1-Hour Whitsunday Islands and Heart Reef Scenic Flight
Overview
Available languages
1 hour 30 minutes
Mobile ticket
An amazing and unforgettable experience.
This is our most popular flight and with great reason! Combining both the Whitsunday Islands and Great Barrier Reef in one including the world famous Heart Reef!
Departing from the iconic Shute Harbour airport, only 9 mins drive from Airlie Beach main street.
Enjoy the iconic scenery as you soar in our specially designed scenic flight fixed wing aircraft, featuring overhead high wings and large panoramic windows ensuring unobstructed views.
Your pilot will point out land marks to ensure all on board have time to capture that special shot and take in the beauty.
Includes the Whitsunday Islands, Hill Inlet and Whitehaven Beach, The Great Barrier Reef and Heart Reef!
All passengers are Guaranteed a window seat.
Live commentary during your entire flight.
Fly Australia is committed to sustainability through responsible environmental and cultural practices and actions towards conservation and climate change.
Duration: 60 - 70 mins.
Additional Info
Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
Specialized infant seats are available
Public transportation options are available nearby
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Due to comfort and weight / balance limits of the aircraft, Maximum passengers weight is 130KG
Flight time is an estimate and dependent on weather, wind, cloud, other air traffic, air traffic control. The flight time may vary slightly as a result.
Due to comfort and weight and balance, our aircraft seats have a weight limit of 130KG and we will need to weight every passenger during the check-in process, if you are over weight at the time we are unable to take you on as a passenger on the scenic flight, and no refunds will be provided. If you are close to our aircraft seat limit of 130KG please weight yourself a few days before the flight. If you determine that you are unfit to go on the scenic flight and notify us before 24 hours of the scenic flight departure time we will be able to provide a change a date or refund.
We will try our best at accommodating passengers seating requests, however, passengers within the same booking group may not be seated together due to weight and balances of the aircraft to ensure the safety of flight operation.
This activity is a weather dependent activity.
You will receive a confirmation email after your booking. Please note a confirmation email is a notification that we have received your booking but it can be subject to change due to weather, weight and balance of our aircraft, minimum passenger requirements and opeartional requirements.
Please provide us with accurate contact information
Passengers with medical conditions that may be affected by flight should consult a doctor before booking and inform us.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What To Expect
Airlie Beach
Arriving at the Fly Australia Passenger lounge you will be met by your local experienced pilot who will fill you in on the tour ahead. We will board the aircraft and take off for our tour over the beautiful Whitsundays and Great Barrier Reef. Remember to bring your camera, there will be unlimited photo opportunities!
Whitsunday Islands
The Whitsundays Scenic Flight takes you over some of Australia's most iconic and beautiful landscapes including the World Heritage Great Barrier Reef & breathtaking islands of the Whitsundays. You will enjoy panoramic sights from the comfort of our seat in our specially designed scenic flight aircraft. This is a must do!
What‘s Included
GST (Goods and Services Tax)
All taxes, fees and handling charges
Courtest bus pick up and drop off service available on request from 2 locations in Airlie Beach
Landing and facility fees
Airport/Departure Tax
Live commentary on board
Options
1-Hour Whitsunday Islands and Heart Reef Scenic Flight
Pickup included
Reviews
739 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Amazing experience highly...
Gregory L,,Jan 9, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Amazing experience highly recommended We did this for my birthday Thanks again to this company. We love it
Wow Wow Wow!!! 🤯
Matt R,,Jan 7, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00What an experience!! Once in a lifetime stuff I’m a nervous flyer and was apprehensive before take off, especially as the plane wasn’t the biggest. Our pilot was Alex (Tottenham fan), he was great and set me at ease before take off. He advised that due to weather conditions that the flight would be bumpy at times but that there wasn’t anything to worry about. The whole team of pilots were constantly on the radio to each other advising of the weather conditions up ahead so that they could avoid the worst of it, not only from a safety point of view but also to maximise our enjoyment by making sure that we could clearly see the wondrous sights below us. At no point during our flight did we feel anything but completely safe. The sights themselves truly are a wonder to behold, absolutely mind blowing. We also did the Ocean Rafting experience as part of the same package which is also highly recommended for which I’ve done a separate review. Thank you to Alex and team for an exceptional experience that will be forever remembered. Absolutely loved it!!
Nice Views!
Cheryl D,,Jan 6, 2026
- Review from Viator
4.00Nice views of the islands and Great Barrier Reef. Pilot gave plenty of time to allow us to get our cameras ready to take pics. Try to avoid 3rd row, which had some obstructed visibility due to plane wing and wheel. Plane was very hot during takeoff and landing - dress accordingly.
Canceled 10 minutes...
Antonio M,,Jan 1, 2026
- Review from Viator
1.00Canceled 10 minutes before pick up. We travelled only for this. Experience ruined! I called in the morning and they say it was okay and we would flight and then cancelled. Feel very sad!!
Once-in-a-Lifetime Experience Completely Ruined
Maison D,,Jan 1, 2026
- Review from Viator
1.00Core issues at a glance: • Flight time changed after booking due to “not enough people” • Original booking for 2 people split across different flights without being told • Only discovered the split because I rang to check • Forced to rearrange entire days of our holiday • Flight cancelled 2 minutes before pickup after paying for taxis • Poor communication throughout, quick to take money Avoid at all costs – disorganised, misleading, and ruined our trip. We booked this 1-Hour Whitsunday Islands and Heart Reef Scenic Flight for 2 people. Our original 10:30am flight was changed to 11:30am due to “not enough people.” We then added a third person via Viator, assuming they would also be moved to the new time. Instead, after payment, we were told the third person would remain on the 10:30 flight because the original flight was suddenly going ahead again. I understand that adding a third person on a separate booking carried some risk, however what is completely unacceptable is that we were never informed that our original booking for 2 people would also be split up. It was only because I rang to check on the third person that we were then told that our original booking of 2 was being split across separate flights as well. This should have been made clear upfront. This was meant to be a shared experience, and splitting us across flights completely defeats the purpose. To try and fix their mess, we were forced to move the flight to 7:30am the following day, which meant our entire 1st of January was ruined, all plans cancelled, and we had to rearrange everything again on the 2nd just to accommodate them. Then the final insult. We arrived at the pickup point at 6:30am for a 6:50am pickup, paid for taxis, only to be called at 6:48am — two minutes before pickup — and told the flight was cancelled due to weather. I understand weather cannot be controlled, but calling customers two minutes before pickup after they’ve already travelled and paid is completely unacceptable. This was meant to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience for us. We travelled all the way from London and may never return to the Whitsundays. What should have been a highlight of our trip turned into stress, disappointment, and frustration due entirely to poor communication and disorganisation. Quick to take your money, but incredibly poor when it comes to planning a
Worth the money
Cynthia D,,Dec 31, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Worth every cent! Our first one we had to turn around due to the weather, so we kinda got to experience it twice, we have so many videos and photos, the pilots were very informative, we really enjoyed it.
Once in a lifetime view of the reef
hannahhW7899KH,,Dec 28, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Once in a lifetime experience! Our pilot took us out to the Whitsundays and then over the heart reef. This is such a great way to see the reef. The staff were all very helpful and made us feel really safe during our experience. Would definitely recommend.
Once in a lifetime experience!
Abbie K,,Dec 23, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00This experience was worth every penny. The entire Fly Australia team made us feel at ease and in safe hands. Our pilot Chris, was very experienced and knowledgeable, telling us lots of information about the Whitsunday Islands and the reef. The views were spectacular!
Flying to the Great...
Victor G,,Dec 23, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Flying to the Great Barrier Reef was an unforgettable experience. The staff were friendly and professional, the safety briefing was clear, and the views from the plane were absolutely breathtaking. Seeing the reef from above made the trip truly special and well worth it.
Unforgettable experience
char658,,Dec 17, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00One of the best things I have done so far in Aus. The views and whole experience was amazing. Seeing the beaches, islands, and great barrier reef from above was surreal. I even spotted 2 sharks and a ray in the reef.
Related Experiences
Operated by Fly Australia Charter Pty Ltd