What a discovery flight costs in Michigan
A discovery flight costs a median of $150 at the 17 Michigan flight schools that publish a price, and published prices run $99 to $225.Each price below is the school's own figure, with its source, the date it was checked, and a number to call.
- Median price
- $150
- Schools
- 17
- Range
- $99 to $225
Updated November 3, 2026
Michigan 17
Huron Aviation Services · Alpena
A session in the Redbird simulator and about 30 minutes at the controls of the Cessna 172, with a debrief.
$180
Michigan Flyers · Ann Arbor
An introductory lesson in a Cessna, 30 to 45 minutes aloft. The club says the fee covers aircraft expenses and the instructor donates their time.
$120
Foxtrot Flight Training · Dowagiac
In a Luscombe 8A, about an hour and a half in all.
$130
Halls Aviation · Grosse Ile
One hour in a Cessna 150. The same hour in a Cessna 172 is $199.
$149
Crosswinds Aviation · Howell
One hour in a two-seat Diamond DA20. An hour in a Cessna 172 is $220.
$185
Clear2Aviate · Ionia
$120
Kalamazoo Flight Instruction · Kalamazoo
About an hour in total, a ground lesson and the flight in the Diamond or a Cessna. The store shows it as a sale price off a $250 regular price; the intro page states $125.
$125
Airmen Academy · Lowell
$100
Suburban Aviation · Ottawa Lake
$99
Kal-Aero Flight Instruction · Portage
45 minutes in a Cessna 172, which the school describes as a special price lowered from its normal rate.
$150
Bay Flying Services · Saginaw
About one hour of flight time in the Cessna 172, billed at $190 an hour and prorated for a shorter flight.
$190
$149.95
Giving Wings Aviation · Traverse City
$165
Wayne and Plane Flight Instruction · Troy
The deluxe flight, about twice as long, is $189.
$129
DCT Aviation · Waterford
The school's introductory flight page says half an hour of flight maneuvers; its homepage says 45 minutes in the pilot's seat. $50 comes back if you go on to train for your license.
$150
$225
Lavion Aero · Zeeland
In a two-seat Cessna 150. $169 in a Piper Cherokee 140, $182 in a Liberty XL-2, and $185 in a Grumman Cheetah or a Cessna 172.
$157
Common questions about discovery flights in Michigan
How much does a discovery flight cost in Michigan?
Across the 17 Michigan flight schools that publish a discovery flight price, the median is $150. Published prices run from $99 to $225. What the price buys varies: some include thirty minutes in the air, others an hour plus a ground briefing, so compare what each one includes as well as the figure.
What is a discovery flight?
A short first lesson in a training airplane with a flight instructor. You sit in the pilot's seat, and most schools let you take the controls once you are in the air. Schools also call it an intro flight or a demo flight.
Does a discovery flight count toward a pilot certificate?
It can. Time flown with a certificated flight instructor can be logged as dual instruction, which counts toward the private pilot certificate. Ask the school whether the instructor will sign your logbook for the flight.
What should I ask before booking one?
How long you will be in the air, as opposed to the whole visit; which airplane you will fly; whether a ground briefing is included; whether tax is added; any weight limit; and whether a friend or family member can ride along.
Cite or share this stat
PilotBound, "Discovery flight prices in Michigan": median $150 across 17 Michigan flight schools that publish a discovery flight price (range $99 to $225), each from the school's own site, updated November 3, 2026. https://pilotbound.app/discovery-flights/michigan
Free to reuse with credit. A link back to this page is appreciated.
The figures on this page are published under CC BY 4.0. Each school's price links to the page it comes from.
Beyond the first flight: what training costs at Michigan flight schools, or discovery flight prices in every state.
PilotBound is not affiliated with these schools. Each price is the school's own published figure on the date shown, and schools change them; confirm with the school when you book. A state gets a page like this once 5 of its schools publish a price. Disclaimer & removal policy.