ShortestFox snow landing
From Fox Glacier township
- In all
- 25 minutes
- On the snow
- About 8 minutes
- Group
- Up to 6
Guides
Language
EnglishCurrency
US dollar · $Prices on GetYourGuide appear in your chosen currency.
Guide · Scenic flights
Fox Glacier helicopter tours and landings on the snow
If you want the whole glacier rather than a few hours on one corner of it, fly. Here is how the flights from Fox and Franz Josef differ, what the snow landing is like, and what each one costs.
Check availabilityfrom $227 · cancel for free
Editorial team, foxglaciertours.comUpdated October 25, 2026read in 7 minutes12 sources
Quick answer
- 01Shortest from Fox
- 25 minutes in all, including a snow landing.
- 02With Aoraki
- A 35-minute flight from Fox passes Aoraki/Mount Cook.
- 03Longest loop
- A 1-hour circle from Franz Josef takes in the Tasman Glacier.
- 04From-prices
- From $227 for the short Fox flight.
- 05Weather
- Every flight depends on the weather on the day.
What you see from the air
From the ground, Fox Glacier shows you only its lower tongue squeezed between dark rock walls. From the air you understand the whole system. The ice pours out of a wide basin of snow high in the Southern Alps, narrows into a steep, broken icefall and then runs down towards the rainforest. DOC describes the glacier as 13 km long, and a flight lets you follow most of that length in a few minutes.1
The upper snowfields, the neve, are the part most visitors never see. DOC says plainly that to view the massive snowfields of the upper neve you need a flight in a helicopter or ski plane.2 On a clear day the white basin is framed by peaks on every side, and the highest of them is Aoraki/Mount Cook, at 3,724 m New Zealand's tallest peak.3
The drama comes from the contrast. Within a few minutes you pass from green forest and grey braided river to crevasse fields that look like crumpled paper, and then to smooth snow. Photographs flatten it, so look out of the window as much as through the lens, and keep the camera strap around your wrist while you do.
The snow landing, minute by minute
Short flights from the township can include a landing on the snow, and the shortest one on GetYourGuide sets out its timing clearly. You fly about 10 minutes up the glacier, spend about 8 minutes on the ground for photos and looking around, and fly about 7 minutes back, 25 minutes in all. It starts from a helicopter base on Main South Road in the township.
A helicopter landing on Fox Glacier happens up in the snow basin, not down on the lower glacier where the heli-hikes walk. Step out slowly, keep clear of the tail, and expect softer snow than you think. The air can be calm and bright even when the valley below is grey, or it can be cold and windy, so take a warm layer even on a summer afternoon.
The time on the snow is short, so decide in the air what photo you want. A shot of your group with the helicopter, a wide view across the neve and a picture back down the valley are the usual three. Then put the phone away for a minute and simply look: very few places let you stand this high in the Southern Alps without days of climbing.
Time in the air
How long the glacier flights last
minutes
Flights side by side
Starts, length and landing
| Flight | Starts in | Length | Snow landing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fox snow landing | Fox Glacier | 25 min | Yes |
| Fox & Aoraki | Fox Glacier | 35 min | Yes |
| Twin glaciers | Franz Josef | 35 min | Yes |
| Grand Circle | Franz Josef | 1 hour | Yes, on the Tasman |
| Aoraki & glaciers | Glentanner | 55 min | Yes |
Start points, lengths and landings as the GetYourGuide listings give them; routes and landings depend on the weather.
Three flights
Short, twin-glacier or the big circle
Shortest
Both glaciersTwin glaciers
From Franz Josef
- In all
- 35 minutes
- Seats
- Child seat from 15 kg
- Access
- Wheelchair accessible
LongestGrand Circle
From Cron Street, Franz Josef
- In all
- 1 hour
- Glaciers
- Franz Josef to Tasman
- Weight limit
- 116 kg
Decision helper
Which flight fits your day
Start from what matters most to you
Fox snow landing
25 minutes in all, from the township.
Fox and Aoraki flight
It passes Aoraki/Mount Cook in 35 minutes.
A twin-glacier flight
About 10 minutes over each glacier from Franz Josef.
The Grand Circle
1 hour, as far as the Tasman Glacier.
The heli-hike instead
Up to 3 hours on the ice with a guide.
Climate change is causing reduced snow cover and glacier retreat, which impacts on the safety and usability of some of the 18 approved landing sites, particularly during peak periods.
Routes compared: one glacier, two glaciers or the big circle
Flights from Fox Glacier township stay mostly over Fox itself. Besides the 25-minute landing flight, there is a 35-minute flight that lands on a snowfield at the top of Fox Glacier and passes Aoraki/Mount Cook before returning, from a base on State Highway 6 in the township. If you are staying in Fox, these save you the drive north.
From Franz Josef the menu widens. A 35-minute flight spends about 10 minutes over Franz Josef Glacier, about 10 over Fox Glacier and makes a 10-minute stop on Franz Josef. A 30-minute trip from the Alpine Adventure Centre also covers both glaciers. The 1-hour Grand Circle from Cron Street passes Franz Josef, Fox, La Perouse and the Tasman Glacier.
That last route crosses the Main Divide to the Tasman Glacier, which DOC calls New Zealand's largest and longest at 23 km.5 One flight sold under Fox Glacier actually starts at Glentanner Park Centre on the Mount Cook side, not in Fox, so read the start point before you book. Scenic flights over Fox Glacier from the east side make sense only if you are staying near Aoraki/Mount Cook village.
Checklist
Before a flight
01
Booking
- Book early in your stay
- Have every passenger's weight ready
- Check where the flight starts
02
On the day
- A warm layer for the snow
- Sunglasses against the glare
- Closed-toe shoes, no selfie sticks
Cost for your group
Flight prices for your party
Choose a flight and the number of passengers
People
Total from$453
pp from $227
Check availabilityfree cancellationWe take the lowest GetYourGuide fare for each trip, multiply it by the people in your party and show it in your currency at European Central Bank rates; your date sets the real total.
Video
Flying over Franz Josef, Fox Glacier and Aoraki
We only contact YouTube after you tap the play button.
Prices and what changes them
GetYourGuide shows the Fox Glacier helicopter price for the 25-minute landing flight from $227. The 35-minute Fox flight past Aoraki/Mount Cook starts from $285. From Franz Josef, the 35-minute twin-glacier flight with a snow landing starts from $286, and the 1-hour Grand Circle from $411. These are from-prices that move with date and season.
Time in the air is the main driver, but weight rules matter too. Franz Josef flights from Main Road ask passengers of 120 kg and over at check-in to buy a Comfort Seat at half the flight price. The Grand Circle sets a passenger limit of 116 kg. Children have their own rules: on the 25-minute Fox flight, children aged 4 to 14 and over 15 kg need their own seat, and infants under 4 and under 15 kg sit on an adult's knee.
Compare that with the heli-hike, which starts from $467 and gives you up to 3 hours on the ice. A flight is cheaper and shows you more of the glacier; a heli-hike costs more and gives you the feeling of the ice underfoot. Use the calculator below to see a whole group's total in your currency.
Who flies, and who should choose a flight over a hike
Flights suit people who cannot or do not want to walk for hours on uneven ice. Several are listed as wheelchair accessible, including the 25-minute Fox landing flight and the 35-minute Fox and Mount Cook flight. The heli-hike, by contrast, is not suitable for wheelchair users or children under 9.
Group size is small by design. The 25-minute Fox flight and the 1-hour Grand Circle are both limited to 6 participants. Minimum numbers apply on many flights, and if not enough passengers book, the operator offers an alternative or a refund. Booking for your first morning in town gives the operator room to group passengers and the weather room to clear.
Leave the extras behind. Selfie sticks, drones and tablets are not permitted on the 25-minute Fox flight, and its listing wants you in warm clothes, closed-toe shoes and sunglasses. A phone in a pocket is enough to record the landing, and the less you carry the faster everyone gets in and out of the helicopter.
How landings in the park are managed
Helicopters cannot land wherever they like. DOC grants concessions to operators so they can land at high-altitude landing sites in Westland Tai Poutini National Park for scenic landings.6 On 20 March 2026 DOC said four businesses were directly involved in landings in the park, which it called a significant drawcard for visitors.7
The same DOC release explains why some landings are getting harder. Climate change is reducing snow cover and causing glacier retreat, which affects the safety and usability of some of the 18 approved landing sites, particularly at peak times.4 In practice, the landing spot on your flight is the one that is safe and permitted that day, which is another reason routes are described as subject to the pilot's discretion.
Glacier research gives the longer view. A 2014 study found that Franz Josef and Fox glaciers have lost about 3 km in length since the 1800s.8 Earth Sciences New Zealand's survey of 31 March 2026 saw retained snow on some glaciers that year but no reversal of the overall trend of ice loss.9 Seeing the neve from the air is a way to understand what is changing, not only a view.
When to fly
Clear air is everything on a scenic flight, and you cannot book it in advance. Westland Tai Poutini National Park lies in the path of the prevailing westerly winds, which can bring heavy rain at any time of the year.10 The only reliable rule is to keep your plans loose and watch the sky.
Operators say the same in their own terms. The 35-minute Fox and Mount Cook flight recommends booking early in your trip with flexibility for weather, and when bad weather grounds it, you choose between another date and your money back. On the 25-minute Fox flight, too, a change of plan is free if you cancel 24 hours or more before take-off.
If the cloud stays down, use the day on the ground. Lake Matheson, a short drive out of town, reflects the same peaks on a calm evening, and Peak Viewpoint further along the road looks straight up at the neve you would have flown over.1112 Then try for a flight again the next morning.
Pick your day
Walk on Fox Glacier with a guide
Flights, boots, crampons and rain gear included; free cancellation up to a day before.
You ask,we answer.
How long is the shortest helicopter flight at Fox Glacier?
25 minutes in all. About 10 minutes up, 8 minutes on the snow and 7 minutes back.
Do the flights land on the glacier?
Many land on the snow. The 25-minute Fox flight and the 35-minute Fox and Mount Cook flight both include a snow landing.
Can you see Aoraki/Mount Cook on a flight from Fox?
Yes, on some routes. The 35-minute flight from Fox passes Aoraki/Mount Cook, at 3,724 m New Zealand's tallest peak.3
Are helicopter flights wheelchair accessible?
Some are. The 25-minute Fox flight and the Fox and Mount Cook flight are listed as wheelchair accessible.
Do children need their own seat?
From age 4 and over 15 kg. Infants under 4 and under 15 kg sit on an adult's knee on the 25-minute Fox flight.
Is there a weight surcharge?
On some Franz Josef flights. Passengers of 120 kg and over buy a Comfort Seat at half the flight price.
Can I fly from Fox over the Tasman Glacier?
Not on the short Fox flights. The 1-hour Grand Circle from Franz Josef includes the Tasman Glacier.
What if it is cloudy on the day of my flight?
The flight may be moved. Cloud decides; cancelling costs nothing until 24 hours ahead.
Sources
What this text is based on
- 1Department of ConservationFox Glacier area↩
- 2Department of ConservationFranz Josef Glacier/Kā Roimata o Hine Hukatere↩
- 3Department of ConservationAoraki/Mount Cook National Park↩
- 4Department of ConservationAllocation process for flight landings in Westland Tai Poutini National Park opens (media release, 20 March 2026)↩
- 5Department of ConservationAoraki/Mount Cook National Park↩
- 6Department of ConservationFair allocation process for aircraft landings in Westland Tai Poutini National Park↩
- 7Department of ConservationAllocation process for flight landings in Westland Tai Poutini National Park opens (media release, 20 March 2026)↩
- 8Global and Planetary Change (Purdie et al. 2014, via Monash University)Franz Josef and Fox Glaciers, New Zealand: Historic length records↩
- 9Earth Sciences New Zealand (NIWA)Fifty years of observations, no reversal of glacier climate damage (31 March 2026)↩
- 10Department of ConservationWestland Tai Poutini National Park↩
- 11Department of ConservationFox Glacier area↩
- 12Department of ConservationFox Glacier area↩
