Antarctica travel: A380 Superjumbo flights take off

Travelling to the icy untouched wilderness is easier -- and cheaper -- than many might imagine

By Chris Anderson 13 January, 2010

Antarctica fly over

The view from an Antarctica flight from a 747 jet, which is representative of what you'll see from an A380.

Antarctica mountains

“Antarctica is the world’s coldest, driest, windiest and most remote territory, and the last great wilderness area,” said Phil Asker, Managing Director of Antarctica Sightseeing Flights.

Antarctica glaciars

"Antarctica is the coldest place on Earth. The coldest natural temperature ever recorded on Earth was −89.2 °C (−128.6 °F) at the Russian Vostok Station in Antarctica on 21 July 1983." - Gavin Hudson (2008-12-14). "The Coldest Inhabited Places on Earth"

Antarctica flight

Antarctica has no permanent residents, so if you like it, don't expect to buy a summer home there.

Antarctica flight

"Sea ice extent expands annually in the Antarctic winter and most of this ice melts in the summer." Source - "Regional changes in Arctic and Antarctic sea ice" United Nations Environment Programme.

Antarctica New Years A380 flight

December 31, 2009 New Year's Eve party on the Antarctica A380 flight.

1 of 1

Antarctica travel is sometimes thought of as a long, arduous journey undertaken by scientists or those adventure travellers looking to experience the ultimate in extreme nature adventure. But travelling to the last true untouched wilderness on the planet is easier -- and cheaper -- than many might imagine and can come in at about the same price as an economy class ticket from Hong Kong to San Francisco.

Head south for the summer

Antarctica flights are the way to go for those curious about the Great White Wilderness, but not quite willing to drop serious cash and make the journey by sea. Croydon Travel operates Antarctica Sightseeing Flights, an Antarctica tour service that has flown some 30,000 people over Antarctica since 1994 and now offers flights on the new A380 Superjumbo jet departing from Melbourne or Sydney a couple of times a year during the Antarctic summer.

The most recent A380 flight was a New Year's Eve flyover, with the next on January 24, followed by a 747 flight on Valentines Day, February 14. After that, the next confirmed flight is for New Year's Eve 2011. Flights to Antarctica are best -- and safest -- during the Antarctic summer because days are 24 hours long and weather conditions the most stable. The period lasts from November to February and Croydon plans flights accordingly, offering three to 12 flights during that time frame.

Typical flight routes.

"Flight routes can vary depending on weather conditions that day," a Croydon representative told CNNGo, so viewing specific landforms is not guaranteed, but the three to four hours spent over the vast expanses promises to justify the time and money spent. The flights are 12 hours round-trip (sorry, no landing breaks on the south pole) and Antarctica experts are also on board to answer questions and generally educate passengers about what they're seeing.

For both the January 24 and February 14 flights, those experts include Glaciology Research Scientist Ian Allison and Meteorologist Peter Dawson. Allison knows these flights aren't about the science but said, "if a few people do this and get inspired to want to preserve Antarctica and get inspired about our global environment ... then that's fine by me."

The cost of Antarctica travel by flight

So for those looking for a bit of an Antarctic adventure, here are the damage details. Prices are based on the best viewing spots, so the most coveted aisle seats on normal long hauls are usually the last to go for the Antarctica flights. Its AU$999 for a center seat -- passengers in this class get a chance to rotate through the plane and look out windows, so its not as if they'll be watching March of the Penguins on video while others enjoy the views. For a window seat near a wing the price jumps up to AU$1,549, and a Superior Window economy seat clear of the wing goes for AU$2,399. A first class seat will set you back AU$6,299, with a business class seat falling between Superior Window prices and first class prices.

The prices might seem rather expensive to those who are grounded, but when compared to the average cost of US$4,700 (AU$5,090) to US$12,000 (AU$13,000) for a spot on an Antarctica travel cruise ship, an AU$999 economy class seat doesn't appear quite as outrageous. Of course that depends on whether you already live in Australia.

Three-time Antarctic flight passenger 77-year old Neil Ross said his most recent sojourn on the A380 December 31 flight was "absolutely sensational." If you're going to take Ross' word, then Antarctica Sightseeing Flights suggests booking for the 2011 New Year's Eve A380 flight now, at least if you're interested in the business or first class seats. Economy seats are usually available for booking a couple of weeks in advance.

Other options for Antarctic travel

2010 Cruises

Orion Antarctica travel expeditions departing from New Zealand.

Prince Albert II Antarctica luxury cruises departing from Ushuaia, Argentina.