This is what landing at the world's most scenic airport looks like

A pilot in New Zealand has captured amazing aerial views of the final approach to Queenstown Airport, regularly rated among the world's most scenic landings. 

The mesmerising video, taken from the cockpit, sees the plane soar over snow-capped mountains, before hitting thick cloud cover, leaving the aircraft with no visibility for around 30 seconds.

As the clouds vanish, the plane reemerges to a serene view of still waters before descending onto the runway against a dramatic mountain backdrop.

“Sometimes what a pilot sees in a day, people won't see in their lifetimes... amazing Queenstown, New Zealand,” the unnamed former Jetstar pilot wrote on YouTube, where the footage was shared.

“I invite people of the world to come visit this beautiful country and its people,” he added.

The video, which has had more than 2.6 million views since it was first shared back in 2013, resurfaced recently after a Qatar Airlines pilot posted it on Twitter, with comments describing Queenstown as “a paradise hidden below the sea of clouds” and “the most beautiful place in the world”.

Queenstown was ranked fifth for 2017 in PrivateFly.com's annual ranking of the Top 10 Airport Approaches. 

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“A world class approach to a world class destination. The snatched panoramas as you descend into this hitherto barren-looking landscape makes you realise that pilots do get the best views,” said the website.

“Drop out of the clouds, between the mountains and into a lush valley with a lake in the distance. It has a bit of everything.” 

Last week, St Martin’s Princess Juliana International Airport, famous for its proximity to the beach, which sees aircraft swoop within spitting distance of sunseekers and planespotters, reopened for the first time after being damaged in recent hurricanes.