Glenorchy Air — Local services in South Island

An unforgettable experience with Glenorchy Air – professional, breathtaking, and family-friendly

We recently had the absolute pleasure of flying with Glenorchy Air from Queenstown to Milford Sound, and it was one of the true highlights of our trip to New Zealand. I did this with my wife and our 8-month-old baby, and from start to finish, the experience was exceptional.

Our day began with a complimentary hotel pick-up, and we were genuinely impressed that Ivan arrived with a properly installed baby seat already set up – a thoughtful touch that instantly gave us confidence. Ivan was friendly and punctual, and made the short trip to the airport easy and stress-free.

Ben, our pilot, was fantastic – calm, professional, and incredibly knowledgeable. His commentary throughout the flight was just right: informative, interesting, and perfectly timed to enhance the jaw-dropping scenery. The flight to Milford Sound was stunning, taking us over snow-capped peaks, glacier-carved valleys, and dramatic alpine lakes.

The Milford Sound cruise was just as incredible. We had clear skies, and the sheer scale and natural beauty of the fjord were breathtaking. It’s something photos simply can’t do justice.

One thing that really stood out was that the return flight took a different route back to Queenstown, which meant we saw even more of the spectacular Southern Alps and remote landscapes that you’d never see otherwise – a truly unique perspective.

Travelling with a baby can sometimes be a challenge, but Glenorchy Air made it feel effortless. Every step of the experience felt safe, well-organised, and family-friendly, and we genuinely appreciated the care from everyone involved.

If you’re considering doing this trip – don’t hesitate. It’s...

We did the VIP Fly/Cruise/Fly experience and it was perfect and amazing from start to end!!! An absolutely amazing afternoon with first, our pilot Colin who took us on our Cessna 206 out towards Milford Sound by way of all the sights. We flew over Glenorchy and saw the rivers, glaciers and many mountain tops while he dodged around the clouds so that we always had a stunning view. When we landed he personally took us on a great nature walk on the way to the port and then helped us get on board the Pride of Milford which is a wonderful boat with a great crew. For our package we had our own seating area right to the starboard of the skipper so it was just great for viewing both indoor and out, plus easy to hear the skippers narration. We had great drinks and food and literally any question we had was answered by our two attendants Tomas and Allen - they were kind and helpful and knew everything. It was perfect weather - which you can't plan for, but we were so thankful to get it. We had layers for hot sun, cold wind and wet waterfall so we were all set - but I'd suggest many layers is the way to go. It's just a breathtaking experience and all made better by this personal touch and private experience. The flight back was even better as some clouds had cleared and we saw so many more glaciers, lakes, rivers and mountain peaks including Mt. Aspiring. Our oldest daughter (college age) is not big on small planes or boats - but she survived the day and truly if she can do it and even smile, anyone can! I can't recommend this enough - the staff, the professional quality of touring and all the amenities made this a truly...

My husband and I had heard that Milford Sound was a must-do for our trip. In planning our itinerary we just could not find the time for the drive out and back, this is where Glenorchy Air came in. Much to our surprise, the flight & cruise to Milford sound was within our budget and timed perfectly with our itinerary! After dropping off our rental car at the airport, their counter was easy to find. Check-in was a breeze and we waited in the "lounge" area for our pilot. We were escorted to our plane, where everyone had a window seat. I was a bit jealous of the person that got to sit up front with the pilot. Turns out our pilot had just completed the Milford Track great walk, and we got to hear his insights on different parts of the park from that perspective. The cruise was with a different company on one of the 3 story ships that take a bunch of people on them. Our pilot went and got our passes for the ship and met us at the dock at the conclusion. We got so lucky that it didn't rain that day, the sun even broke through for a bit! I obviously can't speak to the beauty of the scenery on the drive to/from the Sound, but the views from the flight path to/from were breathtaking. The professionalism and knowledge of everyone we encounter was top notch, and can not recommend taking the flight out to Milford...