Skip to main content

Take a Sightseeing Day Trip Over Antarctica with Australia’s Qantas Airways

For most Americans, international travel will likely be a write-off for the rest of 2020. From Canada to Europe, many of the world’s countries just don’t want us until we clean up our pandemic response. But, it’s not too early to start thinking about ticking off your bucket list in 2021. If Antarctica has proven an elusive destination for you, maybe next year will be your year. One unique flight promises to take you there without actually taking you there.

Qantas and Antarctica Flights have announced the return of their exclusive Antarctic sightseeing flights. New this year, passengers will board a state-of-the-art Boeing 787 Dreamliner bound for the White Continent. The trip takes over 12 hours from takeoff to touchdown and returns to the same airport from which it departed. As on most long-haul flights, passengers will enjoy two full meals, plus free snacks and bar service. The in-flight entertainment is, of course, heavy on educational films about Antarctica and polar wildlife.

Three hours after liftoff, the edges of the polar continent slowly come into view. The plane spends at least four hours flying over Antarctica in long figure-8 patterns to ensure that everyone onboard is provided with stunning views. Every passenger is ticketed with two boarding passes. Midway through the flight, an announcement indicates that it’s time for passengers to switch seats: Window to aisle and vice-versa. Passengers are also encouraged to get up and move around the cabin as they like so they don’t miss anything.

Recommended Videos

It’s billed as “the world’s most unique scenic flight.” It’s unique in that it’s essentially a “flight to nowhere.” But, it’s also a way for destination counters to tick one of the world’s most wild and isolated destinations off their travel to-do list — sort of. It’s a surprisingly popular option, as Qantas and Antarctica Flights have helped passengers do just that for more than 26 years.

The 2020 season kicks off in November and carries through until February 2021. Flights depart and return from Australia’s most popular cities, including Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, and others. Prices among the six classes of service vary widely, starting from around USD $860 (AUD $1,199) for an Explorer Economy Class seat without a window up to USD $5,755 (AUD $7,999) for a Business Class Deluxe ticket. In light of the pandemic, the airlines are, of course, taking extra precautions and implementing stringent cleaning protocols to protect passenger safety.

If “merely” flying over the White Continent doesn’t sound exciting enough, check out five legit alternative ways to tick Antarctica off your bucket list.

Mike Richard
Mike Richard has traveled the world since 2008. He's kayaked in Antarctica, tracked endangered African wild dogs in South…
This Spanish region was just named Europe’s top wine tasting destination
Rioja, Spain comes out on top
Rioja, Spain

Wine lovers, take note. Rioja, Spain has just been crowned the top wine tasting destination in Europe for 2025, and it’s not hard to see why. The team at Quotezone put together their Vineyard Mini-Break Index by diving into the details that matter most for wine tourists, including winery tour costs, hotel prices, local weather, and international wine awards. The result? Rioja poured its way right to the top of the list.

Known as the largest wine region in Spain, Rioja boasts over 600 wineries and more than 65,000 hectares of vineyards. But beyond its sheer size, the region stands out for being surprisingly affordable. The average winery tour will only set you back about $24 USD, and you can snag a good bottle of wine for just $28 USD, making it a wine lover’s paradise that doesn’t break the bank.

Read more
I stopped overpacking and used the 333 method — the results surprised me
Here’s what happened when I embraced minimalist packing
open suitcase with clothes packed inside

Did you know that 40% of people say they have come home from vacation with clothes they didn’t wear? 

I’ll admit it, I’ve been known to stuff my suitcase with options “just in case,” only to come home with half of it untouched. 

Read more
This tiny U.S. state is the most chaotic place to drive, study says
Rhode Island came out on top
cars in traffic

Think your daily commute is bad? According to a new study, Rhode Island has officially been crowned the most chaotic place to drive in the U.S.

The team at eSpatial crunched the numbers using government data and real-time traffic insights, measuring every state across five key categories: traffic congestion, road satisfaction, pothole complaints, total road fatalities, and speeding-related deaths. After tallying it all up, tiny Rhode Island came out on top, or rather, the bottom, earning the title of America’s most stressful place to hit the road.

Read more