Our Top 15 Glacier Helicopter Tours in Queenstown

1.Pilot’s Choice Helicopter Tour & Alpine Landing

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 291 reviews · 25 min · from $230Our pick

Take a 25-minute helicopter flight from Queenstown with an experienced English-speaking pilot, alpine landing, and views of Lake Wakatipu and the surrounding peaks. Pilots such as Jono, Bill, Danny, and Scottie have been praised for friendly commentary and smooth flying. Pickup and drop-off are available from selected hotels.

“The helicopter ride was a bucket list ticked off with my grandson. Was breathtaking amazing.”

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2.Glacier Explorer & Earnslaw Burn Helicopter Flight

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 202 reviews · 50 min · from $408

Take a 50-minute helicopter flight from Queenstown over Skippers Canyon, the Rees Valley, Mt Aspiring National Park, and Earnslaw Burn. Your English-speaking pilot points out glaciers, ice falls, alpine lakes, and Lord of the Rings locations. A glacier landing is planned, but weather and seasonal snow conditions can change the landing site.

“This was incredible!! Seeing all the landscape so close up & having time on the glacier was unreal! Definitely a must do!”

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3.Pilot’s Choice Helicopter Flight with alpine landing

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 168 reviews · from $245Top rated

Take a roughly 25-minute helicopter trip from Queenstown’s Frankton base, with 15 to 20 minutes in the air and about 10 minutes on an alpine landing in the Remarkables. Your pilot provides live commentary, and hotel pickup and drop-off are included. Snow is seasonal, so bring warm clothes and sturdy shoes.

“Landing with my Beautiful wife on the mountain and snow was wonderful and special moment , we enjoyed the whole trip as action speaks louder than words”

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4.Southern Glacier 50-Minute Helicopter Flight

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 123 reviews · from $547

Take a 50-minute helicopter flight from Queenstown over Lake Wakatipu, the Remarkables, Mt Aspiring, and the Rees and Dart valleys. Land for 5 to 10 minutes on Jura Glacier, where you can step into the snow and take photos. Hotel pickup, a trained alpine pilot, and return transport are included.

“Fantastic experience. Originally, we were due to fly in the morning; however, due to the weather it was cancelled. The person who phoned suggested we re-arrange for the afternoon. We were so pleased we could be flexible, as it was a spectacular experience. Our kids (10 and 7) thoroughly enjoyed it. Thank you.”

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5.Remarkables Helicopter Flight & Alpine Landing

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 91 reviews · from $149Best value

Take a 20-minute helicopter flight from Queenstown with an alpine landing on the Remarkables Spur at about 5,000 feet. Your English-speaking pilot points out glaciers, gold-mining sites, rivers, and Lord of the Rings filming areas. Pickup is available from selected hotels, and the flight path may change with weather.

“The flight was smooth and amazing. Jack was very friendly and polite. He also made sure we enjoy the flight . He also flewed the flight very smoothly”

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6.Tasman Glacier Heli-Hike Tour from Queenstown

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 70 reviews · from $1,178

Travel from Queenstown to Mt Cook by fixed-wing plane, then take a helicopter onto Tasman Glacier for about two hours on the ice. Your guide supplies boots, crampons, and safety gear, leading you through changing ice formations and caves. The group is limited to 11, with guides such as Scott, Sam, and Emma depending on the departure.

“An Amazing experience! Jason, our pilot, was outstanding and very skilled! They picked us up and dropped us off at our hotel. We highly recommend this once in a lifetime experience. Matt, our hiking guide was amazing too”

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7.Helicopter Tour with Alpine Snow Landing from Queenstown

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 46 reviews · from $570

From Queenstown Airport, your pilot flies you over the Southern Lakes region before landing the helicopter in a high alpine snowfield. Step out for photos, snow play, and quiet mountain views, then fly back to base. Pickup from select hotels, safety briefing, English commentary, and shared or private flights are available.

“Ben was a great pilot and guide! Terrific experience. Friendly, professional, top notch all around. It was truly over the top!”

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8.Lord of the Rings and Glacier Helicopter Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 44 reviews · from $679

Fly 70 minutes from Queenstown over the Shotover River Gorge, Isengard, Lothlórien, and other film sites before landing on a glacier in Mount Aspiring National Park. Your pilot uses a location booklet for context, and the small group, hotel pickup, and two alpine landings keep the experience personal.

“Great experience and amazing scenery - our first helicopter ride. Improvements could be made tho in sound quality as both of us heard very little of what the pilot said during the trip, which was a LOTR trip with a pilot who worked there duriRead more”

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9.Milford Sound and the Glaciers Helicopter Tour including Landing from Queenstown

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 41 reviews · from $884

From Queenstown Airport, your pilot guides you over rainforest, frozen lakes, the Southern Alps, and Milford Sound before landing beside a glacier. The 90-minute flight includes hotel pickup, national park and landing fees, bottled water, and Bose headsets. Bring warm clothing and sturdy shoes for uneven ground.

“Incredible experience. Knowledgeable and professional pilot and immaculate helicopter. Worth every dollar”

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10.Queenstown Helicopter Flight with Snow Landing | 30 mins

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 31 reviews · 30 min · from $269

Fly from Heliworks Queenstown over the Whakatipu Basin, with live commentary from an English-speaking local pilot and one snow landing high in the mountains. You will have time for photos and snow play before returning to 64 Grant Road. Flights carry 6 to 9 passengers, with seating assigned for aircraft balance.

“One of the best experiences we had in New Zealand and made checked one of our bucket list. The staff was very kind and updated us in real time about the status of our tour, the weather, etc. Our pilot was very professional in driving the helicopter which made us feel safe. He was even gracious enough to take photos of us in the snow. This is a highly recommended activity when you are in Queenstown.”

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11.50-Minute Southern Glacier Helicopter Flight

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 24 reviews · 50 min · from $499

You’ll take a 50-minute helicopter flight from Queenstown across the Southern Alps to Mount Aspiring National Park. Your English-speaking pilot provides commentary as you pass native forest and glacial icefalls, then land on snow among the peaks for photographs before flying back. Pickup from many Queenstown hotels is included.

“A breathtaking experience like no other... to be able to see these majestic peaks as one only can from the air. Plenty of information given by our guide, as well as thrills from getting so close to the rock/snowy mountain tops.”

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12.Helicopter Tour Including Glacier Landing from Queenstown

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 23 reviews · from $727

Fly with Over The Top from Frankton over the Wakatipu basin and Southern Alps, guided by your pilot through Bose noise-canceling headsets. After a scenic flight to an ancient glacier, the helicopter shuts down for time on the ice, with photo stops, blue crevasses, and views shaped by glacial movement. Morning and afternoon departures are available.

“Having never been on a helicopter, we did not know what to expect. We were blown away by the amazing beauty, majestic mountains and how close we could get to see so much of the landscape. The glacier landing was magnificent! Read more”

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13.The Grand Circle 35-Minute Helicopter Tour & Alpine Landing

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 6 reviews · 35 min · from $289

Fly for 35 minutes above Queenstown with The Helicopter Line, passing the Shotover River canyons, Coronet Peak, Lake Wakatipu, and nearby villages. Your pilot provides English commentary, then lands high in the Southern Alps for a short alpine stop. Hotel pickup and drop-off are included from selected Queenstown locations.

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14.Remarakbles Helicopter Tour with Alpine Landing

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 5 reviews · 20 min · from $191

Take a shared 20-minute helicopter flight from 64 Grant Road over Queenstown, Lake Whakatipu, the Shotover, and Kawarau rivers. Land near The Remarkables at more than 1,500 metres for around 10 minutes of mountain views and photos. Your English-speaking pilot provides commentary, and in winter, the landing may be on snow.

“This is the highlight of our trip so far! We were a bit worried when we saw cloud cover over the top of the Remarkables in the morning, but the guides assured us we would still get a great view from our landing spot, and it did not disappoint! Would highly recommend this to anyone coming to Queenstown!”

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15.Queenstown Helicopter Tour: Glacier Landing and Scenic Views

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 4 reviews · from $490

Fly from Frankton over Queenstown, Skippers Canyon, and the Southern Alps before landing on snow at Mount Aspiring. You’ll see Tyndall Glacier’s blue ice, seracs, and crevasses from the air, then spend about 10 minutes on the glacier for photos. The shared flight lasts about 50 minutes, with optional pickup and drop-off.

“We had an amazing experience. The day before our scheduled flight, we called due to windy conditions in the forecast, and the team were incredibly accommodating, arranging a last-minute alternative flight for us. That level of flexibility and Read more”

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