A trip to Antarctica from Punta Arenas costs from CLP 7,316,222 per person for the one-day flight to King George Island sold on Civitatis, with 4 hotel nights in Punta Arenas included; an 8 or 9-day fly-cruise around the Antarctic Peninsula starts at US$15,550 on TourRadar, according to the listings checked on 7 November 2026. The season runs from November to March, according to chile.travel, Chile's official tourism site.
Punta Arenas is the air gateway to Antarctica: the roughly two-hour flights to King George Island, in the South Shetlands, leave from here and skip the Drake Passage crossing by ship. If you are spending a few days in the city, see our guide to Punta Arenas tours and things to do in Punta Arenas.
View the data as a table
| Day flight, from | CLP 7.32 M |
| Hours in Antarctica on the day flight | 5 |
| Flight hours to King George Island | 2 |
| Season months (November to March) | 5 |
Antarctica trip from Punta Arenas: the options compared
There are two ways to go from Punta Arenas that you can book online: the day flight, which only lands on King George Island, and the fly-cruise, which flies in and tours the peninsula on an expedition ship. Neither has a fixed date: everything depends on the weather at the Antarctic airstrip.
Day flight to King George Island
A day on King George Island with flights, a Zodiac to Ardley's penguins and 4 hotel nights in Punta Arenas.
- 1 day in Antarctica, plus 4 hotel nights in Punta Arenas
- Flights, Spanish-speaking guide, Zodiac to Ardley Island and snacks
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Fly the Drake round trip (Quark)
Eight days round trip from Punta Arenas by air, with four expedition days on the peninsula.
- 8 days, Punta Arenas to Punta Arenas
- Return flights, expedition ship, hotel and transfers in Punta Arenas
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Fly South, Sail North (Quark)
Fly from Punta Arenas and sail back across the Drake to Ushuaia: 9 days.
- 9 days, Punta Arenas to Ushuaia
- Flight to King George Island, expedition ship and return across the Drake
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| Programme | Duration | Includes | From | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day flight to King George Island | 1 day in Antarctica, plus 4 hotel nights in Punta Arenas | Flights, Spanish-speaking guide, Zodiac to Ardley Island and snacks | CLP 7,316,222 | Book ↗ |
| Fly South, Sail North (Quark) | 9 days, Punta Arenas to Ushuaia | Flight to King George Island, expedition ship and return across the Drake | US$15,550 | Book ↗ |
| Fly the Drake round trip (Quark) | 8 days, Punta Arenas to Punta Arenas | Return flights, expedition ship, hotel and transfers in Punta Arenas | US$20,810 | Book ↗ |
Source: public listings on Civitatis and TourRadar, checked on 7 November 2026. "From" price per person. On TourRadar, both Quark Expeditions programmes (sold by Exodus Adventure Travels) were shown with a 15% discount: list price US$18,295 for the 9-day trip and US$24,482 for the 8-day one. Civitatis' Spanish version listed the day flight at CLP 7,320,838.
| Day flight to King George Island (Civitatis) | 1 | Punta Arenas | CLP | 7,316,222 |
| Fly South, Sail North, 9 days (Quark) | 9 | Ushuaia | US$ | 15,550 |
| Classic Antarctica Air-Cruise, 8 days (Antarctica21) | 8 | Punta Arenas | US$ | 15,995 |
| Fly the Drake round trip, 8 days (Quark) | 8 | Punta Arenas | US$ | 20,810 |
The Antarctica day flight: what it includes
This is the shortest option: the Civitatis listing says the flight takes between an hour and a half and two hours, and you spend about five hours on King George Island. The visit covers Villa Las Estrellas, at Chile's Presidente Eduardo Frei Montalva base, the Orthodox church at Russia's Bellingshausen base and a Zodiac ride from Fildes Bay to Ardley Island, home to gentoo, chinstrap and Adélie penguin colonies.
- Included: hotel pickup and drop-off, return flights, Spanish-speaking guide, Zodiac ride, snacks and drinks, and 4 nights in a 3 or 4-star hotel in Punta Arenas.
- Why 4 nights: they are waiting days in case the weather grounds the flight. If you fly earlier, the unused night is lost.
- Not included: meals in Punta Arenas or on King George Island.
- If no flight is possible on any of the four days, the listing promises an 80% refund. Cancel more than 30 days ahead and you get 50% back; after that, 25%.
- Luggage: one backpack up to 10 kg per person, plus passport or ID.
Antarctica fly-cruise from Punta Arenas
The fly-cruise format flies from Punta Arenas to King George Island and boards an expedition ship there. TourRadar sells two Quark Expeditions versions:
- Fly both ways (8 days): day 1 in Punta Arenas with a welcome dinner, day 2 flight and boarding, days 3 to 6 on the Antarctic Peninsula and South Shetlands, day 7 flight back and day 8 airport transfer. From US$20,810.
- Fly south, sail north (9 days): flies south, tours the peninsula and returns across the Drake Passage to Ushuaia, Argentina, where it ends on day 9. From US$15,550.
Another company operating from Punta Arenas is Antarctica21, which according to chile.travel offers its 8-day Classic Antarctica Air-Cruise from US$15,995 per person, from late November to early March. It sells direct and is not on the platforms we compare; its new hybrid ship, the Magellan Discoverer, debuts this season (read our Magellan Discoverer story).
- Day 1Punta ArenasAirport transfer, welcome dinner and trip briefing.
- Day 2Flight to King George IslandCharter flight and boarding of the expedition ship.
- Days 3 to 6Antarctic Peninsula and South ShetlandsLandings and Zodiac outings.
- Day 7Flight back to Punta ArenasDisembark on King George Island and fly.
- Day 8Punta ArenasAirport transfer and end of the trip.
When to travel to Antarctica and what to know
- Season: November to March, the southern summer; Antarctica21's Air-Cruise runs from late November to early March, according to chile.travel.
- Weather rules: flights to King George Island depend on conditions, which is why programmes build in buffer days in Punta Arenas.
- Clothing: Civitatis recommends ski clothing, gloves, hat, scarf and waterproof footwear.
- Insurance: the day flight's insurance only covers the plane and its stairs; the listing recommends your own policy.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a trip to Antarctica from Punta Arenas cost?
From CLP 7,316,222 per person for the Civitatis day flight, with 4 hotel nights, and from US$15,550 for a 9-day fly-cruise on TourRadar, at prices checked on 7 November 2026.
How long is the flight from Punta Arenas to Antarctica?
About two hours to King George Island, according to chile.travel; the Civitatis listing says between an hour and a half and two hours.
Can you reach Antarctica without crossing the Drake Passage?
Yes: the day flight and the fly-both-ways fly-cruise avoid the Drake. The 9-day programme returns by ship across the Drake to Ushuaia.
When is the Antarctic season?
November to March. Each programme's departures depend on the ship and the weather.
