Misty Fjord Seaplane Tour. Thanks so much, Captain Dave! read more

Family Air - Beautiful views from the seaplane! - Aerial Tours Near Me - Ketchikan, Alaska

Simply amazing! I was in KTN for literally less than 24 hours for a random quick trip to Alaska and stumbled across this gem of a business. Our flight was delayed and so by the time we got to the hotel it was around 2330. We called expecting the call to go straight to voicemail but to our surprise we got an answer! Now that's customer service! Anyway, feeling horribly guilty for waking up this poor man (I think his name was Dave) we called back the next morning and booked a two hour fjords trip. It was probably the best experience one can look forward to in Alaska second only to catching your own king crab and tearing into it :) . I would 100% recommend this business because not only were they friendly, but smartly priced and were able to accommodate two passengers instead of the minimum three like the other tours. Never would I have imagined being able to step out in the middle of nowhere (literally), but this amazing little airline gave me that gift. read more

A day trip was planned for three of us with Family Air and I really didn't know what to expect based upon other excursions experienced during our trip to Alaskan ports. We took a short 2 hour float plane/ fishing trip with Dave, onto one of the nearby lakes to fish for Cutthroat Trout - had an amazing time and didn't want to leave. Dave was super friendly and was like an old friend by the time our trip ended. Dave's niece picked us up from port and had everything we needed well organized to maximize our time in the air and on the water. Should we return to Ketchikan in the future, this will be the place where we plan to spend more time. Truly amazing. read more

Fished with Seth 3 times on drive out trips and have always done well. It pays to have good local knowledge of the area. I've caught steelhead, pink salmon, coastal cutthroats, and big rainbows. Always a good time. read more

Dave is great!!! I agree with the previous review that it is a smaller plane and perhaps one may need motion sickness medication, but what an up close and personal experience!!! My husband and 2 step-daughters just flew with Dave 3 weeks ago and had an unforgettable experience...the scenery is simply breathtaking. I highly recommend Family Air!!! read more