Information

The Leading Helicopter Company in New Zealand

Glacier Southern Lakes Helicopters is locally owned and is the trading name of Helicopters Queenstown 2020 Ltd. The business has been operating since 1980 and is a pioneer of glacier landings. We pride ourselves on a truly professional service and the presentation of our modern aircrafts so that passengers enjoy the most comfortable experience possible. Experience unmatched quality, safety and expertise when you fly with us — because when it comes to flying, why settle for anything less?

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Why Fly With Us?

New Zealand’s newest fleet of Airbus helicopters, immaculately maintained to Civil Aviation Authority standards
Large, powerful turbine aircraft (6-seater & 9-seater) designed for mountain environments
One of the highest Civil Aviation Authority audit ratings for safety and operations
New Zealand’s aerial film specialists with credits including LOTR, The Hobbit and Mission: Impossible – Fallout
Qualmark Gold-certified helicopter operator
Ranked the #1 helicopter company in Queenstown on TripAdvisor

Our Pilots

We are extremely proud of our helicopter pilots. Our pilots are experienced with extensive knowledge of the local mountain environment surrounding Queenstown, Milford Sound and Fiordland and Mt Aspiring National Parks.

Meet the Team

Helicopter Fleet

We operate a fleet of modern 6-seater & 9-seater large turbine engine Airbus helicopters serviced and maintained to ensure maximum passenger safety and comfort.

Explore our range of Airbus Helicopters

Focus on Safety

Safety is our number one priority – always. All our maintenance procedures comply with New Zealand Civil Aviation Authority safety standards.

More Info

Sustainability

Glacier Southern Lakes Helicopters are dedicated to improving our sustainability practices and the environment in which we operate. We are Department of Conservation approved and hold concessions to land in Fiordland National Park and Mt Aspiring National Park.

Our Sustainability Initiatives

Media Releases

Recent news from Glacier Southern Lakes Helicopters

FAQ's

Check out our FAQ’s

Frequently Asked Questions

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Highly recommend

Fantastic time with Glacier Southern Lakes Helicopters today for our 50 minute glacier experience. Highly professional and good communication all throughout the day. Special thanks to Jeremy our pilot who was knowledgeable and helpful. Five stars.

Nigel Swavley | Google Review

Bucket list trip!!!

Absolutely amazing! The views were breathtaking and having the opportunity to land on a snow covered mountain was a dream come true. Our pilot was friendly and very thorough in his explanations and knowledge of what we were seeing. He helped take pictures and definitely ensured our safety. Take off and landings were very smooth. I highly recommend this trip!

Debra L | TripAdvisor

Incredible experience!

Our flight with Glacier Southern Lakes Helicopters was absolutely out of this world! The views were just stunning — truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Our pilot, Alfie, was fantastic — friendly, knowledgeable, and made the whole flight so much fun. Highly recommend this incredible experience!

Carlee Jones | Google Review

Amazing once in a lifetime experience. A MUST do, especially with this company

Our pilot was extremely gentle but showed us all what was on offer there and back. He pointed out interesting and spectacular features of the trip. Offering information as we went. And throwing in a few sneaky adrenaline rush’s. So much fun and amazing views. Got to see wild goats on the way back. Flew close but not too close to the mountains. Was very mindful of a nervous passenger. Could not recommend this company highly enough, from pick up on the bus to flying to getting us to the cruise on time and flying us back. So safe, leaving a once in a lifetime experience in our minds. Awesome company and experience

Kylie T | TripAdvisor

A Sure Hit for All Ages!

Well run operation. The fly/cruise/fly tour by helicopter to Milford Sound is a must do. The scenery on the flight is spectacular and the cruise on Milford Sound is so scenic with steep canyon walls and lots of waterfalls. The staff were always smiling, genuinely love their jobs, and make every effort to assure each and every guest has a fun and memorable experience. Kurt was our pilot and he was informative along the way and did a great job keeping the ride comfortable.

I’ll be back the next time I visit Queenstown!

Mark B | TripAdvisor