Personalize and Pay
- Personalize
- Pay
- Done
How a Gift Certificate Works
Choose the gift and the occasion
Pick a lesson, a VR session or a bundle, then the certificate art: birthday, classic, or seasonal during the holidays.
Personalize it and pay
Add who it is for, who it is from and an optional message, then pay securely by card, Apple Pay or Google Pay.
Print it or forward it
The certificate arrives in your inbox and downloads as a JPG. Hand it over in person or forward the email.
They book online
The recipient books a time online with the certificate code. VR gifts are booked once the VR room opens.
How Much Does a Flight Simulator Gift Certificate Cost?
Aviator.NYC gift certificates start at $95 for a VR simulator session with an operator and $195 for one with a flight instructor. Both VR sessions are 60 minutes with 45 minutes in the simulator, booked once the VR room opens. A lesson in the FAA-approved G1000 NXi simulator with a flight instructor is $215 for one hour or $430 for two hours. A 1.5-hour lesson is $322.50. For someone ready to train, the 6-hour bundle is $1,080, saving $210, and the 10-hour bundle is $1,750, saving $400 against the 1-hour rate. Lesson and VR certificates are valid for one year, and bundles for 90 days. If prices increase, we will honor the duration for any gift certificate. You pay online, and the certificate is emailed to you the moment payment clears, ready to print or forward.
| Gift | Validity | Price |
|---|---|---|
| VR Session With an Operator | Valid for 1 year | $95 |
| VR Session With a Flight Instructor | Valid for 1 year | $195 |
| 1-Hour Simulator Lesson | Valid for 1 year | $215 |
| 2-Hour Simulator Lesson | Valid for 1 year | $430 |
| 1.5-Hour Simulator Lesson | Valid for 1 year | $322.50 |
| 6-Hour Training Bundle | Valid for 90 days | $1,080 |
| 10-Hour Training Bundle | Valid for 90 days | $1,750 |
Lessons use the FAA-approved G1000 NXi simulator. See training for new pilots, the Young Aviators program or the VR simulators for what the recipient can do with the gift.
What Happens in the Lesson?
Every lesson is structured, with instructors who include airline pilots.
Simulator Session (95 min)
- Ramp Start: Begin cold and dark, use checklist to start engine
- Systems Demo: Power, radios, engine management, flaps
- Taxi Practice: Rudder pedals and brakes, hold short of runway
- Takeoff and Climb: Smooth power, maintain heading, climb to altitude
- All Maneuvers: Turns, climbs, descents, slow flight practice
- Emergency Procedures: Engine failures and diversions
- G1000 Navigation: Using avionics for navigation
- Traffic Pattern: Stabilized descent and approach practice
Gift Certificate FAQs
Prices, delivery, VR sessions, validity and the duration promise.
Common Questions From Gift Buyers
What the recipient gets, how delivery works, and how long a certificate lasts.
A G1000 simulator lesson with a flight instructor costs $215 for one hour, $322.50 for 1.5 hours and $430 for two hours. A VR simulator session costs $95 with an operator and $195 with a flight instructor. Training bundles run 6 hours for $1,080 (save $210) and 10 hours for $1,750 (save $400).
- G1000 lesson certificates start at $215
- Prices include the instructor or operator, with nothing extra to pay at the studio
- If prices increase, we will honor the duration for any gift certificate.
In a G1000 lesson the recipient flies an FAA-approved G1000 NXi simulator with a flight instructor beside them. This is simulator training with real procedures, not a ride.
- Takeoffs, landings, approaches and navigation, with the recipient at the controls
- The instructor adapts the lesson to a first-timer or a student pilot
- Time flown with an instructor is loggable toward FAA pilot certificates
Yes. A VR simulator session is 60 minutes with 45 minutes in the simulator, either with an operator who guides the flight or with a flight instructor. VR gifts are booked once the VR room opens. Expected online at the new Midtown studio no later than November 1, 2026.
- A VR gift certificate carries a dollar value and is redeemed when booking opens
- The certificate is not a booked date or a time slot
- No experience is needed for a session with an operator
You receive the certificate. It is emailed to you the moment payment clears and downloads as a JPG, so you can print it or forward it on the day you choose.
- Choose birthday or classic certificate art, plus seasonal art during the holidays
- Add a personal message of up to 450 characters
- The recipient books a time online with the certificate code
If prices increase, we will honor the duration for any gift certificate. A certificate bought for a 1-hour lesson still covers a 1-hour lesson after a price change.
- The duration is noted on the certificate record when it is issued
- Bundles cover the hours they were sold with
Lesson and VR gift certificates are valid for one year from purchase. Training bundles are valid for 90 days.
- Lesson and VR certificates: 12 months to redeem
- Training bundles: 90 days to use all the hours
Yes. Most recipients have never touched flight controls, and no experience is needed for a G1000 lesson or a VR session with an operator.
- G1000 lessons are open to ages 8 and up
- Good for birthdays, anniversaries and bucket-list gifts
Aviator.NYC runs flight simulator birthday parties for kids, led by instructors in Manhattan, booked separately from gift certificates.
- Small groups take turns flying the simulator
- Each child gets their own time at the controls
Ready to Give the Gift of Flight?
Choose a gift, add your message and pay. The certificate is emailed to you right away.
Still deciding? Read our guide to the best aviation gifts or ask us a question.