Polar Routes Explained: What Is Special About Flying Near the Poles
Routes over the Arctic can be much shorter than routes around it, which is why flights between North America and Asia or Europe use them. They also bring problems that ordinary routes do not have, so regulators treat them as a special kind of operation.
What counts as a polar area
In the FAA's rules the North Polar Area is the entire area north of latitude 78 degrees North, and the South Polar Area is the entire area south of latitude 60 degrees South (14 CFR 121.7 and Advisory Circular 120-42B, paragraph 601). Other regulators use their own definitions.
What makes polar routes different
- Cold fuel. Temperatures at cruise can come close to the freezing point of the fuel. The fuel specification (ASTM D1655) sets maximum freezing points of minus 40 °C for Jet A and minus 47 °C for Jet A-1. Operators therefore need a strategy and procedures for monitoring fuel temperature.
- Few places to land. Diversion airports are far apart and often in extreme climates. Operators must designate the airports they can use, and plan for what happens to passengers after a diversion.
- Communication limits. The FAA recognises the limitations of satellite communication at high latitudes. In the North Polar Area, an alternate system such as HF voice or data link is to be used.
- Solar activity and radiation. Aircraft at high latitudes are more exposed to the effects of solar flares, so operators need a plan for reducing crew exposure when there is solar flare activity.
- Navigation. Near the pole, magnetic compasses are unreliable, so navigation systems rely on true or grid references rather than magnetic ones.
Polar routes and EDTO
Polar routes are usually flown by twin-engine aeroplanes under an extended-range approval, so the EDTO planning in the EDTO guide applies as well, plus the extra polar requirements. The AC states that the same philosophy applies to the South Polar Area. See the polar requirements checklist.
This is an overview, checked in October 2026. Your authority's rules decide what applies to your operation.
FAQ
Why not fly over Antarctica?
The South Polar Area has very few usable airports and weather and communications are limited, so airliners do not normally route over it. Operations there fall under the same extended-range philosophy.
Where does the North Polar Area begin?
North of 78 degrees North under the FAA's definition.
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- How to Read a TAF: Airport Forecasts Explained
- What Is in an ICAO Flight Plan? Every Item Explained
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- FAA Part 117 Explained: Flight Time, Duty Period and Rest
- Flight Fuel Planning Explained: Trip, Contingency, Alternate and Reserve
- Density Altitude Explained: How Heat and Height Cut Performance
- How to File a Flight Plan: Steps for Pilots and Dispatchers
- How to Read a NOTAM: ICAO Format Explained
- EASA Flight Time Limitations: The Basics and How They Differ from FAA Part 117
- EDTO Explained: Extended Diversion Time Operations from Scratch
- Adequate vs Suitable Aerodrome: What Is the Difference?
- How to Calculate an Equal Time Point (ETP)
- EDTO Approval and Dispatch Requirements Explained
- The North Atlantic Organised Track System (NAT OTS) Explained
- The NAT Track Message and TMI Number Explained
- NAT High Level Airspace (HLA) Requirements Explained
- Oceanic Clearance on the North Atlantic: How It Works
- NAT Contingency Procedures and SLOP Explained
- Polar Operations Requirements Checklist (FAA)
For training and reference only. Check official sources before any real flight.