These News Cruises Let You Fly to Antarctica and Skip the Notorious Drake Passage

In 2024, over 120,000 tourists visited Antarctica, and most reached the White Continent via the notoriously treacherous Drake Passage, a 600-mile stretch of turbulent water between the southern tip of South America and Antarctica's South Shetland Islands. "Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage" author Alfred Lansing once described it as "the most dreaded bit of ocean on the globe."

There are a handful of itineraries that offer private jet transfer over the Drake Passage and now, there's a new alternative for travelers who want to experience Antarctica without the thrill (and seasickness) of sailing it.

On Dec. 3, National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions Cruises completed two new itineraries: the Antarctica Direct: Fly the Drake Passage expedition and the Antarctica Direct: Sail and Fly the Drake Passage voyage. With the new cruises, National Geographic-Lindblad Cruises now has eight-, nine-, and 10-day trip options that offer a mix of sailing, flying, or a combination of sailing/flying to the White Continent. Not only are these faster than traditional routes, but the new journeys also maximize time on the continent since cruising the Drake Passage can take up to two days.

"We have 11 different ways you can travel in Antarctica with us — different lengths, different combinations of places, some as long as 23 days, some as short as a week," Sven-Olof Lindblad, Lindblad Expeditions CEO and founder, told Travel + Leisure during the inaugural voyage.

Sven-Olof Lindblad, whose father, Lars-Eric Lindblad, pioneered non-scientific travel to Antarctica starting in 1966, explained the new itineraries would allow time-crunched travelers, or those who would like to avoid the Drake Passage, the opportunity to experience Antarctica. Sven-Olof Lindblad and his team have been brainstorming ways to fly travelers to the continent for over a decade, but their plans were always complicated by a lack of the right aircraft and accurate weather forecasting technology — until now.

The company is currently partnered with Chilean airline, Aerovías DAP, to charter passenger flights to King George Island, the largest of Antarctica's South Shetland Islands.

Additionally, National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions is the only expedition cruise operator offering flights in and out of Puerto Natales — most flights to Antarctica operate solely out of Punta Arenas. Puerto Natales, located in Chilean Patagonia, is home to a host of boutique hotels and charming coffee shops. The small town is also considered the gateway to the beautiful Torres del Paine National Park, giving travelers the opportunity for even more adventure after their Antarctican journey.

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