Most people who go to Antarctica sail the Drake Passage twice. For its Atlas Ocean Voyages Antarctica season of 2028/29, the line is betting more of them would rather do it once. On 7 October the line opened bookings for its 2028/29 Antarctica season — 25 expeditions between October 2028 and March 2029 — and doubled its Drake Fly & Sail departures, which sail the Drake in one direction and fly a private charter in the other, from two to four.
The season also includes a departure that marks a genuine piece of polar history. The Antarctic Discovery expedition leaving on 16 November 2028 falls exactly 100 years after Hubert Wilkins and Carl Ben Eielson made the first powered flight in Antarctica, from Deception Island, on 16 November 1928.
Atlas Ocean Voyages Antarctica 2028/29: Key Facts
- Announced: 7 October 2026
- Season: 25 expeditions, October 2028 to March 2029
- Drake Fly & Sail: four 9-night expeditions (up from two in 2027/28) — sail one way, fly the other
- Drake Express: two 7-night expeditions flying both ways, with six full days in Antarctica
- Antarctic Discovery: 9-night expeditions sailing the Drake both ways
- Longer voyages: two 12-night Crossing the Antarctic Circle expeditions, and an 18-night Grand Antarctica with South Georgia and the Falklands departing 7 January 2029
- Ships: World Navigator, World Traveller and World Voyager — 100 suites each, Polar Category C and Ice Class 1B
- Expedition team: up to 17; optional sea kayaking and camping on select departures
Four Ways to Do the Drake
The structure of the season is really a menu of how much Drake Passage you want. Antarctic Discovery sails it both ways over nine nights. Drake Fly & Sail sails it once and replaces the other crossing with a private charter flight. Drake Express flies both ways and gives you six full days on the Peninsula in seven nights. And at the far end, the 12-night Crossing the Antarctic Circle and 18-night Grand Antarctica voyages trade time for range, going deeper south or out to South Georgia and the Falklands.
The Centenary Departure
The 16 November 2028 Antarctic Discovery voyage is timed to the 100th anniversary of the Wilkins–Eielson flight from Deception Island, the first powered flight on the continent. Holiday departures cover Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year and Valentine’s Day. Atlas includes a pre-expedition hotel stay, charter flights where applicable, Zodiac safaris, guided landings, expedition gear and the Polar Plunge on its polar expeditions.
Why It Matters
Doubling Drake Fly & Sail tells you where demand is going. The Drake is the single biggest reason people hesitate over Antarctica, and a one-way flight halves the exposure without losing the experience of arriving by sea. Other luxury lines are moving the same way: Silversea has opened its own hotel in Puerto Williams for its fly cruise, while Seabourn’s Antarctica season still sails from Ushuaia. The other point is timing: these voyages are two years away, but Atlas’s release says fares go up on 1 January 2027, so the incentive is to book early rather than wait.
The Lens I’m Reading This Through
I have sailed Atlas to Antarctica: nine nights on World Voyager, one of the three ships in this season, and I rated it 5/5. I sailed the Drake in both directions, once in 140 km/h winds, so I can tell you exactly what Drake Fly & Sail is buying you. If you are a nervous sailor, it is the version I would book. If you want the full arc of arriving by sea and leaving by sea, Antarctic Discovery is still the trip I did and loved.
Prices and How to Book
Atlas’s 2028/29 Antarctica page listed fares from US$12,998 per guest when I checked on 19 October 2026, for 9-night round trips from Ushuaia on 31 October 2028 (World Traveller) and 7 November 2028 (World Navigator). A 9-night Ushuaia to King George Island voyage on 25 November 2028 was US$16,999, and several departures showed “call for fares”. The launch offer adds up to 10 percent bonus savings plus a choice of air savings of up to US$2,000 per suite, a one-night hotel package or upgraded Wi-Fi. Wines and spirits, gratuities and room service are always included. My Antarctica cruise price breakdown covers Atlas’s current season for comparison. The season is bookable through Atlas and polar specialists.
This article contains affiliate links. If you book through one of them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
This preview is based on official announcements — I haven’t sailed the 2028/29 season yet. Read more about how I review or visit my Work With Me page.
