You can see the changing splendour of the Whitsundays and the Great Barrier Reef on a 60-minute scenic flight to Hill Inlet. This tour is for eco-conscious visitors and photographers who wish to experience Australia’s most gorgeous tropical islands, including Hill Inlet’s turquoise lagoons, coral gardens, and beaches that change with the tide. You can see the reef and its clear waters from a perspective few people ever get to witness on every trip, whether it’s a private charter or a group tour.
- 7:00am – 8:00am
- 8:30am – 9:30am
- 10:00am – 11:00am
- 11:30am – 12:30pm
- 1:00pm – 2:00pm
- 2.30pm – 3.30pm
- Adult: $335 (15 years and over)
- Child: $335 (2-14 years, Infants 0-23 months old free of charge)
- Family: $N/A
SCUBA Diving
Seawalker Helmet Diving
Fitzroy Island
-
Adult: $335 (15 years and over) $1,410
-
Child: $335 (2-14 years, Infants 0-23 months old free of charge) $1,895
-
Family: $N/A $2,379
Introducing our Scenic Flight Hill Inlet
Hill Inlet is a great place to visit the Whitsundays and the Great Barrier Reef. The hue, tide, and light all work together. At the Whitsunday Airport departure point, people check in for a short safety briefing and tour before the flight. Every day, the trip leaves from big hotels in the region. Every passenger is guaranteed a window seat so they can view the little things that make Whitehaven Beach special, the swirling sands of Hill Inlet, and the beautiful coral formations surrounding the faraway sand cays.
Your pilot will be your guide and storyteller throughout, sharing insights into marine life, how tides work, and how to keep reefs safe. The aircraft is carefully balanced based on each person’s weight so that everyone is safe and comfortable throughout the voyage. Photographers, animal lovers, and eco-adventurers will love this incredible experience, as it offers the best views of one of the cleanest and most protected areas on Earth.
Tour Details
- Tour Number: WR-60
- 60 minutes for daily operations
- You may leave at 7:00 AM, 8:30 AM, 10:00 AM, 11:30 AM, 1:00 PM, or 2:30 PM.
- Departure: Whitsunday Airport, Airlie Beach. Cost: $335 per adult, $335 per child, and $335 per person (kids under 2 are free).
- Meals are not included.
- Changes: Shuttle service to and from the hotel is free.
- The maximum weight a seat can hold is 125 kg.
Highlights
- Take a photo from above of the famous swirling sands of Hill Inlet.
- From above, you can see coral reefs, lagoons, and islands up close.
- Fly over the Great Barrier Reef, Heart Reef, and Whitehaven Beach.
- People who wish to snap photographs and look out the window will get window seats.
- Your pilot will tell you about marine ecology and how to keep reefs safe.
- Airlie Beach offers free rides.
- Take a ride in modern, low-impact Scenic Helicopters designed for efficiency.
Whitsunday Airport, which is just a few minutes from Airlie Beach, is where your eco-adventure begins. You will check in and receive a short safety training before getting on your helicopter and flying over the stunning Whitsunday coastline.
The flying path goes over islands that are brilliant green and seas that are vivid turquoise. Then it reaches Whitehaven Beach, a seven-kilometre stretch of perfect white sand. Soon, you’ll be flying over Hill Inlet, where the tides shift and create patterns of white and blue that are never the same again. Photographers from all over the world love to come here.
The cruise continues across the Great Barrier Reef, where you can witness coral lagoons and the famous Heart Reef, a natural coral formation shaped like a heart. Your pilot talks about the marine life, the geology of the coastline, and the environmental actions that help safeguard this UNESCO World Heritage Site while you are in the air.
When you complete the circuit and travel back to Whitsunday Airport, you’ll have seen more than just images; you’ll have witnessed nature’s art in action.
- A helicopter trip above Hill Inlet and the Reef for an hour is quite stunning.
- You will have a seat beside the window.
- Live commentary from pilots who have been flying for a long time
- Free trips back to Airlie Beach
- Packages for photography that are optional
- Hangar Café & Bar serves coffee and small snacks.
- A phone or camera to take images.
- To acquire clearer photographs from the air, use a polarising lens or filter.
- A light jacket, sunscreen, and sunglasses.
- You need to include the names and exact weights of the people travelling when you make a reservation.
- Each seat has a maximum weight limit of 125 kg.
- The weather, the pilot’s discretion, and air traffic control all affect flights.
- People staying at Hamilton, Daydream, Long, or Hayman Island resorts can’t go on the excursion.
- Please confirm your reservation again 48 hours before you depart.
All prices include the Marine Park fees and GST. The fuel charge will apply if the price of gas climbs beyond $1.50 per litre. The weather and tides affect flights. Please confirm your reservation again 48 hours prior.
Ocean Rafting may use images of visitors for advertising unless you tell them not to. Guests are responsible for their own safety while travelling. People who have harmed their back, neck, or hips, or who are in their third trimester of pregnancy, can’t take part. At least six months old. Anyone who wants to ride must sign a waiver. Getting travel insurance is an excellent idea.
Suitable for all healthy travellers. You don’t have to have flown before.
You can’t get back the 5% booking fee. You may change or cancel your arrangements up to noon the day before you travel. There will be no refunds after then. If the weather cancels, you may either obtain a refund minus 5% or reschedule.
There is a 1.6% processing fee for credit card payments.
Valid until March 31, 2026. You will see the prices right now when you book anything for the future.
Cruise ship passengers must book through their ship’s tour department, as the Scenic Flight Hill Inlet timetable doesn’t align with cruise liner dates.
Some tours cost more on public holidays, but scenic flights do not.
Key holidays include:
- APR 25 – MAR 26
- 05 May 25 – Labour Day
- 20 June 25 – Show Whitsundays
- 06 October 25 – King’s Birthday
- 25 December 25 – Christmas Day (CLOSED)
- 26 December 25 – Boxing Day
- 01 January 26 – New Year’s Day
- 26 January 26 – Australia Day
APR 26 – MAR 27
- 03 April 26 – Good Friday
- 04 April 26 – Easter Saturday
- 05 April 26 – Easter Sunday
- 06 April 26 – Easter Monday
- 25 April 26 – Anzac Day
- 04 May 26 – Labour Day
- *Still to be announced* – Show Whitsundays
- 05 October 26 – King’s Birthday
- 25 December 26 – Christmas Day (CLOSED)
- 26 December 26 – Boxing Day
- 28 December 26 – Boxing Day public holiday
- You may pay for private eco-charters using a credit card (with a 1.6% fee) or a bank transfer.
- If you cancel five days before the event, you’ll receive a refund less 5%.
- If you cancel within five days, you will have to pay the whole amount.
- It costs an additional $200 to charter on a holiday.
You have to contact (07 4946 6848) within 24 hours to confirm your reservations.
All guests must be weighed before boarding. If the information is incorrect or the weight exceeds 125 kg per seat, customers will not be able to board and will not receive a refund.
Flights only depart from Whitsunday Airport on the mainland.
Whitsunday Air Services Pty Ltd (AOC# 1-KPVQ0-06) and Whitsunday Tiger Moth Adventures (WAVEAir Pty Ltd AOC# CASA.AOC.0067) are the operators. CASA has given them all the necessary licences.
We commemorate the Gia, Giru, and Ngaro People, who have long resided in the Whitsunday region. We honour their long-lasting connections to land, sea, and community, and we pay our respects to Elders who have died, are still living, and are coming up.
Vacationit Audio Guides enhance your eco-experience by providing all travellers with easy-to-use, narrated, and text-based versions.
Hill Inlet's famed swirling white sands seem different from every flight.
The trip lasts a full hour and gives you uninterrupted overhead views of the Whitsunday Islands, Whitehaven Beach, Hill Inlet, and Heart Reef.
Is this a good time to take pictures on this flight?
Yes, every seat has a window, which is ideal for capturing photographs and films from the air.
Do aircraft have an impact on the environment?
Scenic Helicopters follows strict sustainability guidelines to minimise environmental impact..
Is there a restriction on age?
If they sit on their parents’ laps, kids under two may travel for free. The youngest person on board must be at least six months old.
Can I bring my photography gear?
Yes, you may bring cameras, GoPros, and small DSLRs.