Booking choice: The Harbour Air classic panorama, from $136 per person. Check dates Tour details
Harbour Air and Seair both fly scenic seaplane tours from downtown Vancouver, and on a calm day their classic tours look very similar from the dock: take off from Coal Harbour, circle the towers and Stanley Park, cross the Lions Gate Bridge and land again about 20 minutes later.
What separates them is how many people share the cabin, how you hear about what you are seeing, how early you need to check in and what else each airline sells.
The quick answer
Pick Harbour Air for the lowest from-price ($136), the extended Howe Sound route and flights on to Whistler or Victoria; narration is through an app with your own headphones. Pick Seair ($143) for a smaller cabin of up to 9 guests and GPS audio commentary built in. Both leave from 1055 Canada Place.
How do Harbour Air and Seair compare side by side?
Same terminal and a similar route; Harbour Air is cheaper and bigger, Seair is smaller and includes commentary.
| Harbour Air classic | Seair City Skyline | |
|---|---|---|
| Departs | 1055 Canada Place, Coal Harbour | 1055 Canada Place, Coal Harbour |
| Time in the air | About 20 min in a 30-min slot | 20-min flight, 30-min tour |
| Group size (Viator listing) | Up to 14 travellers | Up to 9 travellers |
| Commentary | Tour app, bring your own headphones | GPS audio commentary included |
| Check-in | Arrive 40 min before, checked in by 20 min | Check in 30 min before |
| From on Viator (USD) | $136 | $143 |
| From direct (CAD) | C$149, child from C$120 | C$185, child C$99 |
| Child fare ages | 2 to 11 | 3 to 11 |
| Rating | ★ 4.7 (1,418) | ★ 4.9 (32) |
| Wheelchair (per listing) | Not accessible: must walk on and off | Listed as wheelchair accessible |
Leaning to the lower price? Harbour Air's classic loop cancels free up to 24 hours before.
Check dates for the Harbour Air classic panoramaDo they leave from the same place?
Yes. Both fly from the Vancouver Harbour Flight Centre, Unit 1, Burrard Landing, 1055 Canada Place, in Coal Harbour.
The terminal is steps from Canada Place, the Vancouver Convention Centre and Jack Poole Plaza, with a passenger lounge looking over Stanley Park and the North Shore mountains, a gift shop and the licensed Cockpit Cafe. Paid parking is at 1095 W Waterfront Road.
How many people are on each plane?
Harbour Air's Viator listing caps the group at 14 travellers; Seair's caps it at 9.
Harbour Air says its aircraft carry 10 to 14 passengers, and its fleet is mainly de Havilland Beavers, Single Otters and Twin Otters. Neither listing promises a particular aircraft for your flight. Seair's listing points to large cabin windows, and its own page notes that flights may be shared with other passengers.
Which one has commentary?
Seair: its tour includes GPS-enabled audio commentary in several languages. Harbour Air has no live commentary; narration comes through its free app, and you bring your own headphones.
Some Harbour Air reviewers complain about it. One guest on the extended route wrote that there was no commentary or interaction with the pilot, so they did not know what they were looking at. Download the app before you go and pack wired or Bluetooth earbuds.
Rather hear what you are flying over? Seair's skyline flight includes GPS audio commentary.
Explore the Seair City Skyline tour Tour detailsWhich is cheaper?
Harbour Air, slightly: $136 against $143 on Viator, and C$149 against C$185 direct.
Children are the exception: Seair's direct child fare is C$99, against Harbour Air's from C$120. Viator prices include taxes and fees; for the full breakdown see Vancouver seaplane tour prices.
How do the ratings compare?
Both rate highly: Harbour Air's classic 4.7 from 1,418 reviews, Seair's 4.9 from 32.
Seair's score rests on far fewer reviews, so read it as a strong early signal rather than a like-for-like win. Harbour Air reviewers praise smooth take-offs and landings; the criticisms that come up are the short flight, noise and no live commentary. Seair reviewers mention friendly pilots, and one guest said their pilot took photos of them on the dock before and after the flight.
Like the sound of the smaller cabin? Seair's flight carries up to 9 guests.
Check dates for the Seair City Skyline tourWhich airline has more tour options?
Harbour Air, for flying further: an extended 45-minute route, and one-way flights to Whistler and Victoria. Seair adds a seaplane and Capilano Suspension Bridge combo and a Chatterbox Falls trip.
The Viator listing for Seair's Chatterbox Falls tour says 1 hour 10 minutes, with a 30-minute stop in Princess Louisa Inlet, while Seair's own page gives a 130-minute tour with 90 minutes of flying; its Capilano combo pairs a 20-minute flight with park admission and transport. Both are new on Viator, with almost no reviews so far. Harbour Air's Whistler glacier flight starts in Whistler, not Vancouver.
Want wilderness rather than skyline? Seair flies to Princess Louisa Inlet with a stop at Chatterbox Falls.
Explore the Chatterbox Falls floatplane tour Tour detailsWhich one should you book?
Match the airline to what you care about most.
- Lowest price: Harbour Air classic.
- Commentary without headphones: Seair.
- Smaller group: Seair, up to 9.
- Longer flight: Harbour Air extended.
- Wheelchair user: Seair, which lists its tour as wheelchair accessible; Harbour Air requires passengers to walk on and off the aircraft.
- Children aged 2: Harbour Air charges a child fare from 2, Seair counts 2-year-olds as infants.
Decided on Harbour Air? Check your date for the classic loop over Stanley Park.
Check dates for the Harbour Air classic panoramaFrequently asked questions
Is Harbour Air or Seair better?
Neither is better across the board: Harbour Air is cheaper and has more routes, Seair has a smaller group and built-in commentary. Both fly from the same terminal.
Do Harbour Air and Seair fly the same route?
Very similar: both classic tours cover downtown, Stanley Park and the Lions Gate Bridge in about 20 minutes of flying.
Where do I check in for Seair?
At the Vancouver Harbour Flight Centre, 1055 Canada Place, the same building as Harbour Air. Seair asks for check-in 30 minutes before departure.
Ready to book
Choose your flight
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before on every option. Prices are from-prices in USD and move with the season.
Vancouver Classic Panorama Seaplane Tour
- About 20 minutes of flying inside a 30-minute slot, take-off to landing on the harbour
- Professional certified pilot, life jackets and a safety briefing
- Free Digital Tour Guide app narration (bring your own headphones)
City Skyline Seaplane Tour with Seair
- 20-minute scenic flight from the downtown harbour
- Coal Harbour, Stanley Park and the Lions Gate Bridge
- GPS-enabled audio commentary during the flight
Extended Panorama: Howe Sound & Islands
- 45-minute experience including boarding and landing, 15 flight minutes more than the classic tour
- Stanley Park, English Bay, Howe Sound, Gambier Island and Bowen Island
- Seasonal route over the Coast Mountains and remote inlets
