Talkeetna Aero Services or Talkeetna Air Taxi?

[Budget Queen]

For what it's worth, glacier landings at Denali use planes. Most helicopters don't have the high-altitude capability that is required. We found out on this board that the Denali glacier flights and the Juneau ones via helo are very different experiences. So we booked both and are glad we did....our Denali flight was weather-cancelled twice and we were glad we still got to go in Juneau. It was one of the highlights of our trip!

 

YES, they most certainly do have glacier helicopter landings of Denali http://www.flightseeingtours.com/content/e3/e15/e20/index_eng.html

[Cosmic Rays]

What else have you planned in Denali, Juneau, Skagway?? Any of those has glacier helicopter landings. Schedule where you have the most time.

 

what cruisetour are you on?? Can probably give you some timing guidelines.

 

As yet nothing is planned. On the Diamond Princess cruise we are in Ketchikan 6.30am-2.00pm, Juneau 8.00am-9.00pm, and Skagway 7.00am-8.30pm. All we have seen that we would like to do is the train at Skagway and a plane/heli to land on a glacier!!!

 

In the US Princess Alaska 2009 brochure we are doing Explorer: Copper River JA6 cruise followed by the landtour. My cruise personalizer now shows me more of an itinerary.......7.30-10am Whittier to Valdez Catamaran followed by

 

 

Jun 13 2009 COACH: VALDEZ TO COPPER RIVER 12.30PM - 3:30PM

 

Jun 13 2009 COPPER RIVER PRINCESS WILDERNESS LODGE

 

Jun 14 2009 DAY AT LEISURE

 

Jun 15 2009 COACH: COPPER RIVER TO DENALI 8.00AM - 5:00PM

 

Jun 15 2009 DENALI PRINCESS WILDERNESS LODGE

 

Jun 16 2009 MORNING TUNDRA WILDERNESS TOUR 6.00AM - 2:00PM

 

Jun 16 2009 AFTERNOON AT LEISURE

 

Jun 17 2009 MORNING AT LEISURE

 

Jun 17 2009 COACH: LODGE TO RAIL DEPOT 11.30AM - NOON

 

Jun 17 2009 RAIL: DENALI TO TALKEETNA NOON - 4:40PM

 

Jun 17 2009 COACH: RAIL DEPOT TO LODGE 4.45PM - 6:00PM

 

Jun 17 2009 EVENING AT LEISURE

 

Jun 17 2009 MCKINLEY PRINCESS WILDERNESS LODGE

 

Jun 18 2009 MORNING AT LEISURE

 

Jun 18 2009 COACH: MCKINLEY TO ANCHORAGE 1.00PM - 4:30PM

 

Jun 18 2009 HOTEL CAPTAIN COOK CHECK-IN 3PM

 

 

Your suggestions will be much appreciated..................thanks

 

Colin

[Budget Queen]

As yet nothing is planned. On the Diamond Princess cruise we are in Ketchikan 6.30am-2.00pm, Juneau 8.00am-9.00pm, and Skagway 7.00am-8.30pm. All we have seen that we would like to do is the train at Skagway and a plane/heli to land on a glacier!!!

 

In the US Princess Alaska 2009 brochure we are doing Explorer: Copper River JA6 cruise followed by the landtour. My cruise personalizer now shows me more of an itinerary.......7.30-10am Whittier to Valdez Catamaran followed by

 

 

Jun 13 2009 COACH: VALDEZ TO COPPER RIVER 12.30PM - 3:30PM

 

Jun 13 2009 COPPER RIVER PRINCESS WILDERNESS LODGE

 

Jun 14 2009 DAY AT LEISURE

 

Jun 15 2009 COACH: COPPER RIVER TO DENALI 8.00AM - 5:00PM

 

Jun 15 2009 DENALI PRINCESS WILDERNESS LODGE

 

Jun 16 2009 MORNING TUNDRA WILDERNESS TOUR 6.00AM - 2:00PM

 

Jun 16 2009 AFTERNOON AT LEISURE

 

Jun 17 2009 MORNING AT LEISURE

 

Jun 17 2009 COACH: LODGE TO RAIL DEPOT 11.30AM - NOON

 

Jun 17 2009 RAIL: DENALI TO TALKEETNA NOON - 4:40PM

 

Jun 17 2009 COACH: RAIL DEPOT TO LODGE 4.45PM - 6:00PM

 

Jun 17 2009 EVENING AT LEISURE

 

Jun 17 2009 MCKINLEY PRINCESS WILDERNESS LODGE

 

Jun 18 2009 MORNING AT LEISURE

 

Jun 18 2009 COACH: MCKINLEY TO ANCHORAGE 1.00PM - 4:30PM

 

Jun 18 2009 HOTEL CAPTAIN COOK CHECK-IN 3PM

 

 

Your suggestions will be much appreciated..................thanks

 

Colin

 

 

This is very detailed. In the past Princess ran several shuttle to the McKinley lodge through evening. I would suggest you call them directly when they open in May to verify this?? If you want a McKinley flightseeing out of Talkeetna, contact a vendor and state you are arriving via train, and see if they have any flights leaving, if a priority?

[kenish]

YES, they most certainly do have glacier helicopter landings of Denali http://www.flightseeingtours.com/content/e3/e15/e20/index_eng.html

 

Sorry, I was unaware of this and stand corrected. The airplane flights are a better value since planes are less hideously expensive per hour to fly than helos....but the helo tour looks great too!

[cruiseej]

Can I go back to the original topic of this thread: which tour operator to use for flightseeing Denali from Talkeetna?

 

Is Talkeetna Aero the only one which does the summit flights? For the lower flights, In addition to Talkeetna Air Taxi, I see K2 Aviation and Fly Denali offering what appear to be similar tours with optional glacier landings. Anything to distinguish one company from another? Other than Budget Queen, who offered her opinion above, does anyone else have thoughts about the lower flights with landings versus the higher summit flight with no landing?

 

Thanks!

 

-- Eric

[Budget Queen]

Can I go back to the original topic of this thread: which tour operator to use for flightseeing Denali from Talkeetna?

 

Is Talkeetna Aero the only one which does the summit flights? For the lower flights, In addition to Talkeetna Air Taxi, I see K2 Aviation and Fly Denali offering what appear to be similar tours with optional glacier landings. Anything to distinguish one company from another? Other than Budget Queen, who offered her opinion above, does anyone else have thoughts about the lower flights with landings versus the higher summit flight with no landing?

 

Thanks!

 

-- Eric

 

You probably aren't going to find many people who have done several flights here, or all the routes, I have. K 2 also does summit flights. All the flightseeing is good in Alaska. Pick what is the most interest to you. :)

[Cosmic Rays]

You probably aren't going to find many people who have done several flights here, or all the routes, I have. K 2 also does summit flights. All the flightseeing is good in Alaska. Pick what is the most interest to you. :)

 

Which of all was YOUR highlight?

[Cosmic Rays]

Budget Queen,

 

Thanks for your answer above re my Princess itinerary. I cut and pasted, then put the timings right as they had them back to front!!!

 

Colin

[Budget Queen]

Which of all was YOUR highlight?

 

Definately the summit flights!!!