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Glenorchy Air
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Glenorchy Air

See all things to do
See all things to do
Glenorchy Air
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About
Under new ownership since July 2019. Discover Milford Sound and Beyond. Glenorchy Air operates awe-inspiring, intimate scenic flights from Queenstown and Glenorchy to Milford Sound, Mt Cook and Beyond, flown by knowledgeable, highly skilled local pilots who strive to exceed your expectations and deliver you a once in a lifetime experience. All our Aircraft have exclusively window seats, headsets to hear the pilot’s commentary and modern safety features. Professional and Personal Service is Guaranteed from this Family owned and operated, Queenstown based company. Your window seat awaits.
Queenstown, New Zealand
Awards
Travellers' Choice
2024
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Tours and Tickets by Glenorchy Air
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

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5.0
5.0 of 5 bubbles2,005 reviews
Excellent
1,941
Very good
53
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2
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Terrible
7
tippysydney
sydney7 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Breathtaking
Jan 2020 • Couples
After our flight had been cancelled due to bad weather, we were rescheduled on an early morning flight to Milford Sound. What an exceptional time of day to see this spectacular area, the air was clear crisp and you could see for miles. The peaks, the valleys, the lakes and waterfalls. Our pilot, Will, was very informative and great at getting all the passengers to see all the different sights. At the entrance to Milford Sound, he even spotted a whale, sightings are rare in this spot. We had a really scrummy breakfast on board the cruise boat, and as we cruised around a pod of dolphins frolicked nearby. The cruise captain was also great at pointing out points of interest. When we got back to the wharf, it was getting crowded. I highly recommend Glenorchy Air, and also suggest waking up early for the 1st flights of the day. You will be highly rewarded.
Written 9 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
DaniRigler
Christchurch, New Zealand1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
A Magical Morning
Jun 2020
I struggle to find words to describe just how perfect our sunrise flight over Tititea/ Mt Aspiring truly was. From a friendly check-in, a straight forward safety brief to an incredible 75 minutes in the air - it was pure magic. To be honest, I wasn't sure if a scenic flight would be worth the money, but I can HIGHLY recommend that it is TOTALLY worth it. It was breathtaking. The pilot was very accommodating making sure everyone was warm enough, and that each side of the plane got fantastic photo opportunities. He was full of knowledge about the names of the peaks and glaciers, and was thoroughly entertaining. I am still re-living this experience and I can 15/10 recommend Glenorchy Air!
Written 28 June 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Glenorchy Air
Kia ora DaniRigler, Wow, we are absolutely blown away by your glowing recommendation - we often can't find the words to describe just how stunning the views are from above, especially at sunrise! Thank you so much for choosing to fly with us, and for taking the time to share your experience. We're happy to hear the pilot looked after you and made sure that everyone had equal opportunity to snap some photos. As a small team, your comments are truly appreciated and reading a review like this is EXACTLY why we do what we do :) Wishing you all the best, The Glenorchy Air Team
Written 28 June 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
ireneecallaghan
Nelson, New Zealand1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
June flight to Milford.
Jun 2020
Absolutely out of the box perfect. The snow dump two days before had given us a perfect mix of snow covered peaks and contrasting valleys. The numerous mountains that were named for us and the glaciers and waterfalls that fell into deep pools were amazing. Then we saw the beautiful light on the water as we reached the coast and turned towards Milford Sound. We live in a truely stunning country and I can recommend this flight and Reuban as a pilot to show us our own country as it can only bee seen from the air. Thank you Glenorchy Air for your faultless communication and the wonderful experience. Irene Callaghan.
Written 28 June 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Glenorchy Air
Hi Irene, Thank you so much for taking the time to share your feedback on flying over Milford Sound with us! We strive to provide a high standard of customer experience, and your comments are very helpful in allowing us to continue improving! We're thrilled to hear you enjoyed your trip, even better with a fresh dumping of snow on the peaks! We will be sure to pass along your compliments to Reuben. As a small, family-owned business your recommendation is truly appreciated! Thank you again for choosing to fly with us. Wishing you all the best, The Glenorchy Air Team
Written 28 June 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Luana Di Carla S
Auckland Central, New Zealand7 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
A must-do!
Jun 2020
Me and my partner have bought a 40min Glacier flight to see the beautiful glaciers around Glenorchy. We were so lucky to have been upgraded to a Milford Sound tour on the day, who lasted for over 1 hour. The flight was magical! We were so close to the glaciers, peaks, we could see Mt Aspiring very close and Mt Cook in the distance. We flew over Milford, which was also stunning and over some beautiful lakes and waterfalls. I was feeling a little sick and the pilot Will was great at helping me get distracted and feel better again. He was so professional and careful with the wind, he did everything to ensure we would have the most enjoyable flight and not feel many bumps.
Thank you so much for the amazing experience team! I would highly recommend this if you're in Queenstown. It is worth every cent.
Written 23 June 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Glenorchy Air
Kia ora Luana Di Carla S! Thank you so much for taking the time to share your experience! We're thrilled to hear that you enjoyed the trip, with the bonus of the Milford Sound upgrade! It can be hard to describe the magic that's up there, we couldn't have put it better ourselves! We strive to provide a high standard of customer experience, it's great to hear your flight with Will was no exception and that he looked after you well! We will be sure to pass along your compliments. We truly appreciate your recommendation, thank you for choosing to fly with us! All the best, The Glenorchy Air Team
Written 23 June 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Travelling Mat
Sheffield, UK72 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Superb flight experience with Glenorchy Air - a very well run operator
Dec 2019 • Couples
From start to finish this was a well organised, professional, high quality tourism experience. From initially making the online booking with Glenorchy Air, right through to taking the flight down to Milford Sound, everything worked very smoothly. Our pilot was Jim Rooney who was excellent both in terms of his initial briefing and the headphones commentary on the way there and back. The cruise into the sound was excellent, giving us lots of time for photographs etc. I would very much recommend this particular company if you are considering taking the excellent flight and cruise option from Queenstown down to Milford Sound.
Written 13 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Glenorchy Air
Kia ora! Your kind words mean so much to us, thank you for taking the time to review your Milford Sound Fly Cruise Fly excursion! We are a small whanau who are passionate about sharing our slice of paradise with our visitors. Jim has a wealth of knowledge on the area and loves nothing more than to pass it along to our passengers! Thank you for choosing us for your trip.
Written 26 February 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
John C
Auckland, New Zealand29 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Amazing day in the air
Sept 2020
We recently managed to escape Covid lock down in Auckland to enjoy the South Island, spending three days in Queenstown. After a night of over night snow, it looked like the weather would change to a beautiful fine day one day later. The afternoon before we tried to book a scenic flights with a large provider of flights from Queenstown to be offered a 4.00pm flight which just wouldn't have worked. On trying Glenorchy Air instead, booking on line for a 10am flight was easy as pie. Confirmation came back within seconds with great instructions on how to access the flight.
On arrival at Queenstown airport, "check in" was seemless and soon we had joined another couple and pilot Will for our flight. We were so well looked after by Will. He made sure we were well informed, well strapped in and toastie warm. Thanks to Glenorchy Air for arranging the superb flying weather and the crispy white coated mountains. The weather was so good even Will took photos even though he had been doing the job for 10 years! We had the most marvelous view of the Southern Alps, all feeling very very safe., secure and well informed.
I would have no hesitation in recommending Glenorchy Air and the Milford scenic flight. It set us up beautifully for driving to Milford the following day. You do need to do both the flight and the drive. And with the current prices being so helpful to Kiwis it would be an absolute sin not to take advantage of the Glenorchy Air experience
Written 17 September 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Glenorchy Air
Hi John, Thank you for taking the time to leave us such a wonderful review, we are a family run business and truly appreciate the feedback. We love what we do and nothing makes us happier than hearing you had an amazing day flying with us! I will be sure to pass on your compliments to your pilot Will as well. We absolutely love being able to share scenic flying and the Milford experience with our passengers, we are very fortunate to be able to show off the beautiful part of the world we live in, and as you say it never gets old, even for our pilots who do it every day. On behalf of the whole team thank you for choosing to fly with us! We hope you had a wonderful time in Queenstown. Kind regards, The Glenorchy Air Team
Written 20 September 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Stefania O
Christchurch, New Zealand56 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Absolutely stunning
Jun 2020
This is a must do experience for anyone. I cannot recommend Glenorchy Air enough, the flight was smooth, the pilot was knowledgeable and regularly checked on our comfort throughout the flight and the flight itself is just wonderful.
The plane seats 7 people only, making it quite intimate. Everyone gets a window seat and stunning views. Plus, the flight is longer than 1 hour, which is a good amount of time to be up in the air enjoying the views. Views of Queenstown, the Lake, then going over the mountain range and glaciers, to Milford Sound. It is really worth it, I loved it and I am recommending it to everyone I know!
Written 1 June 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Glenorchy Air
Kia Ora Stefanie, Thank you for choosing Glenorchy Air for your scenic flight. We are so glad to hear that you had an amazing time flying with us. It is so great to be back doing what we love most!! We have been overwhelmed with the support we have received, really appreciate you taking the time to leave us a review and recommending us to your friends and whanau. We love getting feedback like this. All the best. The Glenorchy Air Team
Written 6 June 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
paulrichardson61
Auckland Central, New Zealand16 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Fantastic flight sightseeing and ski connection
Sept 2020 • Family
We booked Glenorchy Air to fly our family of 5 from Queentown to Mt Cook, to connect to a ski trip on Tasman Glacier, and then return. GA team of Joe and Tamsin were extremely helpful and flexible as we changed dates to get the best weather slot, loading skis and gear, and pilot Will was awesome, waiting at Mt Cook for us to finish . Do yourselves a favour and have a once in lifetime adventure flying over the Southern Alps ..couldn't speak more highly of GA and they've helped make one of greatest family adventures.
Written 7 September 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Glenorchy Air
Hi Paul, Thank you for your kind words! We strive to offer the best customer experience from the time of booking so you can sit back and relax! It was an absolute pleasure to fly you up to Mt. Cook for your ski trip, you were amazing to have on board! Thanks, Joe, Tamzin and WIll
Written 10 September 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
ariananz2021
Wellington, New Zealand1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Fly Heli Hike - Queenstown to Tasman Glacier
Jun 2021
Words can't describe what an incredible trip this was, and the service was impeccable from start to finish. We started the morning off getting picked up from our accomodation by the friendly Glenorchy Air staff where we were told that the weather was touch and go but they were keen to get us to the airport and then update us on what our pilot was comfortable doing. We arrived to find that our plane pilot was confident to fly us up, but that the weather at Aoraki was still being coy (as I imagine the weather in the southern alps is probably prone to being) and the helicopter pilot and guide weren't be able to guarantee us a trip to the glacier until later in the morning. We were reassured by Glenorchy Air that if the helicopter trip didn't go ahead then we would be refunded half of the trip, but that they had a van and could drive us around to do some alternative walks in Aoraki National Park if we wanted. We were happy to go ahead anyway so four of us jumped in a little 6 seater Cessna and flew up. Our pilot was so friendly and full of information and banter and the flight itself was pretty outstanding.

We landed in Aoraki National Park and were whisked to the Hermitage Hotel for coffee while waiting for our guide and pilot to arrive and do a check of the weather. In the end, our they were reasonably confident that the weather would hold and so we were well bundled up and then off we went to Tasman Glacier. We spent about 2 hours wandering around the glacier and our guide was very kind and knowledgeable, and provided us plenty of opportunities to explore ice caves and look at waterfalls while our chopper pilot kindly kept an eye on the weather for us.

Words can't describe the raw beauty and slight terror of that helicopter ride back. I was lucky enough to get the front seat and then very quickly came to the realization that helicopters are really quite flimsy in comparison to the near vertical face of the mountainside and the hundreds and hundreds of metres between me and the ground. Nevertheless our pilot didn't seem phased and took up to have a quick fly by of the Grand Plateau and its hut before making our way back down the mountain and to the airport, and onward to our return flight to Queenstown.

I couldn't stop grinning the entire day, and am so pleased that I took that opportunity to go. I cannot recommend this enough, from start to finish it was incredible and the staff were an absolute dream. Thank you so, so much!
Written 7 June 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Glenorchy Air
Very happy that worked out and thank you for the wonderful writeup. And thank you for being so patient with the weather. I knew we could get you to Cook and have a good trip and was quite happy when the helihike side lined up too. Jim
Written 14 June 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
graememerelyn
Rangiora, New Zealand1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Our Great Day
Aug 2020
We were rather lucky with the weather conditions - actually some of the best for flying & for viewing which can be had. Consequently this flight was for us an absolute highlight of our time in Queenstown, & we would compliment our pilot Megan on both her flying care & her commentary throughout. The whole "Glenorchy Air" experience was "service with a smile"! Thankyou.
Written 7 September 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Glenorchy Air
Hi Graeme. Thanks for your review - we definitely did have a stunning day for it! I am really glad you had a fantastic time - next time you are in Queenstown we hope to see you again for another scenic flight - perhaps a Mt Cook or Stewart Island. Kind regards, Megan
Written 16 September 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
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