Latest news with #CriterionTravel
Skift
2 days ago
- Skift
Spain's 2026 Solar Eclipse Sparks Tourism Rush
In less than a year, Spain will become a prime viewing spot for a total solar eclipse, continental Europe's first since 1999. The date for travel companies to prepare for: August 12, 2026. The eclipse is set to trace a path of totality across 40% of Spain, as well as parts of Greenland, Iceland, Russia, and Portugal. The peak moment will last for approximately one minute and 40 seconds along its center line. For tour operators, the math is compelling: limited viewing zones, limited accommodation, and potentially millions of eclipse tourists equal premium pricing power, as the U.S. saw during a 2024 total solar eclipse. Steve Ridgway, president of educational tour operator Criterion Travel, has spent more than a year scouting for unobstructed western views in northwestern Spain for what could be one of the most lucrative tourist events in Europe next year. 'The ideal viewing site must be directly on, or very near to, the center line of the e
Forbes
29-06-2025
- Forbes
7 Exciting Airline Upgrades Just In Time For Summer Travel
Summer air travel is in full swing. While air traffic and weather delays can sometimes negatively affect the journey, airlines have been working hard to still keep a little fun and excitement for your next trip (at least for those that can afford things like lounge access and premium cabins). Here's what you can look forward to the next time you head to the airport. The Pan Am crew and trip executives stand in front of JFK's Terminal 7. PHOTO, INC. The Pan Am private air program, operated by Beyond Capricorn, a joint venture with Bartelings, which specializes in chartering private aircraft for luxury trips like this one, and Criterion Travel, a specialist in tours and cruises, has completed its first two week voyage. The $60,000-per-person trip fare includes flights in flat-bed seats with the full Pan Am experience (well, Pan Am didn't have flat seats as they weren't invented at the time for flying), luxury hotels and activities at each stop during the 12-night journey. Period-dressed crew serve meals on flights between each destination and deliver the quintessential service style of the now defunct airline. The Boeing 757 has 50 lie-flat business class seats. PHOTO, INC. Other trips are planned like the 21-day ' Tracing the Transpacific' itinerary ($94,495 per person) departing April 11, 2026, from San Francisco with stops in Tokyo, Siem Reap, Cambodia; Singapore, Darwin, Sydney, Auckland and Nadi, Fiji. This 'Tracing the Transatlantic' used a chartered and Pan Am-logoed 757 named Yankee Clipper II, making stops in Bermuda, Lisbon, Marseille, London and western Ireland, where travelers visited the Flying Boat Museum in Foynes to see the only B-314 flying boat replica in the world. Greece's first helicopter airline adds 4 destinations Hoper helicopters fly to 15 destinations across Greece. hoper The first helicopter airline in Greece, hoper, has added four new destinations to its route map: Ios, Syros, Anafi, and Porto Heli. There are now 15 cities on its route map, and since inception, the airline has more than doubled its presence in the Greek islands. Travelers enjoy the luxury of faster travel from an international airport, or wherever they are in Greece, without having to worry about connecting flights or catching a ferry. The best part is that tickets are sometimes under $100 to popular islands like Mykonos among others. Flying Blue Program Turns 20 KLM planes at Schiphol Airport getty The loyalty program of Air France-KLM and several other airlines has reached its 20th milestone and is celebrating with numerous offers. If your birthday is June 6, 2005 (the program's launch date) and you're a member based in the U.S., the airline automatically awarded Platinum status to your account. This fall, the airline will have a sweepstakes where members can share their travel memories on social media for the chance to win 200,000 miles to redeem to the airline long list of destinations, including several new U.S. cities. There is also a current transfer bonus for credit cardholders with Citi ThankYou Rewards. They can transfer points to Flying Blue and receive a 20% bonus through July 19. American Introduces Business Class Suites With Doors These new Flagship Suites have doors that slide closed for privacy. American Airlines Earlier this month, American launched its new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft, which were delivered with a 50-passenger business class cabin where every seat has a sliding door for privacy. It also includes several Flagship Preferred seats (at the front of each of the two business class cabins) with more seat space and boosted amenities like pajamas and even better bedding. The planes will operate on routes from Chicago and Philadelphia to London before expanding to other destinations like Zurich and Brisbane. It also will fly select domestic flights between Chicago and Los Angeles. Other recent lounge upgrades from the airline have been part of its premium push to upgrade its offering, including a new Flagship Lounge in Philadelphia and plans to build a new Flagship Lounge that adds more capacity at its Miami hub. Delta Renovates Flight Museum and Opens New Seattle Lounges Delta added new exhibits and technology to its flight museum on the campus of its headquarters next to Atlanta airport. Delta On the heels of unveiling a full renovation and reboot to its Delta Flight Museum in Atlanta, the airline is also working to upgrade and grow the rest of its lounge network. The hangar-based museum reopened in April with new exhibits and a new digital database of all kinds of archives, memorabilia and information about the airline's 100-year history. The al fresco SkyDeck at the Delta One lounge in Seattle Delta It also opened a new Delta One lounge in Seattle for long-haul, premium-cabin passengers. This is the next in the series of Delta One lounges, which are now in hub airports like Boston, New York JFK and Los Angeles. The Seattle lounge will be in Concourse A and part of a new combined Sky Club and Delta One lounge with the lower level taking up 14,000 sq ft for the Sky Club and the upstairs spanning 11,000 sq ft for its premium lounge. The Delta One lounge has views of Mt. Rainier. Along with the lounge opening, Delta is beefing up its long-haul flying, as it competes with Alaska Airlines' new international growth, with nonstop service to Rome and Barcelona starting next year. United Expands Newark Polaris Lounge The dining room has views of the New York skyline. United The dedicated premium lounge for business class passengers and top-tier elite status flyers on international flights departing Newark recently received a recent upgrade. It now has a larger a la carte dining room for passengers who would rather dine on the ground and rest inflight. The real estate comes from the airport's invitation-only restaurant, Classified, which has since closed. Other changes include the ability to order a vegetarian version of the airline's "Polaris burger" from the dining room menu. MORE FROM FORBES Forbes Air New Zealand Launches New Business Class In April And Economy Bunk Beds In 2026 By Ramsey Qubein Forbes Preparing For Merger, Korean Air Revamps Livery, Inflight Meals And Lounges By Ramsey Qubein Forbes Legislation That Could Cut Your Credit Card Miles And Points Inches Closer By Ramsey Qubein
Daily Mail
27-06-2025
- Daily Mail
Beloved major airline is finally flying again - but it will cost you £45,000 for a seat
This week, for the first time in 34 years, a Pan Am aircraft touched down in the UK - its tail adorned with the airline's instantly recognisable 'blue globe' logo, glistening in the Stansted sunshine. The Boeing 757, with only business-class seats, had crossed the Atlantic carrying more than just passengers – it brought with it a wave of jet-set nostalgia. Pan Am – officially Pan American World Airways – was once the epitome of glamour in the skies. Founded in 1927, it revolutionised international air travel and came to symbolise American sophistication and ambition. With white-gloved service, lobster dinners, onboard lounges and elegant cabin crew in crisp blue uniforms, flying Pan Am wasn't just about getting from A to B, it was an experience. The airline was a status symbol for celebrities, diplomats, and the global elite. It pioneered long-haul international travel, operated the first regular transatlantic and transpacific services, and introduced the world to the Boeing 747. At its peak, Pan Am flew to more than 80 countries and became the very image of the Golden Age of aviation. The sight of stylish flight attendants strolling arm-in-arm with dashing pilots caused a stir in terminals around the world. But by 1991, Pan Am had collapsed – undone by financial troubles, deregulation and the Lockerbie bombing in 1988. Now, Pan Am is back – at least in spirit. American tour operator Criterion Travel, in partnership with private jet specialist Bartelings, has launched a 12-day ultra-luxury itinerary for the super-rich, reviving the Pan Am name for an immersive nostalgia trip like no other. The 'Tracing the Transatlantic' journey follows the early routes of the original Pan Am flying boats, from New York to Bermuda, Lisbon, Marseille, London, and Foynes in Ireland – each stop a luxurious tribute to a bygone era. Guests – just 35 of them – travel aboard a plush 757 named Yankee Clipper II, a nod to one of Pan Am's most famous flying boats. On board, vintage boarding music from the 1970's plays, cabin crew don original uniforms (complete with pillbox hats), there's an open bar and the service is straight out of the airline's glory days. Even the menus tip their hat to the past: caviar was served between Bermuda and Lisbon – though sadly, the famous chateaubriand carved at your seat is no longer an option (carving knives no longer welcome on aircraft). In Foynes, passengers get to visit the Flying Boat Museum, home to the world's only B-314 flying boat replica – once a mainstay of Pan Am's 1940s fleet. At other stops, talks have been given by past crew members reliving their younger days in the sky. Flight attendant Anna Maria Aevarsdottir, who normally flies for Icelandair, joined the project for the chance to step back in time. 'When we put on the uniform in the morning, we feel like we're part of something much bigger,' she said. 'The Pan Am women were icons of their time, very elegant, capable and adventurous. We feel really proud to be carrying on their legacy across the Atlantic.' She and her colleagues prepared by watching Pan Am documentaries, listening to aviation podcasts, and even binge-watching the Pan Am TV drama starring Margot Robbie. Among the passengers were three former Pan Am flight attendants – one even brought her original uniform and wore it to dinner. Two other travellers, sisters, were retracing their own family history: their father began his Pan Am flying career on the flying boats and retired piloting the 747. Texas couple Phil and his wife Quito Bailey are seasoned travellers but have relished this unusual odyssey. 'The most magnificent experience we've ever had travelling,' said Phil. 'We are running out of adjectives to describe it.' While not all aboard had a personal connection to the airline, Craig Carter, CEO of the revived Pan American World Airlines brand and host of the journey, summed it up: 'If they weren't Pan Am fans when they boarded, they're Pan Am true blue now.' The fare for the nostalgic all-inclusive trip? A sky-high $60,000 (£43,500) per passenger. And that's just the beginning. A 21-day Transpacific journey is planned for later this year, priced at an eye-watering $95,000 (£75,000), with a round-the-world tour coming in 2027 to mark Pan Am's 100th anniversary. For those not quite ready to splurge on that kind of airfare, more accessible tributes to the airline's legacy are in the works. A new Pan Am-themed hotel is set to open in California next year. The Pan Am Experience is an immersive dining event in LA where you can enjoy Pan Am service without leaving the ground, and talks are underway about future commercial flights. The iconic 'blue globe' is back in action – reviving the memory of when flying truly was half the fun.
Travel Weekly
17-06-2025
- Business
- Travel Weekly
The Pan Am brand takes to the skies with new private-jet tours
The storied Pan American Airways brand is in the air this summer, resurrected by a newly launched tour operator that wants to introduce the Pan Am experience to a new generation of travelers. Beyond Capricorn, an operator created by Gary Barteling of private jet specialist Bartelings and Steve Ridgway of tour operator Criterion Travel, is operating the 12-day Pan Am private-jet itinerary, which took off Tuesday from New York JFK. Pan Am, which was founded in 1927, shuttered in 1991. The operators formed a licensing partnership with Pan American World Airways, which licenses the Pan Am name and logo, and aims to "revive the glamour of travel's golden age." Gary Barteling of Bartelings, a private jet specialist, co-founded Beyond Capricorn, a new tour operator that will operate Pan Am itineraries. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Beyond Capricorn On the tour, 35 travelers will explore stops made on the airline's original transatlantic routes, including Bermuda, Lisbon, Marseille, London and Foynes. The second departure date is June 27. Beyond Capricorn accepts travel advisor bookings and pays a 10% commission "This itinerary, created by our partners at Bartelings and Criterion Travel, continues to garner great interest from the travel advisor community," said Craig Carter, CEO of Pan American World Airways. "Designed to honor the unmatched legacy of Pan Am, the private jet journey will be a memorable experience for their most discerning clients." Steve Ridgway of Criterion Travel cofounded Beyond Capricorn, which will operate Pan Am-branded private jet journeys. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Beyond Capricorn Beyond Capricorn was born of a shared appreciation between Barteling and Ridgway of the Pan Am glory days and designed the operator to sell the reincarnation of the brand. "It's a brand that we came up with around 'beyond Capricorn,' the idea being, it's over the horizon, it's opening your eyes and traveling the world," Bartering said. "And it just seemed a good way of establishing a solid platform to promote Pan Am in one single way." The Pan Am experience Passengers will fly on a Boeing 757 chartered from Icelandair and enjoy business-class, lie-flat seats. The tour operator blends classic Pan Am elements with modern travel. Travelers will see the flight crew wearing Pan Am uniforms and will receive their tickets in vintage branded sleeves. Barteling said the idea to operate an itinerary under Pan Am's name was first considered pre-pandemic and then again in 2023. He and Ridgway already had formed a relationship through Criterion chartering Barterlings planes for its itineraries. "Back when a lot of us began in the travel business, Pan Am was the preeminent carrier," Ridgway said. "There's an amazing amount of loyalty amongst former Pan Am people, but also a very high level of awareness amongst those of us who were around when they were the top airline, not just in the U.S., but in the world. It's interesting, too, because what's happening now is, it's catching on with young people." Beyond Capricorn will operate a holiday itinerary, Christmas Markets of Europe, a Pan Am Journey by Private Air, in December. The 10-day trip will visit Christmas markets in Portugal, Austria, Germany and Latvia. It also plans to launch a transpacific flight next year on a Boeing 767. The 20-day itinerary costs $94,495 and will begin April 11 in San Francisco. Travelers will visit Honolulu, Vietnam, Cambodia, Singapore, Darwin, Sydney, Auckland and Fiji. Though not yet available for bookings, Beyond Capricorn plans to operate an around-the-world trip in 2027 to celebrate 100 years of Pan Am. The journey will begin in San Francisco and visit Tahiti, Sydney, Bangkok, Delhi, Cairo, Casablanca and end in Miami.
