It can sometimes seem as if the world exists in two parallel universes. On the one hand, ordinary people are constantly urged - by politicians, eco-activists and celebrities - to fly less. On the other hand, demand for private jet travel, which spiked during the pandemic, shows no signs of slowing down.
That's how great the call is among wealthy travelers to avoid the crowds. Some of the world's top luxury tour operators and hotel groups, constantly looking for new and innovative ways to keep their regular guests happy, have come up with a new vacation concept: the "air cruise," offering whistling world travel by private plane.
"As the market leader in more classic escort tours, we wanted to come up with something new," says Andy Squirrell, director of Titan Travel, which last year enjoyed its first private jet adventure, a 23-day VIP expedition on board a Boeing 737, which more covering Italy, Montenegro, Jordan, Uzbekistan and Turkey, for around £28,000 per person. "Coming out of Covid, we really got the feeling that people had saved and no longer wanted to wait for their unique travel experience. It felt like the right time to launch the touring-by-air concept, but at a price point that is more accessible than conventional private air travel."
Among the very wealthy, travel has long involved private aviation. But what we're seeing more of now is a reinvention of that traditional private jet experience, serving larger groups by using larger aircraft, smaller in size, or sometimes similar to the aircraft used for commercial flights, reconfigured to fit between approximately 50 aircraft to transport. and 80 passengers with great speed and comfort.
Luxury tour operator Abercrombie & Kent offers private jet tours aboard Boeing 757s, allowing 48 customers to travel in first-class style with fully flat beds. When arriving at exotic destinations not easily accessible via major airlines, flight schedules are built around the route, not the airline.
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The cheapest of the following three trips starts from £142,210 per person. It circles the globe in consummate style, taking in some of the world's most rarely seen wildlife, from the Sri Lankan leopard and Tasmanian devil to the migrating humpback whale, making landfalls in Hawaii, Fiji, Tasmania, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Mauritius, Zambia and Brazil. The tour group consists of a valet, a doctor and a 'photo enrichment coach'.
Hotel groups have also done their part, with Four Seasons and Aman offering global adventures on private jets of various sizes since 2015. Aman's offering is a partnership with luxury tour operator Remote Lands and offers trips that often stop on three different continents to explore all its features. The Airbus ACJ319s carry up to 16 passengers, allowing them to travel even further off the beaten track.
"You can't fly commercially between the destinations we visit, so the only way to do this in one itinerary is to fly privately," said Catherine Heald, co-founder and CEO of Remote Lands. "The expeditions offer the perfect combination of small group and private tours, with each couple or individual traveler having their own private car, driver and expert guide to tour. They offer guests who might not normally consider a small group expedition the opportunity to do exactly what they want to do every day, as they would on a private trip, and this has been the key to our success."
But it's not just about rushing from one place to another in a box-ticking exercise; there is an increased hunger to delve deeper into a particular destination or topic and to spend more time on the ground than you would on a luxury trip, for example. cruise.
"There's often a theme to these jet expeditions," says Chris Brunning, co-founder and director of UK-based Untold Story Travel, which books private jets of all shapes and sizes for its clients. "Last year, a customer wanted to witness the best of Japan's cherry blossom season in early April, with stops in Tokyo, Kyoto, Mount Yoshino, Nara, Fuji Five Lakes, Naoshima and Niseko. They wanted an exclusive night in a castle, a helicopter ride to Mount Koya with a head priest and private access to a sumo stable. The trip, for six people, aboard a nine-seat 'super mid-sized' Citation Sovereign jet, cost around £50,000 per person.
According to Titan's Andy Squirrel, the new Spice Route tour is inspired by Joanna Lumley's Spice Trail adventure on ITV. "We realized we had a number of tours going to some different incredible destinations that could work within that theme, covering the history of the spice routes, the flavors and the smells. So we thought, let's put them all together."
How do these companies reconcile the sustainability issue? Some invest in sustainable aviation fuels (not yet a viable solution), others donate to CO2 compensation projects. It is doubtful whether it goes far enough.
"We're very conscious of the carbon emissions element, so we're working with a company called Climate Partner," says Squirrel, who also points out that Titan will never do more than three or four of these trips per year. "We ensure that we offset all our flight-related CO2 emissions by contributing to relevant projects in the places we visit."
Shelley Cline, president of TCS Worldwide, a Seattle-based luxury travel pioneer, sums up the appeal of the air cruise: "Our guests travel with us because we provide luxury travel with purpose and transformative journeys that resonate deeply a personal level. They also get rid of the hassle of expedition travel, without losing the adventure."
Three extraordinary air cruises now on offer
Around the world in a custom-made jumbo jet
Forty-eight people will join A&K's luxury travel pioneer, Geoffrey Kent, on an amazing journey through a range of fascinating destinations. From Kanazawa in Japan and Ladakh to historic Malta and colorful Senegal, guests will experience each place at its authentic best, going where other travelers cannot and participating in exclusive visits to renowned cultural centers and historical sites. Flying in a custom-built Boeing 747 with fully lie-flat first class seats, dedicated crew and chef, you can experience world-class dining anywhere and stay in the world's best luxury hotels. From £156,605 pp, based on double occupancy; October 13 - November 7, 2024.
Aman's 'Greatest Tour'
This 21-night trip is so named because it represents the company's longest itinerary to date. It is the ultimate showcase of Aman's properties. You'll travel the world in a spacious Airbus ACJ319 jet and visit 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 at each destination, you can combine private experiences with activities shared with the group. In Tokyo, for example, you can make sushi with the group and take a samurai sword fighting lesson before heading out with your driver to explore Jyogai Market and lively neighborhoods like Ginza and Akihabara, relax in animal cafes and watch a baseball match . . From $178,888 pp (£141,069), based on double occupancy; April 13 - May 4, 2024.
The Spice Route by private jet
Inspired by the legendary Spice Route, Titan's latest private jet tour follows the footsteps of ancient traders who brought exotic, highly sought-after spices such as pepper, nutmeg, 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 plantations, visits to vibrant souks and fragrant spice markets and exclusively chartered cruises on Kerala houseboats and Omani dhows. There are 4WD tours over sand dunes and the chance to see beautiful Petra, creative workshops and art-themed walks in Venice, and banquets inspired by heritage recipes from the spice trade. From £34,995 pp, based on double occupancy; March 13-29, 2025.