Can you fly over Antarctica?
Yes, there are two ways that you can fly in a plane over Antarctica. Whether you're doing it to prove the flat-earth theory or just to have fun, you'll need to choose one of these options...
(1) Buy a ticket on a commercial flight. International flights don't generally go over Antarctica, so you'll be looking for a dedicated recreational flight. For example, at the time of writing this article, you can book a day trip from Australia that flies right over the South Pole for not much more than $1,000.
(2) Charter your own flight. Seriously, you can charter your own airplane to fly to Antarctica. If you'd like a Boeing 747, watch this video by commercial pilot Kelsy|74Gear. It's not as hard as you might think—all you need is a bunch of people willing to spend a few thousand dollars. They don't all have to be flat-earthers—as long as you have enough people you trust to verify the journey, you can fill the rest of the plane with wealthy people who would do it just to participate. Chartering big planes for recreational flights is relatively common and straightforward. Here's what you need to do:
- Contact an airline company that offers charter flights and ask for a quote to take a plane to Antarctica. You could start with Kelsey's company (see video link above), or you could try Air New Zealand as they already do charter flights into the southern ocean (to see the southern lights).
- Figure out the pricing and number of tickets you'll need to sell in order to cover the cost (or make a profit).
- Sell at least that many tickets. You might want to charge full price up front, but make it partly or fully refundable in case you can't sell enough tickets.
It's not easy but it's certainly not impossible.
Here are a few relevant links:
- Antarctica Cruises & Tours (Chimu Adventures)
- Antarctica Flights (on a Qantas 747)
- Tourism in Antarctica (Wikipedia)
Air New Zealand began sightseeing flights to Antarctica in 1977.
>> Back to the Flat Earth FAQ