Hopping from decades ago straight into today would show two unrecognizable worlds—in countless avenues. One of the biggest areas of change has been air travel, but Pan Am has announced plans for a journey that brings back the glory of the Golden Age of Flight.
After ceasing operations in 1991, Pan American World Airways has changed ownership and is ready to return more resplendent than ever. Pan Am had long been regarded as the foremost airline, iconic for its sleek presentation, decadent amenities, and luxurious journeys. As it takes to the skies again, it plans on bringing that nostalgic glory back with it. Here’s how.
Pan Am is returning to the air, along with its image from the Golden Age of Air Travel
View this post on Instagram
Pan Am is readying for its big return, which will take the form of a 12-day voyage with a limit of just 50 guests. It is a themed flight titled Tracing the Transatlantic, which will traverse the old routes taken by the Flying Boats, which were famous for their splendor. Tickets cost $59,950 per person.
RELATED: Everything Flight Attendants Notice When You Board a Plane
Passengers will fly on a reworked Boeing 757, all seated in business class seats with full lie-down capabilities.
As they retrace this historic route, passengers can also look forward to special events along the way. They include dinner at the Flying Boat and Maritime Museum, a 4th of July celebration in London, and a chance to see the only B314 Flying Boat replica in the entire world.
Bringing back the past into the present to plan for the future
“Since 1927, Pan Am has left an indelible mark on the world,” reflected Craig Carter, CEO of Pan American World Airways and owner of Pan Am Brands, who will also host the trip. “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.”
While Pan Am will take inspiration from the golden age of air travel in its themed celebratory return flight, it is also already looking for ways to innovate. For example, this flight incorporates “buddy” seats that are specially designed to allow passengers to comfortably gather and socialize, turning a voyage into an entertainment opportunity.
Attendants for Pan Am’s return voyage were also promised streamlined customs at each special stop their voyage takes them to. Everything on the plan is to be overseen by a handpicked crew, notes Forbes.
Linda Freire, a former Pan Am flight attendant who now works as Chair of the Pan Am Museum Foundation, has said, “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,” adding, “Pan Am’s legacy and pioneering achievement in aviation live on. I can’t wait to see the aircraft with Pan Am livery taking off from JFK.”
The special voyage begins in New York City in June 2025.
Have you ever been on a flight during this markedly different time of air travel?