Queenstown Helicopter Flight: A Bucket List Experience

27th February 2026 - New Experience Number 10.

Jump to 'Try it yourself'

A helicopter flight is on many people’s bucket lists, with the dream of soaring over some epic location.

I don’t really have a bucket list. But, I do have a list of things I’d like to do. Which is probably the same thing with slightly less impending-death energy.

I knew I’d like to go in a helicopter at some point as one of my 52 new things each year, but I didn’t have any burning desire for a particular destination.

However, during our New Zealand road trip, the experience got a significant nudge up the list.

Seeing Queenstown from the ground was enough to suck all of the superlatives from me. Seeing it from the air was a challenge for my vocabulary.

Taking a helicopter flight in New Zealand

We’d visited Franz Josef Glacier and, having walked through the trees to catch our first glimpse of the ice in the distance, started wondering what it would be like to see one from above.

We toyed with the idea of booking a helicopter flight to see Fox Glacier, but the weather had other ideas.

When we called into the ticket office, there were no more departures that day. They did, however, give us a leaflet listing the helicopter flights they offered across New Zealand, including in Queenstown where we would ultimately be ending our tour of the South Island.

The idea stayed with us.

A view of the Franz Josef glacier in New Zealand. There are mountains in the distance that are grey with rock and dappled with green trees. Between the peaks, the icy glacier is visible.
Visiting Franz Josef glacier sparked our interest in taking a helicopter trip

The Anticipation

After a bit of umming and ahhing – after all, it’s not a cheap experience – we booked our seats.

I’ll admit I was nervous, but to be honest, I still get a little bit nervous about flying in a plane.

My rational brain completely trusts the process, but there’s always a little niggling doubt in my head about something so big and heavy staying in the sky.  You can’t really see any moving parts on a plane either. I wonder if I’d feel more reassured if the wings flapped like a bird’s?

At least you can see the rotor blades on a helicopter spinning. Well, at least until they go so fast that they turn into an almost invisible blur.

Ringing up an hour before we were due to fly, the friendly voice on the end of the line confirmed the flight was going ahead, and that we’d be picked up in sixty minutes.

I beamed like an excited child. This was going to be awesome. Slightly scary, but definitely awesome.

Would you feel nervous going in a helicopter for the first time?

Dealing with nerves

Through trying 52 new things a year since 2018, I’ve put myself into many positions where the nerves are racing and my brain is questioning what the heck we’ve got ourselves into now.

Although these days it feels more like butterflies than rocks rolling around inside me. I’ve learnt that people who deliver these more high-octane activities want to keep you safe and give you an unforgettable experience.

So rather than catastrophising my potential impending doom which I used to do, I now tend to wonder what the new thing is going to feel like.

The van arrived at our campsite. We climbed into the back, picked up some other excitedly anxious experience seekers, and headed to the airport.

Arriving for our Queenstown helicopter flight

We arrived at The Helicopter Line base at Queenstown airport.

We were taken through to the waiting room, where the walls were adorned with incredible photos from flights. There was plenty of information, and, importantly, toilets, which I used multiple times. I may not have felt frightened about the flight, but there were still several nervous wees before take off.

After our top level safety briefing we met our pilot, Bill, who assigned us seats for our tour. I was happy with my back seat position – an unobstructed view through the side window, a view between the front seats through the windscreen.

Looking into a helicopter, the door is slightly open and you can see the seats inside. The sun is shining outside.
The helicopter for our flight
A selfie of Challenge Fifty-Two, a white woman with dark hair. She is wearing sunglasses and headphones and looking a little nervous as she is about to go on a Queenstown helicopter flight
Felling excited and nervous at the same time

Taking off

Stepping up into the cabin, I fastened my seatbelt and put my headset on. There was already a lot going on over the headphones as we could hear air traffic control talking to the planes. It felt like I was eavesdropping on a private conversation. But the helicopter tours take off next to the runway, so of course Bill needed to hear what was going on so he could fly us safely across.

The noise increased as the rotor blades above us propelled faster. It was only seeing the shadow of the helicopter on the grass that I knew we were no longer on the ground.

It was incredibly smooth as we gently lifted off from the landing pad, and turned to cross the runway.

A sunny day, looking at a runway from a helicopter, the shadow of the helicopter is clearly visible on the ground.
Take off was incredibly smooth

The views, oh, the views

Flying across the airport we steadily climbed higher as we headed to the hillside.

Mountain bike trails snaked across the greenery, and previously unseen rivers appeared.

We crossed over the Overshot river which looked clear and inviting beneath us, and the view across Queenstown was simply breathtaking. The magnificent resort town looked spectacular from our elevated vantage point. Like a perfect picture postcard scene.

Bill gave us a commentary throughout, although it was hard to catch every word as we could still hear the air traffic control conversations crackling over the airwaves.

View from the back seat of a Queenstown helicopter flight. There is a person sitting in the front seat wearing a headset, and the views through the window of the hillsides are beautiful
Views so beautifyl they looked like a green screen
A view from a Queenstown helicopter flight of spectacular countryside hills with a river running through the middle on a sunny day with blue skies
Flying high above the hillside

Flying in an 80s cable car with a mind of its own

Flying in the helicopter over Queenstown felt smooth and comfortable. But it also felt as though we were flying in an 80s cable car with a mind of its own. I say an 80s cable car because modern ones seem to be pretty sturdy.

It felt perfectly safe, but unlike a plane we could see more of the inner workings, the nuts and bolts that keep it together, and the doors and windows seemed unfathomably thin. It blows my mind if I start to think about the mechanics of it all, so I’m happy to leave that to the experts.

When I caught my mind veering into the rabbit hole of how it all worked, I quickly refocused on the glorious views.

Challenge Fifty-Two, a white woman with dark hair on a Queenstown helicopter flight. She is sitting inside the helicopter wearing a headset and sunglasses, and the view through the window behind her looks beautiful
Trying not to overthink...
A view over lake whakapitu and Queenstown with the runway visible to the left. It's a beautiful day for a Queenstown helicopter flight
...and instead focus on the amazing scenery

Standing on top of the world

We were making two stops on this trip, and as we came in for our first landing it felt very precarious. There didn’t look to be enough ground for the helicopter to perch upon the ridge. But somehow, Bill found a spot and brought the chopper to rest.

Challenge Fifty-Two, a white woman with dark hair. She is standing on a grassy hill with a helicopter behind her as she is on a Queenstown helicopter flight.
A bit windswept on our first landing

Clambering out, we got our first proper glimpse of the small ledge we were resting on. Those ski bits of the helicopter are impressive things!

Yes, I did duck as I walked from the helicopter and under the rotor blades. I’ve clearly seen far too many disaster films, and forgotten I’m not really that tall. However, I could still feel the spin above as the down draft whipped up my hair.

We all stood speechless as we let our location sink in.

The vast grassy mountain range sprawled ahead of us. It felt as though we were on the top of the world. The repetitive thwump of the steadily rotating blades kept silence at bay, yet somehow it felt as though we were the only people on the planet as we stood on top of the hillside.

There were peaks all around us, and valleys that we’d never have seen from below. The late afternoon sun hung low in the sky, casting a gorgeous golden glow across the terrain.

It was such a spectacular place and it felt utterly magical to be there.

A view from the top of a hillside. There is some grass in the foreground and lots of ridged peaks leading away in the background. It's a sunny day on a Queenstown helicopter flight.
It felt like we were on top of the world
A view from a Queenstown helicopter flight, looking over the grassy ridges of the top of the hillsides.
Views from the mountains that went on for miles

We hadn’t expected that

Gliding off from our perch on the mountain side, my stomach suddenly somersaulted. 

We swooped downwards, leered to the left, and the mountainside dropped away beneath us. Nervous laughter filled the cabin as Bill tilted us back to a more level angle. We had not experienced those flying shenanigans on the way up!

In fact, I suddenly felt that this was quite a flimsy form of flying.

My brain suddenly realised I had absolutely no idea how a helicopter worked, which was probably not the moment to start thinking about it.

But, I reminded myself as I often do when I try new things, that this is their livelihood and they don’t want to put themselves out of business. They know what they are doing, having fun with it, and we were in safe hands.

Once again we were smoothly flying over the mountainside. Bill told us about the local area, pointed out hidden waterfalls, and we even spotted some wild deer!

Appearing as little black dots at first, we got a little nearer to the hillside and four black deer came in to view. They were incredibly high up, and it was amazing to see them roaming where people don’t usually go.

View from the back seat of a helicopter, looking between the two front passengers at the view through the front windscreen over the hillside
Swooping over the hillside
Close up of a hillside with some patches of longer grass and some black deer are just visible
Can you spot the deer?

Snowy landing - Queenstown helicopter flight

We steadily neared our second destination. Tucked away on a wide rocky ledge in the mountains, we were landing on the snow.

Gently setting us down on the icy plateau, we ventured out for an invigorating explore in this tiny pocket of winter that had clung on through the summer.

It was chilly out of the sun, but what an incredible view. It was the sort of secluded place that you’re unlikely to visit unless you’re committed to a challenging hike, or taking a helicopter.

Pictures taken and scenery admired, it was time for us to return to base.

Once again, Bill pulled out some stomach-unsettling manoeuvres. I’m fairly sure he had a glint in his eye as nervous chuckles escaped from us.

I don’t think any of us had expected there would be moments it felt as though we were on a pirate ship in a theme park.

Challenge Fifty-Two, a white woman with dark hair on a Queenstown helicopter flight. She is standing on snow as they have made an alpine landing
Landing on snow!
A Queenstown helicopter flight that has landed on a snowy patch of land.
A chilly but beautiful stop

Returning to base

Bill expertly piloted us back to the airport, pointing out landmarks as we went, including the wonderful looking mountain range of The Remarkables. Great name isn’t it?

The glow of sunset made the lakes and forests of Queenstown almost sparkle in the warm light.

This was an ultimate ‘pinch-me’ experience. I’m not a particularly soppy person, but there was a moment I had to bat away tears in my eyes. I couldn’t quite believe I was in such a beautiful part of the world doing something that I’d hoped to do one day. 10 year old me would be very impressed, and 80 year old me will look back on an incredible memory.

View from the back seat of a helicopter, looking between the front passenger and pilot at the view through the front windscreen over the town below
Returning to base over the town

The shadow of our helicopter grew bigger as we got lower and nearer to the helipad. Bill set us back down so gently that we barely felt contact with the ground.

I felt so grateful that we’d been able to take the tour. Flying over lakes we’d previously driven alongside, over mountains we’d looked up to, over rivers we’d walked by, and spotting deer high up on the hillside. Queenstown had been the most magical place for an adventure in the air.

A landscape view taken from a Queenstown helicopter flight. There are mountains in the distance and in the foreground is a clear river and lots of countryside. It's a beautiful sunny day
What a place for a first flight

Was it worth the price tag?

Challenge Fifty-Two, a white woman with dark hair. She is sitting in a helicopter and taking photos of the scenery outside the window
Probably a once-in-a-lifetime experience

It wasn’t cheap. But I have no regrets. We knew we’d regret it more if we let the opportunity pass us by and were left wondering ‘what if…’ or ‘if only…’

Nobody knows what the future holds, and whilst New Zealand is firmly on my ‘to-revisit’ list, there are many other places in the world that I’d also like to see.

To me, doing something that is probably a once-in-a-lifetime experience was worth every penny.

Don’t let things linger on your bucket list

A helicopter flight had been on my list of things to try for years, but I’d never had a particular reason to make it happen. 

Then without any real planning, I was sitting in one above Queenstown, looking down at places we’d explored from the ground just days before.

That’s the thing about bucket lists. Some experiences don’t need to have a grand reason behind them. They don’t need to have endless planning to make them happen. Sometimes “I’d like to do that one day” is reason enough.

I really believe that life’s about the experiences, and I’m trying to make sure that things on my “I’d like to…” list end up as “I did.”

A view of the landscape taken from a Queenstown helicopter flight. There are mountains in the distance and in the foreground is a dark lake. It's a beautiful sunny day.
The views had been breathtaking
Challenge Fifty-Two, a white woman with dark hair. She is standing on a hill side taking photos with a camera and there is a helicopter that has landed behind her
An experience I'll never forget
A landscape view taken when on a Queenstown helicopter flight, looking across the hillsides, small roads and mountains in the distance on a sunny day.
Don't leave things on your bucket list to chance

Want To Try It Yourself?

  • To book a Queenstown tour like the one we did, visit The Helicopter Line website.
  • The Helicopter Line also offers helicopter flights from Mount Cook, Milford Sound, Franz Josef and Fox Glacier
  • If you’re interested in seeing the glaciers from above, Glacier Helicopters offer flights over Franz Josef and Fox Glacier
  • You can also find a variety of helicopter experiences through booking platforms such as Get Your Guide, which can be useful for comparing different tours and prices.

Cost Of Experience

  • Our 25 minute tour in February 2026 cost  NZ$ 385 per person, that was around £160. 
  • They offer a variety of different flights and the price varies depending on which flight you choose. 
  • The cost includes hotel pick up and drop off (or campsite in our case).
  • Prices may have changed since our visit, so check the current price when booking.

Recommendations

  • Check the forecast. If you’re planning ahead for a Queenstown helicopter flight, take a look at the forecast. Whilst it’s not always accurate, it should give you a rough idea of whether a flight might be possible on the date you have in mind.

  • Be flexible. Helicopter flights are weather dependent, so it’s worth keeping some flexibility in your itinerary if you can.

  • Wear warm layers. Even if it’s warm and sunny when you take off, the air can be cooler in the mountains, particularly if you’re landing in snow. Just make sure your layers aren’t too loose.

  • Don’t forget your sunglasses and suncream. To be fair, they should probably always be with you in New Zealand, but you’ll want to be able to admire the view rather than squinting into the sun.

  • Wear sturdy shoes. Flip flops aren’t ideal for getting in and out of a helicopter, particularly when you’re landing on a mountain.

  • Leave big bags at home. You’re not allowed to take large bags with you on the flight, so don’t turn up with your entire holiday wardrobe in tow. 

  • Don’t forget your camera. You’ll absolutely want to capture some snaps of this unforgettable experience. If you’re taking a larger camera, make sure it’s attached to a strap. Selfie sticks aren’t allowed on the flight, so leave those behind too.

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