Both tours end the same way. You’ll cruise beneath Mitre Peak. Waterfalls drop straight into the fiord around you.
It’s how you get there and back that makes these two tours feel completely different.
Here’s how they compare and why a Milford Sound Fly Cruise Fly is the one most popular adventure travellers book.
Fly Cruise Fly is our most popular Milford Sound tour. Both legs are in the air aboard New Zealand’s most modern scenic flight fleet. Your return flight usually follows a different route to the outbound one. This means you see two distinct sides of Fiordland instead of retracing the same view twice.
In under five hours you’ll enjoy two scenic flights and a full Milford Sound cruise. You’ll be back in Queenstown with the rest of your day still ahead of you. It’s the easiest way to fit the very best of Fiordland into a single relaxed day.
Some travellers want the open road as much as the destination. Coach Cruise Fly is built for exactly that. You’ll travel to Milford Sound along the Milford Road. Your driver guide shares stories about the Eglinton Valley, Mirror Lakes and the Homer Tunnel, with key stops to take photos along the way.
After your Milford Sound cruise, you’ll skip the long drive home. Instead you’ll fly back to Queenstown. You get the classic road trip and a scenic flight in the same day. Just plan for a full day, closer to ten hours.
Ask yourself one simple question. Do you want to drive the Milford Road, or would you rather spend that time seeing more of Fiordland from the air?
If the drive is the appeal, Coach Cruise Fly is built for you. If you’d rather skip hours on the road and see more of Fiordland in less time, Fly Cruise Fly is the better fit.
Travelling for a special occasion? Our Private Charter Flight and VIP Cruise takes the Fly Cruise Fly experience and makes it entirely your own.
Continue planning your trip. Explore our complete Milford Sound Travel Guide for travel tips, tour comparisons, and expert advice.
Fly Cruise Fly and Coach Cruise Fly are two of the most popular Milford Sound tours from Queenstown. Fly Cruise Fly combines two scenic flights with a Milford Sound cruise in about four and a half hours. Coach Cruise Fly travels the Milford Road one way and returns to Queenstown by scenic flight in about nine to ten hours. Both tours include a Milford Sound nature cruise past Mitre Peak. Glenorchy Air operates both tours from Queenstown Airport. View all of our Milford Sound flights here ⟶
This is a Half Day experience. From check in 30 minutes before departure, to landing back at Queenstown Airport, is approximately 5 to 5 1/2 hours. Please note, this does not include time for self-driving or using our complimentary transfers. If you have plans immediately either side of your experience with us, please let us know.
It’s always a good time to fly! If the option is there, we would suggest either our 9.00am or 1.30pm departures. Please note, our 1.30pm departure time is only available at certain times of the year. Whilst we cannot guarantee it, Milford Sound can sometimes be a little bit quieter at these times.
We suggest you bring the following with you to make it a great day out:
Your flights between Queenstown and Milford Sound are approximately 40 minutes each way.
Your Nature Cruise through Milford Sound with our partners Southern Discoveries is 1 hour 45 mins.
No, lunch is not included. When making your booking online, you have the option to add a picnic lunch for an additional cost that will be ready for you on the cruise. We have vegetarian, vegan, and gluten free options available.
Complimentary tea, coffee and water is available. A selection of small snacks are available to purchase onboard. You are also welcome to bring snacks of your own.
Yes, the cruise has a large indoor area with comfortable seating and tables.
Your cruise through Milford Sound is on a boat with a large open-top deck and comfy interior cabins with full-height windows for optimal viewing. Take in the stunning scenery of Mitre Peak, Stirling Falls, Copper Point, and the Tasman Sea. Keep an eye out for seals, dolphins and penguins.
We would say the cruise is suitable for all ages.
Yes, there is a nappy changing facility onboard the cruise.
Our pilots will always look at the forecast for the full duration of your trip and if we feel like the weather may change, we will not leave Queenstown. Due to the weather-dependent nature of flying in the Southern Alps to Milford Sound, it is unfortunate that there are very rare occasions where the forecast changes on us and although uncommon, it can be a case that we are unable to operate the return flight. The safety of our passengers is always our highest priority and in the unlikely event that this ever occurs, we will arrange coach transfers back to Queenstown. We fully appreciate the inconvenience this will cause and do everything we can to look after our passengers.
