Scenic Flights Milford Sound

Milford Sound flights leave from Queenstown Airport and Frankton, cross the Southern Alps and either land at Milford Sound Airport or fly over it. You can land and cruise, land and explore on foot, or stay in the air for a pure scenic flight. Each swaps hours on the Milford Road for a short hop over glaciers and valleys, and the Milford Sound cruise is still there at the other end if you want one.

Fly-cruise-fly packages to Milford Sound

Fly-cruise-fly is the usual way to do it: fly in, cruise the fiord, fly back. Glenorchy Air's fly-cruise-fly package has a 1-hour 20-minute flight time in total and a 1-hour 45-minute cruise, with complimentary Queenstown transfers. The scenic flight and cruise package from Milford Sound Scenic Flights flies over Skippers Canyon and Lake Wakatipu and includes a 2-hour cruise. Air Milford's fly-cruise-fly with a nature cruise has live pilot commentary and reserved seating on the boat.

Departure times differ by operator, with morning and late-morning flights, so the package you pick also sets how early your day starts.

Fly in and explore on the ground

If you'd rather have time ashore than a cruise, Glenorchy Air's Fly and Explore lands at Milford Sound with a 2-hour stop on the ground, and Air Milford's fly, land, fly day does the same, with a coffee at the Milford Cafe.

Coach one way, fly the other

A drive in and a flight out gives you both views. Air Milford's coach, cruise and fly day takes a glass-roof coach in, cruises with a picnic lunch and flies back to Queenstown for about 4.30pm. Altitude Tours' coach, cruise and helicopter tour swaps the plane for a 45-minute scenic helicopter flight.

Milford Sound overflights and scenic flights

A scenic flight without a landing is the shortest way to see the fiord. The Milford Sound overflight is a 1-hour return flight from Queenstown over glaciers and past Bowen and Stirling Falls. For a flight that stays above the Southern Alps, Milford Sound scenic flights run from Queenstown.

Flights over Aspiring, Mt Cook and beyond

The same Queenstown pilots cover more country. Glenorchy Air's Sunrise Mt Aspiring and Glaciers flight is a 75-minute winter flight over Mt Aspiring. Altitude Tours' Mt Cook day tour adds a 45-minute flight in a ski plane and helicopter with a Tasman Glacier landing, and the Stewart Island flight covers a 1.25-hour flight each way to New Zealand's third largest island. From Te Anau, the Luxmore Hut heli-hike lands twice in the alpine.

Frequently asked questions

Can you fly to Milford Sound?

You can fly to Milford Sound from Queenstown, landing at Milford Sound Airport. Flights cross the Southern Alps and glacier-fed valleys, and several packages add a cruise.

What is the closest airport to Milford Sound?

Milford Sound Airport is the closest airport to Milford Sound, and the fly-cruise-fly packages land there. Most depart from Queenstown Airport, with check-in at the operator's desk.

How long is a fly-cruise-fly trip to Milford Sound?

A fly-cruise-fly trip to Milford Sound is a 4 to 5-hour outing from Queenstown. It includes a flight each way and a cruise of 1-hour 45-minute to 2-hour.

Do all Milford Sound flights land?

Not every Milford Sound flight lands, because an overflight stays in the air. Fly-cruise-fly packages and the fly and explore trips land at Milford Sound Airport.

Do Milford Sound flights need a minimum number of passengers?

Some Milford Sound flights need a minimum number of passengers to depart. The operators of the scenic flight and overflight packages set it at 3, so confirm before you travel.

Are Milford Sound flights suitable for kids?

Milford Sound flights take children, with child tickets covering about ages 2 to 14, depending on the operator. Infants under about 11 kilograms may sit on a lap on some flights.

Decide if you want to land, cruise or stay in the air, then book your flight to Milford Sound through Experience Oz. Pair it with a walk or a paddle and the fiord fills a bigger day.