Antarctica21 schedules its largest-ever fly-cruise season for 2028/29

47 expeditions with two ships

On October 20, Antarctica21 unveiled its program for the 2028/29 Antarctic season. It includes 47 fly-cruises—the most ever offered by a company specializing in this type of trip. The Magellan Explorer and Magellan Discoverer will operate the voyages.

The classic air-cruise concept links Punta Arenas, Chile, by air with King George Island. After a flight of around two hours, guests board the expedition ship there. Depending on the itinerary, the voyage takes them to the Antarctic Peninsula, the Antarctic Circle or South Georgia. The air and sea portions vary by route: Antarctica Express 2028/29 begins with a flight from Punta Arenas to Puerto Williams, followed by embarkation and a voyage through the Drake Passage. After the Antarctic portion, guests are scheduled to fly back from King George Island.

Four itineraries offer different highlights

Antarctica21 divides its offering into four programs: Classic Antarctica, Polar Circle, Antarctica & South Georgia, and Antarctica Express. Most of the 47 departures are for the classic Antarctic route. The operator lists two dates for the voyage across the Antarctic Circle; the Express option is also scheduled to run twice. The South Georgia combination is planned once. This distribution shows that the total number of departures is not equally available across all routes.

According to the operator, the ships are designed to carry a maximum of 88 guests per departure, and at least 13 polar guides are to accompany each expedition. These are company figures for the planned product. For travelers, choosing a trip is therefore about more than just the date: according to the program, there are considerably fewer departures to choose from for those wishing to reach the Antarctic Circle or include South Georgia than for the classic route.

What the flight means for trip planning

On the classic air-cruise, the flight to King George Island replaces the long sea voyage through the Drake Passage. The Express option, by contrast, includes a sea passage followed by a return flight. The switch between air and ship therefore also determines the timing of the trip. Antarctica21 says it has a dedicated contingency plan for flight delays and priority access to the Antarctic flight window. Hotel stays, transfers and flights are therefore part of the expedition’s schedule planning.

The program thus offers different ways to reach Antarctica: the classic route focuses on the peninsula, the voyage across the Antarctic Circle travels farther south, and the South Georgia option expands the destination area to include the sub-Antarctic island. Antarctica21 offers additional hotel and transfer services before or after the expedition. Travelers choosing dates can weigh the more frequent classic departures against the limited dates for the specialist routes.

Autor: Markus Lenk