Roberta Aguirre
Antarctica is a continent that restricts commercial and public activities, so there are no airports that cater to commercial passenger flights. However, there are a few airports near Antarctica that operate flights to the continent. These airports are located in South America, particularly in Chile and Argentina. The closest airport to Antarctica is the Teniente Rodolfo Marsh Martin Airport (TNM) on King George Island, 75 miles north of the mainland in the South Shetland Islands. Antarctica can be visited from November to March, with flights and cruises available from South America.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Airports in Antarctica | None |
| Airports near Antarctica | Presidente Carlos Ibáñez del Campo International Airport (Punta Arenas International Airport), Ushuaia Airport, Guardia Marina Zañartu Airport, Comodoro Rivadavia Airport |
| Countries with airports near Antarctica | Chile, Argentina |
| Cities with airports near Antarctica | Punta Arenas, Ushuaia, Puerto Williams, Comodoro Rivadavia |
| Airlines operating flights near Antarctica | JetSMART, LATAM, Sky Airline, Qantas, LAN Airlines, TAM Linhas Aereas, Aerolineas Argentinas, Etihad Airways |
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What You'll Learn
No commercial airports in Antarctica
Antarctica does not have any commercial airports. The weather is often too extreme, the ice too volatile, and the setting too remote for commercial flights. However, there are a few airports near Antarctica that operate flights to the continent. These airports are located in South America, particularly in Chile and Argentina.
The closest airport to Antarctica is the Presidente Carlos Ibáñez del Campo International Airport, also known as Punta Arenas International Airport (PUQ). It is located 25 km from the city of Punta Arenas in southern Chile. From here, it is a two-hour flight to Antarctica. Punta Arenas is a typical launchpoint for flight-cruises to Antarctica.
Another airport near Antarctica is the Ushuaia Airport (AEP), located in Tierra del Fuego Province, Argentina. It is one of the airports where different domestic and international flights operate. From here, it is a 3.5-hour direct flight to Buenos Aires' main airport, Aeroparque Jorge Newbery (AEP).
The Guardia Marina Zañartu Airport, located 3.3 km north of Navarino Island in the Chilean Antarctic Province, is another airport near Antarctica. It operates the Aerovías DAP airline.
While there are no direct commercial flights to Antarctica from India, it is possible to transfer to Invercargill in New Zealand or Hobart in Australia and then take a cruise to Antarctica.
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Closest airport to Antarctica
There are no commercial airports in Antarctica due to the region's extreme weather, volatile ice, and remote setting. However, there are several airports near the continent that operate flights to Antarctica. These airports are located in South America, specifically in Chile and Argentina.
Presidente Carlos Ibáñez del Campo International Airport, also known as Punta Arenas International Airport, is often cited as the closest airport to Antarctica. It is located in southern Chile, within the Patagonia region, around 25 km from the city of Punta Arenas. The airport handles a large volume of passengers travelling to and from Antarctica, despite its small size. From Punta Arenas, travellers can book a cruise or fly-and-cruise package to Antarctica.
Ushuaia - Malvinas Argentinas International Airport in Argentina is another major airport near Antarctica, located about 2084 miles from the continent's centre. LAN Airlines, TAM Linhas Aereas, and Aerolineas Argentinas are among the airlines that operate at this airport.
Other airports near Antarctica include:
- Comandante Armando Tola International Airport, El Calafate, Argentina (2393 miles from Antarctica)
- General Enrique Mosconi International Airport, Comodoro Rivadavia, Argentina (2682 miles from Antarctica)
- Balmaceda Airport, Balmaceda, Chile (2682 miles from Antarctica)
- Invercargill Airport, Invercargill, New Zealand (2827 miles from Antarctica)
- Almirante Marcos A. Zar Airport, Trelew, Argentina (2850 miles from Antarctica)
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Airports near Antarctica
Antarctica does not have any commercial airports. Its volatile ice, extreme weather, and remote setting make it difficult to establish airports on the continent. However, there are airports near Antarctica that serve as launchpoints for expeditions to the continent.
The nearest airport to Antarctica is the Teniente Rodolfo Marsh Martin Airport (TNM) on King George Island. This airport is about 75 miles north of the Antarctic mainland in the South Shetland Islands. TNM is served by charter flights and is a common starting point for expedition cruises. Antarctica visitors arriving at TNM are shuttled to their ship, where their exploration begins immediately.
Another airport near Antarctica is Presidente Carlos Ibáñez International Airport (PUQ) in Punta Arenas, Chile. PUQ is a six-hour nonstop flight from Santiago, Chile, and serves as a launchpoint for two-hour flight-cruises to Antarctica.
If you are travelling from the United States, you can take a nonstop flight to Santiago, Chile, from Atlanta, Houston, Miami, or New York with major airlines like American, Delta, and United. From Santiago, you can fly to PUQ and then on to Ushuaia, Argentina, where cruises to Antarctica depart.
From the United Kingdom, there are daily flights to Buenos Aires, Argentina, from London, with airlines such as British Airways and Lufthansa. From Buenos Aires, you can take a 3.5-hour direct flight to Ushuaia Airport (AEP) on Aerolíneas Argentinas or LATAM.
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Getting to Antarctica from the US
Antarctica does not have any commercial airports—the weather is too extreme, the ice too volatile, and the setting too remote. However, there are charter flights that can take you to nearby King George Island, and even the South Pole or other ice-strip runways on a ski-plane. The nearest airport to Antarctica is the Teniente Rodolfo Marsh Martin Airport (TNM) on King George Island, 75 miles north of the mainland in the South Shetland Islands.
If you are travelling from the US, you can take a flight to Buenos Aires, Argentina, and then take a separate internal flight to Ushuaia, or you can take a road trip down the coast of Argentina to Ushuaia. Ushuaia is the most popular departure point for Antarctica cruises, with over 90% of cruises departing from here. The city itself is well worth visiting, and most tour operators will build in an extra day to explore the city before your departure. The journey from Ushuaia to the Antarctic Peninsula takes about 2-3 days.
Alternatively, you can fly to Punta Arenas, Chile, which is another departure point for cruises to Antarctica. Most flights to Punta Arenas go via Santiago, which is served by the major airlines Avianca, American, Copa, Delta, LATAM, and United, with flights out of major airports including Atlanta, Houston, Miami, and New York. From Santiago, it is a six-hour non-stop flight to Punta Arenas on JetSMART, LATAM, or Sky Airline.
If you are short on time, you can fly from Punta Arenas to Antarctica, which takes two hours, avoiding the Drake Passage. However, it is important to note that flying to Antarctica is quite expensive.
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Getting to Antarctica from the UK
There are no direct commercial flights to Antarctica, but it is possible to get there from the UK. The first step is to fly to the southern tip of South America, either to Chile or Argentina. From there, you can travel by cruise ship or passenger plane across the Drake Passage to Antarctica or its outlying islands.
The most common way to get to Antarctica from the UK is to first fly to Buenos Aires, Argentina, and then take another flight to Ushuaia, before sailing to Antarctica. British Airways offers direct flights from Heathrow to Buenos Aires, which take around 14 hours. From Buenos Aires, it is a 3.5-hour flight to Ushuaia. This route is also served by other airlines, including Aerolíneas Argentinas, Azul, Delta, easyJet, KLM, LATAM, Lufthansa, and Ryanair.
Another option is to fly to Santiago, Chile, and then to Punta Arenas, from where there are fly-cruise options to Antarctica. British Airways offers direct flights from London to Santiago, which take around 14.5 hours. Alternatively, you can fly via a European hub, which takes between 17 and 20 hours. From Santiago, it is a 3.5-hour flight to Punta Arenas. From there, you can take a two-hour flight-cruise to Antarctica or fly to Port Stanley in the Falklands and sail from there.
The Antarctic travel season is from November to March, and cruises typically last between 26 and 31 days. The Drake Passage can be rough, and seasickness is common, so if you are concerned about this, you may prefer to fly across it. If you are a British citizen, you will need to apply for a permit from the Polar Regions Department of the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) before travelling to Antarctica.
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Frequently asked questions
No, there are no airports in Antarctica that cater to commercial passenger flights. The weather is too extreme, the ice is too volatile, and the setting is too remote. However, there are a few airports near Antarctica that operate flights to the continent.
The closest airport to Antarctica is the Presidente Carlos Ibáñez del Campo International Airport, also known as Punta Arenas International Airport. It is located in southern Chile in the Patagonia region of South America. Another airport near Antarctica is the Teniente Rodolfo Marsh Martin Airport on King George Island, 75 miles north of the mainland in the South Shetland Islands.
Some airlines that operate flights to Antarctica include LAN Airlines, TAM Linhas Aereas, and Aerolineas Argentinas.
