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Private jet to Antarctica

Antarctica has no airport where a private flight can simply be booked. There is no border control, no refuelling for arriving aircraft and no handling agent; the runways on the ice belong to specialised expedition operators and national research programmes, and a landing there is always part of an expedition planned long in advance. Private visitors reach the continent only through these operators.

A trip therefore has two parts. We arrange the private jet from Europe to the gateway city and back: Punta Arenas in Chile or Cape Town in South Africa for flights to the ice, or Ushuaia in Argentina for expedition ships to the Antarctic Peninsula. The flight or voyage to Antarctica, the camp and the guides are booked with the expedition operator, and we fit our flight to its dates.

10:46 h
Milan Linate - Cape Town non-stop in a Gulfstream G650
from EUR 145,000
one way, whole aircraft, Challenger 650 Madrid - Punta Arenas
November - February
season for flights to the ice
Two contracts
the jet with us, the expedition with the operator
Evacuation cover
insurance required by expedition operators
-4 / +1 h
Punta Arenas and Cape Town against CET in the European winter

Tell us the expedition operator and its meeting date, if already booked, and we reply with aircraft and prices to the gateway.

 

 

How private access to the ice works

Union Glacier from Punta Arenas
Antarctic Logistics and Expeditions (ALE) flies guests from early November to late January to its camp in the Ellsworth Mountains, a flight of about four and a quarter hours, for the South Pole, Mount Vinson and emperor penguins.
Queen Maud Land from Cape Town
White Desert flies from November to February to the blue-ice runway at Wolf's Fang, about 2,700 m long, in about 5.5 hours. The ice becomes too slippery for landing above minus 4 degrees.
King George Island and ships
Air cruises fly from Punta Arenas to King George Island in about two hours until March and continue by small expedition ship; most ships to the peninsula sail from Ushuaia across the Drake Passage.
A business jet on the ice
ALE accepts long-range Global, Falcon and Gulfstream jets at Union Glacier only by prior arrangement. There is no fuel for private aircraft on the ice, so the jet carries enough to return, and few operators accept such a flight.

Flights to the ice leave only when cloud base, visibility and crosswind are within limits, so delays of days are normal. We plan the arrival at the gateway at least one day before the operator's meeting, and if the expedition moves, we rearrange the return flight from the gateway with the aircraft operator.

 

long range business jet flying south over the ocean

 

Flight times to the gateways

Cape Town is the closest gateway: a Gulfstream G650 or Global 7500 flies there non-stop from every hub in the table, in 10:46 h from Milan and 11:40 h from London; the routing around closed or restricted airspace over parts of Africa makes the flight about 4 per cent longer than the straight line. Punta Arenas and Ushuaia are 11,800-13,700 km from Europe, so even a Global 7500 lands once, usually in Cape Verde or Brazil, except from Lisbon, where it can fly without a stop in 13:37 h. A Challenger 650 stops once from Madrid and Lisbon and twice from the rest of Europe; with close to 20 hours on the way the operator plans an augmented crew or a night in South America.

 

Prices to the gateways

Each price covers the whole aircraft one way, with the jet based close to the city of departure; handling, fuel stops, parking and passenger taxes come on top. The expedition itself is sold by the expedition operator under its own terms. The time column refers to the Challenger 650.

 

To Punta Arenas

 

Route Distance Flight time Heavy jet
Challenger 650		 Long range
Falcon 7X		 Ultra long range
Global 7500
London Farnborough - Punta Arenas 13,305 km 19:09 h, 2 stops EUR 170,000 EUR 215,000 EUR 235,000
Paris Le Bourget - Punta Arenas 13,261 km 19:06 h, 2 stops EUR 170,000 EUR 210,000 EUR 235,000
Madrid - Punta Arenas 12,231 km 16:23 h, 1 stop EUR 145,000 EUR 200,000 EUR 220,000
Lisbon - Punta Arenas 11,802 km 15:53 h, 1 stop EUR 145,000 EUR 190,000 EUR 190,000
Geneva - Punta Arenas 13,218 km 19:03 h, 2 stops EUR 170,000 EUR 210,000 EUR 235,000
Zurich - Punta Arenas 13,444 km 19:19 h, 2 stops EUR 175,000 EUR 215,000 EUR 235,000
Frankfurt - Punta Arenas 13,650 km 19:33 h, 2 stops EUR 175,000 EUR 220,000 EUR 240,000
Amsterdam - Punta Arenas 13,646 km 19:33 h, 2 stops EUR 175,000 EUR 220,000 EUR 240,000

A Challenger 650 costs EUR 145,000 from Madrid or Lisbon with one stop and EUR 170,000-175,000 from the other hubs with two. The Global 7500 costs EUR 235,000 from London or Paris and EUR 190,000 non-stop from Lisbon. More on Punta Arenas and onward flights on our Chile page.

 

To Cape Town

 

Route Distance Flight time Heavy jet
Challenger 650		 Ultra long range
Gulfstream G650		 Ultra long range
Global 7500
London Farnborough - Cape Town 10,054 km 13:50 h, 1 stop EUR 125,000 EUR 155,000 EUR 165,000
Paris Le Bourget - Cape Town 9,735 km 13:27 h, 1 stop EUR 120,000 EUR 150,000 EUR 160,000
Geneva - Cape Town 9,367 km 13:01 h, 1 stop EUR 115,000 EUR 145,000 EUR 155,000
Zurich - Cape Town 9,475 km 13:09 h, 1 stop EUR 120,000 EUR 145,000 EUR 155,000
Milan Linate - Cape Town 9,236 km 12:52 h, 1 stop EUR 115,000 EUR 145,000 EUR 150,000
Munich - Cape Town 9,547 km 13:14 h, 1 stop EUR 120,000 EUR 150,000 EUR 155,000
Frankfurt - Cape Town 9,768 km 13:30 h, 1 stop EUR 120,000 EUR 150,000 EUR 160,000
Amsterdam - Cape Town 10,076 km 13:51 h, 1 stop EUR 125,000 EUR 155,000 EUR 165,000

Cape Town is the cheaper gateway: EUR 115,000-125,000 in a Challenger 650 with one stop, or EUR 145,000-155,000 non-stop in a Gulfstream G650. The choice still follows the expedition, not the price of the jet. See also South Africa.

 

To Ushuaia

 

Route Distance Flight time Heavy jet
Challenger 650		 Long range
Falcon 7X		 Ultra long range
Global 7500
Madrid - Ushuaia 12,244 km 16:24 h, 1 stop EUR 150,000 EUR 200,000 EUR 220,000
Lisbon - Ushuaia 11,829 km 15:55 h, 1 stop EUR 145,000 EUR 190,000 EUR 190,000
Paris Le Bourget - Ushuaia 13,284 km 19:08 h, 2 stops EUR 170,000 EUR 210,000 EUR 235,000
London Farnborough - Ushuaia 13,344 km 19:12 h, 2 stops EUR 175,000 EUR 215,000 EUR 235,000

Ushuaia suits clients sailing to the peninsula: the jet brings them to the port and collects them when the ship returns. Flights inside Argentina are flown by Argentine operators; see Argentina.

Each departure country adds its own passenger charges. The French solidarity tax rises with distance, from about EUR 420 per passenger within Europe to about EUR 2,100 on long-haul departures such as these; Italy charges EUR 200 per passenger on a sector this long. UK Air Passenger Duty is due at the higher rate for private jets, because every aircraft in these tables weighs 20 t or more and has fewer than 19 seats. Germany, Norway and the Netherlands have their own taxes, and all of them appear in the quote.

 

Business jet price per flight hour

heavy jets
Heavy Jets from EUR 8,300 / hour
light jets
Light Jets from EUR 3,200 / hour
ultra long range jets
Ultra Long Range Jets from EUR 12,000 / hour
super midsize jets
Super Midsize Jets from EUR 6,300 / hour
very light jets
Very Light Jets from EUR 2,500 / hour
long range jets
Long Range Jets from EUR 9,800 / hour
midsize jets
Midsize Jets from EUR 4,500 / hour
turboprops
Turboprops from EUR 2,000 / hour

 

Two trips with the costs

Union Glacier via Punta Arenas
Six guests from Madrid in a Challenger 650 at EUR 145,000 with one stop, arriving two days before the expedition meeting. The jet flies home and returns at the end, because the time on the ice depends on the weather.
Queen Maud Land via Cape Town
Eight guests from Geneva in a Gulfstream G650 at EUR 145,000 non-stop. The expedition flight, camp and guides are paid to the expedition operator separately.

 

business jet parked at a southern hemisphere airport

 

Per passenger

 

Route Aircraft Whole aircraft 4 passengers 8 passengers 12 passengers
Madrid - Punta Arenas Challenger 650 EUR 145,000 EUR 36,300 EUR 18,100 EUR 12,100
Geneva - Cape Town Gulfstream G650 EUR 145,000 EUR 36,300 EUR 18,100 EUR 12,100

 

Calculator

The calculator e-mails an estimate to the gateway in seconds:

 

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Gateway airports

 

Gateway Runway Onward to Season
Punta Arenas (PUQ / SCCI) about 2,790 m Union Glacier, King George Island November to March
Cape Town (CPT / FACT) about 3,200 m Wolf's Fang, Queen Maud Land November to February
Ushuaia (USH / SAWH) about 2,800 m Ships to the Antarctic Peninsula November to March

All three airports take every business jet. Punta Arenas has customs listed round the clock and strong westerly winds most of the year; we arrange the car to the hotel where the expedition operator holds its briefing. Australia offers sightseeing flights over the continent without landing, and ships to the Ross Sea sail from New Zealand; see Australia and New Zealand.

 

business jet taxiing past snow-covered mountains

 

Which aircraft

To Cape Town a Gulfstream G650 or Global 7500 flies non-stop; a Challenger 650 stops once and costs less. To South America all types stop at least once from northern Europe, and a Falcon 7X or Global 6000 offers beds on the long night. Polar gear is bulky, so tell us the number and weight of bags.

For advice on the gateway and the aircraft, leave your number and we call back:

 

Give us your phone number and we'll call you back

Minimum price for a flight starts from 3000 €
Minimum price for 1 seat on the flight (cabin) starts from 2000 €

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Season

Tourist operations run only in the southern summer, from November to February, with air cruises to King George Island until March; from April to October the operators close their camps and only research stations stay open. Empty Legs are most frequent at the start and end of the season, when long-range jets bring guests to Punta Arenas and Cape Town and return empty, though their dates rarely match an expedition.

Januaryhigh summer
Long daylight; South Pole and Mount Vinson trips; ALE flights end late in the month.
Empty Legs: back to Europe from Punta Arenas
Februarylate season
Last flights to Queen Maud Land; ships on the peninsula, and whales are often seen along the coast.
Empty Legs: back to Europe from Cape Town
Marchseason ends
Last air cruises to King George Island and the last ships; days shorten fast.
Empty Legs: a few as the last guests come back
Aprilclosed
No tourist operations; only research stations stay open.
Empty Legs: none tied to expeditions
Mayclosed
Polar winter begins; no tourist flights to the ice.
Empty Legs: none tied to the ice
Juneclosed
Midwinter, with continuous darkness inland and no tourist flights.
Empty Legs: none; Cape Town legs follow ordinary demand
Julyclosed
The coldest weeks inland; only research stations are occupied.
Empty Legs: none for polar trips
Augustclosed
Polar winter continues; the gateways are quiet.
Empty Legs: none for polar trips yet
Septemberclosed
Light returns; no tourist operations yet.
Empty Legs: none before the camps reopen
Octoberpreparation
Operators prepare for the season and confirm bookings and dates.
Empty Legs: few before the camps open
Novemberseason opens
First flights to Union Glacier and Wolf's Fang; early trips to emperor penguin colonies and fresh snow on the peninsula.
Empty Legs: southbound legs to the gateways
Decemberpeak
Midnight sun inland, South Pole trips and the busiest weeks at the gateways.
Empty Legs: few, mostly around the holidays

 

private jet cabin with bags of cold weather gear

 

Empty Legs

Jets that bring expedition guests to Punta Arenas or Cape Town often fly back to Europe empty, and some fly out empty to collect guests at the end of the season. Send the direction and dates to empty-legs@jets.flights; a flexible window helps.

 

Permits, documents and pets

Antarctic Treaty
There are no visas or passport checks on the continent. Every activity needs prior environmental assessment under the procedures of the country where the expedition is organised; the expedition operator obtains the permit, and we confirm with it whether a participant needs anything more.
Gateway countries
Passports are checked on entry to Chile, South Africa or Argentina before and after the expedition. EU and UK citizens enter Chile and Argentina without a visa as tourists, and most of them South Africa too.
Insurance
Expedition operators require medical evacuation cover from Antarctica, valid for some days after the return from the ice; the amount depends on the trip.
Visitor rules
Most tour operators belong to IAATO, which limits the number of people ashore and the distance kept from wildlife.
  • Dogs may not be taken to Antarctica: the Environmental Protocol bans them on land and on ice shelves.
  • A pet can fly to the gateway in the cabin and stay there in care, under that country's import rules, while you are on the ice.
  • Chile is on the EU list, so a pet returns from Punta Arenas without an antibody test; South Africa is not, so the test is best taken in Europe before departure.
  • Dogs returning to the UK need tapeworm treatment 1-5 days before arrival there, and the UK accepts pets only through approved routes.

 

passengers boarding a business jet with expedition luggage

 

How to book

  1. Book the expedition with an operator; it sets the gateway, the meeting date and the length of the trip.
  2. Send us the gateway, the dates and the number of passengers and bags.
  3. We compare a non-stop or one-stop long-range jet with a heavy jet and price both the jet waiting and the jet flying home and returning.
  4. After signing and payment the operator plans the route, the stops and the crew.
  5. If the expedition operator moves the flight to the ice, we change the return from the gateway with the operator.
Contract and payment
The jet is contracted with the aircraft operator and paid by bank transfer or card before departure; the expedition is contracted with the expedition operator.
Cancellation
Terms depend on the aircraft operator and the time left before departure; the expedition operator sets its own terms.

 

Questions about private flights to Antarctica

    • Can we fly a private jet to Antarctica?

    • To the gateway city, yes; the expedition operator then flies you to the ice. A private jet lands on the ice only by special arrangement with the company that runs the runway.

    • How much does the flight cost?

    • From EUR 115,000 one way to Cape Town in a Challenger 650 from Milan, and EUR 145,000 to Punta Arenas from Madrid. The expedition is paid separately.

    • How long are the flights to the ice?

    • About four and a quarter hours from Punta Arenas to Union Glacier, about two hours to King George Island and about 5.5 hours from Cape Town to Wolf's Fang, plus any wait for the weather.

    • When can we go?

    • From November to February; air cruises to King George Island continue until March. There are no tourist trips from April to October.

    • Do we need a visa?

    • Not for Antarctica, which has no border control, but the passport is checked in Chile, South Africa or Argentina on the way.

    • Which gateway should we choose?

    • The one your expedition uses: Punta Arenas for Union Glacier and King George Island, Cape Town for Queen Maud Land, Ushuaia for ships to the peninsula.

    • Can we combine the trip with the Falkland Islands?

    • Yes, many ships call at Stanley; a flight from Punta Arenas needs a permit from the islands, see Falkland Islands.

    • Can we bring our dog?

    • Not to Antarctica, where dogs are banned. The dog can wait at the gateway in care, but leaving it at home is usually simpler.

    • Does the jet wait at the gateway?

    • It can, but the time on the ice depends on the weather, so flying home and returning is often cheaper; the quote shows both.

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