Bookings Open for Historic Pan Am Flight in 2025

by SharonKurheg

Pan American World Airways was originally founded as Pan American Airways and wasmore commonly known as simply Pan Am. It was an airline that was the principal and largest international air carrier and unofficial overseas flag carrier of the United States for much of the 20th century. Pan Am was also the first airline to fly worldwide and pioneered numerous innovations in the modern airline industry, such as jumbo jets and computerized reservation systems. (thanks, Wikipedia!)

a blue and white logoPan Am operated from 1927 until it declared bankruptcy in 1991. But even since then, bits, pieces and memories of the iconic airline have remained around, here and there.

The Pan Am Experience

a group of people sitting in a plane

PC (L&R): Mike Kelley / Air Hollywood

Until the pandemic, The Pan Am Experience, located in Hollywood, CA, was a, “weekly retro-themed event for aviation enthusiasts and people looking for a new fine-dining experience.” Debuting in 2014, its co-founded by Anthony Toth (a self-proclaimed Pan Am superfan), and Talaat Captan – founder and CEO of Air Hollywood. Here’s a good explanation of the Pan Am Experience. My husband and I made a visit in 2017 and it was a WHOLE lot of fun. Toth said in 2023 that the Pan Am Experience was soon going to reopen in a new location. Many people hope it comes to fruition.

The birthplace of Pan Am

a red sign with white textThe building that was the “birthplace” of Pan American World Airways,” located on Key West, was converted into a restaurant named First Flight several years back. We visited it in early 2021.

One division is still up & running

And, of course, there’s the one active division of Pan Am that’s still up and running.

What’s in store for 2025

However, there’s some exciting news for 2025 – Pan Am has announced a historic 2025 journey by privately chartered jet. The trip will trace the legendary Southern and Northern Transatlantic Routes pioneered by Pan American World Airways.

The trip is supported by Pan American World Airways and the Pan Am Museum Foundation, the latter of which is located in Long Island City, NY. The voyage is officially licensed by Pan Am brands.

What it will include

The 12-day trip will begin in New York City on June 27, 2025 and end on July 9th. Limited to just 50 passengers, the journey promises to be a cozy one. Stops will include:

  • New York – Gather at the glamorous Waldorf Astoria Hotel to begin your timeless journey.
  • Bermuda – Stay at the Rosewood Bermuda as you stroll pink sand beaches and quaint cobbled lanes on this curious Atlantic isle.
  • Lisbon – explore the very best of Portugal’s history-rich capital city. Accommodations will be at the Four Seasons Hotel Ritz.
  • Marseille – Enjoy pastis in Le Panier and plenty of piquant Provence provisions.
  • London – Stay at the Savoy as you  experience the royal treatment in one of the world’s greatest cities
  • Foynes – Relive the Jazz Age and see the world’s only full-scale Pan Am Clipper replica. Accommodations will be at Dromoland Castle
a map of a flight route

PC: Criterion Travel

Craig Carter is the current CEO of Pan American World Airways, as well as the owner of Pan Am brands. He will host the journey throughout.

“Since 1927, Pan Am has left an indelible mark on the world. From humble beginnings as the first commercial carrier for the U.S Air Mail, Pan Am’s founder Juan T. Trippe went on to create a vast aviation empire across the globe, literally bringing the world closer together one flight at a time,” said Carter. “This journey, tracing both the original Pan Am Southern Transatlantic Route between New York and Marseilles and the Northern Transatlantic route between London and New York, has been painstakingly designed to honor the unmatched legacy of Pan Am in the most respectful way.”

Linda Freire is Chair of the Pan Am Museum Foundation and is a former Pan Am flight attendant. She was quoted as saying, “The notion that a commemorative Pan Am flight will celebrate all we stood for is a testament to the strength of the brand and what the airline and its people stood for. Pan Am’s legacy in world history and the airline’s pioneering achievements in aviation live on. I can’t wait to see the aircraft with Pan Am livery taking off from JFK.”

The journey is currently open for bookings. Guests will travel in a Boeing 757 aircraft configured with all lie-flat Business Class seating. All flights will offer upscale catering featuring continental cuisine and an open bar on all flight legs.

The price for this tour is $59,950 per person based on twin occupancy or $65,500 for single occupancy. The rates include flights and accommodations, most meals and beverages, and an exclusive branded swag bag.

For more information and to make a reservation, please contact your travel advisor or visit Pan Am: Tracing the Transatlantic Routes.

This commemorative journey is a collaboration between Criterion Travel and Bartelings Associates in an officially licensed partnership with Pan Am Brands.

At nearly $120k for both of us to go (or $65.5k for just one of us), this is something my husband and I can only dream about. But for the lucky 50 who do get to go, I hope it’s a wonderful experience!

Want to comment on this post? Great! Read this first to help ensure it gets approved.

Want to sponsor a post, write something for Your Mileage May Vary, or put ads on our site? Click here for more info.

Like this post? Please share it! We have plenty more just like it and would love it if you decided to hang around and sign up to get emailed notifications of when we post.

Whether you’ve read our articles before or this is the first time you’re stopping by, we’re really glad you’re here and hope you come back to visit again!

This post first appeared on Your Mileage May Vary

2 comments

Christian July 1, 2024 - 4:44 pm

Wow. Just amazing. Unfortunately it’s way out of my reach as well.

Reply
Terrance Hunter July 1, 2024 - 7:09 pm

Pan Am started InterContinental Hotels after WW2, which was its hotel division for most of the last half of the twentieth century. It served as the first global hospitality brand, before Marriott or Hilton expanded internationally. InterContinental was known for glamorous hotels in exotic locations throughout the world (there is an InterContinental Hotel in Kabul, formally run by the chain.) InterContinental was sold to a Japanese conglomerate, then to Bass PLC before being merged with Holiday Inns and spun off as the IHG we know today. I would certainly count it as a currently active division of Pan Am.

Reply

Leave a Comment