Antarctic Island Trip Series (Part 2): Flying to and from King George Island
Is it necessary to take a boat across the Drake Passage to visit Antarctica?
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Besides cruise ships, Antarctica also offers air travel. During the months when Antarctica is open to tourists, there's an airport near the Chilean scientific research station on King George Island, Antarctica, that can accommodate civilian flights: Teniente Rodolfo Marsh Martin Airport (IATA: TNA). This airport offers travelers who want to save time or suffer from seasickness the option of "trading a two-hour flight for a two-day cruise."
In this article, we'll cover King George Island and the four ferry companies that currently offer round-trip flights, as well as analyze how to choose the most suitable itinerary.
1. Where is King George Island?
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King George Island is the largest of the South Shetland Islands and the easternmost of the group. It is approximately 850 kilometers from Ushuaia, Argentina, and 120 kilometers from Antarctica. The South Shetland Islands were discovered by British explorers in 1819. They believed the area was similar to Shetland, the northernmost territory of the United Kingdom, and thus named it the "South Shetland Islands." King George Island was named after King George III of the United Kingdom at the time.
Although King George Island is covered by glaciers for over 901 tonnes, it still hosts 14 scientific research stations. It also boasts the world's southernmost church and lighthouse, and hosts the Antarctic Marathon every year in late February or early March.
2. Flight schedule and precautions
Currently, four cruise companies—Antarctica21, Aurora Expeditions, Quark, and Silversea—operate this type of Antarctica itinerary. While each itinerary differs slightly, Silversea includes round-trip airfare from Santiago, Chile, to Punta Arenas on the first day. The other three companies all begin their journey by meeting in Punta Arenas in southern Chile on the first day. The next day, they fly from Punta Arenas to King George Island in Antarctica. After spending varying lengths of time in Antarctica on the cruise ship, they fly back to Punta Arenas on the penultimate day, spending the night in a hotel, and disembarking the next day.
In addition, there are two points that require special attention:
1. Baggage weight restrictions for flights:
The maximum carry-on baggage limit is 5 kg, while checked baggage is only 15 kg.
2. The correlation between cruise ship passenger capacity and aircraft passenger capacity:
All fly-in/fly-out cruise lines use aircraft with a maximum passenger capacity of 80, arranged in a 3-3 configuration, meaning only 80 passengers can be transported per trip. However, only one fly-in/fly-out cruise line currently offers a ship specifically designed for this type of itinerary, capable of transporting all guests to South King George Island at once. Other cruise lines will require a longer wait for your flight.
3. Advantages and disadvantages of fly-in and fly-out itineraries
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According to IAATO statistics, in the 2019-2020 season, before the pandemic, only 61,000 tourists chose to travel to Antarctica by plane. What advantages attracted these 4,679 tourists to this option, and what concerns led 69,722 passengers to choose cruise ships to Antarctica?
1. Advantages:
Two hours for two days of sailing time
Avoid discomfort and seasickness when crossing the Drake Passage
Chilean visas are easier to obtain than Argentinian visas (travelers from Hong Kong and Taiwan can enter the country without a visa)
2. Disadvantages:
Flight delays affect the actual number of days you can visit
Fewer discounts
Fewer lectures on various Antarctic topics
Of the advantages and disadvantages listed above, many readers are likely concerned about cruise/flight delays, impacting the number of days available for travel. According to data provided by Antarctica21, which holds priority flight rights, from its first flight in 2003 until March 2020, before the pandemic, of the 225 Antarctic trips, 79%s departed as scheduled. There was only one instance where departure was completely delayed, and another where passengers were unable to return to Chile by flight and had to take a cruise instead. In these cases, the company has a refund policy.
Cruises return to Ushuaia in the morning and depart again in the afternoon. With a constant flow of departures, delays or cancellations are usually due to an unforeseen incident on the previous cruise. Alternative options depend on the terms and conditions of each shipping company.
Therefore, no matter which method you choose to travel to Antarctica, in order to protect your own rights, please be sure to purchase trip interruption and cancellation insurance in advance.
4. Shipping companies and itineraries to King George Island
The four shipping companies currently operating round-trip itineraries each have their own advantages, listed below:
1. Antarctica21
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We have previously published an article onAntarctica21 and its itinerariesThe company's most significant advantages include "priority flight rights" and its headquarters in Punta Arenas, Chile. Priority flight rights mean that if only one flight is allowed to take off that day, Antarcica21 will be given the first opportunity to do so.
Furthermore, as the first company in the industry to offer fly-in, fly-out itineraries, Antarctica21's two ships are designed to accommodate the maximum passenger capacity of a single flight. Therefore, choosing Antarctica21 allows everyone to gather and embark on their Antarctic journey together on a single flight, making the most efficient use of your time in Antarctica.
Antarctica21 has four common routes, with single island routes being the main route:
Single Island (8 days and 7 nights, 6 days and 5 nights)
Arctic Circle (10 days and 9 nights)
Twin Islands (17 days and 16 nights)
2. Aurora Expeditions
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Aurora is not only one of the two companies in the industry that offers diving itineraries, but is also one of the only two companies among the four companies that fly in and out that offers a mixed package.
Flying back and forth certainly avoids the discomfort of crossing the Drake Passage, but it also carries its own risks. And being able to experience both flying and a cruise in one trip is a rare experience.
Aurora generally doesn't offer discounts, so be sure to grab it during the early bird discounts.
3. Quark
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Quark is a well-known brand with its long history in the Chinese-speaking world, and many readers specifically request their cruises. Their round-trip itineraries are relatively simple, focusing on a single island and offering only eight-day itineraries. The combined capacity of the cruise ship allows for full boarding at once. If you're interested in purchasing tickets, we recommend purchasing them while they're on sale.
4. Silversea
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Silversea's advantage is that the price of the ferry ticket includes round-trip flights from Santiago, the capital of Chile, to Punta Arenas, as well as unlimited WiFi. So although they, like Aurora, have high prices and basically no discounts, their sales are always brisk.
Also, please note: The itinerary announced on the official website is usually calculated from the day of flying to King George Island, but because it includes domestic round-trip flights and accommodation in Santiago and Punta Arenas, two days need to be added at the beginning and end.
5. How to choose the right fly-in/fly-out itinerary
For example, in the following season, round-trip flights are available from late November to early March. We have listed the following options based on the characteristics of each shipping company and the specific needs of the groups they cater to:
1. Don't want to waste time and want to go to the two islands：Antarctica21
2. A three-island itinerary for those who enjoy diving, flying, and crossing the Drake Passage：Aurora
3. Affordable price：Quark
4. I don't want to worry about connecting to domestic flights in Chile, I need unlimited Wi-Fi for work, and I want to experience flying and crossing the Drake Passage on a three-island itinerary.：Silversea
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