Queenstown flying experiences

Flying experiences in Queenstown cover helicopter landings on glaciers, scenic flights to Milford Sound and Mount Cook, tandem skydives and paragliding off Coronet Peak. Helicopters leave from Frankton and from Glenorchy, planes from Queenstown Airport, and the shortest flights are 20-minute hops, so it is easy to fit one around other things to do in Queenstown.

Helicopter flights from Queenstown and Glenorchy

Queenstown helicopter flights are the widest part of the choice, from a 20-minute hop over The Remarkables to a 2.5-hour Fiordland flight with three landings. A middle option is the 45-minute Queenstown Essential flight, with landings on Cecil Peak and near the Shotover Canyon.

For glaciers, the 45-minute Mt Earnslaw Glacier flight leaves from Glenorchy and lands at Earnslaw Burn, while the 50-minute Glacier Express from Frankton lands on a glacier and flies over Skippers Canyon on the way. For Fiordland, the 2-hour Milford Sound helicopter flight with landings lifts off from Frankton and touches down at Milford Sound and an alpine or glacier site.

Scenic flights to Milford Sound and Mount Cook

Scenic flights from Queenstown are fixed-wing trips from Queenstown Airport and Frankton. The Milford Sound overflight is a 1-hour return flight past Bowen and Stirling waterfalls. The Milford Sound fly, cruise and fly package adds an 80-minute return flight, a landing at Milford Sound airport and a 105-minute cruise on the fiord, with Queenstown transfers either side.

Mount Cook is the other big one. The 2-hour Mount Cook scenic flight returns to Queenstown with the Southern Alps and glacier valleys in between, and includes transfers from the centre. In winter, a sunrise flight around Mt Aspiring runs from June to August.

Skydiving, paragliding and hang gliding

Tandem skydiving in Queenstown jumps from 9,000, 12,000 or 15,000 ft, with a freefall of up to a minute on the 15,000 ft jump. The skydive shop is on Shotover Street, and transfers to the dropzone are included.

Under a canopy, tandem paragliding from Coronet Peak runs as a 10 to 15-minute flight in summer, with a free shuttle from Camp Street. Hang gliding in Queenstown launches from the same mountain, as a 10 to 20-minute tandem flight with a pilot, from September to April. Indoor skydiving at iFLY runs in a wind tunnel all day in any weather, in two-flight first-timer sessions.

Heli-hikes, heli-skiing and flights with a twist

Some helicopter trips add a second activity. The Tasman Glacier heli hike is a 6-hour day with a 2-hour guided walk through ice caves. Heli-skiing runs in winter, from July to September, and the helicopter and snowmobile trip on the Garvie Plateau runs from May or June to September or October, depending on snow.

Closer to town, a helicopter can land at a par 3 green at 4,500 feet for a round of altitude golf, or fly to a historic high-country station for a barbecue lunch and a whiskey tasting. Wine lovers can add a helicopter to a Gibbston cellar door day.

Choosing a flight in Queenstown

Time and landings do most of the sorting. Under an hour covers the Queenstown area with a mountain landing, a 2-hour flight or longer reaches Milford Sound and Sutherland Falls, and the half-day packages add a cruise. If the weather is the worry, a flight with a snow or alpine landing runs in winter as well, weather permitting.

Where the flight leaves from changes the day. Heliworks and Air Milford fly from Frankton, Glenorchy Air from the main terminal at Queenstown Airport, and Heli Glenorchy from Glenorchy, a 45-minute drive out. Many trips include hotel pick-up from central Queenstown.

Frequently asked questions

How long are helicopter flights from Queenstown?

Helicopter flights from Queenstown range from a 20-minute hop to a 2.5-hour flight. The short flights cover The Remarkables and the Queenstown area, and the longer ones reach Milford Sound, Sutherland Falls and the glaciers.

Can you land on a glacier on a Queenstown helicopter flight?

Several Queenstown helicopter flights include glacier or alpine landings. The 50-minute Glacier Express from Frankton and the 40-minute Glenorchy scenic flight both land on a glacier.

How do you fly to Milford Sound from Queenstown?

Flights to Milford Sound leave from Queenstown Airport and Frankton by plane or helicopter. A 1-hour overflight stays in the air, and the fly, cruise and fly packages land at Milford Sound and add a cruise, usually making a 4 to 4.5-hour trip in total.

When can you paraglide or hang glide in Queenstown?

Tandem hang gliding and paragliding from Coronet Peak run in summer, with hang gliding offered from September to April. Both include a free shuttle from central Queenstown.

Do Queenstown helicopter flights run in winter?

Queenstown helicopter flights run through winter, and some add snow landings when conditions allow. Heli-skiing runs from July to September.

Is there indoor skydiving in Queenstown?

iFLY Queenstown runs indoor skydiving in a wind tunnel from 10am to 6pm, with sessions scheduled all day. It operates in all weather and includes the flight gear and pre-flight training.

For the glacier landings, go straight to helicopter flights from Queenstown. The rest of the Queenstown region is a short drive from the airfields.