Top Queenstown Air Tours

Travel from Queenstown to the much-loved UNESCO-listed Milford Sound. Your guide will ensure you make the most of your trip with commentary along the way—pointing out scenic viewpoints and areas where Lord of the Rings was filmed. Once you reach Milford Sound, you won’t have to worry about waiting in visitor lines as entrance tickets are included. Enjoy a Milford Sound Discovery Cruise where you’ll see stunning views of waterfalls and Mitre Peak. You’ll also have free time to explore the waterfalls of Lake Marian on foot.

The glacial waters, soaring cliffs, and thundering waterfalls of Milford Sound are spectacular from all angles, and this half-day tour takes in all the highlights. Enjoy thrilling aerial views of the Fiordland National Park on a round-trip flight from Queenstown, and marvel at Mitre Peak, Bowen Falls, and Mount Pembroke on a scenic Milford Sound cruise. Hotel pickup and drop-off is included.

Take in the vast scale of Milford Sound from the air and water with a half-day trip that includes round-trip flights and a catamaran cruise. You’ll board a small plane that accommodates up to 13 passengers, lift off above the ridges and lakes of Fiordland National Park, then cruise Milford Sound all the way to the Tasman Sea. Watch for fur seals and penguins, and pass through the mists of Stirling Falls before meeting the pilot for the return trip to Queenstown.

Take a window seat for a scenic round-trip flight from Queenstown to Milford Sound, and see the splendor of Fiordland National Park from the air and sea. Board a cruise and pass dramatic waterfalls and Mitre Peak as you travel to the Tasman Sea. Then soar over the Southern Alps on your return.

Explore Lake Wakatipu by boat on a 1.5-hour cruise from Queenstown. As you travel to the end of the lake, you can see stunning lakeside homes, a variety of bird life, Kawarau Dam, and the magnificent scenery that surrounds Queenstown. Get unobstructed views from the sundeck or stay warm in the heated cabin, and have the option to purchase drinks from the onboard bar.

Be amazed by the dramatic landscapes of Fiordland on this full-day tour by boat and by air. If you’re short on time in the area, this combo tour makes it easy to see a lot in one day. Enjoy a cruise on Milford Sound–beautiful in any weather–and a scenic flight over Fiordland National Park and back to Queenstown, seeing views you couldn’t experience any other way.

Located in the heart of Fiordland National Park, Milford Sound forms part of the Te Wahipounamu World Heritage site. Explore the stunning fiord by air and water during a half-day excursion. The exhilarating, round-trip helicopter flight from Queenstown includes a glacier or alpine landing. Perhaps spot dolphins, seals, and penguins during an unforgettable cruise.

The cliffs, fjords, and waterfalls of Milford Sound are among the most impressive natural wonders of New Zealand’s South Island. This tour is ideal for those short on time, including round-trip flights from Queenstown and up to two hours of free time at Milford Sound. Enjoy spectacular aerial views over the Fiordland National Park, Mount Aspiring National Park, and Lake Wakatipu; then touchdown to hike around the Sound with views of Mitre Peak and Lady Bowen Falls.

Soar over the alpine scenery around Queenstown during this 45-minute helicopter flight. Make a landing in pristine snow high above the town for spectacular views and photo ops. Pickup from select Queenstown hotels included.

Milford Sound is an unmissable destination in the South Island, and you can experience it at its best on this easy small-group tour from Queenstown. Traveling there in a luxury bus with panoramic scenic windows, you can focus on the views rather than have to drive. Whatever the weather, Milford Sound is always beautiful. Return to Queenstown by air, saving time and maximizing the scenic views.

Soar above the clouds and majestic mountain peaks of Mt. Aspiring and Fiordland National Parks for a truly bird’s-eye perspective of New Zealand’s celebrated alpine scenery. On this compact scenic flight from Queenstown, enjoy views of at least five major glaciers, each lesser-known than the heavily visited Fox and Franz Josef Glaciers further north. This flight also showcases the deep, densely forested fiords of Milford Sound.

See the sheer cliffs of Milford Sound from the air and water on a half-day tour from Queenstown by sightseeing plane and catamaran. Fly over Fjordland National Park, part of a UNESCO-listed landscape, then touch down at Milford Sound for a cruise with drinks and lunch (for the midday departure) served on board. This tour is perfect for photography and wildlife watching, and hotel pickup and drop-off from Queenstown hotels is included.

If you think Queenstown looks good from lake-level, you’ll be amazed at the views from this 20-minute scenic flight above the city, lake, and mountains. In a small group (max. 12) you’ll soar about the Wakatipu Basin while listening to your pilot’s live commentary, highlighting landmarks and points of interest. Spot ski fields, pretty towns like Arrowtown, and get a sense of Lake Wakatipu’s meandering shape from the air.

Milford Sound lies in a remote corner of New Zealand’s South Island and, although remarkably scenic, the route from Queenstown is long. On this tour, reach Milford Sound by premium glass-roof coach and spot native wildlife during a 2-hour nature cruise. When it’s time to return home, take to the skies and return effortlessly to Queenstown—with unrivalled views over the wilderness landscapes from the air.

Be amazed by the beautiful aerial views of Aoraki Mount Cook on a scenic flight from Queenstown. As well as taking in the beautiful sights of the mountains and glaciers, you’ll land at Mount Cook Village and have several hours to explore. Grab some food or even walk the Hooker Valley Track, one of New Zealand’s most beautiful short walks.

The UNESCO-listed landscapes of Milford Sound are even more spectacular from above. Take to the skies on a 1-hour round-trip flight from Queenstown; spot natural wonders such as Mitre Peak and Bowen Falls from the air; and enjoy unbeatable aerial views of the mountains, lakes and fjords of the Fiordland National Park.

Mt Cook Bus Tour & Ultimate Alpine Experience, this small group, fully guided bus tour to Mt Cook combines all of the key highlights of Mt Cook with scenic flights in a helicopter and a ski plane including a Tasman Glacier landing plus free time to do other optional activities of your choice. Led by our famously passionate tour guides, notorious for bringing your journey to life by sharing their stories and rich background knowledge, and run in modern, comfortable minibuses packed with extras ensuring your comfort and safety. While the destinations you will be visiting are truly spectacular, we at Cheeky Kiwi Travel believe it is our small groups, our guides, the journey and the little details that set our tours well apart. Secret stops, wildlife viewings, specially designed vehicles, complementary refreshments and many other pleasant surprises ensure our tours are an experience to remember.

Milford Sound is one of New Zealand’s most impressive natural wonders, but the fjord’s remote location is around four hours by road from Queenstown. Instead, maximize your time on this tour by plane; enjoy spectacular aerial views of Skippers Canyon, Sutherland Falls, and the Fiordland National Park; and touch down to experience the fjord up close.

When soaring in a fixed-wing plane from Queenstown to Franz Josef or Tasman Glacier, you may think the one-hour scenic flight is the highlight of this tour. But the best is yet to come. Switch to a helicopter and fly up to a landing point high on the glacier, where you’ll embark on a hike on the snow and ice. Wearing crampons, you’ll explore caves and see remarkable landscapes inaccessible any other way.

Soar over the mountains of Mount Aspiring National Park and Fiordland National Park on this small-group aerial tour from Queenstown. Get epic views over the glaciers and fly through Milford Sound, where you'll see Stirling Falls and Mitre Peak. This small-aircraft tour can accommodate just seven people, ensuring personal attention from your pilot/guide. Round-trip hotel transportation included.

Stewart Island is renowned for its beautiful beaches, Maori heritage, and diverse wildlife, and lies just off the coast of New Zealand’s South Island. With this round-trip flight, explore the island on a day trip from Queenstown, including hotel pickup and a scenic small plane flight to the island. Enjoy magnificent views of the island from above, then land on the island and spend the day exploring independently.

This trip provides a spectacular overview of Milford Sound and endless panoramic views of lakes, forested river valleys, waterfalls, jagged razor backed ridge lines and snow-covered peaks along the way. Ideal for those who can’t make it for the cruise, this Milford Sound flight is an unforgettable, once-in-a-lifetime experience.

The one-hour fixed-wing flight from Queenstown to Franz Josef glacier is certainly spectacular, but the highlight of this trip is the glacier Heli Hike. The experienced guides will take you into a deep part of the glacier via a scenic helicopter flight. The helicopter passes over the deep crevasses of the icefalls and waterfalls to land on the upper ice fall of Franz Josef glacier. From there you’ll be fitted with crampons for the two hours on the ice, exploring caves and seeing the natural, ever-changing wonder of the glacier in the South Island of New Zealand.