by Sometimes the world seems to exist in two parallel universes. On the one hand, ordinary people are constantly being encouraged – by politicians, eco-activists and celebrities – not to fly less. On the other hand, the demand for private jet travel, which emerged during the pandemic, shows no signs of slowing down.
Such is the victory among wealthy travelers to avoid the crowds, a new holiday concept has been put together by some of the world’s best luxury tour operators and hotel groups, who are constantly searching for new and innovative ways to to keep a regular part happy: the “air cruise”, which offers whistle-stop world tours on a private plane.
“As the market leader in more classic escorted tours, we were keen to come up with something new,” says Andy Squirrell, managing director of Titan Travel, which ran its first private jet adventure last year, a 23-day VIP trip on board. a Boeing 737, covering Italy, Montenegro, Jordan, Uzbekistan and Turkey, among other destinations, for around £28,000 per person. “When we came out of Covid, we got the sense that people had saved and didn’t want to wait any longer for their once-in-a-lifetime travel experience. It felt like the right time to launch the concept of air touring, but at a more accessible price point than conventional private travel.”
Among the very wealthy, private aviation has long been a means of travel. But what we are seeing now is a reinvention of that traditional private jet experience, serving large groups by using aircraft that are larger, closer in size, or sometimes comparable to those used for commercial flights, reconfigured to carry between about 50. and 80 passengers in great speed and comfort.
Luxury tour operator Abercrombie & Kent offers its private jet tours aboard Boeing 757s, allowing 48 customers to travel in first-class style with fully lie-flat beds. Reaching exotic destinations not easily accessible via major carriers, flight schedules are based on the itinerary, not the airline.
The cheapest of the next three journeys starts from £142,210 per person. He circumnavigates the globe in absolute style, taking in some of the world’s rarest wildlife, from the Sri Lankan leopard and the Tasmanian devil to the migrating humpback whale, taking in Hawaii, Fiji, Tasmania, the Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Mauritius. , Zambia and Brazil. The travel party includes a “photo-enriched” valet, doctor and coach.
Hotel groups have also played their part, with Four Seasons and Aman offering global adventures by private jets of various sizes since 2015. Aman’s offering is a collaboration with luxury tour operator Remote Lands and offers tours that stop at often on three different continents. all his property. Its Airbus ACJ319s carry up to 16 passengers, allowing them to go further off the beaten track.
“You can’t fly commercially between the destinations we visit, so the only way to do it in one course is to fly privately,” says Catherine Heald, co-founder and CEO of Remote Lands . “The tours offer the perfect hybrid of small group and private travel, with each couple or solo traveler having their own private car, driver and expert tour guide. They allow guests who would not normally consider a small group tour to do exactly what they want to do each day, as they would on a private tour, and this has been the key to our success.”
But it’s not all about hopping from place to place in a tick box exercise, there is an increased thirst for learning about a destination or a specific subject in depth and spending more time on the ground, rather than say, in luxury. a cruise.
“These jet tours often have a theme,” says Chris Brunning, co-founder and managing director of UK-based Untold Story Travel, which books private jets of all sizes for its clients. “Last year, one client wanted to see the best of Japan’s cherry blossom season in early April, which included stops in Tokyo, Kyoto, Mount Yoshino, Nara, Fuji Five Lakes, Naoshima and Niseko. They wanted a night with exclusive use in a castle, a helicopter ride to Mount Koya with a head priest and private access to a sumo stable. The trip, for six, on board a ‘super mid-sized’ nine-seater Lua Sovereign jet, cost approximately £50,000 per person.”
According to Titan Squirrel’s Andy, Joanna Lumley’s new spice tour inspired her Online Game Spice Trail Adventure on ITV. “We realized that we had some tours that go to some incredible different destinations that could work within that theme, the history of the spice routes, the flavors, the smells. So we thought we’d weave them all together.”
So how are these companies solving the sustainability issue? Some are investing in sustainable aviation fuels (not yet a viable solution), others are giving grants for carbon offset projects. Whether it goes far enough is debatable.
“We’re very aware of the carbon emissions element, so we work with a company called Climate Partner,” says Iora, who also points out that Titan will make no more than three or four of these trips a year . “We make sure that we offset all of our flight-related carbon emissions by contributing to relevant projects in the places we visit.”
Shelley Cline, president of TCS Worldwide, a Seattle-based luxury travel trailblazer, sums up the appeal of air cruising: “Our guests travel with us because we offer luxury travel with a purpose and transformative journeys that are deeply personal. . level. They also get rid of the hassles of traveling without missing the adventure.”
Three extraordinary cruises now on sale
Around the world in a custom jumbo jet
Forty-eight people will join A&K luxury travel pioneer Geoffrey Kent on an amazing journey designed around a range of exciting destinations. From Kanazawa in Japan and Ladakh to historic Malta and colorful Senegal, guests will experience each place at its best, going where other travelers cannot and taking part in exclusive visits to renowned cultural centers and historical sites. Flying in a customized Boeing 747 with first-class fully lie-apartment seats, a dedicated crew and an executive chef, there will be world-class dining and stays at the world’s best hotels around the world. From £156,605pp, based on double occupancy; 13 October – 7 November 2024.
The ‘Greatest Tour of All Time’
So-called because it represents the company’s longest itinerary yet, this 21-night tour is the ultimate showcase of Aman’s properties, moving around the globe in an Airbus ACJ319 super jet, visiting every hotel in the collection, starting with Tokyo, Aman’s first urban property. , before moving on to Vietnam, Thailand, Bhutan, India, Turkey and Greece. With the freedom of a private car, driver and guide in each destination you can combine private experiences with activities shared with the group. So in Tokyo, for example, you can join the group for sushi making and a lesson in samurai sword fighting before going with your driver to explore Jyogai Market and lively areas like Ginza and Akihabara, relax pretend at animal cafes and catch a baseball game. . From $178,888pp (£141,069), based on double occupancy; 13 April – 4 May 2024.
The Spice Route by private jet
Inspired by the Spice Way, Titan’s latest private jet tour follows in the footsteps of ancient traders who brought popular exotic spices such as pepper, coconut, cinnamon and cardamom to the Western world. It will be an aromatic, delicious journey, brought to life with behind-the-scenes tours of spice farms and spice plantations, visits to vibrant souks and fragrant spice markets and exclusively chartered cruises on Kerala houseboats and Omani forts. There will be four-wheel drive tours over the dunes and the chance to see beautiful Petra, creative workshops and art-themed walks in Venice, and feasts inspired by heritage recipes from the spice trade. From £34,995pp, based on double occupancy; 13-29 March 2025.
