Scenic Flights in Mount Cook

Scenic flights from Mount Cook are typically 35 to 50-minute trips, and most finish with a snow or glacier landing. Bases sit at Mount Cook Airport, Glentanner Park, Lake Tekapo and, over the Alps, Franz Josef and Fox Glacier, so the right flight depends on where you're staying and how much driving you want.

Scenic flights over Mount Cook and the Southern Alps

Fixed-wing scenic flights give a wide view without a landing. From Lake Tekapo, The Grand Traverse is a 50-minute flight over Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park and Westland Tai Poutini National Park, with a window seat guaranteed for every passenger and commentary during the flight. It is the fixed-wing choice among Mount Cook scenic flights, and suits anyone who would rather skip a landing.

Helicopter flights with snow landings

Helicopter flights are the core of flying here, and where they start shapes the route. From Mount Cook Airport, the Mount Cook Ultimate Alpine Experience is a popular choice: a 45-minute trip in a ski plane and a helicopter, with a snow landing on the Tasman Glacier. The Glacier Highlights helicopter flight is a 45-minute helicopter-only version, and the 50-minute Aoraki Mt Cook Ultimate circles the summit.

From Glentanner Park, the 40-minute Mount Cook scenic flight passes the Hochstetter Icefall and the Burnett Mountains before a snow landing, and the 35-minute Alpine Explorer lands on a seasonal snowfield with a view of the Ben Ohau Range. More Mount Cook helicopter flights run from both bases, from short loops to the summit circuit.

Glacier flights from Franz Josef and Fox Glacier

The West Coast townships of Franz Josef and Fox Glacier launch flights that reach Aoraki from the other side of the Alps. The Fox Glacier and Mount Cook helicopter flight follows the full 13km length of Fox Glacier before coming level with the west face of Aoraki. The 30-minute Fox and Franz Josef flight is a popular choice if you want both glaciers without going on to Mount Cook, and a longer 40-minute flight covers both glaciers and circles the peak.

Heli hikes and aircraft-access skiing

Some helicopter trips end with boots on the ground. The Tasman Glacier Heli Hike from Mount Cook is a popular choice and lands you on the ice for a guided walk with crampons supplied. The Glentanner High Country Heli Hike lands high on a private station for a 7km guided walk instead.

Skiers can use aircraft too: Ski The Tasman flies skiers to 2,500 metres for a 1,000-metre descent of the Tasman Glacier.

Tandem skydiving from the air

If a landing is too tame, tandem skydiving over Mount Cook starts at 10,000ft and reaches 16,500ft, with a scenic flight on the way up and a freefall of up to a full minute at the top height.

How to choose a Mount Cook flight

Pick the base first, because the drive differs. Pick the landing second: a ski plane and helicopter combination, a glacier snow landing or a flight with no landing at all. Pick the length last. A 35 to 40-minute flight fits around a day trip, and a 50-minute flight gives more time over the peaks. Weather decides everything, so book early in your stay and keep a spare day. Flying is one of many things to do in Mount Cook, so leave room around it.

Frequently asked questions

How long are scenic flights over Mount Cook?

Scenic flights over Mount Cook are typically 35 to 50-minute trips in a helicopter or fixed-wing aircraft, and most helicopter flights include a snow landing. The shortest Fox and Franz Josef flights are 20-minute trips.

Do helicopter flights at Mount Cook land on the glacier?

Many Mount Cook helicopter flights include a landing on snow. The ski plane and helicopter combination lands on the Tasman Glacier, and the Alpine Explorer, a 35-minute flight, lands on a seasonal snowfield.

Where do Mount Cook helicopter flights leave from?

Mount Cook helicopter flights leave from Mount Cook Airport and Glentanner Park, while glacier flights that also reach Aoraki leave from Franz Josef and Fox Glacier on the West Coast. Scenic flights over the Alps from Lake Tekapo leave from Tekapo.

Can you fly a drone at Mount Cook on a scenic flight?

Drones are not permitted on the Glacier Highlights helicopter flight, and neither are selfie sticks. Bring a camera, sunglasses and warm layers for the snow landing.

What should you wear on a Mount Cook helicopter flight?

Warm layers, covered shoes, sunglasses and a camera suit a Mount Cook helicopter flight. A jacket matters most on flights that land on snow.

What happens if weather cancels a Mount Cook flight?

Mount Cook flights depend on favourable weather. On flights like the 40-minute scenic flight from Glentanner Park, a cancellation for poor weather means an alternative date or a refund. Free cancellation terms differ from tour to tour.

Mount Cook scenic flights start from a short hop over the Tasman Glacier and run to a 50-minute loop around the summit. Decide how long you want in the air, then choose your base and a date.