For much of the 20th century, Pan American World Airways — better known as Pan Am — was synonymous with intercontinental travel. As the unofficial flag carrier of the United States, Pan Am jumbo jets could be seen at airports across the world, and to many, the airline represented a more glamorous age of aviation. The trailblazing carrier ceased operations in 1991, but if you thought the Pan Am brand was long gone, think again: The airline recently announced its return to the skies in 2025 with a special 12-day trip around the world. Here are all the details.
An Iconic Brand
Pan American Airways was founded in 1927 and, like many of the world’s oldest airlines, traces its roots back to carrying airmail. Passenger service started a year later, and in the 1930s, Pan Am started flying long-range flying boats — the “Clippers” the airline became famous for — and introduced around-the-world flights. In 1955, Pan Am was the launch customer for the Boeing 707, one of the world’s first passenger jets, which it used to further expand its international footprint as America’s unofficial flag carrier airline.
The following decade, Pan Am was also the first to introduce the iconic Boeing 747 jumbo jet. In the airline’s heyday of the 1950s and ’60s, it offered flights to 86 destinations on every continent except Antarctica. It was during this era that Pan Am became a cultural icon, representative of the glamour of a new age of intercontinental air travel.
But in 1978, the U.S. deregulated its aviation industry, meaning the government no longer set routes, schedules, and prices. As a result, Pan Am faced new competitive pressures and saw a sharp decline in its finances throughout the 1980s, before ultimately declaring bankruptcy in 1991. Though the airline’s trademark logo is no longer a fixture of global aviation, the Pan Am brand has endured as a remarkable symbol of a bygone era.
An Exclusive Journey
In 2025, the Pan Am brand will once again take to the skies thanks to a partnership with Criterion Travel and Bartelings Associates. But there’s a catch — the airline won’t be offering regular scheduled passenger flights as it once did. Rather, this will be a special 12-day chartered journey retracing Pan Am’s original transatlantic routes. And it won’t come cheap: Prices for this once-in-a-lifetime trip start at a cool $59,950 per person, and the experience will be limited to just 50 passengers.
It all starts on June 27, 2025, in New York City, which was once Pan Am’s headquarters and biggest hub. From there, the 50 lucky passengers will spend nearly two weeks flying across the Atlantic and around Europe, as Pan Am’s earliest customers did almost a century ago on its flying boats. This time, though, passengers will fly on a Boeing 757 outfitted with modern amenities and spacious seats that convert into fully flat beds. The itinerary includes stops in Bermuda; Lisbon, Portugal; Marseille, France; London, England; and Foynes, Ireland.
As you’d expect for the price hefty tag, the experience will be top-notch and will be hosted by Craig Carter, the CEO of Pan American World Airways (the company which has licensed the former airline’s brand and logo). The package includes an open bar on all flights, luxury stays and gourmet meals in hotels like the Savoy in London, and special experiences such as a visit to a Pan Am Clipper replica in Ireland. The trip concludes on July 8, 2025, back in New York. If you miss this inaugural trip (or, understandably, need more time to save up), Carter says this will be “the first of many exclusive themed flights back into the luxury travel space.”
Other Ways To Experience the “Golden Age” of Aviation
It definitely doesn’t hurt to dream, but given the price, the reality is that most of us won’t be experiencing Pan Am’s splashy return to the skies next year. However, if you find yourself nostalgic for the so-called “golden age” of aviation, the airline also plans to bring back its popular Pan Am Experience. Though details are yet to be announced, the event will be hosted on a re-created Pan Am passenger jet in Los Angeles, where guests will be able to enjoy dinner and drinks aboard and step back into the 1960s for an evening.
During Pan Am’s peak, one of its biggest rivals was TWA (Trans World Airlines). Though that airline is also now defunct, its iconic former terminal at New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport has been turned into a luxury hotel that preserves much of its original design and features a vintage jet age-inspired theme throughout. Guests can delve into aviation history at the iconic Sunken Lounge, overlooking a giant retro departures board, or spend a memorable evening on the Lockheed Constellation parked outside that’s been turned into a cocktail bar.
Featured Stories
