Queenstown Helicopter Flight with Snow Landing | 30 mins
About This Experience
This is the flight to book when the thing you actually want is snow. Thirty minutes out of Frankton takes you up over the Whakatipu Basin and onto a snowfield high in the ranges, where the pilot shuts down and you get out into it — snowballs, boot prints, the lot. Heliworks run it right through the snow season and it has become the standard family choice.
The climb is the scenic half. You lift off over Frankton, cross the basin with Lake Whakatipu opening out beneath you, and track up into the mountains with live commentary through the headset. The landing site is chosen for the day's snow cover and conditions, and there is time on the ground to walk around rather than a token touch-and-go.
Two things worth knowing. It is a shared flight, so you may be aboard with six to nine other passengers, and seats are allocated by weight and balance rather than by request — nobody can promise you the front seat. And the snow landing is genuinely seasonal: if the operator cannot deliver one on your date, the affected booking is refunded in full rather than swapped for a bare-rock landing.
Highlights
- A true snow landing, with time out of the aircraft to play in it
- Thirty minutes over the Whakatipu Basin, Lake Whakatipu and the surrounding ranges
- Short enough to suit families and first-time flyers
- Live commentary from a local pilot through your headset
- Full refund if the snow landing cannot be delivered on your date
What's Included
- ✓ 30-minute return helicopter flight
- ✓ Snow landing at an alpine site
- ✓ Experienced local pilot and live in-flight commentary
- ✓ Panoramic views over Queenstown and Lake Whakatipu
- ✓ Optional hotel pickup and drop-off
Not Included
- Food and drinks
- Gratuities
What to Bring
- Warm waterproof layers
- Gloves and a hat
- Sunglasses
- Camera
- Comfortable closed shoes with grip
Good to Know & Caveats
- Snow landings are seasonal — if one cannot be delivered on your date the booking is refunded in full
- This is a shared flight; you may travel with six to nine other passengers
- Seats are assigned for weight and balance, so specific seating cannot be guaranteed
- Accurate individual weights are required at booking; large discrepancies can force a change
- Minimum passenger numbers apply to confirm a departure
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure
Meeting Point
Heliworks Queenstown Helicopter Flights, Frankton. Hotel pickup and drop-off can be added as an option when you book.
What Travelers Say
Rated 4.9/5 by 38 verified GetYourGuide travelers.
Very rewarding. Probably a once in a life time experience. Everything was top notch. Excellent staff & pilot made the experience very enjoyable
— Ross, June 25
The pilot / guide made it . With out home it was just a ride . Great knowledge and read the crowd well and catered for with his knowledge and information. This information was given with enthusiasm. This is good to see given his job is backwards and forwards all day long with the same same routine. Hats offf , well done team
— David, Novembe
No improvement really I felt safe with the pilot It ran on time
— Esther, October
Frequently Asked Questions
When can you do a snow landing in Queenstown?
Broadly through the southern winter and into spring, roughly June to October, though it depends on the season's snowfall rather than the calendar. Heliworks only sell the flight when snow landings are realistic, and if they cannot deliver one on your date the booking is refunded in full.
Do you get out of the helicopter in the snow?
Yes — the pilot shuts down at the landing site and you get time on the snow rather than a touch-and-go. That is the whole point of the flight.
Is this flight suitable for children?
It is one of the more family-friendly options in Queenstown: thirty minutes is short enough for young children, and the snow is the draw. Every passenger's weight has to be declared at booking, and children over 15 kg need their own seat.
Will I get a window seat?
Not guaranteed. Seating on a shared flight is set by weight and balance, which is a safety calculation rather than a preference list. If a specific seat matters, a private charter is the only way to control it.
What should I wear?
Warm waterproof layers, gloves, a hat and closed shoes with some grip. The snowfield is several thousand feet above Queenstown and considerably colder than town, and you will be standing in snow.
