See Kauai's Sights from a Plane

The view from a commercial jet coming in for a landing at Lihue Airport is enough to make most people want more. That's why so many Kauai visitors book flightseeing tours. These tours come in a variety of packages. The most popular might be helicopter flights but that's not the only way to go. Small fixed-wing craft offer personalized tours at affordable prices and they come equipped with big view windows, too.

Air Ventures Hawaii prices its sightseeing tour of the entire island at less than $100 and offers 30-minute tours for $59. Its four-passenger Maule aircraft is equipped with oversized windows and guarantees one on one interaction with the pilot.

Wings Over Hawaii also prices tours at less than $100. Its tours are operated in a four-seat Cessna 172 Skyhawk with a high-wing design and a window at every seat.

Both companies offer personalized tours. Whale watching tours are available during the winter humpback season. Tours are conducted by seasoned pilots who know their aircraft as well as the island's terrain.