This week, a Boeing 757-200 jet adorned with Pan Am’s iconic blue globe logo and retro branding departed from New York’s JFK Airport, beginning a meticulously curated journey that retraces the airline’s historic Southern and Northern transatlantic routes. The price tag? A cool $60,000 per passenger.
The trip — officially dubbed Tracing the Transatlantic: A Pan Am Journey by Private Air — is the result of a collaboration between luxury tour operator Criterion Travel and aviation heritage firm Bartelings, with official licensing from Pan American World Airways’ brand custodians.
It’s not just the destinations that hark back to Pan Am’s heyday. Passengers are treated to lie-flat business class seating aboard a private 757, while flight attendants wear faithfully recreated vintage uniforms, channelling the charm and sophistication of mid-20th century air travel.
“Every detail, from the flight deck to the cabin, has been designed with care — honouring the golden age of travel while reimagining it for today’s world,” said Pan Am Brands in a statement. The jet’s interiors and service have been modelled on the elegance and glamour that defined Pan Am during its peak decades.
The 12-day itinerary includes stops in Bermuda, Lisbon, Marseille, London and Shannon — all cities once featured prominently on Pan Am’s transatlantic maps. Each stop includes luxury hotel stays, exclusive events, and historical experiences themed around Pan Am’s heritage and aviation’s evolution.
Flight attendant Anna Maria Aevarsdottir told CBS New York: “It’s such an honour and a privilege to be stepping into this uniform. We hope we can embrace the grace that they showed America.”
Pan Am, once synonymous with international glamour and innovation in air travel, ceased operations in 1991 after financial difficulties. But the brand has endured in pop culture and aviation history — and this latest venture is proving there’s still a powerful market for its unique blend of adventure and allure.
The trip, which was first announced last summer, has already captured the imagination of aviation enthusiasts and luxury travellers alike. While no further Pan Am-themed journeys have been confirmed, demand suggests that more nostalgic sky-high experiences could be on the horizon.
As Pan Am’s iconic blue globe takes to the skies once more — albeit for a limited run — it reminds a new generation of travellers what it meant to fly during the most glamorous era of aviation.