Take to the skies,
save time and
soak up the sights

Charter a plane
Ed Lou profile picture from Trip Advisor
Ed Lou
5 stars on Trip Advisor icon

Greatest flying experience for me to date, wish I booked the longer flight! Can’t say thank you enough to Mainland Air for this experience.

via
Trip Advisor logo
Aerial photo of a sunrise over a layer of cloud in Fiordland
People stepping off a plane near Aoraki townshipPiper chieftain parked on the grassFiordland from a plane cockpit

Charter services we provide

There are many reasons to charter a plane. Whether you've got a pressing business meeting, you'd really like to dine on Stewart Island or you want to see Milford Sound from the air, Mainland Air has got you covered!

Some charter examples

Mountain scenery icon

Scenic Flight

Overnight trip to Stewart Island - they ate the freshest seafood in the country, walked it off with bush tramps amongst NZ, as it was. Then they spotted some kiwis!

Wine glasses clinking icon

Queenstown Night Out

Four Friends all put in money to pay for the charter, for a night out and didn't have to worry about the drive back!

Meeting icon

Business Meeting

Day trip to Queenstown for business meetings. In town for 4 hours then returned to Dunedin.

Our Charter Fleet

Piper Chieftain

9-Seater
350km/h Top Speed
Piper Chieftain on the tarmac
x2

Piper Seneca

5-Seater
300km/h Top Speed
Piper Seneca on the tarmac
x1

Where do we fly?

As a Civil Aviation certified operator, Mainland Air can operate from any airfield in New Zealand. That means the entire country is at your finger tips! These are the most popular charter destinations. But don't let that limit you, we fly everywhere from Stewart Island to Kerikeri.

Get in touch
Map showing the main airfields Mainland Air fly to

Flight of the Albatross

Dunedin City and Harbour

A local 40 minute flight where you'll see so much country and yet never leave the city. Depart and fly over Dunedin's city centre, celebrated Town Belt and the white sandbeaches of St Kilda and St Clair to Taiaroa Head. This is the only mainland albatross colony in the world, home of the giant but majestic northern royal albatross with a wingspan of several metres. After circling this ocean-ravaged headland and lighthouse we turn south and zig-zag down spectacular Otago Peninsula with its Pacific coastline cliffs and bays, sprawling sand dunes and of course, Larnach Castle.  We continue down the Otago Peninsular, passing Cargill's Castle and Blackhead, before landing at Momona.

Pricing varies depending on single or twin engine preference, and number of passengers. Please contact us.

Book a Flight
Duration:
40 Minutes
Dunedin Harbour from the airRoyal Albatross in flightLarnach Castle

Highlight Heaven

Milford Sound and Queenstown

Take in the best of all worlds with a Milford Sound flight and the adventure of Queenstown. Depart Dunedin International Airport and overfly Central Otago, with dramatic barren landscape. We then descend into Milford Sound with its giant waterfalls, towering cliffs and much photographed Mitre Peak. Here, you have the option of landing for a scenic boat cruise on Milford Sound or we can continue on to Queenstown where we can land and you can indulge yourself in this tourist Mecca, famous for its bungee jumps, rafting, jet boating, paragliding, vineyards, lake cruises - the choice is yours. The return trip is equally dramatic, flying over Queenstown before following the mighty Kawarau and Clutha rivers, and crossing the tussock-covered Lammerlaw Mountains to Dunedin.

Pricing varies depending on single or twin engine preference, and number of passengers. Please contact us.

Book a Flight
Duration:
Allow 6 Hours
Aerial photo of QueenstownBoat and parasail on Lake Wakatipu in front of central QueenstownDoubtful sound

The Cloud Piercer

Aoraki Mount Cook

This is New Zealand's highest peak at 3,754 metres (12,316 feet), aptly named 'Aoraki - the cloud piercer'. Depart Dunedin International Airport and fly due north over the Maniototo Plain, famous for its dramatic light and cloud formations. Arriving at the Waitaki River, we take in the huge earth and concrete Benmore Dam before heading upstream over Lake Pukaki and the ice grey Tasman River. Its source is the Tasman Glacier, one of the largest sub-tropical glaciers in the world. And there it is - Aoraki Mount Cook, a breathtakingly beautiful peak of snow and icefalls. We will circle the summit where you can also look west to the névés of Franz Josef and Fox glaciers. We return to Dunedin via a refreshment stop in Omarama, then continue to the giant Macraes Gold Mine in East Otago.

Pricing varies depending on single or twin engine preference, and number of passengers. Please contact us.

Book a Flight
Duration:
Allow 4 Hours
Aoraki from the airAoraki Mt Cook close up from the airMackenzie Basin on a sunny day

Sounds Spectacular

Fiordland

An opportunity not to be missed - see New Zealand's Jurassic Park. Depart Dunedin and fly direct to Milford Sound, overflying barren Central Otago. You then have the option of landing at Milford Sound for a photograph and a quick snack. We then fly over the Milford Walking Track towards Sutherland Falls (the highest falls in the southern hemisphere). Venturing deep into Fiordland, we make our way to Dusky, Doubtful Sounds & Preservation Inlet, all important locations for New Zealand's discovery by Capt. James Cook.

Pricing varies depending on single or twin engine preference, and number of passengers. Please contact us.

Book a Flight
Duration:
Allow 6 Hours
Rocky Central OtagoAerial photo of Sutherland Falls in FiordlandDoubtful sound in the late evening

Land of the Glowing Skies

Rakiura Stewart Island

Fly over stunning coastal scenery on your way to Rakiura Stewart Island, New Zealand's third Island and home to Rakiura National Park. Depart Dunedin and fly over the rugged Catlins Coast, where the forest grows to the edge of the Pacific's white sand beaches. View the wild Nugget Point, Tautuku Beach and Waipapa Point, the scene of New Zealand's largest shipping disaster, the sinking of the SS Taraua in 1881. Cross Foveaux Strait and land at Ryan's Creek airstrip at Halfmoon Bay, Stewart Islands only settlement. You are free to explore the township and close surrounds for three to four hours. Take a cruise to Ulva Island Bird Sanctuary, maybe a bus tour with an informative commentary or go for a bush walk and take in the native surroundings. The options are endless. Enjoy a meal of fresh and famous bluecod or salmon at the world's southernmost hotel before your return trip to Dunedin.

Pricing varies depending on single or twin engine preference, and number of passengers. Please contact us.

Book a Flight
Duration:
Allow 5 Hours
Nugget pointStewart island and Oban from the airStewart island surrounding islands and bush
Southern scenic flights

Our top 5 recommended scenic flights

Flight of the Albatross
Learn More
Cessna 152 flying over the Otago Peninsula
Highlight Heaven
Learn More
Queenstown from the skyline luge
The Cloud Piercer
Learn More
Aoraki Mt Cook
Land of the Glowing Skies
Learn More
A bush walk on Stewart Island
Sounds Spectacular
Learn More
Fiordland waterfall

Long Term Contracts

Looking to charter on a regular basis? We offer contracts that can bring down the cost for repeat flights.

Enquire Now
Piper chieftain plane on the tarmac with front door open
Trial flight vouchers

Experience flight like never before, be the pilot!

Cessna 152

  • 2-Seater
    (you & instructor)
  • Experience of a lifetime
  • Great fun
Cessna 152 in flight
20 Min
$150
30 Min
$200

Cessna 172

  • 4-Seater
    (you, instructor &
    two friends or family)
  • Show-off your skills!
Cessna 172 in flight
20 Min
$200
30 Min
$250
Book a Flight