New Zealand · SCENIC HELICOPTER FLIGHTS IN QUEENSTOWN

The 15 Scenic Helicopter Flights in Queenstown That Earn Their Price

30 tours  ·  from $144 a head

This is the shortlist you would send a friend: 15 scenic helicopter flights in Queenstown worth the money, each with its price, its traveller verdict and the one thing to know before you commit.

Milford Sound Small Group Tour from Queenstown with Scenic Flight - Mirror Lakes is short, easy, and worth the pause
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Milford Sound Small Group Tour from Queenstown with Scenic Flight

1.Milford Sound Small Group Tour from Queenstown with Scenic Flight

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 324 reviews · from $557Our pick

You’ll ride a 16-seat Mercedes van from Queenstown through Te Anau and Fiordland, stopping at Mirror Lakes and the Homer Tunnel before a two-hour Milford Sound cruise. A 45-minute fixed-wing flight returns you to Queenstown. Guides such as Tommy, Alana, Amy, and Nev are known for lively local stories and well-timed photo stops.

“Our guide Jono was fantastic. Loved his enthusiasm and the information he gave. He also took us to additional sites that wouldn’t be possible with a large tour bus. Jono went above and beyond trying to switch us to a larger plane flight when he thought that the small plane would not be able to take us due to the rainy weather. Unfortunately and fortunately no flights could take off with the huge amount of rain that came through, but that made the waterfalls amazing. Jono was great to drive back with as well.”

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Queenstown: Pilot's Choice Helicopter Tour & Alpine Landing - Eight minutes above Lake Wakatipu
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Queenstown: Pilot’s Choice Helicopter Tour & Alpine Landing

2.Pilot’s Choice Helicopter Tour & Alpine Landing

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 291 reviews · 25 min · from $230

Fly from Queenstown over Lake Wakatipu and the surrounding peaks, then land at a remote alpine location chosen by your pilot. The small group holds up to six people, with pilots such as Bill, Jono, Danny, and Scottie praised for friendly commentary and careful flying. Snow is possible in winter, but the landing may also be on rugged ground or grass.

“Amazing experience easy to get to and very helpful staff”

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Glacier Explorer & Earnslaw Burn Helicopter Flight - Following the Rees Valley toward Mt Aspiring
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Glacier Explorer & Earnslaw Burn Helicopter Flight

3.Glacier Explorer & Earnslaw Burn Helicopter Flight

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 202 reviews · 50 min · from $408

Spend 50 minutes above Queenstown with Glacier Southern Lakes Helicopters, flying over Skippers Canyon, Rees Valley, Mt Aspiring National Park, and the Earnslaw Burn. You may land on a glacier for photos, with pilots such as Alfie, Jeremy, Luke, and Alice providing commentary. Glacier landings can change with weather and snow conditions.

“Fantastic helicopter flight and got to land on the Glacier. The pilot was brilliant and made the experience very memorable. Would do it again.”

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Half-Day Milford Helicopter Flight and Cruise from Queenstown - Leaving Queenstown for Fiordland
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Half-Day Milford Helicopter Flight and Cruise from Queenstown

4.Half-Day Milford Helicopter Flight and Cruise from Queenstown

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 173 reviews · from $887

Travel from Queenstown to Milford Sound by helicopter, with about 1 hour 15 minutes in the air, a glacier or alpine landing, and a one-hour boat cruise. Your pilot may be Alfie, Luke, Will, Jeremy, Jack, or another experienced crew member. Hotel pickup, headsets, landing fees, and return transfers are included.

“I highly recommend this tour! It's worth it for the views over the mountains, landing on a glacier, and the boat cruise. We saw porpoises, seals, and spectacular waterfalls. Our pilot, Will, was excellent and had great information about the area geography and wildlife!”

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Queenstown: Pilot's Choice Helicopter Flight with alpine landing - The return flight over glacially carved valleys
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Queenstown: Pilot’s Choice Helicopter Flight with alpine landing

5.Pilot’s Choice Helicopter Flight with alpine landing

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 168 reviews · from $245

Take a small twin-engine helicopter from Queenstown over Lake Wakatipu and the Remarkables. Your pilot, possibly Bill, Jono, or Jezza, provides commentary before landing at about 1,538 meters for roughly 10 minutes. Hotel pickup and drop-off are included, and the flight carries no more than six people.

“Amazing view of the lake and mountains. Great take off and landing. The staff were really nice and friendly. Highly recommend.”

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Queenstown: Milford Sound Cruise & Helicopter Alpine Tour - From Queenstown to Fiordland in a helicopter
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Queenstown: Milford Sound Cruise & Helicopter Alpine Tour

6.Milford Sound Cruise & Helicopter Alpine Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 165 reviews · 4 hours · from $786

Fly with Glacier Southern Lakes Helicopters over Fiordland National Park, land in Milford Sound, and cruise beneath cliffs and waterfalls. Your return flight includes an alpine or glacier landing, weather permitting. Pilots such as Luke, Andrew, Jeremy, and Michael provide commentary, while the route and landing site may change with conditions.

“Loved everything about it. The pilot was friendly and informative. The fight to Milford was smooth the cruise was breathtaking. We saw a seal rounding up and eating busy fish. We also saw the second rarest penguin returning to it mate. Even the boat caption was excited. The fight back with the landing on a glacier…. Wow what an experience. Throwing snow balls and playing in the powder snow Totally recommend this experience to anyone who is thinking of it. It is worth the money”

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From Queenstown: Milford Sound Coach, Cruise, Scenic Flight - Mirror Lakes and the first photo stops
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From Queenstown: Milford Sound Coach, Cruise, Scenic Flight

7.Milford Sound Coach, Cruise, Scenic Flight

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 113 reviews · 9 hours · from $465

Ride the Milford Road with Southern Discoveries, stopping at Mirror Lakes, Monkey Creek and The Chasm. Cruise Milford Sound with lunch, then fly back with Glenorchy Air in a guaranteed window seat. Guides such as Greg, Stan and Craig Junior have earned praise for their stories, humor and calm handling of delays.

“The trip to Milford was a highlight of our holiday. Loved driving down and flying back. Our guide, Stan, was entertaining and our pilot, Annabelle, was terrific! Improvements? My phone died which was tragic. I had my cord but left my adapter behind. Ability to charge by adding multifunctional adapters for charging would be an improvement. The buffet was ok. The food was warm, not hot.”

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25-Minute Remarkables Helicopter Tour from Queenstown - The Remarkables landing at about 5,000 feet
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25-Minute Remarkables Helicopter Tour from Queenstown

8.25-Minute Remarkables Helicopter Tour from Queenstown

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 89 reviews · from $179

Take a 25-minute helicopter flight from Queenstown over Lake Wakatipu and the Remarkables. Your pilot, such as Kurt, Steve, Jack, or Mike, narrates the route through a headset before landing at about 5,000 feet for photos. Hotel pickup is included, and the group is limited to six passengers.

“Excellent customer service and comms - cannot fault the entire experience - just fantastic!. Would recommend highly 🤙🏽”

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Queenstown: Scenic Alpine Heli-Flight - The alpine landing is the real payoff
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Queenstown: Scenic Alpine Heli-Flight

9.Scenic Alpine Heli-Flight

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 88 reviews · 35 min · from $239

Fly with Glacier Southern Lakes Helicopters over Queenstown, the Whakatipu Basin, and historic Skippers Canyon, then land on a rugged alpine peak. Your English-speaking pilot, such as Alfie, Jeremy, or Michael, provides commentary on geology and gold mining. Hotel pickup is available, and the flight runs in all seasons when weather allows.

“Amazing experience even on a cloudy day. Beautiful country and great pilot/tour guide.”

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30-Minute Alpine Scenic Flight from Queenstown - From Frankton to the Wakatipu Basin
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30-Minute Alpine Scenic Flight from Queenstown

10.30-Minute Alpine Scenic Flight from Queenstown

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 63 reviews · from $251

Fly from Queenstown over the Wakatipu Basin and Skippers Canyon on a small-group helicopter tour. Expect about 20 minutes in the air within a 30-minute experience, pilot commentary through a headset, and an alpine landing for photos when weather and aircraft conditions allow. Hotel pickup is available, and the flight returns to 35 Lucas Place.

“Excellent experience. The pilot was very friendly & made the experience that much better. The flight itself was breathtaking and incredible. Highly recommend.”

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Helicopter Tour with Alpine Snow Landing from Queenstown - What the briefing and takeoff feel like
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Helicopter Tour with Alpine Snow Landing from Queenstown

11.Helicopter Tour with Alpine Snow Landing from Queenstown

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 46 reviews · from $570

Fly 40 to 45 minutes from Queenstown Airport over the Southern Lakes, then land on a snowy alpine field. Your pilot provides live commentary, shuts down the helicopter for quiet time, and gives you room for photos, snow play, and mountain views. Pickup, parking, shared, and private options are available.

“Ben was a great pilot and guide! Terrific experience. Friendly, professional, top notch all around. It was truly over the top!”

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Milford Sound & Big 5 Glaciers Scenic Flight from Queenstown - Queenstown pickup and the short pre-flight routine
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Milford Sound & Big 5 Glaciers Scenic Flight from Queenstown

12.Milford Sound & Big 5 Glaciers Scenic Flight from Queenstown

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 43 reviews · 1h 30m · from $280

Fly from Queenstown in a 12-seat Cessna with an experienced English-speaking pilot, crossing Mt Aspiring and Milford Sound while viewing Rob Roy, Bonar, Dart, Volta, Olivine, and Donne Glaciers. Hotel pickup, commentary, and panoramic windows are included. The flight lasts about one hour, with the rest of the 90 minutes covering transfers and briefing.

“The whole experience was incredible and well worth the money”

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Milford Sound Extended Helicopter Flight & 3 Landings - First landing: stepping out in Milford Sound
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Milford Sound Extended Helicopter Flight & 3 Landings

13.Milford Sound Extended Helicopter Flight & 3 Landings

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 32 reviews · 2h 30m · from $786

Fly with Glacier Southern Lakes Helicopters from Queenstown over Fiordland to Milford Sound, then along its full 16km length to a remote Tasman Sea beach. You’ll make three landings, including a scenic Milford walk and a final glacier or alpine stop. Pilots such as Jeremy and Luke provide live English commentary.

“The provider actually made sure that we had our best experience even though we had to reschedule due to weather and airport maintenance At Milford sound.”

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20 minute Queenstown Scenic Flight - Looking down on wine country
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20 minute Queenstown Scenic Flight

14.20 minute Queenstown Scenic Flight

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 32 reviews · from $143Best value

Fly from Queenstown Airport with Air Milford for a 20-minute circuit over the Remarkables, Arrowtown, Coronet Peak, the Shotover River, Moke Lake, Lake Wakatipu, and the Skyline Gondola. You’ll travel in a small group of up to 12, hear live pilot commentary, and return to the airport. Hotel pickup may be available.

“Really great way to see the town and surrounds, and the people at Air Milford are just lovely. We did this on the last day of a short stay having also flown to Milford Sound and Mt Cook on other excursions, and honestly it was the nicest scenic flight as you got a really good perspective of the town and lake and relationship to the surroundings.”

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Queenstown Helicopter Flight with Snow Landing | 30 mins - The first views over Queenstown and the Whakatipu Basin
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Queenstown Helicopter Flight with Snow Landing | 30 mins

15.Queenstown Helicopter Flight with Snow Landing | 30 mins

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 31 reviews · 30 min · from $269

Take a shared 30-minute Heliworks flight from 64 Grant Road over Queenstown and the Whakatipu Basin. Your pilot, such as Craig, Eddie, or James, provides live commentary before landing in an alpine snowfield for photos and snow play. Bring warm clothes and comfortable shoes. Snow landings depend on weather and season.

“I proposed ….. she said yes! I credit it to the pilot and the team!”

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New in Scenic Helicopter Flights in Queenstown

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