Flights to Antarctica are mostly flights to the bottom of South America. Most voyages sail from Ushuaia in Argentina across the Drake Passage. The fly-cruise starts at Punta Arenas in Chile instead, with a charter flight of about two hours to King George Island that comes with the voyage. Either way, a trip to Antarctica is two flights to a port, then the crossing, and the timing matters more than the airline.
Our guide on how to get to Antarctica weighs the ship against the fly-cruise.
IAATO, the tour operators’ association, says most voyages depart from Ushuaia, with Punta Arenas and Montevideo among the other gateway ports. As of October 2026 neither Ushuaia nor Punta Arenas has a non-stop flight from the United States, so you fly to Buenos Aires or Santiago first.
Montevideo has fewer departures than Ushuaia, and none of ours. Its main airport is Carrasco International (MVD), with non-stops from Aeroparque, and a ferry crosses the RÃo de la Plata from Buenos Aires to Colonia. It suits a trip that already pairs Buenos Aires with Uruguay, like our Rhythm of Buenos Aires & Uruguay.
Ezeiza International Airport (EZE) in Buenos Aires is Argentina’s main international airport, with daily non-stops from Miami (about 9 h), Houston, Atlanta and New York (about 10 h 45 m) as of October 2026. Santiago (SCL) has non-stops from Miami (about 8 h 30 m), Atlanta, New York and Los Angeles (about 11 h 20 m). Ushuaia and Punta Arenas run one or two hours ahead of New York, so jet lag stays mild.
Ushuaia (USH) is about 3 h 40 m from Buenos Aires. Most domestic flights leave from Aeroparque Jorge Newbery (AEP), the airport inside the city, though Ushuaia also has flights from Ezeiza, so check the ticket. Landing at Ezeiza and flying on from Aeroparque means an hour or more on the road. Ushuaia-Malvinas Argentinas International Airport is 4 to 5 km (about 3 mi) from the town center.
Punta Arenas (PUQ) is about 3 h 25 m from Santiago and 2 h 10 m from Puerto Montt. On the fly-cruise itineraries that start there, the airport pick-up runs until 3 pm on day one and the flight south is on day two.
Typical times as of October 2026; the last two legs depend on the weather.
| Leg | Typical time | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Buenos Aires to Ushuaia (USH) | About 3 h 40 m | From Aeroparque or Ezeiza |
| El Calafate to Ushuaia | About 1 h 20 m | Daily; for trips that start in Patagonia |
| Santiago to Punta Arenas (PUQ) | About 3 h 25 m | The fly-cruise gateway |
| Puerto Montt to Punta Arenas | About 2 h 10 m | From the Lake District without a Santiago stop |
| Ushuaia to the South Shetland Islands by ship | About two days each way | Across the Drake Passage |
| Punta Arenas to King George Island by air | About 2 h | Charter included in the fly-cruise; waits for the weather |
Our classic voyage and our 11-day voyage from Ushuaia both board on the afternoon of day one and need about two days to cross the Drake Passage, then two more to come back, docking on the morning of the last day. That makes four sea days, and they are not lost: the albatrosses follow the ship and the lecturers are out on deck with you. Our Antarctica weather page explains the crossing.
The fly-cruise from Punta Arenas swaps the crossing for the two-hour charter to King George Island. You land at the Teniente Rodolfo Marsh Martin airstrip, pass Chile’s Frei Station and Russia’s Bellingshausen Station on the way to the shore, and a Zodiac takes you out to the ship.
The catch is the weather. Low cloud, fog and strong wind on King George Island can hold the flight, both ways. By the operator’s own count to March 2023, 213 of 274 flights left on the scheduled day, 16 left a day early, 32 a day late and 13 waited two to four days. Going out, you wait in Punta Arenas; coming back, the ship keeps cruising.
Arrive a day early. On paper, a morning landing at Ezeiza, the drive to Aeroparque and the flight south reach Ushuaia the same afternoon the ship boards. That leaves no room for one late leg. We usually recommend at least a day in Ushuaia or Punta Arenas first; in Ushuaia it buys you Tierra del Fuego National Park.
Patagonia first, the ship last. The Very Best of Argentina flies Buenos Aires to Bariloche, El Calafate and Ushuaia, every flight further south, and our Family Journey to the End of the World also ends in Ushuaia. Add the voyage at the end and nobody flies back north first.
Sail one way, fly the other. Our co-founder Juergen Keller wrote this for Argentina: “Think international!… A good route for Argentina ends or begins in either Chile or Brazil!” Down here the border crossing can be the voyage. The Antarctica Express itinerary on our fly-cruise page boards in Ushuaia, sails via Cape Horn and flies back to Punta Arenas. Punta Arenas is also the airport for Torres del Paine, and our Santiago & Torres del Paine trip uses it both ways. As of October 2026 no scheduled flight links Ushuaia and Punta Arenas, so that voyage does double duty.
Leave slack on the way home. Juergen’s advice for all of South America: “Do not plan a very tight schedule!… Leave slack in your trip!” The Ushuaia ships dock in the morning, and the flight back from King George Island waits on the same weather. Skip the first flight home after the voyage ends.
Our Antarctica voyages are priced without flights to the port; the fly-cruise includes only its own charter. We quote international and domestic flights separately if you ask, and a Destination Consultant can design your custom Antarctica trip around the days the flights and ships run. Or compare the voyages on our Antarctica cruises page.
Yes, on a charter. The fly-cruise flies from Punta Arenas to King George Island in about two hours. Deep-field operators also fly to camps in the interior, such as Union Glacier, for South Pole and Vinson Massif expeditions. For a cruise, fly into Ushuaia (USH) or Punta Arenas (PUQ).
Two flights and the crossing: Miami to Buenos Aires is about 9 h, Ushuaia 3 h 40 m more, then two days at sea. Through Santiago and Punta Arenas, the crossing is the two-hour flight. Add the day in port.
No. As of October 2026 Ushuaia’s flights are domestic, apart from a seasonal link to São Paulo, and Punta Arenas flies mostly within Chile, plus the Falklands. Connect in Buenos Aires or Santiago.
Not on a scheduled flight. Take the road across Tierra del Fuego, about 12 hours, the four-night cruise through the Fuegian fjords by way of Cape Horn, or a voyage that sails from Ushuaia and flies you back to Punta Arenas.
The season decides which voyages run, so read the best time to visit Antarctica next, and check the entry rules for Argentina and Chile on our Antarctica visa requirements page. For the flights before the port, see getting to and around Argentina, Patagonia and Chile.
Our favorite South America tour ideas featuring the best destinations & activities designed to inspire…
Get your FREE South America Guide Now!
