The Return of Pan Am: What We Know

Pan Am Airlines, which ceased operations in 1991, is returning for a limited time. The launch is meant to be a dry run for the rebranding of the classic airline as a luxury jet line. Let’s take a look at what we know about this exciting return of a beloved classic brand.

Pan Am Airlines Return: A Retrace of Classic Roots

According to Travel + Leisure, Pan Am will embark on an opulent 12-day voyage from New York in collaboration with Criterion Travel and Bartelings Associates. The journey, which will follow Pan Am’s original transatlantic routes, will take place from June 27 to July 9, 2025, and will be hosted by Craig Carter, CEO of Pan American World Airways.

The trip will have stops in Bermuda, Lisbon, Marseille, London, and Foynes, Ireland.

Carter stated that this journey will be “the first of many exclusive themed flights back into the luxury travel space” in an Instagram post. “Relaunching Pan Am requires a careful balance of honoring its storied past while innovating for the future, so that it resonates with both our longtime fans and new customers,” he said.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Pan Am Brands (@panamofficial)

Criterion Travel reports that just 50 passengers will be able to take the unique flight on a privately chartered Boeing 757-200 with all lie-flat seats. On all aircraft legs, passengers will enjoy an open bar, continental cuisine, and accommodations in opulent ground-level hotels such as The Savoy in London, the Rosewood Bermuda, and the Four Seasons Ritz in Lisbon. Of course, there will also be exclusive experiences offered, like the opportunity to enter a replica of a Pan Am Clipper in Ireland.

Bookings for the fabled journey begin at $59,950 per person, which covers all transportation, lodging, the majority of meals and beverages, and branded goods.

Although Pan Am is emulating a romanticized version of a bygone age, there are other companies that provide luxurious private jet travel worldwide, such as tour companies like TCS World Travel and Abercrombie & Kent. The Four Seasons also offers its own round-the-world tours, which begin at $159,000 per person and stop in Africa, Asia, and other places.

Luxury vs. Discount: Potential Problems for Travelers

While Pan Am is enjoying a resurgence in the luxury space, discount airlines are in turmoil.

According to managing director and TD Cowen aviation expert Helane Becker, Spirit is now more likely to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and perhaps liquidate its assets. Becker made this assessment at the top of the year.

“We believe Spirit is likely to look for another buyer … but a more likely scenario is a Chapter 11 filing, followed by a liquidation,” she said, according to The Street.

The problems stemmed from the time the low-cost carrier made an attempt to merge with JetBlue recently, but the government denied the deal, which put the airline in jeopardy.

The budget airline revealed a significant $157 million deficit. Reducing expenses by a planned $100 million and delaying aircraft orders demonstrate the drastic measures the corporation is implementing to deal with the adverse economic conditions.

With a proposed merger with JetBlue, which operates on a more conventional airline business model like that of Southwest, the future appeared reasonably bright. However, the government’s interference to prevent this merger has complicated Spirit’s future course. Due to the long-term impact of the blockade on the airline’s financial situation, industry observers have projected that it may file for bankruptcy.

Spirit has the ability to borrow and had $1.2 billion in cash on hand as of January. The current move to raise $419 million by selling and leasing back some of its aircraft appears to be another lifeline. Through this financial move, Spirit may be able to finance a self-initiated Chapter 11 file, which would allow it to restructure its debt and repay creditors over a predetermined period of time.

Even if Spirit Airlines’ future is still uncertain, the insights provided by industry experts offer us a picture of the possible course the airline would have to take.