Fly and cruise expeditions allow you to experience Antarctica in a shorter time and without the crossing the Drake Passage. Commonly called Antarctica fly cruises, these unique itineraries allow you to fly to Antarctica (either one-way or both ways) then board a small expedition ship to explore the peninsula and beyond. Learn all about Antarctica by air, compare Antarctica fly cruises, and browse the available trips below.
A Primer on Flights to Antarctica
Look into Antarctica’s storied history, and you’ll read accounts of weeks, months and years at sea to get there. When determining how to get to Antarctica today, modern travelers now have a choice. You can sail through the infamously rough Drake Passage over the course of 2 days. Or you can fly over it in a few hours.
Currently, all flights for Antarctica fly cruises depart from Punta Arenas, Chile, via charter flight. They land at Chile’s Frei Station research base on King George Island in the South Shetland archipelago. Passengers then board an Antarctic ship to begin the cruise portion of the trip. Pioneered in 2004 there are several operators now offering fly to Antarctica tours.
Antarctica charter flights are booked and arranged in conjunction with your cruise. So, there is no shopping around for Antarctica flights. You simply board the flight arranged in conjunction with your Antarctica air cruise.
The Different Types of Antarctica Fly Cruises
One consideration when looking at Antarctica air cruises is whether you want a round-trip flight or a one-way Antarctica flight. This could be a deciding factor for you if, for instance, you’d like the experience of crossing the Drake Passage but don’t want to do it twice!
More important than the actual flight though is evaluating the cruise portion. You will want to ensure the cruise experience best matches your Antarctica travel needs and desires. There are now many options of fly to Antarctica tours including the Antarctic Peninsula, Crossing the Antarctic Circle and the South Georgia Islands.
Travelers seeking a more intellectual and educational experience should consider the 8-10 Day National Geographic Direct cruise. A diverse team of onboard experts from National Geographic make this one of the most popular fly cruises to Antarctica.
Browse the cruises and details listed below, then contact our experts for personalized customer service and recommendations. Antarctica fly cruise itineraries are available for a number of routes. Shorter 6-8 day cruises visit the Antarctic Pensinsula and South Shetland Islands. Mid range 10-14 day cruises may cross the Antarctic Circle. The longest fly cruises may include the Falkland Islands and South Georgia cruise.
The flight is a relatively very short portion of your overall Antarctica flight cruise. So in many ways it’s more important to choose your Antarctica cruise based on what’s most important to you: a certain activity, wildlife sighting opportunity, place visited, etc. Learn more about considerations for the selection process in our Antarctica Travel Guide.
Antarctic Fly Cruises – The Shortest Antarctica Cruises
Travelers seeking a short Antarctica cruise should consider a fly and cruise itinerary to the Antarctic peninsula. Flying both ways, over the Drake Passage eliminates 4 days at sea. This makes it possible to explore Antarctica in as few as 6-8 days.
The shortest antarctica cruise is the 6-day Antarctica Express Air Cruise. But be careful because this one way flight route doesnt actually spend any time cruising along the Antarctic Peninsula. Instead we recommend the Classic 8-Day Air Cruise which includes a full week cruising the Antarctic Peninsula.
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Antarctica Fly Cruise FAQs
We receive a lot of questions about Antarctica fly cruise logistics and how it works to fly to Antarctica. Below are a few Antarctica flight FAQs.
Please note that all of our information is for Antarctica charter flights booked in conjunction with cruises. While there are now tourist flights to Antarctica that do not land at all, we do not recommend them due to long flight hours and little time viewing Antarctica.
- How long is the flight from Punta Arenas to Antarctica? The flight from Punta Arenas to Antarctica is about two hours long. With beverage service and take off/landing, this short flight goes by fast. And is quite possibly the most exciting flight you’ll ever be on.
- What type of planes are used? BAE 146, AVRO RJ 85 or AVRO RJ 100 jets are the most common aircraft used. These planes feature high wings and engineering for short runway requirements, but will feel very familiar to most air travelers.
- What airlines fly to Antarctica? Nearly all air traffic between Antarctica and South America is operated by DAP, through its brand Antarctic Airways.
- Any special onboard considerations? A bit of the flight time is dedicated to allowing passengers to change into outerwear and boots to deplane. Having your carry-on well packed will assist in this. Once you land, you have to walk approximately a mile over gravel through the base to the beach where zodiacs await to ferry guests to the ship. Some cruises now offer van service so check this detail if the walk might be difficult for you. There are no facilities once you land, so using the facilities and being prepared for the elements before you get off the plane are key factors.
- Are there any luggage restrictions? Refer to your specific predeparture information for exact weights and limits. But some general guidelines are that the checked luggage weight is typically lower than the allowance on your flight to Chile.
- Where do you land? Flights to Antarctica land at Frei Station on a gravel runway. Frei Station sits on the shore of King George Island in the South Shetland Islands.
- What are the views like? In the right weather conditions, the views arriving at King George Island are extraordinary. You can see glacial rivers of ice flowing into the sea, crevasses, mountains protruding from the ice and, if you know what to look for, penguin colonies. Frei Station is a military base so you can also expect to see buildings, trucks and a few expedition ships at anchor. Depending on the time of year and current weather conditions, you might see the ground fully covered in snow, or speckled with grey land and gravel. There may be small icebergs in the water, but don’t expect to see giant tabular icebergs in this location. Penguins may greet you on shore as you board the zodiac to the ship.
- How do you get to the ship? It’s about a mile walk with a mellow downhill grade to get to the shore. From there, you will take an approximate five-minute Zodiac ride to board the ship. The same process is repeated for disembarkation and returning to the plane after your cruise. Some cruises now offer van service.
Contingency Plans Explained
All travelers considering an Antarctica fly cruise should familiarize themselves with the expedition’s contingency plan before they book. This is a detailed plan for if there are flight delays. Delays for flights to Antarctica are a fairly common occurrence due to fickle weather, strong winds and runway ice. These plans detail considerations for every step of the way so you can know what to expect if there are any delays.
At best, your delay might just be a few hours from when expected. But at worst, it can be days or your voyage can be canceled fully. Read your trip’s contingency plan so you are fully aware of what to expect. Examples of air cruise contingency plans are listed below:
- Antarctica21 Contingency Plan
- Quark Contingency Plan
- Aurora Expeditions Contingency Plan
- Lindblad Contingency Plan
We recommend researching a few restaurants and activities you can do in Punta Arenas. If you do experience a delay, you will often be on call to depart at short notice. If a delay comes at the end of your trip, it may afford you an extra day in Antarctica! Exciting, albeit a great reason when booking an Antarctica air cruise to secure a flexible flight for your return home.
Travel insurance is essential and required on all Antarctica fly cruises. Check insurance requirements, especially for emergency medical evacuation minimum coverages. Our experts can help you purchase insurance in conjunction with your fly cruise package.
The Pros & Cons of Antarctica without the Drake Passage
The pros of cruising Antarctica without the Drake Passage are fairly clear: you save time and you help beat the odds of seasickness. And the novelty and excitement of flying into Antarctica and seeing it from above is a true once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
One con can be that crossing the Drake Passage is somewhat of an explorer’s rite of passage. The uncertainty of whether you will get the infamous tumultuous seas or the calm “Drake lake” is part of the adventure. And the extra days at sea allow you to bond with fellow guests and learn from the crew in preparation for what’s to come, or reflect on what has passed.
Antarctica cruises that include a Drake Passage crossing often allow for more lectures, games and camaraderie with fellow guests. These informative lectures really set the tone for the trip and enrich your time ashore. Time spent on deck viewing birds and whales and the excitement of spotting the “first iceberg” are highlights of the Drake crossing.
When you fly the Drake Passage, you arrive so quickly in Antarctica that there’s less time for this excitement of anticipation and learning. This is certainly something to consider when embarking on your Antarctica cruise search.
Another con is that Antarctica flight cruises are often subject to more delays than traditional cruises that cross the Drake Passage (see the contingency plan section above). So your sense of adventure and flexibility needs to be keen when embarking on an air cruise. You might spend extra days in Punta Arenas waiting for a weather window to fly the Drake Passage, or return home later than planned.
But no one ever promised getting to Antarctica was easy, so choose your expedition based on your needs. And know that the challenge of getting there is what makes it so special!
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Antarctica Air Cruise History & Growth
The first cruises to utilize airplanes to access small ships in Antarctica operated in 2003. We are proud to have been at the forefront of this exciting new travel style from the beginning.
Back then the ships were converted Russian research vessels and the airplanes used propellers. After years of slow growth the popularity and availability of cruises with flights to Antarctica has exploded. Now a wide variety of luxurious expedition ships and modern aircraft offer more options than ever. A once niche option has become mainstream.
By our count the number of travelers on fly cruises has increased over 4400% in just over 20 years. But this still represents only a small fraction of all travelers cruising to Antarctica. Antarctica fly and cruise itineraries are more popular than ever.
| Antarctica Season | Ships | Capacity | Departures | Travelers |
| 2003-2004 | 1 | 46 | 5 | 230 |
| 2009-2010 | 2 | 53-80 | 17 | 1122 |
| 2019-2020 | 4 | 76-172 | 45 | 4188 |
| 2023-2024 | 8 | 76-220 | 71 | 8096 |
| 2024-2025 | 9 | 76-220 | 84 | 10496 |
It was announced in April 2024 that Argentina plans to update its Petrel Base on Dundee Island in the Antarctic Peninsula with two landing strips. This would open an air bridge from Ushuaia, Argentina to the Antarctic Peninsula, which could relieve some current congestion and allow for future growth.
View All Antarctica Fly Cruises
Below are all Antarctica fly cruises. Consider these, then contact us to get started planning your expedition. We’ve helped thousands of traveler get to Antarctica. Fly and cruise Antarctica with us.
