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Cairns Tours
40-Minute Great Barrier Reef Scenic Flight from Cairns
5

40-Minute Great Barrier Reef Scenic Flight from Cairns

By Daintree Air Services
Recommended by 98% of travellers
98% of reviewers gave this product a bubble rating of 4 or higher.
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Ages 0-99, max of 27 per group
Duration: 40m
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Live guide: German, English
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Audio guide: German, English
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Written guide
Print or digital reading material such as a guide, map, brochure, etc.
: English
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Travellers’ Choice Best of the Best
2024

  • Professional Pilot
  • Live commentary on board
What's not included
  • Food and drinks
  • Gratuities


Start:
  • Daintree Air Services, Tom McDonald Dr, Aeroglen QLD 4870, Australia
    Please Check in 30 mins before the flight.
End:This activity ends back at the meeting point.

    • Not wheelchair accessible
    • Pushchair accessible
    • Near public transportation
    • Infants must sit on laps
    If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 23731P6

    • No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
    • Most travellers can participate
    • Body Weight Limited 115kg
    • Flights will be cancelled if weather conditions are such that we are unable to provide our service as advertised.
    • Refunds must be organised through Viator. Notification of cancellations will be provided by Daintree Air to Viator.
    • Minimum numbers apply.
    • Check in 15 to 30Mins Before the flight
    • Infant under 2 year-old sit on laps free of charge - body weight requested
    • Passengers must advise actual weights in lbs or kilos at time of filling out the booking request. The Take Off Weights of Australian Air-craft are STRICTLY POLICED by Government Departments on a regular basis.It is an offence under Australian Law to fly Aircraft / Helicopters over their legal Take Off Weight. You will be weighed at the Terminal prior to boarding. If you weight is 5 kilos / 11lbs or more over and above the weight you have provided at time of booking Daintree Air reserve the right to deny access to the flight and no refund will be provided. Daintree Air will endeavor to accommodate all passengers to the best of their ability. Maximum passengers weights accepted with out special individual planning and organisation is 115 kilos / 253 lbs.Daintree Air are under no obligation to up grade to larger planes .
    • This experience requires good weather. If it’s cancelled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
    • This experience requires a minimum number of travellers. If it’s cancelled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund
    • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 27 travellers

    • All sales are final and incur 100% cancellation penalties.

    If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 23731P6

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    Itinerary
    • Tom McDonald Dr, Aeroglen QLD 4870, Australia
      Please Check in 30 mins before the flight.
    • 1
      Daintree Air have been showing clients the very best of the Great Barrier Reef for over 35 years. We know the best places to view from the air, snorkel from the surface and or dive from below the surface. It has taken us half a life time to learn just a little about the Great Barrier Reef. Let us pass this knowledge and information onto you.  The experienced team will advise you on the optimum time for viewing and photographing the the magnificent aqua blue and opal like colors of the Great Barrier Reef. Flights organised between 9:30am and 2:30pm will always be premium times to fly due to the sun being at the best angle overhead the reef. The route flown will usually take in Green Island, Upolu Cay, Oyster, Arlington, Vlassof and Michaelmas Reefs as well as views of Cape Grafton, False Cape, Double Island and the Northern Beaches of Cairns including Palm Cove.
    About the operator
    Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
    • Daintree Air Services
      1,073
      Australia
      Joined in December 2011
    • hiranp74
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Amazing views and highly recommend this tour
      Great experience. Booked via Get your guide. Clear instructions on the experience and meet up details. Daintree Air staff were great. Friendly and professional. Actual experience was great and the pilot was great at pointing out the islands and reefs. The weather was great so the flight was smooth. Amazing views and highly recommend.
      Written 19 November 2024
    • L9271GObrucew
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Great Barrier Reef flight
      Absolutely stunning views of the reef. This experience is unforgettable and highly recommended. Photos do not do this justice
      Written 29 January 2024
    • 515fionap
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Lockhart River Charter
      Greg accommodated our urgent flight from Lockhart River - flight was awesome and great customer service. Highly recommend
      Written 14 January 2024
    • Footprints754102
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Outstanding experience viewing the Great Barrier Reef from above!
      My scenic flight with Daintree Air Services over the Great Barrier Reef was incredible! It was so enjoyable that I did it twice in one day and brought my husband with for the second flight. The owners Judy and George were so kind, welcoming, and accommodating. Our pilots Thomas and Jesse were both outstanding. Could not recommend them more!
      Written 4 January 2024
    • jazminee2022
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      100% Recommend this tour
      This trip was absolutely amazing! The pilot Cam had so much information on the different sights and wildlife throughout the day including guiding us through snorkelling. The island was absolutely beautiful. Crystal clear water and the best snorkelling I’ve done in FNQ.
      Written 17 November 2023
    • scara_mi
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Simply fantastic
      Highly recommended scenic flight over the great barrier reef. 40 wonderful minutes high up in the sky. Very warm welcome from ground staff and the pilot, who provides information about the reefs during the flight. Everyone has a window seat and can simply enjoy the view. Just book it.
      Written 13 November 2023
    • GrumpyandtheOldLady
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Daintree Air trip cancelled due to weather but Daintree Air also came to the rescue.
      Sadly, my Daintree Air Services Lizard Island Day Tour by Air was canceled due to weather. Greg really worked his butt off to find us a last minute alternative. He had found two or three options to chose from but spoke of one he thought would be best for us. We took his advice and he booked that particular tour immediately. He was absolute correct and the boat tour (Ocean Spirit) was perfect. While we are sad our trip with Greg was unavoidably canceled, we appreciate the work he put in and have wonderful memories from the alternative he provided. If/when we return to Australia, we will definitely rebook our tour with Greg and Daintree Air Services. Thanks, Greg!
      Written 12 November 2023
    • Jeff N
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Book a tour with Daintree!
      Just got back from a morning flight and can’t recommend this company/tour enough. Our pilot, Brayden, was informative and humorous, and made our tour of the reefs smooth and memorable. You have to choose this company and do this tour during your time in Cairns. Would do it again in a heartbeat! Shout out to all their staff on the ground as well who were very kind and helped organise transport back into Cairns.
      Written 30 October 2023
    • Go31680504874
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Great Tour/Experience
      Great experience especially, definitely recommend. The pilot, Thomas is especially great and gave a great detailed tour.
      Written 24 October 2023
    • swaggysaggy
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Amazing Experience!
      We did a 40min Great Barrier Reef flight with Thomas the Pilot and it was amazing, worth Every penny! Saw a Turtle and lots of Islands and lots of different Reefs with good explanations of Thomas for each and everyone of them! 👍😆
      Written 24 October 2023
    • LianneW_13
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Bucket List Trip of a Lifetime
      Took a day trip from Cairnes with Daintree Air Services to see the Northern most tip of Australia. an unforgettable experience I can now tick this off my bucket list. From initial enquiry to final disembarkation of plane, the staff were professional, friendly and very knowledgable. Morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea were provided. I loved seeing the Great Barrier Reef, islands and other landmarks from a low altitude by plane. We took a 4WD to Frangipani Beach then a walk along the rocks to reach the northern most tip of Australia. During this whole day the guides were constantly thinking of everyone's safety and especially kept the walk at a pace everyone could manage safely. We also stopped at the wreck of a DC plane that crashed just before the war ended. Travelling by plane and 4WD is the best way to see the Northern most tip of Australia, as driving the many kilometers to get there would be long and tiresome by car and you also would not get to see the Great Barrier Reef. Well worth the money.
      Written 5 October 2023
    • 913jessm
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      A must do experience
      Great trip , seeing the beautiful cairns with brayden who was an awesome guide explaining the beautiful sites and islands
      Written 30 September 2023
    • whitty672018
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      A flight to paradise!
      This was one of the best best flight I have been on, my daughter and myself enjoyed from take off to landing. The service was exceptional, flight was amazing and pilot was the best, especially his commentary about the reef and not forgetting his famous rollercoaster. Seeing several islands and the reef from the air was great. Would recommend these guys to everyone, 10 out of 10.
      Written 22 September 2023
    • BernifromTralee
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      What a reef experience
      Thomas our captain was awesome, a treasure trove of splendid information… the days weather was awesome…. Definitely will spread the good word
      Written 20 September 2023
    • simonHkoster
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Great experience and got some stunning pictures
      The 40 minute flight out over the reef was gorgeous and our pilot Chris gave great info during the tour as well. Highly recommend beautiful way to see the reef from above.
      Written 18 September 2023
    See all 1,073 reviews
    These reviews are the subjective opinions of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

    Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

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    5.0
    5.0 of 5 bubbles729 reviews
    Excellent
    705
    Very good
    16
    Average
    1
    Poor
    2
    Terrible
    5

    Riley
    1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    July 2023 • Couples
    Overall it was a great experience with great viewings of some of the closer reefs to cairns. The pilot Chris was very professional and knowledgeable about the area and did a fantastic job giving excellent views and photo opportunities. Combined with the very reasonable price for time, I would highly recommend that anyone looking to go for an air tour over the Great Barrier Reef books a flight with Daintree Air Services.
    Written 24 July 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Lisa L
    Cairns, Australia47 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Jan 2024 • Couples
    I booked a flight for my husband and I prior to Cyclone Jasper and was a bit worried about everything getting postponed as the location for these guys was directly hit by flooding. Despite being up to their knees in water less than a week before, these guys were back on board, smiling and cracking jokes and showing us why the FNQ locals are a totally different breed. **these guys were also all hands-on deck evacuating flood victims following the cyclone. They had all the office equipment up off the floor and had resurfaced the waiting room floor prior to our flights without a single word of complaint.

    Back to our flight, our pilot was the very handsome Thomas who was an excellent host/pilot, positioning the plane so that everyone on board had an opportunity to take great photos. He pointed out manta rays and turtles and gave us fascinating insights about the reef and the islands. He clearly loves his job and showcasing the jewel of FNQ, The Great Barrier Reef. Every seat is a window seat and you each get a headset so you can hear the pilot as he points out places of interest and let you know when to ready your cameras for the million-dollar shot.

    I did book directly with these guys, so when our flight from Brisbane was delayed to ongoing bad weather, they had the flexibility to put us on another flight at no extra charge. Judy stuck with us and made sure we managed to get on a flight for the same day and the weather was glorious! (07) 4034 9300

    The cost is very reasonable and well worth memories that will last a lifetime. This is a small plane and the tour is intimate. If this is on your bucket list, do yourself a favour and book direct with them. The reef looks incredible from above. Who better to go with than a local to get the real experience.
    Written 2 January 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    CDH
    7 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    July 2022 • Solo
    This is a must do for anyone wanting to see the Great Barrier Reef. The pilot was fantastic, giving a great guided commentary and making sure everyone on the plane got to see every piece of stunning scenery. It was an absolutely fantastic experience that, quite frankly, is the best value of any of the trips you can do. Get booked in as early as possible as you don’t want to miss doing this.
    Written 20 July 2022
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Csimp
    3 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Welcomed by friendly staff who were professional and extremely knowledgeable. The flight ran on time and Cam the pilot was entertaining and full of interesting facts and stories about the Great Barrier Reef, surrounding townships and Cairns. A highly recommended and unforgettable experience.
    Written 8 June 2022
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Alissa E
    5 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Oct 2021
    Our pilot, Connor, was amazing! He has a wonderful personality and loves showing off the beauty of the reef from a unique perspective. I highly recommend Daintree Air Service for anyone in the Cairns region. We even had a few locals on the flight with us and they equally loved the experience! MUST do activity!!
    Written 27 October 2021
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Julie C
    Tea Gardens, Australia38 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    We were given this experience as a gift and it was amazing. It wasn't something we would have chosen ourselves but so glad we did it. The scenery was beautiful, the flight was smooth and the pilot was knowledgeable with commentary. We found all staff friendly and having a shuttle service back to town was a great added bonus for a small fee. I highly recommend this experience!
    Written 19 September 2022
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Christine B
    1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    I booked this scenic flight less than 24 hours prior. I called the operator who explained the information I required would be sent to me via email.
    Everything from booking to landing was very easy.
    The pre flight safety brief was informative and humorous thanks to the young Taiwanese guy…sorry don’t remember his name.
    The pilot was Chris,
    The Great Barrier Reef is amazing we were lucky to have great weather and Chris the pilot ensured we all had good views for both sides of the plane. Fantastic photo and video opportunities
    This was absolutely value for money
    Written 22 August 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    kath19602015
    Toowoomba, Australia106 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    June 2021
    What a great way to see the Great Barrier Reef..... from a bird's eye view and what a great bunch of blokes Greg & the other pilots are at Daintree Air Services. Our Pilot, Joey, made sure that everyone who flew on our flight saw the same things, whether you were seated on the left or the right of the plane. He pointed out heaps of things to us and gave us a bit of a history lesson abt the GBR. Hubby and I would thoroughly recommend Daintree Air Services and this 40min. flight over the scenic Great Barrier Reef to anyone visiting Cairns. It was amazing. Thanks again guys.
    Written 6 June 2021
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Tilly S
    7 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Dec 2020 • Solo
    Amazing flight over the reef from Cairns ! Stunning conditions and the views were spectacular. The pilot was very engaging with the customers and very knowledgeable about the reef and the local area. I actually learnt a lot just from listening to him ! It was a fun and awesome experience all round ! Would fly again with Daintree Air in a heartbeat !
    Written 28 December 2020
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    blaird0759
    5 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    May 2022
    We were blessed with an absolutely awesome day weather wise. The reef was highlighted in all its splendor with a bright Sun and very little wind. There were only the three of us on board the flight along with our pilot, Ken who did a fantastic job. He provided us all with a running commentary of the islands, cays, history and the importance of the reef throughout the flight. The only complaint was that the time passed way too quickly.
    Written 29 May 2022
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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    *Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.

    40-Minute Great Barrier Reef Scenic Flight from Cairns provided by Daintree Air Services

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