Soaring Above the South Island: Our Milford Sound Scenic Flight

Rugged. Dramatic. Breathtaking. Wild. Majestic.

I could list adjectives all day long, but each would fall short when it comes to explaining how insanely beautiful and impressive the landscapes of New Zealand’s South Island really are.

There are countless ways to explore the beauty of New Zealand—hiking, kayaking, jet boating, bungee jumping—but one of the most epic experiences by far is a scenic flight.

Seeing Milford Sound was extremely high on my New Zealand bucket list. Unfortunately, we only had time in our itinerary for a day trip from Queenstown, rather than an overnight stay. This is a popular choice, but one that includes more than eight hours in the car over the course of the day!

Although significantly pricier, a Milford Sound scenic flight seemed like a worthy alternative. After some extensive research, I settled on Glenorchy Air due to the fact that EVERY seat in the plane is a guaranteed window seat—not the case with all other operators.

We originally booked the Milford Sound – Fly | Cruise | Fly tour, which combines a scenic flight over the Southern Alps with a Milford Sound cruise. Sadly, our tour ended up being cancelled due to severe rainstorms and flooding in the area. As a backup, we ended up doing the two-hour Milford Sound Scenic Flyover instead…and damn, talk about an amazing Plan B!

After being picked up by the Glenorchy Air shuttle from a bus stop near our Airbnb, we were transported to the Queenstown Airport. There, we checked in at the front desk and received our “boarding passes” (i.e. lanyards with our pilot’s name on them).

Finally, it was time: We donned our inflatable life vests and headsets, and made our way outside to the waiting plane. Because I’m a pushover polite person, I let all seven of the other passengers climb into the little plane before me, leaving me with the very last seat in the back row, near the door.

At first I was a little sad that there was no room for me to sit next to Derek…until I realized that I had by far the best seat in the whole plane.

Although all of the seats are indeed window seats, some of the middle rows have views that are partially obstructed by the plane wings. My seat, on the other hand, had almost completely clear views of the scenery below. SCORE.

At last, we were up, up, and away….!

As we began our ascent over Queenstown, I felt like my heart was in my throat. My hands were literally trembling from the cocktail of nerves, anticipation, and adrenaline that was circulating through my body.

Holy shit, this is actually happening. We’re really flying above the mountains in a tiny plane right now.

I watched as the lush green landscapes of Queenstown faded away almost immediately, giving way to row upon row of rugged, barren mountain ranges.

By this point, The Lord of the Rings soundtrack was already playing on repeat in my head. If I squinted just right, I could actually picture Aragorn running across the landscapes below as we flew over the towering peaks and mountain passes.

Through the headset, our pilot even pointed out a few specific filming locations (like Isengard) as we soared past the little town of Glenorchy in the distance.

And then we reached the glaciers.

Our first view of the snow-capped mountains came as we passed over Mt. Aspiring National Park, where we gazed down at the isolated Olivine Ice Plateau.

From there, the breathtaking scenery continued as we neared Fiordland National Park and caught a glimpse of glacier-covered Mount Tutoko—the highest peak in the national park.

This, for me, was one of the most memorable moments of the entire scenic flight. To be soaring alongside glaciers, gazing down at the solid chunks of ice that clung to the mountainside, was absolutely surreal and mesmerizing.

The landscapes were so wild, so remote, and so beautiful that I found myself with tears in my eyes.

It was one of those moments that left me feeling truly fortunate to be alive and exploring this incredible planet—just pure awe, wonder, and gratitude to be granted this rare perspective of Mother Earth.

Our journey continued as we soared out over the rugged West Coast and the Tasman Sea before circling back into our ultimate destination: Milford Sound.

In the span of mere moments, the icy white mountain ranges and endless frozen landscapes had given way to jagged green peaks, cobalt blue water, and dozens of waterfalls plummeting down the cliff faces.

Sadly, we weren’t able to descend into the fiord due to strong winds below us. But fortunately, the views from way up high were plenty epic all on their own. Milford Sound was stunning.

As we looped around the sound one more time, our pilot tilted the plane far to the left side, allowing me to look straight down into Milford Sound. The water below was so many shades of blue, and the falls cascading down the dramatic sheer mountains were nothing short of incredible.

After waving goodbye to Milford Sound (and attempting to burn every last image into my permanent memory), we made our return journey back towards Queenstown.

Rather than retracing the route we had taken on the way in, our pilot followed a different flight path, allowing us to enjoy all-new sights from the air.

Even after all that we had seen so far, I still couldn’t believe how many small ponds and alpine lakes were nestled up here in the mountains, nor how many trickling streams and waterfalls flanked the rugged cliffs.

Our flight ended up including a surprise (but highly welcome!) detour to Glenorchy, where our plane had to land in order to drop off some passengers who had booked a boat tour of Skippers Canyon.

Although it wasn’t part of the original itinerary, flying over the region’s bucolic green farmlands and the bright turquoise waters of Lake Wakatipu was a highlight all on its own.

Since the plane was a bit emptier on the ride back to Queenstown, the remaining passengers played a bit of musical chairs and everyone switched seats. I moved up to the middle, which allowed me to confirm that my original seat was the best in the house.

Having the wing in some of my photos certainly wasn’t detrimental, and you still ultimately get to see the same sights no matter where you sit. Still, if you get the chance, I highly recommend doing the “polite” thing and letting everyone else board before you 😉

While it was a huge bummer that our cruise got cancelled due to flooding, our Milford Sound scenic flight still ended up being one of the BEST things we did during our ten days in New Zealand—and honestly, it stacks up as one of the best things I’ve done on any trip ever.

I’ve seen some pretty spectacular sights in my lifetime, but viewing the rugged landscape of New Zealand’s South Island from the sky was truly on another level. We live on a beautiful and epic planet, and getting to experience it in this way is something I will always cherish.

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Milford Sound Scenic Flight: Practical Information

What We Booked: Milford Sound Scenic Flyover with Glenorchy Air

Cost Per Person: $226.30 USD ($399.00 NZD)

Duration: 2 Hours (approximate)

Departure Location: Queenstown, NZ

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Is a Milford Sound scenic flight on your New Zealand bucket list? Have you ever taken a scenic flight elsewhere in the world? Share your experience below!