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“What are you doing this weekend?” my friend asks as we say goodbye on an otherwise ordinary Friday night.
“I’m flying to Antarctica,” I reply far too casually. The response is instant: wide eyes, dropped jaw, “What?!”
As wild as it sounds, I really did fly to Antarctica on the weekend – in a single day, no less. The only catch? I never touched down on the ice.
Antarctica isn’t exactly a casual weekend getaway for us Aussies. Located roughly 3,000 kilometres south of Tasmania, visiting this icy continent is usually a more luxe affair reserved for those who can afford to drop a few grand on a polar cruise or a private jet from the tip of South America. But there is a way you can tick it off your bucket list without travelling too far or for too long from Australia – and I decided to give it a test run so you know exactly what to expect.
Like many avid travellers, Antarctica has long been on my bucket list. So when I discovered you could fly there and back in a single day – without even needing a passport – it was an immediate yes.
Enter: Antarctica Flights. This Aussie company has been exploring our southermost continent by air since 1994, running scenic round-trips from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth during the summer months (November to February).
I felt slightly unhinged rocking up to Sydney’s domestic airport without a passport, but since we never disembark the plane, it technically doesn’t count as an overseas trip. We boarded our privately chartered Qantas 787 Dreamliner just before 8am and were told to buckle in for the “world’s most unique scenic flight”. The captains gave us a brief rundown of the 14-hour route, which is adjusted to suit the day’s weather conditions, meaning no two flights are the same.
There are six different seat classes to choose from, ranging from Explorer Economy ($1,199) to Premium Economy ($3,999) and Business Class Deluxe ($7,999). Unlike a regular flight, passengers swap seats throughout the journey, offering everyone prime viewing of the frozen wonderland below. It also makes the experience much more social than my typical trip, with passengers – myself included – stretching across strangers to get the best snaps.
Around four hours into the flight, the cabin started getting jittery as we spotted our very first iceberg. If only we knew how much better it was about to get…
As we reached the edge of Antarctica, our aircraft descended from around 30,000 feet to just 10,000 feet above sea level, bringing us breathtakingly close to the action. It’s hard to put into words how surreal it was seeing the Great White Continent from above. It felt like I was watching a scene from Happy Feet (minus the penguins – they’re too small to see). Ice blanketed the land for kilometres on end, massive ice caps drifted just offshore and jagged mountains rose dramatically from the snow.
The first major natural landmark we spotted was Mount Erebus, the southernmost active volcano stretching 3,792 metres into the sky. On this rare, windless day, a small cloud of smoke and ash lingered at the crater’s tip, making the scene even more dramatic. From there, we flew across the Rennick Glacier, though cloud cover made it difficult to see below. Next, we headed to Mount Melbourne and traced the coastline, spotting scattered icebergs and a few glacier tongues, including the massive Drygalski Ice Tongue, which projects around 80 kilometres into the ocean.
For me, the most mesmerising sight was the McMurdo Dry Valleys – a series of largely snow-free desert valleys that stand in stark contrast to the surrounding sheets of white ice and bright blue waters. It made me wonder if seeing Antarctica from above might actually be more breathtaking than by boat, as you can truly take it all in. Then again, stepping foot on the ice itself must be an entirely otherworldly experience.
This brought us to the halfway point, where passengers swapped seats, giving those who hadn’t yet had a window view the chance to soak in the scenery. We then did a 180 and settled in for the seven-hour journey back to Australia.
It was too cloudy to see any stations on our flight over, but the return leg offered glimpses of the Italian, Korean and Chinese bases. As an added bonus, we even tuned in to a live cross interview with one of the Australian research stations on the ground.
I was grateful to our guides, seasoned Antarctic expeditioners Peter Hicks and Mike Craven, who provided live commentary as we flew over the icy continent, pointing out the sights visible from each side of the aircraft. It’s worth noting the plane gently tilts from side to side to maximise views, which can leave some passengers feeling a little nauseous at times. The commentary also runs continuously for the four hours spent flying over Antarctica, meaning you can’t watch a movie or doze off – not that you’d want to, though.
I was definitely glad to touch down in Sydney at 10pm that night. Taking an Antarctic Flight is definitely a once-in-a-lifetime experience – one I’ll be casually dropping into coversation for years to come – but after 14 hours in the air, I almost felt jetlagged without even changing time zones! That said, if Antarctica is on your bucket list, I’d totally recommend booking a flight.
Seats start at a reasonable $1,199 for economy – cheaper than flying from Australia to Europe these days – with premium and business class seats also available. Antarctic Flights has just announced the dates for their 2026/27 season, and you can find out more here.