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Take to the skies for our most popular adventure—a breathtaking 40-minute scenic flight over the world-famous Great Barrier Reef. By extending your journey, you will experience the absolute best of this natural wonder, soaring high above pristine waters and vibrant coral formations. 🚁
The Ultimate Reef Experience
This extended flight path takes you further east, passing the lush Green Island before tracking to the outer edge of Arlington Reef—one of the largest reefs in the northern section of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. Feel the thrill as we traverse the very edge of the Australian continental shelf, where the water clarity is absolutely unsurpassed and the ocean floor drops away to over 1,000 feet. 🌊
Unmatched Aerial Views
With those extra 10 minutes, we push further north past the spectacular Vlassoff Sand Cay and onto the outer reaches of Michaelmas Reef. The brilliant colours and textures of the reef, framed by the massive North Queensland skies, offer an unforgettable backdrop. It is a dream come true for keen photographers looking to capture once-in-a-lifetime images! 📸
What is Included & What to Bring
- Expert Commentary: Learn from our local pilot-guides who provide fascinating insights into the history and marine life of the reef.
- What to Bring: Sunglasses, sunscreen, and your camera.
- Luggage: Small soft bags only (personal items must not exceed 10 kg).
Please note: A minimum of 2 passengers is required. Weight restrictions apply—please complete the details on the booking form.
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The staff on check in were very professional and friendly.
I would recommend doing a flight over the reef with the Zoom team.
The staff were friendly and professional, making us feel comfortable and safe throughout the experience. My wife, kids and I all loved it, and it was definitely one of the highlights of our trip to Cairns.
If you’re looking for a unique way to experience the reef, I highly recommend this scenic flight. It’s worth every cent and creates memories that will last a lifetime
Hayley answered the call in more ways than one in helping to organise a voucher to present to him at their celebration for the next morning.
My father was very, very surprised and looks forward to his flight which he will do in September, a perfect time of year in Cairns.
Hayley's friendly and professional customer service was 2nd to none and I cannot rate her enough.
Thankyou again, we cannot wait for him to experience his first helicopter flight with Zoom.
Lio was professional, friendly, and made us feel completely safe throughout the journey.
Seeing the reef from above was absolutely breathtaking — something we will never forget.
Thank you, Lio, for giving us such a memorable and incredible experience.
Highly recommended!
Reasonable price for an unforgettable experience!
Team was very welcoming and informative, complimentary drinks upon arrival to the office and went through the paperwork with us. We arrived early so we were able to take off a bit earlier. Our pilot was professional and educational, giving us lots of great information, as well as answered all our questions about the reef and surrounding areas, he engaged with us well and helped us identify animals and enlightened us to different touring (dive, snorkel ect) options of the reef. Weather was consistently changing but they still happily provided the flight and explained detours to ensure we weren’t impacted by the weather and prepared/talked us through the turbulence and the landing procedures.
A 10/10 experience, all staff were very welcoming and friendly, complimentary drinks offered before and after flight and the helicopter was in great clean condition. We will definitely be back, thanks guys!
Every single dollar spent on the chopper ride was absolutely worth it. It was an unforgettable experience, and I would highly recommend Zoom Helicopters to anyone looking for something special.
Thank you to the entire team for such a fantastic experience!
Every single dollar spent on the chopper ride was absolutely worth it. It was an unforgettable experience, and I would highly recommend Zoom Helicopters to anyone looking for something special.
Thank you to the entire team for such a fantastic experience!
PS Hayley , we so appreciated you giving us a hop back into town during your well deserved break. !! You not only represent this company but Australian people at their best. 🩵
The Fegleys
Burke, VA USA
The pilots were incredible, especially Giulio (huge shout out to him for doing such an amazing job on only his second flight with the company!)
I would 1,000% do this again and recommend it to everyone. This is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience!
Follow @skl_photos on Instagram for additional photos.
Btw, I first booked a small plane flight over the reef, but realized that a helicopter would be better, since it can fly lower. I don't know how low, since I can't convert metres to feet, but we had an up-close-and-personal view of the reef. And major shout out to our pilot, Hayley, a very skillful young woman who made the trip so much fun. Also a plus listening to the ATC tower and hearing other pilots and controllers sign off, "G'day."
Booked in advance. Helicopter is small but mighty! Pilot was awesome and really informative.
We recently did our very first helicopter ride over Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef, and it was absolutely incredible. From the moment we lifted off, the views were like nothing we have ever seen — crystal-clear turquoise water, stunning reef formations, and the coastline stretching out forever. The pilot, Hailey was friendly, passionate, knowledgeable, and made us feel completely safe the entire time.
The whole experience was smooth, well-organised, and honestly one of the highlights of our trip. If you’re in Cairns, this is a must-do. You won’t regret it!
Huge thanks to Chris, Giulio, and our pilot from the Netherlands for making it such an amazing experience. Super friendly, professional, and enthusiastic team. Highly recommend Zoom Helicopters to anyone thinking about a reef flight!
Visiting reefs while your guide pointed out wildlife and gave in-depth information about the area.
Highly recommend!!!
Weather is beautiful and helicopter is new model and clean.
We chose best option for
40Min to Outer Reef Odyssey from Carins Airport - Green Island - Vlasoff Reef - Arlington Reef - Upolo Reef - Carins Airport
But unfortunately, we can't stop by Vlasoff Sand Cay. also we bought vedio but we prefer install immediately to our cellphone instead USB next time.
Especially thanks Hayley.
She is one of great pilot and you can tell her passion 😀
We highly recommend if you visit Cairns next time.
This company went over and beyond, showing care and respect.
We recommend this company.
Visibility on the day we went was fantastic and we were able to see so much from the air, even getting to see a whale breach the water. Being able to purchase the recording of our flight was great and allowed us to focus on the experience knowing we could have great vision all captured at the end. Still had plenty of opportunities to capture our own photos from the windows.
The flight itself was breathtaking – seeing the Great Barrier Reef and the Cairns from above is something I’ll never forget. The views were absolutely stunning, and the commentary along the way made it even more special, giving insights into the landmarks and natural beauty of Cairns.
Had an amazing experience with an awesome pilot.
The flight was great as was our experience with Zoom Helicopters.
We have no hesitation in recommending them.
We had an incredible helicopter trip around Cairns! The team was very professional and knowledgeable, making us feel completely at ease from start to finish. They were also impressively flexible, adjusting the flight time around the weather to make sure we had the best possible experience.
The scenery was absolutely breathtaking – flying out and around Fitzroy Island was a highlight, and seeing Cairns city from the air gave us a whole new perspective. Highly recommend this experience to anyone visiting the area – it’s a must-do!














































