Kenmore Air

This was our first time flying with Kenmore air. The experience overall was very pleasant. We were able to park our car and leave it there for a few days for free, which was very nice. It happened to be a very nice day, so we were able to wait outside for our flight , but if it is rainy, there’s a nice indoor area as well. The staff was very friendly and the check-in was super easy. We were there an hour before flight and so we just watched the sea planes, takeoff and land and had a nice experience. The actual experience of the flight was wonderful, we had two different pilots each way and each of them were very helpful and knowledgeable. We felt very safe, and overall just had a really nice experience with the flight and with Kenmore air. We flew directly from Kenmore to Victoria, and the flight was around 35 minutes. We had to go through customs in Canada, but it was pretty fast and easy. The takeoff and landing was very smooth.

This is my first time to take the float plane with Kenmore Air. 25 pounds 1 bag allowed for each passenger. 30min checkin before departure time. Very quick and smooth check in, no boarding pass! Under the table in the waiting room, it’s a shining plane engine! 1 pilot, 5 passengers, 65 min total flight time, 1 stop at Deer Harbor, then about 5 minutes to land at West Sound.

Amazing experience. I took the introductory flight lesson, and I couldn’t recommend it more. The instructor Connor was very nice: he explained in the detail how the aircraft works and provided an experience tailored to what I wanted (more flying, less landings). The area around is beautiful and makes the flight even more special. Definitely recommended!

What a great way to show out of towners our beautiful city! The staff is super accommodating They even helped us get our 98yo grandmother in. I HIGHLY recommend! Also my favorite pic of the Needle came from a scenic flight!

Although raining a little, the trip was an unforgettable memory. It started when we were welcomed and checked by two nice and professional staff. We had an amazing pilot, Amanda, who not only personally assisted us getting into the plane but was clearly safety focused and provided comments with a good sense of humor to make the flight more enjoyable. Would take the Lake Union flight again!

Kenmore air is always a good option. Their pilots have years and years of experience, and they are reasonably reliable. The flights are scenic if you want a good idea of the PNW. If you’re a tourist, you can easily take a ~30 minute flight to the San Juan Islands and take in all they have to offer. Much quicker and easier than a ferry. Some of their planes smell more like gasoline than others, so beware if that is a deal breaker for you. The planes are nice and give you a decent amount of room. The security is wait is not existent (there is no security). Think of it more as a bus in the air than anything else.

We booked the San Juan Island, Roche Harbor package deal, for a 3 hour Orca kayak tour, with San Juan Outfitters, (refer to my review about them) and Kenmore Air. It was a Wednesday in mid July, peak season, but crowds were never a factor. The check in process at Kenmore's Lake Washington water terminal was fast, friendly, professional, and while minimal parking is available on site for 10 bucks, we simply parked on the street just outside their property. We departed promptly at 8am for a 45 min flight, with an additional water landing and takeoff at Friday Harbor for dropping off other passengers on board. We thought we were only flying directly to Roche, so this was an unexpected delight! Additional water take offs and landings? Absolutely! We arrived and taxied right up to the small boat/plane dock at Roche, and simply walked right on over to the Outfitters kayak slip, just up the dock towards the Lime Kiln Cafe. It's an enjoyable morning stroll past the boats and their happy and relaxed inhabitants. Our pilots were professional, friendly, and nicely dressed in their crisp, white short sleeve flight shirts and kacki shorts, and of course...their way cool aviators on their face. We arrived on time, took our "3 hour tour", returning at 1300 and still had until 1800 for takeoff back to Lake Washington. This allowed for a fantastic window to mosey about the Harbor, have some lunch at the local Cafe, and take in some bizarre Art at the Sculpture Park just up the road. That was unexpectedly cool. The flight back included two additional water landings at 2 harbors on San Juan which filled the plane up. Because of the craft being full on the flight home... Guess who got to ride in the co-pilots seat? Good guess, it was me! Once in a lifetime experience man. The wonder of low altitude flying is something to cherish, especially if you can share that with someone. My kids and I will never forget the experience...those views! It was a "chunk of change" to book this flight/tour, but it was worth every single penny, and I highly recommend flying with Kenmore Air! Memories for a lifetime spent with the kids!

The 30 minute sightseeing flight over Seattle offers a unique and affordable perspective of our beautiful city. The whole process was super low-key. We just pulled up, parked, checked in with our names and one ID, and waited by the dock to board. The flight itself was very smooth and comfortable, even with the 90 degree temperature on the day we flew. It was also smoky that day so the views were probably not the best, but we were still amazed. I highly recommend this experience for anyone, even if you've flown in and out of Seattle a million times like we have.

Awesome service. Great planes and pilots. Professional, clean and easy to do business with.

I've always wanted a seaplane flight, and was more than thrilled at the chance to fly from Kirkland to Victoria. Getting the flights booked was super easy. The staff were friendly and professional. I was relieved to find that getting in and out of the plane was easier than expected. The safety briefing was thorough. The flight itself was smooth as could be. Absolutely loved the ease of our entire experience.

Had such a pleasant experience flying from SLU to Victoria! Once we got checked in, they let us walk around in the area, so we grabbed some food and coffee before our flight. Just be aware of the weight limits before booking.

Standing on the dock, ready to board the seaplane with my wife and daughter, the Kenmore seaplane pilot placed his angry face inches from mine and says "I don't give a crap; get on the DAMN plane". How did we get to this point? My family showed up at Kenmore Air over an hour early per their instructions for a round-trip flight from Seattle to Victoria. After getting our boarding passes, they announced there would be a one hour delay due to fog moving our flight time from 9 AM to 10 AM. This was reinforced by a prompt email sent out by their company. There were no chairs open in their small waiting area, and we now had over an hour and a half before our flight. We received permission from their staff member to grab a quick breakfast, along with a recommendation to a nearby breakfast establishment. We were told to be back by 9:45 AM. We returned early at 9:35am, which was 25 minutes before our 10 AM flight. We walked about 50ft from their front door down a small walkway to board the seaplane. The pilot looked angry. I offered the comment that the young man at the desk told us to be back by 9:45 and my family are here at 9:35. It is then and there that he stuck his face right in my face and said "I don't give a crap; get on the DAMN plane". He was a tall person and his actions were quite intimidating. There was no need for him to respond in such an unprofessional and abusive manner. My family and I were customers and did not deserve this offensive type of behavior. I responded to his indignant behavior by saying "you don't need to act like a d... about it", and proceeded to get on the plane with my family as instructed. He immediately walked right up behind me and told me to get off his plane and that my family would not be flying on his airplane. Another member of the company standing next to my wife, told her that he could not believe the pilot behaved this, stating he must be having a bad day. We went back inside to report the incident and spoke with the same staff member at the desk. He said we could use his name to speak to the administration confirming he gave us permission to go to breakfast and that we were back early per his instructions, thus following the protocol established by the company. The staff member booked us a later Kenmore Air flight, assuring we would not get the same belligerent pilot. An administrator called me shortly afterwards and cancelled our other flight. The administrator did not want to hear my side of the story. This pilot should have been fired for severe insubordination to a customer. I would not trust that pilot to fly my family anywhere. The fact that Kenmore Air condoned this pilot's angry behavior, clearly states they do not care about their passengers. This is also a repeated theme in their reviews. Do not fly Kenmore Air.

75th anniversary in full swing and worth celebrating ! They offered 30 minute city Seaplane tours for $75 this weekend, so we brought our kiddo to celebrate her 6th birthday. She was all smiles and still talking about all the sites she saw on her very first flight (UW, Space Needle, Puget Sound). "Everyone gets a window seat on one of their beautifully restored de Havilland Beaver or Otter Seaplanes for a birds-eye view of the Emerald City, University of Washington, Shilshole Bay, and Discovery Point." The pilot, Quinn, went above and beyond to make our experience unforgettable. He took photos for our family, and even let our kiddo sit in the cockpit after landing. The maintenance crew was also willing to answer any questions and were full of smiles. It was truly nice to see people who enjoy their jobs/careers. In the lobby you'll find awesome coasters, teeshirts, beautiful coffee mugs, hats, and even a toy seaplane that our kiddo had to have. I love that everyone was required to wear a mask, especially since our kid is unvaccinated. Hubby and I look forward to catching another flight in the near future! Thank you for an unforgettable experience during such uncertain times.

My experience with Kenmore Air has only been from the ground level. I was looking for unique present for my husband and a friend had recommend a 30 minute seaplane flight lesson from Kenmore Air. After a few days of online research, I decided to buy him a gift certificate for an introductory 30 minute flight. I visited their office in Kenmore just to see the types of planes being used for this flight. The lady who assisted me was very friendly and walked me through the types of aircrafts in their fleet and even pointed out a similar model that will most likely be used for the flight. The flight day came and my husband was assigned to a pilot named Robbie. He was also friendly and even let me stand on the docks for some photo ops. After a few minutes of safety reviews, he and my husband took off. They were inflight for about 35 minutes. My husband absolutely enjoyed every moment! I haven't even flown with them and my ground experience was already phenomenal. We are definitely planning on booking a flight with them to Victoria (once allowed). Big thank you for pilot Robbie for making my husband's first seaplane intro flight memorable.

I took my parents on a 30-minute scenic seaplane tour during their visit to the PNW. I was a little worried since weather conditions weren't ideal and it was sprinkling outside intermittently, but I guess that goes with the Seattle experience! The tour itself was so nice and the headphones really help to hear the narration. I was so stoked to sit in the copilot seat when our pilot, Chris, asked for a volunteer! Really neat experience and my parents also enjoyed the views thorughly. My dad used to work on testing planes so he was really happy with the experience. I got a bunch of great pictures and video of the views. Their office is cozy with a little souvenir/gift shop area. There's also a waterfront patio to lounge at while waiting for your flight. Chris also went above and beyond at the end of the flight he offered to take photos for me and my parents on the plane. It was really kind of him to go the extra mile... and of course my mom wanted a picture of me and him as well, and he was happy to oblige!

I just wanted to give props to Kenmore Air. Their customer service is outstanding. I had booked a few trips for my boss and our clients and needed to make some changes. The staff handled everything with such professionalism and was so helpful. I do a lot of travel and excursions for our company and it's such a treat to find people that understand changes and go the distance to make everything work. Highly recommend Kenmore Air, I know our clients are going to have a wonderful experience!

Absolutely amazing. I cannot recommend them enough. It's a must to go on a seaplane excursion in Seattle. They're an amazing outfit. The plane was super clean and gorgeous. I loved every moment of the trip. Thank you Kenmore Air.

My husband and I did the scenic flight around Seattle, leaving from the Lake Union location. The gentlemen in the facility were very kind and funny and the pilot was polite. We did have to wait longer than anticipated to board, due to a couple of late passengers but the staff handled it very well and directed us to a nearby bar where we went to get a drink. The flight was awesome and the narrations were fascinating! I don't think I would do the seattle scenic flight again but I would definitely check out the many different flights and locations they offer

A local associate arrange for a group tour of this seabase. So I've been around aviation for years but haven't much experience with seabases. There were numerous seaplanes ranging from small single-engine aircraft to some large single-engine turboprop aircraft. The maintenance hangar was pretty large and it was obvious, that these guys knew seaplane maintenance. The were aircraft in various phases of inspection and or repair. They also have FAA authorization to manufacture some of the hard to find parts. Additionally, they have there own machine shop and engine overhaul shop. I saw numerous passengers waiting with luggage...curious, I spoke with one of them...they were flying to one of the local Canadian islands. I was surprised to find out that this seabase was classified as an airport of entry...meaning international flights come and go from here. Apparently, they do flight training, sightseeing, and international flights in addition to selling parts and doing aircraft maintenance. The outdoor waiting area was nice and you could watch planes taking off and landing. Pretty cool facility that is well staffed.

My wife and I took a city tour via the 75th anniversary promotion, and was our first seaplane flight. Everything from check in to landing went perfect and I can't recommend Kenmore Air enough. Thanks!

For me, a seaplane was one of those "once in a lifetime" events. After taking this flight with Kenmore Air, I can't wait to do it again. I am not a good flyer, and an even worse boater , but our flight was perfect. Easy take off, steady flight the entire way, and incredibly smooth landing. We took the Victoria Clipper from Seattle to Victoria and had planned on returning the same way. Not that the Clipper is bad - for a boat is really good in fact - it's just that it's still a boat . A friend we were visiting in Victoria wanted us to stay another night and suggested a flight because the Clipper wouldn't have got us back to Seattle in time for our flight. Now I wish I had taken Kenmore Air both ways. A side note, both the Clipper and Kenmore Air make getting through Customs a breeze. No line whatsoever. You step off the plane, walk up the dock, and present your passport to an agent. Five minutes later we were in their gift shop waiting for their (inexpensive) airport shuttle to take off. On top of a stellar flight, we had great service from everyone in the terminal, the dock, and on the plane. I was planning on posting a five-star review as soon as we landed and then a customer service bonus of sorts. I left my iPad in the seatback pocket on the plane and didn't notice until we got to SEATAC. First, near panic. It's not my iPad - it's my wife's. Second, a call to the terminal. Third, amazement and relief. The woman who answered the phone (Taylor?) already had it in hand. Since we would not have been able to make it from the airport to them and back in time she offered to take my card number and immediately FedEx it back to me. I got a text from FedEx first thing the next morning that it was on its way. Nothing short of perfect. In a world where most airlines make you feel like they're happier to see you get off their plane than get on it, you rarely feel like a valued customer. Kenmore gets it. Again, great flight and top of the line experience every step of the way.

Booked flights for a weekend trip from Seattle to Victoria. First, just days before the trip they change the return flight location from Lake Union to Lake Washington without explanation. We had planned to drive to the Lake Union terminal and leave our car there for the weekend so that we would have it easily accessible when we get back. We don't have access to anything at the Lake Washington terminal so we request they help by providing transport to our car at Lake Union (our departing terminal). They say no and offer run-around excuses as to why they couldn't. Next they cancel our outbound flight 15 minutes before closing the day before. We call immediately to try to change our plans, maybe a different flight or cancel our booking and take the Clipper instead. We sit on hold for 10 minutes before they pick up the phone, mutter "Jesus Christ" and hang up. At that point, the office is closed so we can't get ahold of anyone anymore. Now we have a canceled outbound flight, non-refundable $1,300 hotel booking, and can't get ahold of anyone. They do not give one fart about their customers. Never again.

What a fantastic trip I had! $83 for a 50-minute flight around the sound, it was so amazing! The only bad part about my trip (eeek!) was I forgot my Dramamine tablets, so for most of the trip I felt poorly. I managed to get quite a few pictures. When I was about 15, it cost $19 for the trip (that was back in 1976). Even today, the cost isn't out of reach for most folks. Those aircraft are super reliable, but a bit bumpy, but they do the job nicely. Definitely recommended for your visiting friends and family. They can accommodate groups up to 12 in one of the larger DeHavilland Beavers. They said it was a 20-minute flight but it turned out to be much longer, since our pilot was in a good mood that day. It was fun. I wish I had a better camera, though, but at the time that was all I had.

Garbage company. They changed our flight destination days in advance, with zero willingness to offer compensation.

**For the small craft seating 6 people** Heading up to Victoria, I decided to try the Sea & Sky package - fly up and boat down, I decided. This is about a 3.5 experience. I like a little plane noise (and it's given, since it's a small craft and you're just less than a few feet away from the motor) and the pilot (Joe?) was totally cool. The doors have small rotating wind/vent holes. My weird ding: I'm not sure if it was just me not eating enough to start my day or an odd warm vinyl/rubber ambient scent but I felt like a light stomach from mid-trip to the descent... so I napped to help counter this odd sensation. Lots of nice views, don't forget! For people sensitive to turbulence, you may want to call ahead for the wind forecast between your departure location and destination. My favorite moment was the loop descending into the Harbour and divebombing (not literally but sort of!) to the water landing: ((...b...bu...bump....bump bump...bu... bump...))

I surprised hubby with a seaplane lesson for our anniversary. He was thrilled. It was a perfect beautiful day on the harbor, a perfect day to fly. The instructor was fabulous and hubby had a great experience. Highly recommended.

One or two persons fly, thousands get annoyed but noise pollution! What an egoism!

Great experience from making and changing the reservations, to the flights themselves to a remote anchorage in BC. Very professional.

This company does not offer handicapped parking or any form of assistance for deaf and blind people. They will tell you that their planes are not "large enough" to accommodate handicapped people and therefore they are "not legally obliged" to assist you. This is TRUE, but they have every opportunity to help handicapped people who are able to fly with them (deaf and/or blind) like myself. What a disgusting way to treat handicapped people who are paying customers.

*** Much to my chagrin I say "eek, me thinks not"! *** I will give Kenmore Air an extra star for good customer service, but sadly, I would not ever fly a seaplane again. My last flight here from Seattle to Victoria BC was about 4yrs ago on a Kenmore "beaver". It holds about ~ 6 ppl. On my flight there was the pilot, an office asst (who was just going from one office to the next), 2 college students, an elderly woman and me of course. Six, that's it, it's full. Sorta like a canoe with wings, one engine, and one pilot. Anyways ... this was my first and last flight on a seaplane. But this beaver never made it to Victoria BC from Seattle. Nope, this flight went down just 6 to 8mins after it took off. Shortly after take-off we reached a comfortable altitude. About a minute later ... sputter ... putt, putt ... engine dies. At this point we were flying above forest, not water. O shit! [That's what I thought.] Pilot tried to restart engine as plane loses altitude rapidly. Trees are getting bigger and BIGGER. Engine finally restarts, pilot regains control, pulls up again. We're safe. [That's what I thought.] But no, smokes begins to flow from the engine ... heavy smoke ... then a college kid screams "fire". OMFG, WTF, cmon! [That's what I thought.] Pilot veers directly toward a small bay just beyond the trees and lands the plane as quickly as possible. We bob in water. Engine dead, no smoke, no fire ... just a lifeless oily seaplane. In the distance (1mi to shore) we can see fire and police cars. Apparently everybody in the surrounding area saw the smoke. About an hour passes then Coast Guard and a Kenmore "otter" comes to our rescue. The otter (larger seaplane) carries us on to Victoria BC safely. Our flight was comp'd plus a free trip offer. Long story short: an oil line broke, engine stopped, pilot restarted b/c we were over forest, oil spewed on manifold, smoke followed, engine fried, yet our resourceful veteran pilot of +20yrs landed us. *** But hey, that was my 1st time on a seaplane and my last. ***

A truly unforgettable experience! We took a day trip out of Kenmore to Victoria and we're fortunate enough to enjoy clear skies and absolutely stunning views from the moment we took off to the moment we landed. Kenmore Air is definitely the way to go, I highly recommend giving them a try!

Shout out to Kenmore Air and their fantastic customer service while planning our proposal. Due to circumstances out of their control (extremely high winds) we were unable to get engaged in the air; however they went above and beyond to provide a fantastic experience once they heard our story! Kudos to Morgan and Ashley for handling everything so professionally and providing us with an unforgettable flight the following day (Yay, Captain Chris). We will be forever grateful for such an amazing company like Kenmore Air to be a part of our engagement story. If this weekend taught us anything, it is to go above and beyond as Kenmore Air did for us.

I'm walking on air! What a nice, easy way to get to Vancouver Island. This tiny seaplane was a great change from driving or taking the clipper. It's worth doing at least once while you are in the Pacific NW. We could see so much from the air - breathtaking views of land, mountains, sea and sky. The service is good and they are friendly and organized. The terminal is no frills in any way. The little parking lot is first come first serve so get their early if you don't want to pay for parking nearby. The first seaplane I took had a drafty window that was kind of cold. There were about 7 people in the first flight and then 10 people in my return flight in a bigger plane that was like a mini big size plane. It is fun to take off and land in the water. Getting through customs is a breeze since there are so few people to go through. It was the fastest I've ever come in and out of Canada in my life.

This is positively the most fun way to get to Victoria. I took a book thinking that I'd get bored. Instead, I was busy looking out the window and taking a ton of pictures. We were blessed with great weather both days. So, I felt safe. Of course, you'll need a passport to get into Victoria. Bring ear plugs. The plane is loud and it's tough to hold a conversation, but you get use to it. All the seats are great, you can even sit next to the pilot.

Amazing flight experience to Friday Harbor. Pricing is competitive considering the convenience; however, custom trips are not cost-efficient for parties less than 6. I loved boarding the plane without an aggro security experience. This is last civilized commercial experience left in the USA!

We flew out of the Lake Washington terminal to Friday Harbor. The flight was awesome and we had an amazing pilot. Great flight with beautiful weather. We flew at less than 2,000 feet so the scenery was incredible! The Lake Washington terminal was convenient, comfortable and the staff were friendly and helpful. Plenty of overnight parking at the facility, too!

What a way to travel. If I could fly by float plane everywhere I needed to go I would! Flew from Kenmore to Victoria. Total travel time (including a stop on Lake Union) is about an hour. Plus no border hassles, no airport hassles, no luggage hassles. We didn't even have to pay for parking. Additionally, the view is amazing, the ride and landing are smooth, and its just overall super flipping cool. I will give a small warning about the airplane seats which are quite close together. I am only 5'4 but have long legs and could not fit my knees in front of me with any comfort. However, unlike commercial airlines you can easily stretch your legs into the aisle (also note, there is no food or drink service ;) ). The most roomy seats are the last seats, the "exit row". On our trip there we were assigned seats but on our way back we sat wherever we wanted.

We recently took a trip to Friday Harbor and it was amazing. It was quick to board and so smooth take-off through landing. Special thanks to our outgoing pilot Quinn. The views certainly reminded me of why I love the Pacific Northwest. We appreciated being apprised of possible schedule delays due to weather, but the return flight was equally smooth and beautiful. This was my second great experience on Kenmore Air - first trip was to Victoria, BC. Thanks and congrats on 75 years!

Probably not the cheapest way to get around the PNW, but definitely one of the quicker and more unique ways to do so. My flights to/from Seattle and Victoria were pleasant and certainly not without a great deal of scenery. Flight time was about half of the advertised hour, pilots were friendly, and time spent dealing with Customs is pretty painless. My only regret was not being able to get my hands on the co-pilot seat, which definitely looks like the best seat in the house.

We were supposed to fly out the weekend of Labor Day but the flight was cancelled at 9 am due to apparent "clouds" and the ceiling being too low. On Labor Day they offered to fly us later in the day at 430 or to take the Clipper. Instead of bumping us to the next flight they instead offered a flight at EOD missing out on our whole day of vacation. The customer service was not up to par and we ended up missing our trip even though it turned out to be a beautiful sunny day in seattle and victoria. Very disappointed. Visited September 2016

Wow, never been on a seaplane but it was a great and fun experience. The pilot we had on the four seater plane plus the shotgun seat was obviously very experienced. The entire ride was so smooth from the lift off to the landing. The checking in process on both sides of the flight was efficient and organized. If only our bigger air lines like AA, Delta, etc. ran their operations this way no one would ever be late for anything or be frustrated. This is certainly the way to go if you are planning on going to Vancouver Island, the Olympics or for that matter anywhere they fly. the total fly time to Victoria B.C. was 35 min. I would say total time boarding/disembarking, flight time I think was 45 minutes. Love it!!

Probably the best way to travel around the Pacific Northwest. If you haven't flown in a seaplane I'm sorry for your loss. The scenery on our flight to Victoria BC was unbelievable. Our pilot was great even though the weather wasn't cooperating. Our point of contact for the flight (I think his name was Blake) was very professional and communicative. Did I mention they have complimentary coffee? Watch out Starbucks. The best part is not dealing with awful airport security or TSA agents who hate their job. We felt like family traveling Kenmore Air/Harbour Air. Thanks!

What a way for a duck to travel...underground. Agreed. That's why these guys are in business. My guy surprised me with a seaplane flight for my birthday from Seattle (Lake Union, specifically) to LaConner, so we could go to the Tulip Festival. When I lived up there, I detested tulips; now, I think they're my favorite flower: wha' happened? At that time, the flights were about $125 pp. Kenmore Air is right on Westlake (you've probably seen their yellow/white seaplanes parked on the docks.) After we met the pilot and 2 other couples that were on our plane, we all boarded and raced along Lake Union--for a moment, it didn't seem like we were going to make it, but suddenly, we were airborne!. As you would expect, it's a little loud in the plane, but you do get used to it after a few minutes. The views were OUTSTANDING. Approaching the tulip and daffodil fields from the air was breathtaking to say the least. We landed in the slough and deboarded, enjoying some time around LaConner (6 hours is a long time though. LaConner is tiny.) Taking off in the slough was just as thrilling as landing in it was, and the view back never got old. We loved our experience so much, we sent my in-laws to Victoria via Kenmore--which was a little pricier--and they enjoyed it. At least they told us they did. Maybe they hated it and are plotting their revenge? I wish I could give a 5th star, but it's just too pricy for us average folk, but a GREAT special occasion type-of-thing to do.

I flew in the air and it was incredible! I did the 20 minute tour as a surprise birthday gift and am still gushing about how wonderful it was. It's one of the best ways to experience Seattle. Of course the plane is noisy and they have great ear protection with a recorded tour telling you about the area. I personally preferred the noise of the plane but I'm weird like that. Seeing the cliffs of Magnolia and the beach houses of Lake Washington was incredible. You get a nice tour of Lake Washington, a drive by on Bellevue, a loop around downtown and Elliott Bay, and a nice turn near Golden Gardens and Magnolia. It truly leaves you wishing it was longer and wanting more. If you ever need a flight to the islands or just want to do the tour, I highly recommend them.

Such an awesome way to travel. I had to go to Victoria for a couple of days to visit some co-workers in our office up there. Taking the float plane was faster, more fun and way easier than a plane out of Seatac (or driving). You can show up less than an hour before the flight, and if you have extra time once you've checked in, leave and go get a coffee at the Starbucks nearby. You board super quickly, take off almost immediately, and 45 minutes later, you're in Victoria. If you're just hanging out around the Wharf area in downtown Victoria you don't even need a taxi or a car. I just walked around between the float plane landing, our office a few blocks away and my hotel right across the bridge (Delta - 5 minutes). It's not a giant jet plane, so the occasional turbulence can be a little unsettling b/c you really feel it - but I never felt unsafe. I definitely recommend wearing either the ear plugs they provide or having solid headphones that fit in or over ear and cancel noise, because it can get pretty loud in the cabin. I wish all air travel was like this.

I was told that for my birthday I was getting a tour of the San Juan islands with 2 of my friends. An hour before our flight was supposed to take off, the company called us and told us that due to the weather, we would have to push our flight back from 1:30-5:30. That was okay with us, as we had a flexible schedule that day. And they gave us half of our money back, which is okay with us as well. Once we got there, they explained to us that we were going to be part of a "ride-along" while a pilot took 3 other people to Orcas Island. We were supposed to make 3 stops, but only made 2. Never got a chance to actually get off the plane and the pilot never said a word to any of us the whole time except for a welcome and goodbye. Overall, was VERY dissapointed with our so called "tour" of the san juans. On the way home, we flew so high that we could barely see anything on the ground anyways. Frankly, it was a waste of money, even at half off.

Kenmore air did not keep up the scheduled arrival time. Flying from seattle to friday harbor was scheduled to be 1 hour time, but we ended up having to drop people off on deer harbor and roche first, ended up being late by 45 minutes. Also when I purchase the tickets, why they did not inform me that we are going to be dropping or picking people off on the way? Thankfully we did not have anything scheduled right away. When I brought this up to a pilot on our way home (deer harbor to seattle), he provided no explanation why what the ticket said and the actual experience is different. You guys must understand to hold the end of the bargain. At least mentioned that we will be dropping people and to allow 30 to 45 mins delay. This is business common sense. This was not delivered and the pilot only gives me excuses that explains nothing. Be honest, fix your content on your website. Also, we were crammed in a beaver, filling it up to 7 people. Because I was the smallest, I had to be crammed. But why? I did not pay less than everyone else. I found this to be discriminating and unprofessional (also very ghetto). I would not fly kenmore air again unless I absolutely have to.

We took our grandma on a trip to Victoria and she didn't have any troubles getting on or off. I, on the other hand, had to use the assistance of one of the pilot's to get in to and off of the plane, because let's face it, I'm clumsy! The doorway is short, so of course I bumped my forehead, and the steps are wobbly, because HELLO~O, it's on water. It's also very noisy, but there are earplugs in the back of the seat in front of you. This can almost be seen as a benefit, because the noise doesn't make it possible for anyone to talk. The ride becomes quite peaceful this way. The seats were single file along the sides. Every seat has a view out the window and if you're precocious enough you might get to sit in the pilot's seat up front with a full windshield view. Beware though, my husband says that it gets hot because you are directly in the sunlight. There is a little window that you can open to control the temperature a little bit. On our way back we all appreciated a nice drink at a nearby restaurant on the Victorian Pier. Great way to cap off a lil family trip.

Personal attention all the way. My wife and I wanted a romantic getaway for the weekend. Being in Seattle, we though immediately of nearby The San Juan Islands... The only problem was how to get there. Among the different choices (renting a car, taking a ferry, taking a plane) the most exciting alternative turned to be a seaplane! We discovered several services in the area, but we chose Kenmore Air based mainly on their website. We were not disappointed! Right from the start we could tell it was a different kind of company... The lady taking our reservations was truly warm and concerned we could make it on time (she even called the pilot to make sure they waited for us). When we got to the mini-seaport in a lake harbor we were greeted by all smiles and a very clean and modern facility. The pilot was corteous, and kindly allowed one lucky passenger to sit shotgun in the pilot cabin (Lucky guy!). The airplane was small (An Osprey with only nine passenger capacity) which made for an exciting ride... That is, if you do not mind the noise, the vibration and the almost overbearing smell of kerosone. All of that was forgotten with the amazing views that a low altitude ride offered us all the way. Seattle and the Northwest pacific in all its bird-eye glory! The take off and landing on water made for a fantastic experience (We quickly realized that the "getting there" was half the fun). The real reason though I am bothering to write this report is mostly to report on their amazing and personalized service... I explain: After three relaxing days in the islands we went back to the harbor to take the seaplane back... After a few minutes of wait, my cell ringed with a representative of Kenmore Air: He explained that the seaport on Seattle was closed due to lake fog and the we needed to take a normal land-based airplane. Immediately, they sent a cab free-of-charge while they ordered the flight to wait on us. Everyone in the company guiding us to it with a smile. Once in Seattles airport, there was another van waiting that took us back to home. In summary, the price of the plane was expensive, but well worth it... and in their case, well deserved it. Highly recommended.

I took my wife to Lopez Island for our anniversary on the weekend of October 18th-19th, 2014. The plan was to leave Saturday morning, spend the day Kayaking, stay at the Islander Resort and then return Sunday afternoon by float plane from Kenmore Air. Then come to find out, two hours before our flight was to leave they cancelled our flight leaving us stranded on the island with no vehicle. We had to beg for a ride from the resort management to take us to the ferry so we could get a cell signal to call a cab to give us a ride to Everett, WA. They abandoned others there as well, people who had purchased non-refundable concert tickets in Seattle costing them a lot of money. Kenmore Air refunded half the airfare but couldn't have cared less on whether we were stranded or not. They say it was due to wind shear and that public safety was their first priority. Well, that's all fine and good with the exception that standing on the dock there was virtually no wind at all and it was perfectly fine flying in and out of Friday Harbor just 4 miles away. In addition, if the weather conditions changed for the better in four hours, the same information could change in the opposite direction. What would they do then? My point is, if you make an air travel safety assessment at 12:00pm, when it was very windy, maybe you should check again 4 hours later before abandoning your passengers and taking a "who cares, we refunded your money" attitude. In the end, they refunded half of the already exorbitant airfare of $547.00 only so the savings could be spent on a cab ride home and loss of wages the following day because we had to retrieve our vehicle from their parking lot in Kenmore, WA. My wife and I realize that nobody can control the weather and that these things happen and always at the most inconvenient of times. But, it makes us question the skill level of their pilots to fly in poor conditions, the reliability of their information and the integrity of this company as a whole due to their complete disregard for their clientele. Never again will I fly this airline.

I took my first seaplane flight the weekend before Labor Day. A friend had parked his boat at Roche Harbor after two weeks tooling around the Gulf Islands and San Juans and flew down to Seattle for a dinner party I was hosting. The next day - a Sunday - together we took at 5:30 p.m. Kenmore Air flight from Seattle back to Roche Harbor to begin our vacation trip through the San Juans and down to Seattle. I can say I've never had an experience quite like the sea plane. The flight was way too quick (under one hour) and I wish the pilot had kept flying around the islands. Both the take off and landing were smooth - and the smiles on the faces of everyone aboard throughout the flight showed that I wasn't the only one having a great time. Flying on Kenmore Air is expensive - but worth it for the amount of time it takes to travel via car, ferry and/or boat. Who doesn't want to be relaxing in one hour on the with a drink dock at Roche Harbor hotel? I know I do.

We just spent the Memorial Day weekend in Victoria and flew Kenmore Air coming & going. Everything about the experience was easy, convenient and fun. We'll definitely take it again (Vancouver, later this summer) and I would HIGHLY recommend to anyone. Not the cheapest - just the best.

Fun, easy way to fly from Seattle to Victoria (or vice versa). The ride was so smooth...landing on water is much nicer than landing on land! We were fortunate to have a very clear day so the views from the plane were incredible. Customs was easy on both sides. Everyone at Kenmore was very nice and accommodating.

TailSpin fans, rejoice! Your childhood fantasy of flying in a seaplane can be easily fulfilled at Kenmore Air! Sure, your pilot won't be Baloo and Kit Cloudkicker won't be tagging along, but you'll still have a thrilling ride with views over downtown Seattle, the space needle and a plethora of scenic parks, lakes and mountains. There is very minimal interaction with the pilot as the commentary is all pre-recorded. While I would have preferred to have more interaction, it's not strictly necessary, and I can see why the pilot would not want to repeat the same dialogue every single day. Kenmore Air' 20-minute City Explorer tour is well planned, well oiled and hits all the highlights. Tour price is $89 and features take off and landing from Lake Union amidst kayakers, paddle boarders and boaters. PARTING THOUGHT: Be sure to request the co-pilot seat, which will afford you the best view!

Had the best experience and customer service through Kenmore air. After an accidental check in at the wrong location, the staff did what they could to assure that we would make our flight. After a stressful trek getting to the dock with one minute to spare, we were provided the best flight experience. The superb customer service didn't end, even after the flight. My boyfriend left his backpack on the airline and after contacting them shortly later, Lexi made a special stop to return the backpack. Such a wonderful experience and would recommend Kenmore to others!

This is a fun way to get to the San Juans or Victoria, BC and not fuss with ferries. Plus it's FAST. Hear me - FAST. You don't spend all day getting there. My kids loved it. The pilots are nice. It's simple & easy. I recommend.

For those of you looking for something that's more challenging than a touristy fly-over (but without any pre-study) an intro flight with a flight instructor is super reasonable and one of the most amazing experiences I've had. It's only $99 including tax and unforgettable. It was about a 15 minute presentation with the basics of what you, as the front seat, are responsible for in the switch flipping department ie what settings and what order for climb, cruise and descent. You're instructor is right behind you with stick controls as well and will guide you over the headset what to do. He'll do the initial take off and landing in Kenmore Harbor but you'll get a half hour and likely your own shot at landing and taking off (with his adjustments as necessary) further down Lake Washington where there is less traffic. The sun bouncing off the mostly still lake in the morning, the view of the skyline and Space Needle in the distance, smoothly floating over the lake in a floatplane are memories laser etched in to a happy moment. But what's even greater is it's something that while not impossible felt great to actually get my hands on the stick to control and learn something a bit outside of my comfort zone. Also, the history of the place is fascinating and worth some perusal of the books and hanging pictures from the founders, to astronauts, rebuilt classic planes and endorsements by Harrison Ford.