Flightseeing Ketchikan or Juneau

We are doing an Alaskan cruise with HAL in August. Would like to do a flight seeing trip while in either Ketchikan or Juneau. Tours seem to be quite expensive so want to get as much bang for our buck but safety is also of great importance. We prefer to book excursions privately so as to support the local businesses and usually get a smaller group to tour with. Not sure whether to go the float plane route or helicopter.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Given those choices I'd fly out of Juneau over the Glaciers. I've done Misty Fjords with Island Wings but prefer the scenery from Juneau.

Even better if you stop in Haines or Skagway is a flight over Glacier Bay with Paul from Mountain Flying. He is based in Haines but does flights from both.

Absolutely spectacular and a great value for your $$ with way more time in the air compared to the cruise line flights

Thanks Doug for your insight. What company did you fly with out of Juneau? I've been to Alaska once and did the usual Glacier and local guide ride through town as well as Mendenhall and ate the best crab I've ever had...looking for something different this time (except I have to have crab too) and I am in Juneau from 1 p.m. to 10 p.m. in July. Thanks.

In Juneau I've flown several times thru the cruise lines, other times I can't remember the vendor name. They have an office right downtown on the pier in from of the Hanger on the Wharf restaurant.

Last year I did a tour with the cruise line in Ketchikan that was a flight to a lodge with an all you can eat crab feat. Not my favorite for scenery but combines two things you want to do :)

We did the 5-Glacier flightseeing to Taku Lodge that included the salmon bake in Juneau last year on our Alaskan cruise and it was probably my family's favorite thing on the entire 13-night vacation. We really enjoyed it. The company is Wings Airways but I think you can only book it through the ship.