Aerial thermal infrared (TIR) surveys have been a crucial tool supporting river restoration project across the North America as many salmonid-bearing rivers are projected to warm in the coming decades due to increases in atmospheric temperatures and concomitant decreases  and earlier melt of snowpack. The objectives of collecting TIR imagery are to assess the current summer thermal state and the distribution of cold-water refuges within the river system, and to identify opportunities and constraints in the process of restoring optimal habitat conditions. This presentation will show examples of successful data collections and analyses of thousands of river miles using longwave TIR sensors that were mounted in different configurations on helicopter and fixed-wing aircrafts. An emphasis will be put on defining the optimal atmospheric conditions, flying height, data resolution, and the types of analysis that can be achieved. A simple cost-benefit summary will conclude the presentation.