Luxury resorts such as Aman and Four Seasons, and adventure travel companies such as National Geographic and Abercrombie & Kent offer high-priced transcontinental tours, providing guests with personalized itineraries and access to hotspots without the hassle of travel. commercial flights.
Air cruises (kind of like air cruises, but more exclusive) are becoming another area of luxury travel thanks to the perks of private flights. But the most attractive feature is the time saving. According to Robb Report, such travel offers the fastest way to visit the far corners of the world with maximum comfort. It is a time-compressed modern version of a world cruise, as rich people did in the early 20th century with six-month cruises.
The organizers say that by flying in small groups, guests significantly reduce the cost of a private flight, but enjoy similar benefits in the form of improved service and cuisine. Such air cruises are often associated with five-star hotels, have their own doctors and private chefs, and sometimes include private limousines and drivers for each couple or family – so if the plane seems crowded, then after landing there is an opportunity to escape.
For regional travel, travelers use medium-sized business jets, and for long-haul flights, “beezliners”, which are converted commercial aircraft with a luxurious interior featuring fewer seats (often reclining for sleeping), as well as open space, a professional galley and large bathrooms.
For example, the Four Seasons Private Jet is an Airbus A321 with only 48 seats, which can accommodate about a quarter of the passengers of the commercial A321 configuration. The aircraft is accompanied by a chef, a doctor, a Four Seasons concierge, a travel manager and an assistant manager. The plane also has a lounge.
Traveling by private jet across multiple time zones has become extremely popular with wealthy travelers who want to see the world on their own terms.
The luxury brand actually pioneered the hotel-private jet synergy in 2015 with the launch of the Private Jet Experience. Over the past eight years, the range and number of trips for program participants has grown. November 30 kicks off the Uncharted Discovery Tour, which will take guests on a 21-day journey through seven completely different landscapes – New Orleans, Costa Rica, Machu Picchu, Buenos Aires, Antarctica, Bogota and the Bahamas.
The itinerary includes stargazing in Costa Rica with Costa Rican astronaut Franklin Chang Diaz, a visit to the world’s largest waterfall system at Iguazu National Park in Argentina, and a four-night cruise to the Antarctic Peninsula on a luxury polar ship. Other exclusive events include a cocktail party at Machu Picchu and a private concert by the Bogota Philharmonic Orchestra.
Not everyone can spare three weeks for a regular tour. For those with limited time, Private Jet Experience is launching more family-friendly programs in 2024 and 2025 that cover more territory in less time.
The African Wonders tour covers a wide region in 13 days. It starts in Athens with a visit to the Parthenon, and then travels to the south of the African continent to see the Egyptian pyramids, the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania and the sights of Rwanda, Mauritius, Zambia and South Africa.
There are also shorter group trips closer to home. Starting at $227,000 for two adults, Four Seasons Resorts Hawaii, in partnership with VistaJet and Lanai Air, hosts a four-island trip showcasing Hawaii’s history, culture and natural beauty for groups of up to eight people.
VistaJet has created its own private world tours, ranging from single destinations to longer itineraries with multiple stops. A three-week tour of Southeast Asia, in collaboration with Ariodante, starts in Jakarta and then travels to Sangiran and Cambodia to explore the remnants of the Khmer empire, including the temples of Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom and Ta Prohm. This is followed by a helicopter tour to the Vietnamese National Park Phong Nha – Ke Bang, where for four days experts will go to the world’s largest cave Hang Son Dun, located in the jungle.
If you want to visit a real place, the company offers a private visit to the Maldives as part of the Private Island Escape program. The journey begins with a 40-minute sail on a private yacht to Waldorf Astoria’s Ithaafushi Resort, made up of three isolated but interconnected islands. The hotel offers several types of accommodation, as well as the services of a chef and a personal concierge. Instead of jungle trekking, this trip includes the resort’s spa, water sports and 11 dining options. VistaJet arranges a private flight to the resort.
Wings Over Europe’s Iconic Capitals by Abercrombie & Kent is an 11-day aerial adventure showcasing the best of London, Paris, Rome, Athens and more. On this 13-person tour, travelers on a private charter will see the Changing of the Horse Guards in London, have breakfast at the top of the Eiffel Tower, and walk the secret passage that connects Rome’s Castel Sant’Angelo to the Vatican. Then they will go on a trip along the Athenian Riviera in electric vehicles.
In contrast, the same company’s 22-day Africa: Across the Continent in a Private Jet is an introduction to the natural and man-made treasures of the continent, from the pyramids of ancient Egypt to the Serengeti, the mountain gorillas of Rwanda and the Medina of Marrakesh.
Starting at $134,000 per person, the plane is a converted Boeing 757 with 48 flat-back seats, allowing you to travel around Africa. The trip includes exclusive access to many attractions, including the Sphinx in Egypt, a hot air balloon flight over the Serengeti, a savannah safari and luxury camping in the Sahara. Helicopter rides, wine tastings and even a voodoo ceremony are also offered.
Private air travel and connected “cruises” allow you to make the most of every day. In other words: making the most of time is the reason for the success of these air cruises.
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