Booking flights

When you are booking your flights you will need to check your voyage dates and any accommodation inclusions carefully, to ensure that you arrive in plenty of time for the beginning of your cruise arrangements. Please see below for more information on how much time we recommend spending on the mainland prior to embarkation. If you are late or delayed, the ship will not wait for you.

Airlines release flights around 11 months to a year before the travel date. Booking early usually secures the best availability of flight options and often the best prices. However, airlines do also price ‘dynamically' to maximise revenue. This makes it difficult to predict when the best flight pricing will be on offer, though generally remaining seat prices increase as the plane fills up.

The timing for booking your international flights – and domestic flights, where relevant – will depend on your personal circumstances. However, given that you have fixed dates for your cruise, Swoop recommends getting your flights pinned down sooner rather than later, to ensure you have got seats on the best-suited pre and post-voyage flights. If you have any specific queries regarding fares or purchasing tickets, we recommend that you seek the advice of the airline or contact a flight specialist agency.

Changeable/refundable tickets will give you peace of mind and flexibility should anything unexpected happen. Since the pandemic many airlines are now offering flexible fares either as standard or for a slightly increased price; it is important to check the terms and conditions for the tickets you are purchasing. Whatever flights you choose, we strongly recommend that you opt for flexible ticket options. Additionally, depending on your insurance policy coverage, having flexible flights may be a real financial benefit if you need to cancel or amend your trip.

Please note: A relatively small number of cruises include domestic charter flights between the capital city to the embarkation city. Please check your documentation carefully for information on your voyage inclusions.

We strongly advise spending a minimum of two nights on the mainland prior to embarkation. This provides a buffer in case of travel or luggage delays – particularly important if you are coming from the northern hemisphere where winter weather can significantly impact airport operations. It also gives you plentiful connection time if you need to take an onward domestic flight to get to the cruise arrangements’ starting location. Importantly it allows time for any mandatory pre-embarkation arrangements and ensures you’re refreshed, relaxed, and ready for your adventure.

In most instances, we would recommend having one of these pre-voyage nights in the capital city where your international flight lands, before taking any onward domestic flights. Then continue on to the cruise start point for a pre-night there. Please note that some cruise packages may already include one night of pre-voyage accommodation within the dates and price of your trip; please check your itinerary for details and book your flights accordingly.

As stated above, the cruise will not wait for you if you are delayed arriving at the start point, so it is sensible to plan in plenty of time for your travels.

Extending your time in South America

In addition to building in the minimum travel time for logistical reasons, if you have additional time to spare, we strongly recommend extending your stay to spend further time exploring South America either before or after your voyage. Adding on arrangements post voyage may reduce the potential risk of exposure to Covid19, which could impact your ability to embark on your cruise. If you are travelling via Argentina then you could spend further time in Buenos Aires, enjoying the iconic steak and tango. In Chile, you could add on time hiking in Patagonia or exploring the dramatic landscapes of the Atacama desert. Your Swoop Customer Experience consultant will be happy to make arrangements for you based on your interests, budget, and timeframe.

Buenos Aires Ministro Pistarini Airport (EZE)

In Buenos Aires, there are two main airports. Ministro Pistarini is the main international airport in Argentina and is 30km to the south of the main part of town. To differentiate it from the domestic airport, the main airport is often known as Ezeiza due to its location. This is reflected in its airport code EZE.

Immigration in Buenos Aires can be a hot and lengthy process depending on when your flight arrives. The arrivals hall is generally quite chaotic and can feel a little overwhelming at first glance.

When departing EZE for an international flight, a minimum check-in time of four hours prior to the flight is suggested. For domestic flights, a minimum check-in time of 3 hours is suggested.

Buenos Aires Jorge Newbery Airport (AEP)

Jorge Newbery is mainly used for domestic flights and is only a 10-15 minute taxi ride from several smart neighbourhoods within the city. From here you can get the widest range of internal flights to Ushuaia.

Connection times

International flights will typically arrive at the main Buenos Aires Ministro Pistarini Airport (EZE), whereas most flights to Ushuaia will depart from the smaller domestic Jorge Newbery Airport (AEP). Customs, immigration, and baggage reclaim in EZE can take a while. Then transferring between the two airports can take well over an hour depending on traffic, especially around rush hour when the city’s roads are very congested.

Once you arrive at AEP check-in for domestic flights is a minimum of 2 hours (3 hours is recommended by Aerolineas Argentinas) prior to the flight. The airport departures terminal itself is often extremely busy, with both Argentines and tourists flying out all over the country. There can often be long lines for check-in, despite the introduction of self-check-in desks, as most then also need to drop their baggage off too.

As such, we recommend having 5 hours' connection time between arriving at one airport and departing from the other. We strongly advise against having only one night between your international flight arriving and boarding your cruise.

If you are embarking on your ship in Ushuaia, please ensure you arrive one full day before departure. Your vessel will set sail at approximately 4pm on the day of embarkation and you will generally need to drop off your luggage and comply with any required testing/paperwork in the morning. To arrive in Ushuaia (airport code: USH), you will almost always need to fly in from Buenos Aires. The only exception is that there may also be the option to fly in from El Calafate (FTE) if you are exploring Patagonia beforehand.

When booking flights down to Ushuaia the day before your voyage, please ensure that you are not booking the last flight of the day out from Buenos Aires to Ushuaia, for added contingency in case of delays. The flight time is approximately 3.5 hours.

Airline options

The vast majority of flights to Ushuaia are operated by Aerolineas Argentinas, the national carrier, with multiple flights per day. Argentine airlines are notorious for frequently changing their flight schedules in the months prior to departure, so please keep a close eye on any emails you receive from them. It is vital to ensure that you maintain an appropriate arrival time. If you are rescheduled you may need to request an alternative flight slot to the one you are automatically reallocated to, as unfortunately they often do not move you to the next closest flight time. Please also check whether they have changed your departure airport in Buenos Aires as you may need to amend your transfer plans.

Alternative flight operators include JetSmart and FlyBondi, however, Swoop is aware of both airlines being less reliable than Aerolineas Argentinas with a higher potential of flight cancellations or postponements.

If you are joining your Antarctic cruise arrangements at Punta Arenas (airport code: PUQ), or flying to the Falklands please ensure you have read your confirmation documents prior to booking international flights. Your confirmation documents will outline any mandatory meeting or departure times. You must book your domestic flights to comply with these arrival timings or there is a risk that the trip will depart without you.

Airline options

The most commonly used airline for flights between Santiago and Punta Arenas is LATAM Airlines. They have the widest selection of flight time choices and are generally relatively reliable. They do sometimes release additional flight timings at a later date rather than all slots 11 months prior to departure. You may also find more limited options with low-cost operators SKY and JetSmart. In all cases, look out for direct options rather than those with a touchdown (“Escala” in Spanish) en route.

Charter flights to Antarctica

Many fly-cruises operating from Punta Arenas include a charter flight to King George Island (to meet your Antarctic ship on location). Of these cruises, most include a pre-voyage night in Punta Arenas but - crucially - require that you arrive in town no later than 2pm on the day prior to your flight to Antarctica. This mandatory timing is to allow for your essential pre-embarkation arrangements to take place, and there is also a possibility of an early flight departure to Antarctica should the safe flight weather window require this. The exact timing of your flight to Antarctica will be confirmed to you by the ship operator’s staff once you are in Punta Arenas.