Just over three hours after finishing my morning coffee in Melbourne, we spotted our first iceberg.
The scale of these formations was breath-taking. Up to two kilometres long with sheer, 30-metre ice cliff faces.
Even from the window of a commercial plane, the sight was inspiring as my fellow passengers and I excitedly peered out the cabin windows knowing that we’d shortly be flying over Antarctica.
To most people, getting to see Antarctica is the domain of intrepid explorers, selfless scientists and a lot of penguins. It’s not usually the kind of place you leave for in the morning and return home from in the evening with a phone full of photos.
Yet that’s exactly what I, and a Boeing 787 full of fellow South Pole tourists, did on a mild Melbourne Sunday.
The looks on friends’ faces when I told them about my weekend plans ahead of the flight were priceless.
To be honest, when I found out I could take a day trip to Antarctica – one of the most inaccessible regions on earth – I was surprised myself.
In what must be one of travel’s best-kept secrets, Antarctica Flights has been chartering visits to this vast and icy continent for almost 30 years.
The massive continent of Antarctica has a land area of approximately 14 million square kilometres, making it larger than Europe and almost double the size of Australia. Yet it is visited by an average of just 40,000 people each year.
So what does Antarctica in a Day involve?
Getting on the plane was simple. A pass and information pack arrived at my home well in advance of the trip. On the day I simply made my way through security at the Qantas domestic terminal and to the gate.
Once there, Antarctica Flights staff were on hand to issue my two boarding passes (more about this later).
The return flight from Melbourne takes more than 12 hours, with more than four hours over Antarctica. That makes the roomier Dreamliner cabins very welcome, along with the full Qantas international in-flight service.
There are six seating options, catering to different budgets and offering different levels of experience.
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I flew Premium Economy and was greeted with a chunky pillow and fluffy blanket on my seat, as well as the Qantas travel pack of eye mask, travel socks, toothbrush etc.
I was also delighted to find a handy bag containing a bottle of water and various snacks to keep me going before the three meal services.
Iceberg ahead!
After a welcome drink, a hot breakfast, browse through the impressive Qantas entertainment system and a weather update patched in over the PA system from Casey Station, we spotted our first icebergs about four-and-a half hours into the flight.
That’s when the real experience began.
Passengers are encouraged to move around their area of the cabin and find the best vantage spot for viewing and photos, and we did.
The scale of the bergs – some two kilometres long and with sheer ice cliffs 30-metres high – was something I was not prepared for and built the excitement for the main course when we reached the mainland.
As we flew over increasingly frequent icebergs and ice flows, their significance was explained to us by physicist and Antarctic veteran Mike Craven.
Our first sight of the continent itself was the French research station of Dumont D’Urville on the rocky, north-western shore of Antarctica.
From our cruising altitude of about 2000 feet, there was no chance of seeing any wildlife. But the breathtaking scale of the shore, mountains and icy plains was on full display, along with occasional evidence of human habitation.
The sight of tiny roads, runways and station buildings on the landscape only reinforced just how untouched Antarctica really is.
From Dumont D’Urville, we made our way south into the sprawling Australian Antarctic Territory toward Casey Station, which is manned by scientists and other specialists.
No bad seats
The Qantas crew has a choice of 19 routes on any given flight, dependent on the latest weather advice on the day. And our pilot made sure the photo opportunities were maximised from each side of the plane by dipping the wings when the view deserved it and altering course to make the most of a significant sighting.
As we neared Casey, Rachel Robertson – who in 2005 led the 58th Australian National Antarctic Research Expedition to Davis Station – gave us an insight into daily life for the researchers below us.
Even Rachel, who spent a year on the ground in Antarctica, acknowledged that our bird’s-eye view was significant.
“Seeing Antarctica from the air is something really special,” she said. “You get a sense of the wonder and scale that you don’t get from the land.”
As we passed Casey Station and turned for the return trip, and got ready for lunch, it was time for the second boarding pass to come into play.
“Seeing Antarctica from the air is something really special. You get a sense of the wonder and scale that you don’t get from the land.”
Rachel Robertson
All passengers, with the exception of Explorer Economy, spend half of their flight near, or at, a window and half their flight further away. By swapping seats it means there are effectively no bad seats or bad views.
Explorer Economy passengers are encouraged to take advantage of the windows available in their section, and their fellow passengers with windows were more than happy to share their view.
What to know
- WHEN: Antarctica Flights operate regular Antarctica in a Day trips during the Antarctic summer from most capital cities. The next flight departs Melbourne on November 19, 2023. The full 2023/24 schedule is available on the Antarctica Flights website.
- HOW MUCH: There are six tiers of prices, starting from $1199 for an Explorer Economy seat (no window) to $7999 for the luxurious Business Class Deluxe.
- HOW: The flights are aboard a Qantas 787 Dreamliner with full international service and entertainment systems. No passport is needed.
- WHERE: The Qantas crew has 19 routes to choose from, depending on the weather, with each Antarctica in a Day flight taking around 12.5 hours. This includes about four hours over Antarctica itself.
