What the Fly Raft Package Includes
What the Fly Raft package from Airlie Beach includes and leaves out: flight, raft, snorkel gear, lunch, pickup, the holiday surcharge, and the limits on who can go.
The Fly Raft package includes the 60-minute flight with a guaranteed window seat, the raft day, a guided national park walk to Hill Inlet Lookout, snorkelling on fringing reef with the gear and a sun suit or wetsuit, a tropical-style lunch on Whitehaven Beach, and pickup and drop-off in Airlie Beach. It leaves out drinks and snacks, which are sold on board, and a Queensland public holiday surcharge. It does not suit pregnant women, people with back problems or mobility impairments, or anyone over 125 kg.
Included
| What you get | |
|---|---|
| The flight | 60 minutes in a fixed-wing aircraft, a guaranteed window seat, pilot commentary; over the islands, Whitehaven Beach, Hill Inlet and Heart Reef |
| The boat | A semi-rigid inflatable of up to 12 metres, up to 35 knots (65 km/h), from Coral Sea Marina |
| The walk | A guided national park walk to Hill Inlet Lookout |
| Snorkelling | Inner fringing reef, two sites on North or one on South; snorkel gear and a sun suit or wetsuit |
| Lunch | A tropical-style lunch on Whitehaven Beach |
| Getting there | Hotel pickup and drop-off from named Airlie Beach stops, and the transfers between airfield and marina |
| Group | A live guide in English; a small group, up to 12 |
| Cancellation | Free until 24 hours before; reserve now and pay later |
Not included
- Drinks and snacks. Alcoholic and soft drinks and snacks are sold on board, so bring some cash.
- The Queensland public holiday surcharge: A$20 an adult, A$10 a child, or A$50 for a family of two adults and two children, on Queensland public holidays (the operator’s Australian-dollar figures).
- Anything at Heart Reef itself. The flight circles it; nobody lands there or swims there on this package.
What to bring: swimwear, a towel, a sun hat, sunglasses, comfortable closed-toe shoes, a jacket, a camera, a waterproof bag and some cash. You do not go back to your accommodation between the flight and the boat.
Who it suits
Someone with one free day in Airlie Beach who wants both the view from the air and a day on the water: the reef and Heart Reef from the plane, Hill Inlet and Whitehaven on foot, and time in the water. It is one booking, one pickup, and the transfers between the airfield and the marina are done for you. If that is you, it is from US$388 a person for either option (checked November 2026).
Who it does not suit
The package is not suitable for:
- pregnant women
- people with back problems
- people with mobility impairments
- anyone over 125 kg (275 lb)
Everyone in the group needs enough mobility to climb the steps and platforms into and out of the aircraft without help. The boat runs at up to 35 knots on open water. If you are travelling on a cruise ship, the day’s timings do not fit a ship’s time in port.
If the flight is the part that rules you out, or the part you can do without, the raft day without the flight is the boat day on its own. If the boat is the problem, a scenic flight on its own covers the reef and the islands from the air in about an hour; the homepage has the flights alone.
Weather
The day is planned round the tide, the wind and the weather, and the route can change on the day. What happens to your booking if the day is called off for weather is not spelled out, so the free cancellation until 24 hours before is the protection you have while you watch the forecast. November to April is the tropical cyclone season (Bureau of Meteorology).
More from Airlie Beach
Whitsundays Tours with Open Dates
Boat days, sailing trips and flights from Airlie Beach with live availability. What each includes and its cancellation terms are shown before you book.
Everything Above in One Booking
The Fly Raft package: the 60-minute flight, the raft day, snorkel gear, a sun suit, lunch on Whitehaven Beach and pickup in Airlie Beach.
Check dates