You Can Now Charter Your Own Private Boeing 777
Crystal Cruises is finally making the dream of chartering a private Boeing 777-200LR jet come true. Best known for ultra-luxe cruises, the company took to the skies with the launch of the Crystal Skye — the largest privately-owned tour jet in the world — on Sunday, August 13, when the plane was christened in Las Vegas' McCarran International Airport (LAS).
The opulent, decked-out airplane can shuttle up to 88 guests to far-flung locales (for about $55,000 an hour) in such luxury that could make some first-class passengers on a traditional commercial flight envious.
The plane's seats are arranged in a staggered 2-2-2 configuration and you can expect customized privacy surroundings, a four-way adjustable headrest and individual storage ottomans. The Crystal Skye also features amenities like Bose headphones, iPads, Etro-branded amenity kits, 25-inch IFE screens and unlimited Wi-Fi.
Just like with premium cabins on most long-haul commercial fleets, each seat reclines to a fully lie-flat configuration of about 70.5 inches, so if you're on the taller end of the height spectrum, beware.
The plane features a 24-seat lounge with a dedicated bar and sofas, while details such as a custom ceiling and stone accents adorn the interior of the cabin.
In-flight meals are cooked by a private chef with access to a steam oven and sous vide cookers; wine is sourced by an in-flight sommelier.
Crystal originally planned to offer highly curated itineraries, dubbed "AirCruises," but shelved the plan after customers began to request specific chartered flights. The Boeing 777 was originally built for Air Austral in 2011 and flew for more than four years with the airline before it was eventually purchased by its new owner.
According to The Standard, Crystal Skye is set to fly its inaugural journey on September 30, hauling 86 passengers from Hong Kong on a specialized eight-night itinerary that includes stops in Nairobi, Kenya, and Tahiti. To date, three bookings have been finalized — including one with the National Hockey League — and another dozen are in process, according to Edie Rodriguez, CEO of Crystal Cruises.
At about $55,000 an hour, it's no surprise that chartering a private jet isn't cheap — let alone a Boeing 777. But if you can pony up the cash, the plane can be used for just about any event — think destination weddings, celebrations, as a private event space for product launches, private jet tours or entertaining a group of your 87 closest friends.
H/T: Airways Magazine
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Rewards Rate
| 2X miles | 2 miles per dollar on every purchase |
| 5X miles | 5 miles per dollar on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Business Travel |
| 10X miles | 10 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Business Travel |
Intro Offer
Earn 200K miles when you spend $30K in the first 3 months, and an additional 200K miles when you spend $150K in the first 6 monthsLIMITED-TIME OFFER: Earn up to 400K bonus milesAnnual Fee
$395Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.740-850Excellent
Why We Chose It
The Capital One Venture X Business Card has all the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card has to offer and more. It offers an incredible welcome bonus and requires an equally impressive spend to qualify. In addition, the card comes with premium travel perks like annual travel credit. (Partner offer)Pros
- The Capital One Venture X business card has a very lucrative welcome offer.
- In addition, the card comes with many premium travel perks such as an annual $300 credit for bookings through Capital One Business Travel.
- Business owners are also able to add employee cards for free.
Cons
- The card requires significant spending to earn the welcome offer.
- Another drawback is that the annual travel credit can only be used on bookings made through Capital One Business Travel.
- LIMITED-TIME OFFER: Earn up to 400K bonus miles: 200K miles when you spend $30K in the first 3 months, and an additional 200k miles when you spend $150k in the first 6 months
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, everywhere—with no limits or category restrictions
- Earn 10X miles on hotels and rental cars and 5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Business Travel
- With no preset spending limit, enjoy big purchasing power that adapts so you can spend more and earn more rewards
- Empower your teams to make business purchases while earning rewards on their transactions, with free employee and virtual cards. Plus, automatically sync your transaction data with your accounting software and pay your vendors with ease
- Redeem your miles on flights, hotels and more. Plus, transfer your miles to any of the 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Every year, you'll get 10,000 bonus miles after your account anniversary date. Plus, receive an annual $300 credit for bookings made through Capital One Business Travel
- Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®. Enjoy access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide, including Capital One Lounge locations and Priority Pass™ lounges, after enrollment
- Enjoy a $100 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Premier Collection
- This is a pay-in-full card, so your balance is due in full every month