Last Updated: March 17, 2023
Can You Fly Over the North Pole? (Polar Flights)
Polar routes used to be one of the only things stopping airlines from flying everywhere, mainly due to weather, logistics, and political reasons. But these days, polar flights are common, especially for flights that go from one side of the world to the other, but why?
Join me as I run through everything you need to know about why airlines fly over the north pole, which airlines do so, the rules about flying over the north or south pole, and more.
Table Of Contents
Show All
Why Do Airplanes Fly Over the North Pole?
So, why do planes fly polar routes over the north pole? It is all about flying the shortest route possible to get from A to B.
Not every polar route is the same and some flights only dip into polar regions and might not go over the geographic north pole, but they will get close to it.
If we take a flight from New York to Hong Kong as an example, the plane first flies north into the polar regions of the arctic circle then flies west along the polar route, and finally south down to Hong Kong.
This route is much faster than flying directly west from New York to Hong Kong and is known as a “Great Circle Route” (the fastest point-to-point route on a sphere) and saves airlines 1000 miles or 3-5 hours of flying time and a lot of fuel.
Why Isn’t Flying Directly Over the North Pole Common?
Flying directly over the north pole is not common because it is often not necessary. The fastest polar routes are usually a Great Circle Route that flies up towards the north pole, turns and skirts the arctic circle, and then heads back down.
So, it doesn’t make sense in most cases to even bother to fly over the north pole. But, in some cases, planes fly over the north pole on their polar route as it does make sense.
For example, Emirates and Qatar airlines fly directly over the north pole when flying from Dubai/Doha to LA, and other airports in the western US, as this is the fastest route. But, in order to fly over the north pole, the airlines must have specific measures in place.
Are There Any Requirements for Flying Over the North Pole?
Yes, there are lots of requirements that airlines have to follow when taking polar routes over the north pole. Firstly, the plane must have more than two engines, as an engine failure is much more manageable if you have 3 others to rely on.
- Aircraft must also have a minimum of two cold-weather anti-exposure suits on board.
- The pilots must have weather training for the route
- The aircraft needs enhanced radio and other communication tools so they can maintain contact in extreme weather
- The pilot must be able to create contingency strategies to reroute their aircraft to nearby airports during emergencies.
What Flights Go Over the North Pole?
Lots of flights go over the north pole using polar routes to make their flights quicker, shorter, and more fuel efficient. These flights are usually from North America to Europe and Asia and vice versa.
The airlines that take these flights include Emirates, Qatar, SAS, United, Cathay Pacific, Japan Air Lines, and lots more.
When Was the First Commercial Flight over the North Pole?
It took a while for commercial airlines to begin polar operations as making a transpolar flight safe was not easy.
Flying over the north pole comes with a lot of risks including poor weather, harder navigation, lack of nearby airports to land at should something go wrong, fuel freezing, and losing one engine on a twin-engine aircraft.
The Federal Aviation Administration did not deem taking these risks safe just to reduce flight hours. Eventually, technology improved and politics opened up to allow the first commercial flight over the north pole.
It was in 1952 when SAS (Scandinavian Airlines) flew from LA to Copenhagen Denmark via the north pole on a DC-6 aircraft in what was an experimental flight. Two years later, the FAA approved the route, allowing SAS to operate commercial flights from Copenhagen to LA using polar routes.
Is Flying Allowed Over Antarctica?
Yes, flying is allowed over Antarctica but it is not done. You will not find commercial airlines flying over Antarctica as it simply isn’t necessary in most cases and it is not safe enough either.
There are very few diversion airports along the way should something go wrong. The weather conditions can be terrible with some of the most extreme temperatures on the planet, visibility can be awful, and navigation can be a nightmare also.
Plus, it doesn’t actually reduce the flight time by much from one destination to another, so it is simply not worth the risks.
RELATED POST: HOW TO GET TO ANTARCTICA
Is Flying Allowed Over the South Pole?
It is not illegal to fly over the south pole but commercial airlines are not allowed to fly over the south pole as it is simply not safe enough for the reasons I mentioned above.
About the Author Roger Timbrook
Roger is a little obsessed with travel. He has been to over 40 countries, broken 3 suitcases and owned over 10 backpacks in 12 months. What he doesn't know about travel, ain't worth knowing!
