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Phoenix to Sedona Flights
Trade a two-hour I-17 drive for a ~45 minute flight that climbs out of the Sonoran Desert and up the Verde Valley before settling onto Sedona's famous mesa-top airstrip — landing in the heart of the red rocks, minutes from Cathedral Rock, Bell Rock, and the Chapel of the Holy Cross. Depart Phoenix in the morning, spend the day among the red rocks, and fly home the same evening.
See the day tripDrive Versus Fly
The math, side by side. Round-trip from Phoenix.
Drive It
- Out ~2h 0mPhoenix → I-17 north → AZ-179 → Sedona
- Return ~2h 0mSame haul in reverse, often heavy on weekends
- Notes Rental car · interstate climb · a half-day round trip on the road
Fly It
- To DVT variesPhoenix Deer Valley, in the north Valley (Scottsdale pickup on request)
- DVT → SEZ ~45 minHigh-wing Vistaliner up the Verde Valley to the red rocks
- SEZ → DVT ~45 minThe red rocks and the Sonoran Desert, in reverse
How The Day Lays Out
A charter day trip — morning out, the day in the red rocks, home that evening.
Outbound · DVT → SEZ
Return · SEZ → DVT
Getting Back To Phoenix
The return is the second half of the same day trip — the red rocks and the Verde Valley, in reverse.
The return is the second half of the same day trip: you fly Sedona (SEZ) → Phoenix Deer Valley in the afternoon, lifting off the mesa for the roughly 45-minute flight back down the Verde Valley and over the Sonoran Desert, seen from the opposite angle.
There is no scheduled commercial service from Sedona Airport, so the way back to Phoenix is the Sedona → Deer Valley charter, then a short transfer or rideshare to your hotel or to Sky Harbor for an onward flight.
Return leg · SEZ → DVT
Tour Packages
Arranged as a charter day trip from Phoenix — flight, ground tour, and transfers.
What You See From The Cabin
High-wing Vistaliner — every seat next to a window. Multilingual narration.
The Sonoran Desert
Saguaro-studded desert and the north Phoenix valley drop away as the Vistaliner climbs toward the high country.
The Verde Valley
The green Verde River basin — vineyards, Cottonwood, and old Jerome on its hillside — spreads out below as the land begins to rise.
The Mogollon Rim
The great escarpment marking the edge of the Colorado Plateau rises ahead — the geological line where the red-rock country begins.
Sedona's Red Rocks
The rim gives way to Sedona's vermilion buttes — Cathedral Rock, Bell Rock, and the mesa-top runway — on the descent.
The Drive Alternative, Leg by Leg
If you're committed to the wheel — here's the route, mile by mile.
Phoenix → Sedona (by car)
The Two Airports
Your departure & arrival, side by side.
One of the busiest general-aviation airports in the country, in the north Phoenix valley — a quick, uncongested departure point compared with Sky Harbor. Scottsdale (SDL) pickup can be arranged on request. The charter departs here; a short transfer or rideshare connects from Sky Harbor (PHX) and Valley hotels.
One of the most dramatic airstrips in the Southwest — a single runway perched on a mesa about 500 feet above the town, ringed by red rock, so famous for its drop-off ends that pilots nickname it the “USS Sedona.” It's 1.7 nm southwest of downtown, and Airport Mesa is itself one of Sedona's noted vortex sites. Non-towered general-aviation field — no scheduled airline service.
What's In Sedona When You Land
A guide takes you to Sedona's red-rock icons — about six hours on the ground.
Sedona's red rocks sit within Coconino National Forest, managed by the U.S. Forest Service; many trailheads and viewpoints require a Red Rock Pass to park (your guided ground tour handles access). Stay on marked trails, pack out what you bring in, and treat the vortex sites and viewpoints with care — this is heavily visited high-desert land at about 4,300–4,500 feet, so bring water and sun protection.
What Sets Grand Canyon Scenic Airlines Apart
Heritage, fleet, and the credentials behind the flight.
Frequently Asked
Tap any question to expand.
Ready to skip the I-17 drive?
A charter day trip from Phoenix to Sedona's red rocks — flight to the mesa, guided ground tour, and transfers. Reservations daily 6 AM – 10 PM.