Atrial fibrillation (AF) is not a life-threatening arrhythmia, but its presence increases the risk of thromboembolism and significantly reduces the quality of life. The prevalence of AF is progressively increasing due to the general aging of the population and an increase in the survival rate of cardiac patients. Pharmacological antiarrhythmic therapy has low effectiveness and limited by side effects. Surgical ablation has become a key intervention, and since its first intervention in 1987 (the Cox maze procedure), the technique has evolved from a conventional open method to a minimally invasive technique whilst retaining excellent outcomes. Improvements in endoscopic imaging, ablation technology, and surgical instrumentation paved the way for the development of minimally invasive surgery. Recent advances in the use of the hybrid approach have been found to be satisfactory, suggesting that this is a favorable approach to the treatment of AF with encouraging results. However, further analysis of the effectiveness of this promising strategy is needed, especially in patients with persistent and longstanding persistent AF. Nonetheless, literature on minimally invasive surgery is still scarce and randomized clinical trials currently under way are expected to shed light on some controversial issues. In this review, we discuss the evidence for the success of various surgical treatments for AF with insights on the evolution and potential future of these strategies.