October 30, 2026
The Flight Gift Card Los Angeles Will Remember
A guide to giving a discovery flight: who it's perfect for, how gift cards work, and what the lucky recipient can expect.
Some gifts end up in a drawer. Others become the story someone tells for years: the day they flew over Los Angeles.
A flight gift card from Fly LA Experience is the second kind. Here's what to know before you give one.
Why give a discovery flight?
A discovery flight is a real 1-hour flight experience with a certified instructor, departing Van Nuys Airport in a Cessna 172 or Piper Archer. Your instructor handles the first takeoff and landing. In between, your recipient can fly as much as they like, with LA spread out below. No experience, license, or medical certificate is needed.
It's $230, for up to 2 guests, with 30–45 minutes in the air depending on winds, traffic, and taxi time. The Sunset Discovery Flight and the Los Angeles Night Flight are also $230, in the same airplanes, for up to 2 guests. The sunset flight leaves about 45 minutes before sunset. The night flight is the city of lights from above.
Who it's perfect for
The "someday I'll fly" dreamer
They've said it for years. This is the nudge. Time on a daytime Discovery Flight, the Sunset flight, and the Night flight can be logged toward a pilot certificate. Bring a logbook and proof of U.S. citizenship, or a passport.
The aviation-obsessed teen
The minimum age is 12, with parent or guardian consent for anyone under 18. Aerobatic flights are 16+.
The person who has everything
An experience beats another gadget. Add the photo and video package and they get to relive it.
The thrill-seeker
Our Pitts S-2B aerobatic flight is $450, for one guest, ages 16 and up. The guest sits in front while an instructor flies every maneuver. The Pitts is rated -3 to +6 G, and everyone on board wears a parachute. The maximum guest weight is 210 lb.
The vintage lover or photographer
The Vintage Piper Cub Doors-Off Flight is $300. It's a private flight in a restored 1940 Piper J-3 Cub with the door open, for one guest, with a 190 lb maximum guest weight.
How Fly LA gift cards work
- Pick the experience. Add a photo and video package for $50, or an extra passenger for $50 on Discovery, Sunset, and Night flights. The Cub and the aerobatic flight are for one guest.
- Buy it on the gift cards page, or call (818) 683-3404.
- Delivery: we email it to you so you can print it, or we email it to the recipient. You can choose a send date, or leave it blank and we send the gift card after you pay.
- The recipient schedules by calling (818) 683-3404. You don't pick a flight date when you buy the card.
- Flexible: gift cards can be transferred, refunded, or exchanged within one year of purchase.
- Redeemed within 16 months of purchase.
Gift-giver's checklist
Weight
Small airplanes have strict weight and balance limits. The maximum weight per guest is 230 lb in the Piper Archers and Cessna 172, 210 lb in the Pitts, and 190 lb in the Cub. It's private and never a judgment.
Age
12 and up for Discovery, Sunset, and Night flights. 16 and up for the aerobatic flight. Anyone under 18 needs parent or guardian consent.
Weather
If the weather isn't safe, we cancel or reschedule at no cost to the guest. We make that call the morning of the flight. Gift card holders can reschedule at no cost if weather cancels the flight, the same as any other guest.
Timing on the day
Guests should arrive no more than 10 minutes early and no later than 10 minutes after their booked time. We run back-to-back flights.
Peace of mind
Every flight gets a weather and airspace briefing, weight and balance, and TFR checks, plus a guest briefing of about 5 minutes. In-house FAA-certified mechanics maintain the fleet above standard. We carry $1 million in insurance coverage. Since we started flying in 2017, we've flown thousands of flights with zero incidents. Read how we fly on the safety page.
Who they'll fly with
Our instructors include founder and chief flight instructor Moe Tarakji, an FAA Gold Seal Flight Instructor and commercial helicopter pilot; Nirvan Raymond, an FAA Gold Seal Flight Instructor who trained with Moe from age 18 and became a CFI at 20; and Lo Decibel, a CFI who moved from Belgium to become a pilot. Our instructors have thousands of hours, including those FAA Gold Seal instructors.
What the recipient's day looks like
Booking the flight
Once they have the card, your recipient picks a date and time by calling (818) 683-3404. We're open 7 days a week, by appointment.
At the airport
They'll meet their instructor at 7900 Balboa Blvd, Unit Juliet 5, Van Nuys, CA 91406, get a short briefing, and walk around the airplane before climbing in. Headsets go on, and the instructor talks them through taxi and takeoff with Van Nuys tower.
In the air
On a Discovery, Sunset, or Night flight, the instructor handles the first takeoff and landing. In between, your recipient can take the controls and fly as much as they like: gentle turns, climbs, and descents, with Los Angeles below. Tell them to bring sunglasses and wear closed-toe shoes.
The landing and the logbook
The instructor brings the airplane back to Van Nuys. Time on a daytime Discovery Flight, the Sunset flight, and the Night flight can be logged toward a pilot certificate. Bring a logbook and proof of U.S. citizenship, or a passport.
Which flight to give
| Experience | Best for | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Discovery, Sunset, or Night | First-timers, future pilots | $230, up to 2 guests, Cessna 172 or Piper Archer, ages 12+. Extra passenger $50. Photo and video $50. |
| Pitts S-2B aerobatic | Thrill-seekers | $450, one guest, ages 16+, 210 lb max, -3 to +6 G |
| Vintage Piper Cub doors-off | Photographers, history fans | $300, one guest, 190 lb max, restored 1940 J-3 Cub |
Make the reveal fun
- Print the card and tuck it inside a model airplane box or a pair of aviator sunglasses.
- Pair it with a logbook so they can record the flight.
- Send them our guide to what to expect on their first discovery flight.
FAQ
How much is a discovery flight gift card?
Discovery, Sunset, and Night flights are $230, for up to 2 guests. A photo and video package is $50, and an extra passenger on those flights is $50.
How is it delivered?
Emailed to you so you can print it, or emailed to the recipient. You can choose a send date, or leave it blank and we send the gift card after you pay.
How long is it valid?
It must be redeemed within 16 months of purchase. It can be transferred, refunded or exchanged within one year of purchase.
How does the recipient book?
The recipient calls (818) 683-3404 to schedule. You don't pick a flight date when you buy the card.
Do they need experience?
No. Most guests have never flown before. A certified flight instructor flies with them.
Can I give an aerobatic or Cub flight?
Yes. The Pitts S-2B aerobatic flight is $450, for ages 16 and up, one guest, with a 210 lb maximum guest weight. The Vintage Piper Cub Doors-Off Flight is $300, for one guest, with a 190 lb maximum guest weight.
What if the weather is bad?
Safety comes first. If the weather isn't safe, we cancel or reschedule at no cost to the guest. We make that call on the morning of the flight. Gift card holders can reschedule at no cost if weather cancels the flight, the same as any other guest.
Give the gift of flight
It's a gift they'll talk about for years.
Fly LA Experience, 7900 Balboa Blvd, Unit Juliet 5, Van Nuys, CA 91406. Open 7 days a week, by appointment.