Qantas does a "sightseeing" trip. They do not fly across it as the shortest distance between two points. So let's look at the routes airlines are flying in reality. Check out here and here You will see that ALL the airlines flying either from Santiago or Buneos Aires to Sydney have stopovers in Los Angeles, Houston, Mexico City and/or Dallas. Articles that question why Qantas cancelled its Buenos Aires to Sydney route seem confused because the direct distance is 7,326 miles. However, reality paints a different picture. In reality, a typical flight will stop in Dallas first (distance: 5,275 miles) then fly to Los Angeles (1,239 miles) then finally to Sydney (distance: 7,501 miles) for a grand total of 14,015 miles. Why are airlines flying over DOUBLE the distance and incurring unnecessary stopovers when it would be so much more cost efficient to fly over Antarctica? Looking at a flat earth map, however, shows the route airlines fly to be a straight line.

Qantas does a "sightseeing" trip. They do not fly across it as the shortest distance between two points.

So let's look at the routes airlines are flying in reality. Check out here and here

You will see that ALL the airlines flying either from Santiago or Buneos Aires to Sydney have stopovers in Los Angeles, Houston, Mexico City and/or Dallas. Articles that question why Qantas cancelled its Buenos Aires to Sydney route seem confused because the direct distance is 7,326 miles. However, reality paints a different picture. In reality, a typical flight will stop in Dallas first (distance: 5,275 miles) then fly to Los Angeles (1,239 miles) then finally to Sydney (distance: 7,501 miles) for a grand total of 14,015 miles.

Why are airlines flying almost DOUBLE the distance and incurring unnecessary stopovers when it would be so much more cost efficient to fly over Antarctica?

Looking at a flat earth map, however, shows the route airlines fly to be a straight line.