Crossing the Atlantic: Five Ways, From Routine to Extreme

The Atlantic (4,000-6,000 km wide) has been crossed by every means imaginable. Here's the spectrum:

1. By Air: The Standard

Commercial flights: 1,500+ daily transatlantic flights. 6-9 hours (eastbound faster via jet stream). 20M+ passengers/year pre-COVID. Hubs: JFK↔LHR, EWR↔CDG, ORD↔FRA, ATL↔AMS.

Private/charter: Long-range jets (Gulfstream G650, Global 7500) — 12-14 hr range, $80-150K/flight.

2. By Sea: The Classic

Cruise ships: 5-21 days. Cunard (Queen Mary 2: 7 days scheduled), repositioning cruises, luxury lines. 500K+ passengers/yr.

Cargo/passenger freighters: 10-20 days. Few cabins, no frills. Grimaldi, CMA CGM, MSC.

3. By Sail: The Challenge

Racing: Transat Jacques Vabre, Route du Rhum, Vendée Globe (solo, nonstop, round world). IMOCA 60: 8-12 days.

Cruising: 14-30 days typical. Trade winds route (Canaries → Caribbean). ARC rally (200+ boats/yr). Requires bluewater experience, equipped boat (€100K-1M+).

4. By Swimming: The Extreme

Documented solo crossings: ~10 (Jennifer Figge 2009, stages; Benoit Lecomte 1998, partial). Relay teams: More common. Rules: English Channel rules adapted (no wetsuit, no touching boat). 2-6 months. Support vessel mandatory. Extreme physiology, logistics, cost ($200K+).

5. By Submarine: The Strategic

Military: SSBN deterrent patrols, SSN transits. Nuclear: unlimited range. Diesel: snorkel/AIP.

Scientific: Alvin, Nautile, DSV Limiting Factor — deep research, not transit.

Commercial: None. Tourism submersibles (Titan, 2023 tragedy) operate coastal, not transoceanic.

Emerging: Autonomous

Saildrone, Wave Glider, Mayflower Autonomous Ship — uncrewed, solar/wind, data collection. 2021: MAS crossed Plymouth UK → Plymouth MA (40 days).

From 7 hours to 7 months. The Atlantic separates—but connectivity defines the modern world.