Scenic Flights in New Zealand

New Zealand looks different from the air, and often better. Fiords carved by glaciers, snow capped peaks, volcanic coastline and city harbours all reveal a different scale once you leave the ground. Our New Zealand scenic flights cover fixed wing planes, helicopters, hot air balloons and skydives from the Bay of Islands to Fiordland, so wherever your trip takes you, there is a way to see it from above.

Milford Sound and Fiordland from the Air

Milford Sound is one of the wettest places on earth, and that rainfall is exactly what carves the waterfalls tumbling off Mitre Peak, best appreciated from a Milford Sound Helicopter Flight out of Queenstown. If you would rather stay closer to town, the Queenstown Scenic Flight takes in the Remarkables and Lake Wakatipu without the early start a Milford day trip demands.

Southern Alps, Glaciers and Mount Cook

The main divide of the Southern Alps is where New Zealand's highest peaks and biggest glaciers sit, and a scenic flight is often the only way to see them properly. The Mount Cook Scenic Flight passes below Aoraki, New Zealand's tallest mountain, while a Glacier Scenic Helicopter Flight over Franz Josef and Fox Glacier on the West Coast shows off the ice fields most walking tracks cannot reach. For something a little calmer, drift over the Southern Alps foothills on a Wanaka Scenic Hot Air Balloon Flight at sunrise.

North Island Scenic Flights

The North Island has its own reasons to look down. The Hauraki Gulf and City Scenic Flight traces Auckland's skyline and islands in one loop, while the Hole in the Rock Scenic Flight passes over the same famous rock arch the boat cruises visit, minus the two hour journey there and back. Rotorua trades city views for geothermal ones on the Float Plane Adventure, taking off and landing on the lake itself, and in the capital, the Wellington Harbour Helicopter Flight circles the hills and harbour that hem the city in.

Skydiving with a Proper View

If a scenic flight is not enough thrill on its own, jump out of one instead. Freefall over Lake Wakatipu and the Remarkables on a Tandem Skydive in Queenstown, drop in on Taupo Skydiving above New Zealand's largest lake, or take in Abel Tasman National Park's golden beaches and native bush on a Skydive over Abel Tasman before the canopy opens.

Wildlife and City Flights

Not every flight is about mountains. The Whale Watch Ocean Safari Helicopter Flight in Kaikōura combines a scenic flight with sightings of sperm whales and dusky dolphins along the coast. Closer to the Canterbury Plains, a Christchurch City Scenic Helicopter Flight takes in the Port Hills and Banks Peninsula, and near the Mackenzie Basin's dark sky reserve, a Tekapo Sunset Flight catches the alpine lakes turning colour as the sun drops behind the Southern Alps.

Why Book Your New Zealand Flight with Everything New Zealand

We are your local travel partner across New Zealand, not the operator, so we only list scenic flights, helicopter tours and skydives we would genuinely recommend to family and friends. Compare fixed wing flights, helicopters, hot air balloons and skydives side by side by region, book online in a few minutes and get instant confirmation. Less scrolling, more soaring, straight to the good bits of the country.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best scenic flight in New Zealand? A Milford Sound Helicopter Flight from Queenstown is one of the most requested scenic flights in the country, since it reaches a fiord that few roads come close to. Glacier flights over Franz Josef and Fox Glacier on the West Coast and the Mount Cook Scenic Flight are close behind for alpine scenery.

Do I need good weather for a scenic flight or helicopter tour? Yes, scenic flights and helicopter tours in New Zealand depend on clear conditions, particularly around Milford Sound and the Southern Alps, so operators reschedule flights when the weather does not cooperate.

Can beginners do a tandem skydive in New Zealand? Yes, tandem skydives in Queenstown, Taupo and Abel Tasman are all beginner friendly, since you are harnessed to a qualified instructor for the entire jump and freefall.

Are there scenic flights in the North Island as well as the South Island? Yes, Auckland, Bay of Islands, Rotorua and Wellington all offer scenic flights over harbours, geothermal areas and coastline, so a flight is not only a South Island activity.

Can I combine a scenic flight with wildlife watching? Yes, the Whale Watch Ocean Safari Helicopter Flight in Kaikōura combines an aerial view of the coastline with sightings of whales and dolphins in the same trip.