Best time to Fly over the Whitsundays & Great Barrier Reef?
Scenic flights are often a bucket list or once-in-a-lifetime activity for most people, which generally comes with a higher cost. Therefore, if you’re going to fork over the cash, you want to know that you’re getting your money’s worth. This brings me to today’s post and finding out the best time of day to fly over the Whitsunday Islands & the Great Barrier Reef.
The Airlie Beach area of central Queensland is a massive international tourist hub and is visited by over 500 thousand tourists each year for the Whitsundays. I honestly believe the region is best appreciated from the air when you can overlook the crystal-clear waters, stunning islands, and coral reefs.
So, by the end of reading this post, you’ll know how to calculate the best time to fly on any given day and help you tick off a brilliant bucket list experience.
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Best time of day to fly over the Whitsundays or Great Barrier Reef?
If you plan a flight, a few factors could make or break your experience. Choosing the best time of day to fly over the Whitsundays will change daily, depending on the tides, wind, sun position, and cloud cover.
But fear not, I will explain exactly how to calculate that below!
➡ Book Great Barrier Reef flights HERE with GYG, or HERE with Viator.
I would like to stress, though, this blog post should be used as a model and in no way a hard-set rule on when you should fly. This guide will help you pick a time, and there are obviously leeway’s to flying based on your travelling schedule.
This means, If you only have one day to complete the flight and the weather is not the absolute best. Then I hope the advice below helps you pick an optimal time on that day.
With that said, I’ve taken many flights worldwide (including at the Whitsundays), and I’m providing an opinion based on my knowledge. A flight like this makes Airlie Beach worth visiting, and you won’t want to miss it!
How to calculate your flight time?
The best time to fly over the Whitsunday Islands or the Great Barrier Reef from Airlie Beach will be:
1 – A low to Medium Tide around 1 to 1.5 metres
2 – In the morning, between 8 am and 11 am.
3 – Less than 50% of Cloud Cover.
4 – And a wind speed of less than 25km/hour
Again, I stress that this is not an exact science, and time outside the suggestion above could still be a phenomenal experience for you. But since this is a high ticket Bucket list item in Australia for most people, I want you to get the most out of the experience.
I will go into more detail in the four stages to calculate below!
➡ Compare Great Barrier Reef flights HERE with GYG, or HERE with Viator.
1. Finding the best Tide Times
While tide times don’t affect your beach days much, you will understand that stepping into the ocean in the same spot will often be deeper at certain times of the day. With that said, the areas of the Whitsundays with the coral reef and the sandbars are not as visible during a high tide.
Therefore, It’s my recommendation to fly somewhere between a Low to Medium tide, around 1 to 1.5 metres. This will help the swirling sandbars show up around Whitehaven Beach, and the stunning coral reef formations will be closer to the water’s surface. I use this website to help calculate your local tide times and generally provide a 3 to 4-hour period that’s best.
2. How much Cloud Cover is there?
A little bit of cloud cover will not usually affect much, but it’s not uncommon for the clouds to block the sun’s rays, resulting in a duller ocean hue. Consequently, the Whitsunday Islands’ beauty relies on the clear blue waters and makes the soft white sands stand out, and the sun helps with this.
➡ Compare Reef flights HERE with GYG, or HERE with Viator.
There are many different apps or websites that help show how much cloud cover an area has. While this is not exact, I find having 50% cloud cover or less will help increase your enjoyment of the scenic flight. I have used this website in the past, but it’s easy to find the same information on a weather application of your choice.
That being said if you’re looking for the brightest, most radiant water, no cloud cover is best.
3. Aligning with the Position of the Sun
The sun will affect how much reflection you’ll get off the water and through the aircraft’s windows (helicopter or fixed-winged plane). It will also determine how overexposed your photos will be or how bright you’ll see everything with the naked eye.
While sunset and sunrise are generally a nice romantic time for scenic flights, they are definitely NOT a good time to see the Coral Reef. This is the same for the brightest part of the day (Lunchtime or the middle of the day). Subsequently, the afternoon sun will be in the wrong position on where you want to look.
As a result, I recommend flying sometime in the morning between 8 am and 11 am. But this can vary slightly from winter to summer with the shortest and longest days and what time the sun rises.
4. Wind speed.
Not only can high winds make for a choppy and uncomfortable ride, but they can also have a significant impact on the visibility of some of the most beautiful sights out there. Additionally, any bad weather or strong winds will ascertain if the flight leaves the airport at all.
Take Heart Reef, for instance. This stunning heart-shaped formation nestled in the Great Barrier Reef is a must-see for any adventurist. However, when winds are high, waves can easily cover the reef, making it harder to see.
If the winds are safe enough for the flight to take off, this still doesn’t mean it’s a good time to fly. Choppy waters will make your photos of the reef appear cloudy and lack contrast. Therefore, I use this website to check for wind speed and gusts and try to keep below 25 km/hour.
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How much do the Scenic Flights Cost?
The Whitsunday/Great Barrier Reef Scenic Flights start from $200 per person. Although they can increase to $500 with private tours, or using a helicopter.
But, do you want to get the most bang for your buck? That’s where combo deals come in, and I’ve seen them advertised with land tours along with the flight. Even better that the deals cover the same day or over two days!
➡ Find these combo tours HERE with GYG, or HERE with Viator.
Not only do these combos save you money, but they also make it easier to plan your day. You don’t have to worry about finding separate activities and transportation. It’s all taken care of for you.
Fixed-winged Plane VS a Helicopter?
There are only a couple of differences between choosing a fixed-winged plane and a helicopter. But, essentially this will come down to your budget and viewing capability.
The Fixed winged plane is generally your cheaper option and has more choices for tour companies in town. Most will guarantee a window seat, but obstructions include the wheels and the bow holding the wing up. This is what I chose on my recent visit, and while I do prefer a helicopter, this was sufficient.
Helicopters will be more expensive to fly in, but the windows are bigger, and a wider view for photographs. Even better if you can get the front seat or a company that allows the door off! However, this is all banked on the fact you have a window seat in the first place.
Therefore, if you’re going to pay the extra money, you deserve a guaranteed window seat. Because of this, I often will talk to the tour company first and only fly in a 3-seater (plus Pilot) Helicopter.
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My Scenic Flight Review?
My experience of the scenic flight from Airlie Beach was a positive one, but the conditions could have been better. Hence the reason for writing this post today!
I picked the fixed-winged plane due to my budget, but the weather worsened each day when I was there and limited my options. While I flew at the right time in the morning, the wind was higher than usual, the tides were about 2 metres, and there were lots of clouds on the reef.
This, in turn, made the waves choppy and shaded some of the reef from the sun.
That being said, the company I chose to fly with was organised, friendly and I felt very safe travelling with them. They also provided hotel pickup and I found a place to stay in Airlie beach around their collection route.
And honestly, these minor imperfections didn’t take away from the overall greatness of the experience. The scenery was overwhelming with Whitehaven Beach and Heart Reef, the crystal blue water was vibrant in the sun, and it was all a sight to behold.
I highly recommend taking a scenic flight from Airlie Beach. It’s an experience that will leave you in awe, especially if you can time it better than I did.
FAQ’s – Common Questions?
Where do the Flights leave from?
Obviously, this is determined by the company you choose to fly with. But, your options are from the small local Airlie Beach Airport or the domestic Proserpine Airport, about 30 minutes away from Airlie.
When researching my options and the limited amount of time I had, I opted for a company that provided hotel pickup and left from the Airlie Beach Terminal.
Although, there could be a secret third option leaving from the Reefworld Pontoon located on Hardy Reef. This would you use if you’ve already booked a snorkelling trip to the outer reef and take a 10-minute Helicopter flight while you’re there. This views Heart Reef and other coral formations in the Outer Reef. But surprisingly, these Great Barrier Reef Pontoon trips aren’t always the best and I think it’s much better to fly from the mainland.
What can you see?
Most scenic flights from Airlie Beach will see all the same main sites. This includes
- Whitehaven Beach,
- The swirling sands of Hill Inlet,
- Heart Reef,
- And the other coral formations of the outer Great Barrier Reef.
I seriously believe that it’s only worth flying if the tour includes everything above. Therefore, read the tour details or talk to the tour company to meet your expectations and what you’re paying for. Be sure to add it onto your Airlie Beach Itinerary when planning!
How much time do you get in the air?
As an estimate, from Airlie Beach, you’ll have around one hour (60 Minutes) of flight time in a fixed-winged aircraft to take in the stunning views of the reef and its surrounding turquoise waters. Helicopter flights will generally take a little longer, and therefore, why it’s higher priced.
➡ Find Airlie Accommodation HERE with Booking.com
What camera equipment do you need?
While it’s true that your phone can take some decent photos and probably suffice, something with a bit of optical zoom could help you more with the long distance.
Videos, in particular, are a great way to really capture the majesty of the landscape, especially when it comes to highlights like the Heart Reef. Since Heart Reef is so small, you’re literally getting a 2-second fly-by, and photos are hard to time right.
What side of the Aircraft should you sit on?
My fixed-winged plane experience featured a fly-by on both sides of the plane, and you roughly got the same view. However, if you’re traveling with someone, then it’s always a good idea to pick opposite sides so you can check out the differences in your pictures.
Wrap up & Read More!
Thanks for readings today’s blogs on the best time of day to fly over the Whitsundays or the Great Barrier Reef. I hope I’ve provided some insight into choosing an ideal time for your situation and helped you gain some insight into condition changes.
If you’re still researching your travel plans to Airlie Beach, please check out my other Queensland Blogs for any information about the surrounding area or the state.
