There's a great sense of adventure arriving in Antarctica by plane: from seeing your ship from the air like a tiny bath toy, to having it loom above you on the waterline when you meet it for the first time, on your zodiac transfer across an ice-fringed bay.
Cassia Jackson Antarctica Specialist
Fly from Punta Arenas in Chile to Antarctica
View of Antarctica flying into King George Island
Welcome to King George Island, Antarctica
Zodiac transfer to your expedition ship at King George Island
Sail the Antarctic Peninsula on your chosen ship
Wildlife watching among the ice
Gentoo penguins on the Antarctic Peninsula
Taking off from King George Island, Antarctica
Price Match Promise - We’ll match any price you find elsewhere for the same trip
At Swoop we proudly work with every major operator in the Antarctic industry.
This means we can find you the best Black Friday deals – and with our Price Match Promise you know you're always getting the very best price.
Antarctica Fly & Cruise trips consists of three main components, as below:
Most Antarctica Fly & Cruise trips depart from Punta Arenas in Chilean Patagonia, which is well served by flights from Chile's capital Santiago. A smaller number of Fly & Cruise trips depart from nearby Puerto Williams or Puerto Natales. Which one you fly from depends on the operator and ship you're travelling with. Some operators include the connecting flight from Santiago in the package.
On arrival, you’ll be met and transferred to the hotel where everyone in the group will be staying. This is included in the price and ensures everyone is on site for the flight to Antarctica the next day. The evening before flying to Antarctica, you’ll meet your fellow travellers for a mandatory briefing and gear check before enjoying a first dinner together.
Travellers on the Magellan Explorer and Magellan Discoverer ships can also enjoy exclusive access to Explorers House while in Punta Arenas.
Historic waterfront in Punta Arenas
Expect an early start the next morning for your flight to Antarctica. You’ll be transferred back to the airport to check in and wait for your flight to be called, though the departure time itself is weather dependent.
It takes two hours to fly from southern Chile to King George Island in the South Shetland Islands: part of Antarctica but 55 miles (90km) across the Bransfield Strait from the mainland continent. The airstrip is at Chile’s Eduardo Frei Station.
On arrival, an electric minibus transfers you to the beach. Here you’ll board a zodiac and transfer directly to your expedition cruise ship, ready for your Antarctic adventure to begin.
Antarctic Airways flight
Once onboard your ship, your experience is exactly the same as if you had sailed to Antarctica, as you set off to explore the Peninsula.
Typically, you’ll leave the ship twice a day on excursions led by expert polar guides. These include landing on islands and the Seventh Continent itself, visiting penguin colonies and taking zodiac cruises through iceberg-filled bays. Most ships also offer optional adventure activities such as kayaking.
Expedition cruises offer a packed daily schedule tailored to ensuring you get the very most from your precious few days in Antarctica. At the end of the cruise, you'll return to King George Island for your flight back to Chile.
Zodiac cruising in Antarctica
Due to the higher operating costs of running charter flights to such remote areas, Fly & Cruise trips tend to cost around 20% more than traditional sailing cruises to Antarctica.
I never felt like I missed out on the two days at sea crossing the Drake Passage. In just two short hours I was breathing in the cold clean Antarctic air and ready to see my first penguin.
Maddison Clare Antarctica Specialist
An Antarctica Fly & Cruise is the most time efficient way of getting to Antarctica. The flight to Antarctica to join the cruise ship at King George Island takes two hours, instead of the two days it takes to sail across the Drake Passage.
Whether you fly or sail to Antarctica, cruises spend the same amount of time in the destination and offer exactly the same polar experience: the difference is purely how you get there. Some travellers prefer the anticipation involved in the slower Drake Passage crossing, while others (including those concerned about seasickness) like get to the heart of the polar action more quickly.
If you’re not sure which is right for you, our polar experts help guide you towards which option would suit you best.
Sailing the Drake Passage
Most Antarctica Fly & Cruise trips fly in both directions, but it's also possible to take a Fly-Sail cruises, flying one way and sailing the other.
Unlike Fly & Cruise trips that are tied to the airport on King George Island, Fly-Sail trips can cover a wider range of destinations, including South Georgia, the Weddell Sea and the Antarctic Circle.
It's worth noting that Fly-Sail cruises start and finish in different locations: Punta Arenas in Chile for flying to/from Antarctica and Ushuaia in Argentina for sailing to/from Antarctica.
Walking to a viewpoint on the Antarctic Peninsula
Fly & Cruise Antarctica trips scored 4.5/5 from 591 reviews
It exceeded our expectations and I would recommend it to everyone wanting to go visit Antarctica. We had a really wonderful time. So glad we flew!
Travelled: December 2017
Lori - Texas
Fly & cruise worked very well and was a great option. All excursions were well organised and conducted safely. We enjoyed them all, especially the snowshoeing treks.
Travelled: December 2016
John - UK
While Fly & Cruise trips offer the chance to skip the Drake Passage crossing and get quickly to the Antarctic Peninsula, it's important to understand the role that Mother Nature plays in setting flight schedules.
While every departure has a target flying window, weather may mean you fly earlier or later than planned. To account for this, the night in your departure city such as Punta Arenas is included at the start and end of every trip. It's also why it's essential you arrive early on day one.
This flexible weather scheduling is central to all Fly & Cruise trips. The vast majority of flights operate according to schedule, but if an absence of exact timings doesn't sit comfortably, it's possible that sailing to Antarctica may suit you better.
Boarding at King George Island
The standard plane used for the charter flights between Punta Arenas (or Puerto Natales) and King George Island is a British-designed BAE146 which has capacity for up to 80 people in a 3+3 seating configuration.
These planes are more workhorse than luxury, but are more than comfortable for the short two hour flight to the White Continent.
The four turbofan engine configuration of the BAE146 provides important redundancy and superior takeoff performance for short runways, while its wide wheel base and strengthened undercarriage ensures a stable landing on the non-tarmac landing strip on King George Island.
BAE146 at King George Island
Fly & Cruise trips have been successfully operating to Antarctica since 2002. Despite the challenges of sometimes unpredictable weather, the long polar experience of the airplane and ground crews means than more than 75% of flights operate completely on schedule.
Fly & Cruise trips operate across the entire Antarctic visitor season from late October through to March. High summer in the middle of December brings nearly 24 hours of daylight.
November has the most pristine snow and penguins coming ashore to mate. Penguin chicks typically arrive in Christmas – the peak season for visitors. From the new year onwards, whales are in their greatest abundance, and as the days begin to shorten, chicks get ready to fledge and take to the sea. The shoulder season at the very beginning and end of summer has amazing sunsets and sunrises, with some of the best golden hour opportunities for photographers.
Gentoo penguins in early season snow
Antarctic Fly & Cruise trips start from around US$6,000 per person for a 6 day express trip, from around US$16,000 for a mid-range cruise and from US$20,000 and above for Luxury cruises. Within these ranges, costs vary according to the ship style and cabin tier, the itinerary length and whether you’re travelling in high season.
High operating costs mean that Fly & Cruise itineraries can be up to 20% more expensive than traditional sailing cruises. Cruises that fly one way and sail the other are priced somewhere in the middle
To ensure you're always getting the best price on a fly cruise, Swoop's Price Match Promise is our guarantee that we’ll match any price you find elsewhere for the same cruise.
Iceberg at sunset on the Antarctic Peninsula
Swoop has been helping travellers experience Antarctica for over 15 years, and we work with every major Antarctic cruise operator to offer more than 1,500 voyages. We're also B Corp certified and give 1% of our annual revenues to local conservation projects.
We're multiple winners of Expedition Cruise Network's Tour Operator of the Year, and we send more of our team to Antarctica every year than any other polar travel agency so we know all the ships, destinations and itineraries like the back of our hand. There's no question about Antarctica cruises we can't answer.
At Swoop, we provide impartial advice on the best Antarctic cruise for you. Our Price Match Promise means that we’ll match any price you find elsewhere for the same cruise, and our concierge services means we'll look after you from the moment you book until the moment you get home from your trip.
Flying the flag in Antarctica
Torres del Paine is undoubtedly one of South America’s most spectacular national parks – and it lies just a few hours drive from both Punta Arenas and Puerto Natales. The immense granite ramparts of the Paine Massif form the centrepiece of a vast and varied landscape, with immense views around every corner.
There are myriad ways to explore Torres del Paine, including our own Swoop small group tours, with carefully designed itineraries to show off the region, ranging from active adventure (including the W Trek) to relaxed comfort.
We can also craft tailor-made itineraries for you, whether you want to go puma tracking, join gauchos for horse riding from a traditional estancia, or just enjoy the scenery from a luxury lodge.
Swoop has catered for travellers of every group size. Whether you’re adventuring solo or bringing a group of over 100. We can help.
Specifically built for Antarctic fly-cruise operations, the Magellan Explorer carries a maximum of 88 guests. Many of the spacious suites have outside balconies.
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Launched in Autumn 2022, this state-of-the-art ship honours the highly accomplished marine biologist and oceanographer, Sylvia Earle.
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With luxury, comfort and exceptional service as the foundations of its onboard experience, Silver Endeavour is one of the most expensive expedition ships ever built.
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Custom-engineered for polar voyages, this sleek 138 passenger ship benefits from cutting edge design and advanced nautical technology.
Discover MoreWe recommend booking your Antarctic trip at least 12 months in advance of travel to be confident of securing your first choice of ship, voyage date and cabin.
Limited capacity in the polar fleet means that cabins and ships often become booked far in advance, especially for travel around peak season dates, including Christmas, New Year and school holidays. Although late availability deals can sometimes be had, to guarantee your preferred ship and travel dates, booking early is always the best option.
Swoop is happy to provisionally hold a cabin on your behalf for a few days while you make your final planning decisions.
Punta Arenas (airport code PUQ) is a 3½ hour flight from Chile’s capital Santiago (airport code SCL). There are multiple daily direct flights between the two with either LATAM or Sky Airlines. Some luxury Fly & Cruise trips include these flights, to look after you from the moment you arrive in Chile.
Flying into Punta Arenas, try to sit on the left if you can for wonderful views of the Andes as you fly parallel to the Andes mountains.
Santiago is well-connected internationally. There are direct flights from US hub airports including New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Dallas and Atlanta, as well as Toronto in Canada.
From the UK, there are direct flights between London and Santiago, while Madrid and Paris are good European hubs.
From Australia and New Zealand, you can fly direct to Santiago from Sydney and Auckland.
Unlike expedition cruise ships , there is a strict baggage allowance for flights to Antarctica. While this varies according to the exact trip, this is typically between 15-20 kg (33-44 pounds).
This is typically less than the allowances for international flights, so it's important to pack accordingly. Weight limits on flights to Antarctica are strictly enforced for safety reasons.
Unfortunately it's not possible to pre-book a window seat on the flight to Antarctica.
Yes. Although the flight is only two hours, you'll be given a simple box lunch to enjoy. Drinks are available on the flight, from tea and coffee to Chilean wine and beer.
Passenger safety is always paramount when travelling to Antarctica. While more than 75% of flights operate according to schedule, if fog or strong winds at King George Island prevent plans from landing safely, delays can sometimes occur.
All Fly & Cruise trips include a night in the departure city (such as Punta Arenas) at the start and end of the trip to minimise any risk of weather affecting your trip. If there is any issue, ground staff will keep you constantly informed of any revised plans once a suitable weather window has been identified.
If your flight to Antarctica can’t depart on the scheduled day, you’ll be given accommodation; if you’re in Antarctica, you’ll stay on the ship. Cancellations are incredibly rare, and generally only take place if a trip is unable to depart by the end of day four of the cruise itinerary.
For a detailed look at how Fly & Cruise operators work, including their contingency plans, see our blog Could my Fly & Cruise trip to Antarctica be delayed by weather?
Absolutely! If you have time, we strongly recommend adding on a few days at either the beginning or end of your trip to explore Patagonia. Punta Arenas and Puerto Natales are gateway to Torres del Paine National Park, one of the most spectacular hiking destinations in the world. We offer a selection of carefully curated and Swoop operated group tours to Patagonia, ranging from active adventure (including hiking the W Trek), to travelling in relaxed comfort.
Because of the small risk of weather delays with Fly & Cruise trips, we generally recommend adding any extensions in Patagonia or elsewhere to the start of your trip rather than at the end.
If you'd like to explore more of Chile, we also have a selection of bolt-on packages in Santiago (including winery tours) and the Atacama Desert. See our page on Extending your adventure for more information, or talk to us about tailor-made packages.
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Discover MoreWe'll spend some time listening to your aspirations, then discuss the kind of experience that might suit you.
Next we'll discuss the options, shortlist the best trips for you and present you our impartial recommendations.
We'll place a 24 hour hold on your preferred option - without obligation - whilst we talk through the details.
