Here’s how long it takes to cross the Atlantic on various types of boats. Table comparing time to complete an Atlantic crossing. Looking at this table we can clearly see that the time it takes to cross the Atlantic has decreased exponentially.

The first night-time crossing of the Atlantic was accomplished during 16–17 April 1927 by the Portuguese aviators Sarmento de Beires, Jorge de Castilho and Manuel Gouveia, flying from the Bijagós Archipelago, Portuguese Guinea, to Fernando de Noronha, Brazil in the Argos, a Dornier Wal flying boat.

Its evolution can be divided into four distinct phases: Introduction. The steamship Great Western can be considered one of the first liners in 1838, crossing the Atlantic in 15.5 days. Early liners were made of wood and used paddle wheels, often complemented by sails, as the main form of propulsion.

Columbus’s first voyage across the Atlantic to the New World in 1492 took more than two months. That famous trip launched a centuries-long effort to decrease the amount of time needed to get from Europe to America and vice versa.