Pan Am is (kind of) back: Here's how you can fly the iconic brand again
AvGeeks and anyone nostalgic for the yesteryears of travel will be excited to learn that they can once again fly on a plane donning the iconic livery of Pan Am.
This week, tickets went on sale for a luxe safari trip to Africa operated by the new-age version of Pan American World Airways.
A fixture in the skies from its launch in 1927 until its collapse in 1991, Pan Am helped define what many people consider the "golden age of aviation." The carrier pioneered routes across Latin America and the Pacific, and it even operated the famous Boeing 314 Clipper aircraft, Flying Boats that were capable of landing on water. Pan Am also helped bring the Boeing 747 to market, which made long-haul international travel much more accessible to the masses.
The Pan Am onboard experience is remembered for being both luxurious and fun, complete with attentive staff and fine dining.
Related: Pan Am gets new life with airport lounges planned — and a luxury, history-rich trip
It's been decades since Pan Am went under, with Delta Air Lines and United Airlines acquiring many of its route and assets.
But now, the Pan Am name is returning to the skies, albeit in a different form, after a travel company acquired the name in recent years with plans to revive the brand — if not the airline itself.
New life for the Pan Am brand
Pan Am Journeys — a series of ultraluxury private-jet journeys — is giving modern travelers the chance to step aboard a Pan Am-branded aircraft again.
Last summer, TPG got a look at the retro plane with modern comforts.
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This month, the new-era Pan Am jet is "tracing the transatlantic" as part of its true maiden voyage.
And already, the company is planning its next voyage: "A Journey to Reimagine Africa. Set for 2027, the expedition features an African safari itinerary operated aboard the private Pan Am-themed Boeing 757-200, which offers lie-flat business-class seating.
This trip is designed to recreate the glamour of the former airline's illustrious experience in the skies. But it also includes true luxury on the ground, with stays at high-end hotels and a curated itinerary operated in partnership with SafariScapes.
"Former crew members, aviation enthusiasts, and travelers who remembered the golden age of travel — and those who longed to experience it — came together around a shared belief: that elegance, discovery and the journey itself still matter," Craig Carter, CEO of Pan Am Global Holdings (the parent company of Pan American World Airways), said this week.
These itineraries aim to highlight historic Pan Am routes and destinations.
The move comes at a moment when aviation nostalgia feels particularly strong, considering the recent closure of low-cost carrier Spirit Airlines which, historians note, was the biggest collapse of a major U.S. carrier since 1991, when Pan Am (and Eastern Air Lines) went under.
Read more: Spirit's bright yellow planes are grounded for good — a sad ending for the storied budget airline
Bottom line
These all-inclusive journeys don't come cheap; for most travelers, flying Pan Am today will certainly be more of a bucket-list splurge than a practical travel option.
But for AvGeeks who have spent years reminiscing on Pan Am and collecting vintage memorabilia, the opportunity to board a Pan Am plane and experience a semblance of the former airline's hospitality and atmosphere may be money well spent.
If you want to experience the legacy of Pan Am, you can book through your travel adviser, contact Pan Am Journeys directly at journeys@panam.com or visit its website. All-inclusive fares start at $129,000 per person, based on double occupancy.
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