There are some landscapes you can only truly appreciate from the air — and the Great Barrier Reef is definitely one of them.
My first experience with a scenic helicopter flight was years ago in New Zealand, soaring over the ice-covered peaks of Mt Cook. Later, I did another flight over the vast expanse of the Grand Canyon. Both of those flights have stuck in my memory as an awe-inspiring way to experience nature’s biggest monuments from above.
So when I recently visited Cairns and was wondering how best to see the Great Barrier Reef in all its glory, I knew it was time to splash out again. For a natural wonder so massive that it can be seen from space, it makes sense that the most spectacular views would be from the air.
Normally, I avoid big splurges and stick to more affordable experiences on my travels, and I’ll admit that a Great Barrier Reef helicopter flight is not a cheap activity… but some things are just worth it. This is one of those bucket-list moments where the epic results far outweigh the cost.
Here’s everything you need to know about booking a scenic helicopter flight over the Great Barrier Reef from Cairns — including my personal experience flying with my husband and our 2.5-year-old toddler.
Quick summary:
A scenic helicopter flight from Cairns is an unforgettable way to see the Great Barrier Reef. In this guide, I share my experience plus tips on how to choose the best tour.
Recommended tours:
🚁 Inner Reef Explorer (30 minutes) — Fly over Green Island and Vlasoff Cay with a chance to spot rays and turtles.
🚁 Outer Reef Odyssey (40 minutes) — Go further out to Arlington Reef and the outer reef’s deep edge.
🚁 Reef Spectacular (60 minutes) — A full hour in the air exploring multiple reef systems and marine life.
🏝️ Coral Cay Bubbles Tour (60 minutes) — Land on a remote sand cay for champagne and reef views.
🌴 Reef + Rainforest Fusion (45 minutes) — See both reef highlights and rainforest sights like Barron Falls.
🐠 Reef Half-Day Helicopter + Snorkelling — Snorkel at Moore Reef pontoon, then fly back over the reef.
Why choose a scenic helicopter flight over the reef?
There are two main types of scenic flights over the Great Barrier Reef from Cairns: small plane tours and helicopter tours.
Small plane tours
Small plane tours are cheaper, but planes can’t hover. The windows on a small plane are also smaller than on a helicopter, and they face sideways, so you may only get a view out one side, which makes it harder to properly take in the views or get great photos of the scenery below.
Helicopter tours
Helicopter tours are more expensive, but in my opinion, totally worth the extra cost. A huge bonus of a helicopter tour is that the pilot can hover or shift direction if there’s something exciting to see in the water, like coral formations or marine life. They can even land on sand cays (tiny islands of white sand in the middle of the reef) if the conditions permit.
The windows on a helicopter are much larger than on a small plane, and the views are especially good if you are lucky enough to nab the front seat next to the pilot. Helicopters are also more intimate with just 3-4 passenger seats.
If you want flexibility, photo opportunities, and that once-in-a-lifetime feeling, I’d definitely say go for the helicopter.
Booking a Cairns helicopter flight
There are two scenic helicopter flight operators in Cairns. I booked with Zoom Helicopters because they responded quickly to my enquiry and were really helpful in answering my questions about taking our toddler along with us on the tour.
Helicopter tours depart from Cairns Airport, but you won’t go through the main passenger terminal. Zoom has a separate entrance right next to the tarmac. It’s very easy and convenient — we parked onsite, checked in at the Zoom office, and walked less than a minute to the helicopter landing pad.
Most of the Great Barrier reef helicopter tours run between 10 AM and 2 PM daily, which is when the sun is high in the sky. Early mornings and late afternoons can have strong glare off the water, so midday gives the best chance of crystal-clear reef views. We chose a 10 AM flight and had incredible visibility with almost no glare.
Great Barrier Reef helicopter tours (30–60 minutes):
If you’re ready to book your own flight, here are some options for the best Great Barrier Reef scenic helicopter tours from Cairns:
🚁 Inner Reef Explorer (30 minutes)
The most affordable option, and the most popular. The Inner Reef Explorer flight is 10 minutes out to the reef, 10 minutes hovering above coral formations, Green Island and Vlasoff Cay, then 10 minutes flying back to Cairns Airport. It’s a brilliant choice if you want the experience without blowing your budget.
🚁 Outer Reef Odyssey (40 minutes)
This is the tour that we ended up doing. The Outer Reef Odyssey flight is similar to the 30 minute tour with Green Island and Vlasoff Cay views, but it then goes further out to fly over a massive stretch of Arlington Reef. I was lucky enough to see a fever of rays (just Googled that collective noun!) swimming underneath our chopper out there.
🚁 Reef Spectacular (60 minutes)
The Reef Spectacular flight gives you an entire hour in the air — the ultimate splurge if you want to fully grasp the sheer scale of the reef. You’ll cover multiple reef systems and have the best chance of spotting big marine life during your flight.
Reef + more: Helicopter tours with snorkelling, rainforest, or cay landings:
🏝️ Coral Cay Bubbles Tour
The Coral Cay Bubbles flight is the same as the 30 minute scenic flight, but also includes a landing on a remote sand cay in the middle of the reef. Conditions and tides have to line up, so the cay landing is not always guaranteed, but I imagine that when it happens it would be truly magical. Imagine sipping champagne on a tiny sand island surrounded by turquoise reef — that’s about as “bucket list” as it gets!
🌴 Reef + Rainforest Fusion (45 minutes)
The Reef and Rainforest Fusion flight is again the same as the 30 minute scenic flight, but adds on rainforest sights near Cairns like the impressive Barron Falls. It’s ideal if you’re short on time and want to see both reef and rainforest in one go.
🐠 Reef Half Day Helicopter + Snorkelling Tour
This half day Reef Helicopter and Snorkelling Combo is perfect if you want to see the reef from above and below. Spend time snorkelling at Moore Reef pontoon, visit the underwater observatory, or hop on a glass-bottom boat before flying back to Cairns by helicopter.
Our helicopter flight experience
I actually booked the Coral Cay Bubbles tour, but we couldn’t land on the sand cay as it was already occupied on the day of our flight. I was a little disappointed, but the trade-off was perfect flying conditions — our pilot said it was rare to get such incredible clarity!
We ended up doing the 40 minute Outer Reef Odyssey Tour instead. Our pilot, Hayley, was fantastic — she gave us a running commentary with facts about the reef, the local marine life, and the surrounding region of Far North Queensland. She happily answered our (many!) questions throughout the flight.
As for the views? Absolutely phenomenal. The colours of the reef are impossibly vibrant from above. From the air you can finally comprehend just how enormous the Great Barrier Reef (which is actually thousands of connected smaller reefs) really is.
We even spotted some wildlife — huge rays, dugongs, and giant sea turtles swam below us, with our pilot pointing them out when she saw something in the water. She mentioned she’d seen humpback whales earlier that morning, though unfortunately they didn’t make an appearance for our flight.
Taking the scenic flight with kids
I asked our pilot if they get many kids tagging along on these scenic flights. She told me they often take families up, and have previously taken some with babies of just a few months old. Our 2.5-year-old toddler was able to sit on my husband’s lap for the whole flight.
I wasn’t sure how our son would react to the helicopter experience (I’ll admit I was slightly nervous that he’d hate it and whinge the whole time), but the comfort of sitting with a parent worked perfectly. He was quiet the entire flight and even fell asleep about 30 minutes in — apparently the noise and vibration often lulls little ones to sleep!
It was obviously a memorable experience for him. As we landed, we asked him what he thought of the helicopter ride, and he said, “it was really fun!” — high praise from a toddler. I’m not sure that the reef views were of any interest to him, but I’m just glad that I got to give him a core memory!
What’s included in a scenic helicopter tour
- Aerial views of the Great Barrier Reef – in my opinion, the absolute best way to see it.
- Optional sand cay landings (on certain tours, though not guaranteed due to tides, weather, or occupancy).
- Take-home video – Zoom includes a multi-angle flight video with your booking at no extra cost. Such a fun souvenir to show friends and family! Above are some clips from our flight video.
What’s not included
- Snorkelling or diving – Most flights are aerial only. If you want to get in the water, you’ll have to book a fly + cruise package where you can combine a helicopter ride with a reef snorkelling trip.
Is a Great Barrier Reef helicopter flight worth it?
In my opinion, absolutely. While it’s undeniably a splurge, a scenic helicopter flight over the Great Barrier Reef from Cairns is one of the most memorable experiences you’ll ever have in Australia.
This is a perspective of the vibrant coral formations that you simply can’t get from a boat. You’ll also get the chance to spot marine life from the air, which is a really exciting way to see whales, turtles, dugongs, or rays.
If you’re considering whether to book a helicopter tour over the reef, my advice is to go for it. You won’t regret it.
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