Private Helicopter Flights

A private flight from Franz Josef means you pay for the whole helicopter, for up to six people, and only your group flies. Glacier Country Helicopters sells four private routes on Viator, starting with the 25mins Private Helicopter Flight in Franz Josef with Landing from $866 per helicopter for one to three people. With six aboard on the larger option, each person pays about $222, roughly the price of one shared seat on the same flight.

For a group of four to six, a private flight costs about the same per head as buying seats, or less. For a couple, it costs nearly twice as much.

Quick picks for a private helicopter

• 25 minutes over Franz Josef Glacier with a 10-minute snow landing, from $866 per helicopter (one to three people), rated 4.8 from 15 Viator reviews: View Dates & Prices. Shared-seat version: Check Tour Details
• 35 minutes over Franz Josef plus Fox or Tasman Glacier, from $1,187 per helicopter for up to six: View Dates & Prices. Shared-seat version: Check Tour Details
• 60 minutes, four glaciers and two landings, from $1,998 per helicopter (one to three people): View Dates & Prices. Shared-seat version: Check Tour Details

How per-helicopter pricing works

All four private products are priced per aircraft, with a maximum of six passengers. Viator quotes the options in New Zealand dollars, and the US dollar figures below are approximate conversions at the listings’ own rate. The “from” price you see first is the cheapest option, usually the one for one to three people.

The per-head column divides the four-to-six price by six, so it is an estimate. Viator shows the exact price for your group size and date.

On your trip, that means a full helicopter of six pays about the same per head as a shared seat on GetYourGuide, and less on the two- and three-glacier routes. The shared fares are $223 per person for the 25-minute flight, $280 for two glaciers, $393 for three and $506 for four. As listed in October 2026, the 35-minute private flight for four to six people (NZ$2,050) also costs less than the 25-minute flight’s up-to-six option (NZ$2,300), so compare both before you book.

A small group pays more. Three people on the 25-minute private flight pay about $289 each, and a couple pays $866 for the helicopter against $446 for two shared seats. Our price guide lists the shared fares for every flight.

Who a private flight suits

A group of four to six gains the most, because the per-head cost lands close to a shared seat. Families and friends who want to fly together also gain: on shared flights, seats are allocated at check-in by weight and balance, and a few reviewers were seated apart from their partner, among strangers. A private flight also suits a special occasion, since nobody else is aboard.

Glacier Country Helicopters says private charters have more flexibility and that seating can be discussed. If a couple or a solo traveler mainly wants to land on the snow, a shared seat on the snow landing flights costs far less.

Rules that still apply on a private flight

Weight and balance come first. Glacier Country Helicopters says every charter must meet the helicopter’s weight and balance rules, and its private listings say the total passenger weight must fit within them. Its seats are 40 cm wide, and passengers of 120 kg or more need a Comfort Seat, which the 35-minute private listing shows as an extra. The front seats carry the tightest limits: 154 kg for two passengers or 120 kg for one.

Its larger helicopter, an Airbus H125, seats up to six passengers, and its MD 520N up to four. The listings ask you to mention limited mobility, an injury or recent surgery when you book, because there are two high ladder-style steps into the helicopter and the answer can change which aircraft you fly in. Infants sit on an adult’s lap.

You may still share check-in and the van to the helicopter with passengers on other flights, and you check in 30 minutes before departure. Allow an extra 45 minutes on top of the flight time.

Weather and cancellations

A private booking does not change the weather call. The final decision comes at check-in, and a landing is never guaranteed. Book your first morning in Franz Josef and keep a spare day. Each private listing offers free cancellation on Viator, and refunds go through Viator. Our weather and cancellations guide explains the rules.

Other private options

INFLITE sells Picnic Amongst the Peaks on GetYourGuide from $2,262 per group of up to six. It is a 1.5-hour private trip from Franz Josef Heliport across the Main Divide to a landing on the Tasman Glacier, where the pilot sets up a picnic on the snow. It has no reviews yet.

The Helicopter Line quotes its charters per flying hour, per aircraft, and Glacier Helicopters asks you to contact it directly for charter prices. Both are direct bookings, outside GetYourGuide and Viator.

Private or shared: choosing

Book a private flight if you are four to six people, want to sit together as a group or are marking an occasion. The 35-minute two-glacier route gives a full helicopter the lowest per-head price of the four. For a longer route, the private four-glacier flight costs about $473 each with six; our three vs four glacier page explains what the extra time buys.

Book shared seats if you are one to three people. If your group wants hours on the ice, compare the heli-hikes, which have their own age and weight rules. Our kids and seating guide has each operator’s child rules. When your group size is settled, check availability for the 25-minute private flight.