Queenstown Tandem Skydive At 9,000, 12,000 Or 15,000 Feet

Nine options, three questions. The picker below scores every combination on this site: three tours at three exit heights, which is nine ways to book a tandem jump.

The first tap is exit height, tied directly to freefall length. The operators state up to 25 seconds at 9,000 feet, up to 45 seconds at 12,000 feet and up to 60 seconds at 15,000 feet.

The second covers where you jump and how you get there: the NZONE drop zone at Drift Bay by coach from 35 Shotover Street, Wanaka Airport under your own steam or via the i-SITE shuttle, or Wanaka with the return transfer from Queenstown.

The third is budget, using the 9,000 feet entry prices each operator sets and the NZD ladder above them.

One firm rule cuts the field early. Both operators limit children 12 and under to a maximum height of 9,000 feet, so only the 9,000 feet options suit younger jumpers. The minimum age is 6 on every listing.

The picker does not rank anything. It narrows the nine options by your own answers, and the sections below fill in the details the tool leaves out.

A shortlist of two or three options is where the finer rules start to matter.

Weight is the first check. NZONE sets a 40 kg minimum; Skydive Wanaka sets 30 kg. Both operators assess jumpers of 95 kg or more at the drop zone, and Skydive Wanaka asks that Reservations be told beforehand. Skydive Wanaka charges surcharges payable at check-in: NZD 50 at 95 to 104.9 kg, NZD 75 at 105 to 114.9 kg and NZD 100 at 115 kg or more.

Your calendar matters if the transfer tempts you. The Queenstown-to-Wanaka return transfer runs Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday from 19 October 2026, so on other days the Wanaka jump means making your own way there.

Then the clock. NZONE advises about 3.5 hours from check-in to return, and its terms suggest planning for a whole day. The 3-Hour Wanaka Skydive runs around 3 hours. With the return transfer from Queenstown, allow up to 6 hours. Weather can stretch any of these, and the transfer listing advises booking your first available day and keeping a spare day free.

Finally, check the meeting point against where you are staying. Two of the three options start at 35 Shotover Street in central Queenstown; the third starts at Wanaka Airport.

Every from-price on this site is the 9,000 feet entry point. Each operator publishes that figure alone, so the headline numbers to compare are USD 215.27 for NZONE Skydive, USD 210.16 for the 3-Hour Wanaka Skydive and USD 221.25 for Wanaka Skydive, Transfers Included, all in USD as shown on the live booking pages. Higher exits are priced by the operators in New Zealand dollars.

The operators' official from-prices match at the base. NZONE and Skydive Wanaka both list NZD 379 at 9,000 feet, NZD 469 at 12,000 feet and NZD 575 at 15,000 feet. The ladder table shows the full run.

The transfer variant carries a premium. Skydive Wanaka prices the jump with a return transfer from Queenstown at NZD 399, NZD 489 and NZD 595 across the three heights. That NZD 20 difference at each step buys the return transfer: check-in at the NZONE Skydive Centre, 35 Shotover Street, a coach ride of about 1.5 hours each way to Wanaka Airport, and the trip back. The operator runs this service Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday from 19 October 2026, with the coach scheduled from 6.45am, and advises allowing up to 6 hours for the whole outing.

Currency needs care. The operators publish prices in New Zealand dollars, all prices per person. Any USD figure beyond the 9,000 feet entry price shown on a listing is derived on this site from the exchange rate implied by those headline numbers, and is labelled as such.

The ladder runs in one direction: pick your exit height first, because that sets the NZD figure at both operators, then decide whether Wanaka with a transfer is worth the NZD 20 step, then check the USD entry price with the operator before you book.

What Each Step Up In Height Costs

The NZD column makes the steps plain. Moving from 9,000 to 12,000 feet costs NZD 90 more per person at NZONE and at Skydive Wanaka, on top of the NZD 379 entry price. Moving from 9,000 straight to 15,000 feet costs NZD 196 more. The transfer variant follows the same shape: NZD 399 up to NZD 489 up to NZD 595.

What The Extra Height Buys In Freefall

Both operators state freefall as "up to" figures. At 9,000 feet it is up to 25 seconds. At 12,000 feet, up to 45 seconds. At 15,000 feet, up to 60 seconds. So the NZD 90 step to 12,000 feet roughly buys double the freefall time, and the further step to 15,000 feet adds up to another 15 seconds. NZONE quotes the freefall speed at 200 km/h.

What The Operators Charge

The USD figures in the ladder for 12,000 and 15,000 feet are derived, not listing prices, and are marked that way. The NZD figures are the operators' official from-prices. The booking page may show a different price for a given day, and the booking page is the authority.

What Is Not In These Prices

Photo and video packages sit outside every price on the ladder. NZONE Skydive and the Wanaka Tandem Skydive Experience do not include photos or video: both operators sell them as add-ons at check-in, priced in New Zealand dollars. The table below those packages sets out each option.

One more cost can appear at the Skydive Wanaka drop zone: weight surcharges, covered in the comparison section.

The pattern across the two operators is close to parallel. NZONE offers Handicam at NZD 220, Freefall at NZD 333 and the Ultimate Combo at NZD 395. Skydive Wanaka offers Essential at NZD 220, Freefall Photos And Video at NZD 333 and Ultimate at NZD 395. In both cases the NZD 220 tier is a wrist camera operated by the tandem master, the NZD 333 tier adds a dedicated freefall camera flyer, and the top tier combines both.

Photo and video packages are add-ons, paid for at the drop zone check-in. Photo and video are not included with NZONE Skydive or the 3-hour Wanaka Skydive; both sell them as add-ons at check-in. Operator prices above are per person and include GST, as stated on the operators' pages. NZONE says its Handicam, Freefall and Ultimate Combo packages are booked at check-in. Skydive Wanaka notes its Essential package can be pre-booked, with a refund if the operator cannot provide it.

There are catches worth knowing. The freefall camera-flyer packages cannot be pre-booked at either operator: NZONE states Freefall and the Ultimate Combo are subject to availability on the day, and Skydive Wanaka says the same for its Freefall Photos And Video tier. Only one person can be filmed in freefall at a time at Skydive Wanaka. NZONE endeavours delivery of edited footage within 24 hours under its terms.

Two smaller points from the fine print. The Wanaka Ultimate page gives conflicting photo counts, so confirm before you book. And copyright stays with the videographer at both operators: your footage is licensed for private use only.

Check-in for the NZONE Skydive listing happens at the NZONE Skydive Centre, 35 Shotover Street, Queenstown 9300, and a round-trip coach from there to the drop zone is included in the price. Hotel pickup and drop-off are excluded. The coach runs out to 786 Kingston Road, Drift Bay, on Lake Wakatipu, where the jump itself takes place.

Self-driving is allowed, though anyone who does must still check in at the Shotover Street centre first. Parking at the drop zone is limited, and the operator's pickup page warns of a temporary access road about 600 metres before the usual entrance off SH6, so watch for the NZONE signage.

NZONE operates seven days a week, per its FAQ. The operator also states it runs two Cessna Grand Caravan aircraft, with each plane holding up to 9 customers. From pricing, NZONE Skydive starts at USD 215.27 per person for the 9,000 ft entry jump, with 12,000 ft and 15,000 ft options priced higher. The listing carries a rating of 4.7 across 1,479 reviews, the largest review base among the three skydive listings compared on this site.

Allow about 3.5 hours from check-in to return, weather permitting. The itinerary on the booking page runs through a medical questionnaire and jumpmaster briefing at the centre, the coach ride out, the flight up, the tandem freefall harnessed to your tandem master, and the parachute ride down, ending back at Shotover Street. All safety equipment is provided, and the operator supplies jumpsuit, gloves, hat and goggles. Views named on the operator's pickup page include The Remarkables and Lake Wakatipu.

Every booking carries a check-in time rather than a jump time, and NZONE advises planning for a whole day. The jump needs good weather; if it is cancelled, the operator offers a different date or a full refund. Free cancellation applies up to 24 hours before departure.

Who can jump with NZONE? The eligibility rules are set by the operator. Minimum age is 6, minimum weight is 40 kg, and minimum height is 1.2 m, with the requirement that the harness fits. Children 12 years and under are permitted to skydive from a maximum height of 9,000 ft, in NZONE's wording, and every child is assessed on the day by the Tandem Master. There is no stated maximum age; the FAQ references passengers up to 94 years.

Weight above 95 kg means a Tandem Master assessment at the drop zone, and over 110 kg brings an extra assessment by the Drop Zone Safety Officer or Tandem Master. NZONE publishes no surcharge amounts. Under-18 jumpers need written parental or guardian consent, and the terms add that a parent or guardian must be present at the drop zone unless consent documents are arranged with staff beforehand.

Transport is the coach from Shotover Street. NZONE lists no hotel pickup, so factor in the walk or ride to the centre. Spectators travel free if bus space allows; the operator does not guarantee space, allows one spectator per customer, and excludes them from the last trip of the day. Infants and baby carriers are not carried on the buses.

Photos and video are paid add-ons bought at check-in, not included in the tour price. NZONE's packages in NZD including GST: Handicam at NZD 220, Freefall at NZD 333 with a dedicated camera flyer, and the Ultimate Combo at NZD 395 combining both. The Freefall and Ultimate Combo options cannot be pre-booked and depend on availability on the day. Personal cameras and smart glasses are not allowed on the jump, which NZONE attributes to an NZPIA safety requirement.

Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before departure; within 24 hours the full fee applies. A booking stays valid for 12 months from the original departure date.

The table below lines up the three tours side by side: NZONE Skydive from the Queenstown drop zone, Skydive Wanaka on its own, and the same Wanaka jump with a return transfer from Queenstown. Three listings, two drop zones, and one shared meeting point at 35 Shotover Street for two of them.

Some rules match across the board. Minimum age is 6 on every listing. Children 12 and under are capped at 9,000 ft by both operators. Free cancellation applies up to 24 hours before departure on all three, and every jump depends on the weather on the day.

The differences are where the decision gets made. Minimum weight splits: NZONE requires 40 kg, the Wanaka listings 30 kg. Getting there splits harder. NZONE includes its coach from the Shotover Street centre seven days a week, per its FAQ. The Wanaka-only listing means driving yourself or selecting the Wanaka i-SITE shuttle at booking, with transfer days not stated. The Wanaka-with-transfer listing runs four days a week from 19 October 2026. Time to allow ranges from around 3 hours at Wanaka, to about 3.5 hours for NZONE, to up to 6 hours for the transfer option.

Spectator rules differ too, from NZONE's free-but-not-guaranteed bus seats to Wanaka's airport-base-only arrangement. The table restates these as each operator and listing present them, without ranking one over another.

Start With Weight

The table shows NZONE's minimum of 40 kg against Skydive Wanaka's 30 kg. Anyone over 95 kg faces a Tandem Master assessment at the drop zone on any listing. The weight surcharge row shows amounts only as they appear on the booking page for Skydive Wanaka: NZD 50, NZD 75 and NZD 100 at 95, 105 and 115 kg, payable at check-in. NZONE states none.

Then Transport

If you are staying in Queenstown without a car, the NZONE coach and the Wanaka transfer listing both leave from 35 Shotover Street. The transfer listing runs four days a week from 19 October 2026, so check your dates against that schedule. The Wanaka-only listing suits travellers already near Wanaka or happy to arrange the i-SITE shuttle at booking.

Then Your Time Budget

The table's time row is the honest one: around 3 hours for Wanaka alone, about 3.5 hours for NZONE, and up to 6 hours once the Queenstown transfer is counted. A tight itinerary points away from the transfer option.

Finally, Spectators

Bringing someone who is not jumping? NZONE offers a free bus seat if space allows, one per jumper, not on the last trip, and never guaranteed. At Wanaka they are welcome at the airport base but cannot watch the landing farm. Skydive Wanaka states that observers cannot fly. Read the table's rows against your own group, weights and dates, and the choice usually narrows itself.

Every Queenstown tandem skydive on this site begins at one of two check-in points. The NZONE Skydive jump starts at the NZONE Skydive Centre, 35 Shotover Street, Queenstown 9300, where a courtesy coach carries jumpers out to the drop zone at 786 Kingston Road, Drift Bay, on Lake Wakatipu. The coach is included in the price. Self-driving is allowed, but the operator requires everyone to check in at the Shotover Street centre first.

The Skydive Wanaka products work differently. The 3-Hour Wanaka Skydive listing meets at 14 Mustang Lane, Wanaka Airport, with jumps landing at a private farm nearby; the operator offers a Wanaka i-SITE shuttle pickup at 103 Ardmore Street that must be selected at booking, and the operator asks passengers to arrive 10 minutes early. The transfer version, Wanaka Skydive, Transfers Included, also ends up at Wanaka Airport, but its meeting point is back at the NZONE Skydive Centre on Shotover Street in Queenstown, with a return coach of about 1.5 hours each way.

The operators share one pickup page, which treats NZONE and Skydive Wanaka side by side: NZONE's shuttle runs from the Shotover Street centre to Drift Bay, while Skydive Wanaka's Queenstown transfer departs from the same centre on its scheduled days.

Neither operator offers hotel pickup. NZONE runs its coach from its Skydive Centre at 35 Shotover Street; the Wanaka tours instead meet at the Wanaka i-SITE shuttle point or use the 35 Shotover Street transfer. If a hotel stay is part of your plan, getting yourself to Shotover Street, or to Wanaka Airport, is on you.

Spectator rules also differ by location. NZONE takes spectators free of charge if bus space allows, not guaranteed, with a maximum of one per customer. At Skydive Wanaka, friends and family are welcome at the airport base, but the landing farm has no safe viewing area.

Getting To Shotover Street

Staying close to the NZONE Skydive Centre removes the morning scramble. Three options sit at different budgets. Melbourne Lodge, a budget pick, is a short walk east of the town centre and the Shotover Street skydive centre. Ramada By Wyndham Queenstown Central, a mid-range choice, sits on Frankton Road, a walk from the centre where the NZONE coach leaves from Shotover Street. Sofitel Queenstown Hotel And Spa, the upper option, is in the town centre, steps from Shotover Street where the NZONE Skydive Centre check-in is.

Self-Driving To Drift Bay

Driving yourself to the NZONE drop zone at 786 Kingston Road, Drift Bay, is permitted, though parking there is limited. The operator's pickup page advises looking for NZONE signage, because a temporary access road sits about 600 m before the usual entrance off SH6. Even self-drivers must first check in at the Skydive Centre in town.

The Early Wanaka Transfer

The Queenstown departure for the Wanaka transfer is scheduled from 6.45am on its operating days, which makes a night near Shotover Street the practical choice. The listing puts the coach ride at about 1.5 hours each way to Wanaka Airport, and the whole outing runs up to 6 hours. If the 3-Hour Wanaka Skydive is your pick instead, the morning starts in Wanaka: make your own way to the airport base, or select the Wanaka i-SITE shuttle point at 103 Ardmore Street when booking and arrive 10 minutes early.

Hotel pickup is not offered on any of the three tours, so the meeting point you choose is the one you travel to under your own arrangements.

What Is Included

NZONE bundles the round-trip coach from 35 Shotover Street with the full gear set: jumpsuit, gloves, hat and goggles. The Skydive Wanaka experience fits you with a jumpsuit, hat or helmet, goggles, gloves and spare hoodies at the airport base, and on-site lockers hold valuables while you jump. The goggles fit over glasses, and contacts are fine at both operators.

What is not included matters just as much. NZONE Skydive excludes hotel pickup and drop-off and any photo and video package. The 3-Hour Wanaka Skydive does not include photo and video either; the packages are bought as add-ons at check-in. Photos and video are paid add-ons at NZONE Skydive and the 3-hour Wanaka skydive, not part of the ticket price.

What To Wear

Both operators ask for closed, secure footwear. Skydive Wanaka rules out jandals and bare feet outright, and NZONE specifies secure enclosed tie-up shoes. Beyond shoes, dress for the season: warm layers in winter, lighter clothing in summer. Skydive Wanaka also passes along a simple instruction: eat normally before you jump.

What To Bring

Government-issued photo ID is required for everyone on arrival at the drop zone, per the operator terms. Leave personal cameras and smart glasses behind for the jump itself: the NZPIA safety rule bans them, and both operators enforce it. Media comes from the operator's own camera packages instead.

Weight Limits

The two operators set different minimum weights, so check the requirement for your jump before booking. NZONE sets a minimum of 40 kg; Skydive Wanaka sets 30 kg. Both require a minimum height of 1.2 m and a harness that fits. At 95 kg or more, a Tandem Master assessment takes place at the drop zone, and Skydive Wanaka asks heavier customers to tell Reservations before the jump date. Over 110 kg triggers an extra assessment by a Drop Zone Safety Officer or Tandem Master at both. The operators state that at most drop zones the maximum limit is 110 to 115 kg, though no exact maximum is published by either.

Weight surcharges appear only for Skydive Wanaka: NZD 50 at 95 to 104.9 kg, NZD 75 at 105 to 114.9 kg, and NZD 100 at 115 kg and over, payable at check-in. NZONE states no surcharge amounts on its pages.

Age And Consent

Minimum age is 6 at both operators, by law per their terms. Children 12 and under jump from a maximum of 9,000 ft, and every child is assessed on the day by the Tandem Master. Under 18s need written parental or guardian consent, with a parent or guardian present at the drop zone or consent documents arranged in advance. There is no maximum age: NZONE records passengers up to 94 years, and Skydive Wanaka's oldest passenger was 92.

Medical And Safety Rules

Tell the operator before booking about recent injuries or surgery, mobility limits, epilepsy, high blood pressure, angina or heart conditions. A doctor's medical clearance may be required. At NZONE, accessibility needs call for a doctor's certificate plus a Drop Zone Safety Officer assessment, and the officer's decision is final.

Two timing rules sit in the terms for everyone. No alcohol or recreational drugs within 8 hours of the scheduled jump time, and intoxicated customers may be refused with no refund. No scuba diving within 24 hours of the jump. On the day, a cold, flu or blocked sinuses can cause complications, so flag it. Personal cameras and smart glasses are banned on the jump under the NZPIA safety requirement at both operators.