Four Seasons Announces 2019 Private Jet Itineraries

Four seasons

Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts today unveils three unique Private Jet itineraries set to take flight in 2019. Newly added is Latin Escape, a 16-day adventure for those looking to explore the most exciting natural and cultural offerings of Central and South America. Just over two weeks in duration, this new journey is shorter than the 24-day around-the-world journeys, and takes travelers to Miami, Costa Rica, Buenos Aires, Bogotá and even includes an escape to the Galápagos Islands, all in the care of Four Seasons.

The Four Seasons Private Jet allows travelers to fulfil their most extraordinary travel dreams aboard a custom designed aircraft, while enjoying personalized Four Seasons service every step of the way. Guests can opt into a wide range of experiences in each destination and tailor their trip to their interests, discovering authentic flavors and connecting with local cultures and communities without the added stress of planning. The dedicated team on each Private Jet journey takes care of everything, including all air travel, ground transportation, planned excursions, all meals and beverages and luxurious accommodations at Four Seasons hotels and resorts. While visiting the remote Galápagos Islands during the Latin Escape itinerary, guests will stay at accommodations carefully selected by Four Seasons.

“Each year, we expand our Private Jet offerings, pushing the boundaries of curated travel and bringing together like-minded adventurers with a desire to explore the world. Our new itinerary offering, ‘Latin Escape,’ was devised in response to increased interest in the Four Seasons Private Jet program by a wide range of travelers, some of whom are looking for a shorter travel experience while still in the comfort and care of Four Seasons. Our tailor-made itineraries highlight the unique character of each destination, creating truly personalized and exclusive experiences alongside the comforts of legendary Four Seasons service,” says J. Allen Smith, President and CEO, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts.

Back by popular demand, two of the most coveted Four Seasons itineraries are also featured on the 2019 roster. Timeless Encounters is a 24-day exploration of lively city centres and remote islands, including a day trip to the Taj Mahal. International Intrigue, a journey across nine diverse destinations, celebrates the magic of culturally-rich cities such as Kyoto and St. Petersburg set in dynamic contrast to the untamed paradise of the Serengeti. Both journeys provide insider access like never before in the most captivating destinations and are projected to sell out once again.

2019 Four Seasons Private Jet Itineraries

NEW: Latin Escape (February 9 – 24, 2019)

Miami – Costa Rica – Buenos Aires – Bogotá – Galápagos Islands – Miami

Latin Escape kicks off in Miami, with dinner at the Versace Mansion, famed for its secret passages, celebrity guests and gold-plated mosaic tile pool. In Costa Rica, take in the southern sky like never before through a powerful GPS-guided telescope while savoring cocktails and culinary treats infused with real meteorite dust. Feeling brave? Harness up and slide along a series of zip lines suspended above the valleys and treetops of the dense jungle, enjoying breathtaking views while spotting wildlife.

Next, it’s off to explore the irresistible blend of European and Latin American cultures that is Buenos Aires. Fly to Iguassu Falls for the day to explore this astounding collection of 275 interlinking waterfalls. Later, enjoy a private behind-the-scenes tour of the Teatro Colón, one of the world’s best concert venues, renowned for both its acoustics and architecture. Visit one of the oldest ranches in Argentina to experience the gaucho lifestyle. Witness a display of traditional horse-riding skills and indulge in an authentic barbeque on historic grounds.

Latin Escape continues to Bogotá, Colombia’s lively capital city. Explore the innovative arts scene with a local artist or take a private salsa lesson with a skilled instructor. Sip cocktails while taking in 50,000 pre-Hispanic indigenous gold artifacts housed at the Museo del Oro, before sitting down to a gala dinner surrounded by rare treasures.

Continue on to the remote archipelago of Galápagos for four nights of legendary Four Seasons service aboard a private ship. Snorkel, swim and paddle through crystal-clear waters abundant with local marine life. Wake up each day at a new site ready to explore landscapes and wildlife found nowhere else on earth. This journey through the Americas ends back where it started in Miami, with time to unwind and toast to the trip of a lifetime over an exquisite meal of Latin-inspired flavors.

Timeless Encounters (September 17 – October 10, 2019)

Kona – Bora Bora – Sydney – Bali – Chiang Mai or Chiang Rai – Taj Mahal – Dubai – Prague – London

Timeless Encounters takes guests on a journey across four continents, beginning in lush Kona, Hawaii, and concluding in London. Activities over the three-week adventure include a visit to Tirta Empul temple for a traditional water purification ritual in Bali; a snorkeling safari with blacktip lagoon sharks in Bora Bora; a day trip to admire the intricate architecture of the Taj Mahal; and a personal welcome from Prince William Lobkowicz into his family’s 16th-century ancestral home for a memorable gala dinner in Prague.

International Intrigue (March 25 – April 17, 2019)

Seattle – Kyoto – Hoi An – Maldives – Serengeti – Marrakech – Budapest – St. Petersburg – London

International Intrigue departs from Seattle, taking travelers across Asia and Africa, before reaching Europe and concluding in London. In Kyoto, guests learn how to draw, pose and swing a samurai sword under the instruction of the choreographer of Kill Bill: Vol. 1. In Serengeti, travelers are welcomed aboard a hot air balloon to catch glimpses of the Big Five before enjoying a Champagne breakfast in the bush. In the Maldives, guests can unwind with an award-winning spa ritual underneath the night sky. St. Petersburg offers travelers private access to the world-renowned State Hermitage Museum before flying to London for a final farewell dinner.

Abercrombie & Kent Scores Hit With Boutique Private Jet Tours

PHOTO: The Ganges River at Varanasi, India. Private jets make exotic destinations more accessible. (Photo courtesy Abercrombie & Kent)

As air travel becomes more crowded, more commodified and hobbled by security concerns, the appeal of private jet travel increases, at least for those who can afford it. With the popularity of private jet travel on the rise, Abercrombie & Kent is branching out into a new tier of private air travel with a new series of scaled down private air trips it calls Wings Over the World.

The Wings Over the World programs use smaller, chartered aircraft, not necessarily jets, and explore more concentrated geographical areas than A&K’s traditional private jet tours. They have dedicated crews throughout the itinerary and a maximum of 16 passengers.

The series is debuting with three programs: Wings Over Indochina, Wings Over India and Wings Over China. They are priced between $27,995 and $29,995. The first departs next October, the second in December and the third in April 2017.

A&K has done extraordinarily well with its private jet offerings since its first offering of the Royal Air Tour in 1989, which circled the world in a private jet. The private jet programs have succeeded to a degree that surprises travel agents who often don’t imagine that their clients could or would spring for a package with such an extravagant price. Private jet trips hover in price around the $100,000 zone. And they do sell.

Last year the company expanded on the private jet concept with a new series of private jet trips conceived and led by A&K’s founder and chairman, Geoffrey Kent, called Inspiring Expeditions. The basic idea of the series is “to take intimate groups of intrepid travelers for adventures in the most unexplored areas in the world, remote places only accessible by private jet, led by the best professional explorers.”

READ MORE: Could Private Jet Vacations Be The Future of Luxury Travel?

A&K’s private jet journeys in the past have usually used a chartered 757 jet reconfigured to carry only 50 passengers in business class seating.

Private jets offer the advantage of being able to cover great expanses easier than ever before. One popular form of private jet trip is the around-the-world by private jet tour. There are endless possible ways to structure an around-the-world itinerary based on some unifying theme.

But what the private jet trips all have in common is a way to cover great distances easily and in comfort, with minimal airport hassle and delay. And private jets offer the possibility of traveling to places that cannot be visited by regular scheduled flights.

The possibility of flying to remote areas that are unaccessible by scheduled flights also plays into the rising demand for authentic experiences.

“It’s fascinating how much attraction people have to traditional cultures, like Japan and Bhutan, places that are so much not affected by the western world,” said Pamela Lassers, A&K’s director of media relations. “It’s something people are really seeking. These are some of our strongest places. Part of the appeal of private jet trips is to link together several of those places all in one trip.”

Besides the around-the-world tours, there are many other kinds of itineraries that tie various destinations together based on some unifying theme.

READ MORE: Abercrombie & Kent Expands Connections Series for 2016 with Cuba and Italy Programs

A&K’s “Africa Revealed: A Journey by Private Jet” is priced at $92,500 per person. “Cuba and South America by Private Jet” is $99,500 per person. “Around the World by Private Jet: Islands, Savannas & the Amazon” is $117,000. “Around the World by Private Jet: The Tropics to the Arctic” is priced at $135,000.

Lassers says that the private air trips are attractive to entrepreneurs who have not had time to travel while they were spending decades building up a business. When they finally reach a point in their business lives that allows them to travel, they have a lot to make up for. They want to see a lot in the time they have, and the private jets are good for that. They maximize the amount of ground you can cover in a short time, without sacrificing comfort.

As air travel has become more accessible to broader markets, it has also become less comfortable, and the result is a new tier of air travel for those who want a more exclusive, luxurious flying experience. The addition of lie-flat seats to the product offering a couple of years ago was the crowning touch to the private jet experience.

Travelers can now circle the globe with their own flying sleeping quarters, in luxury Winnebagos of the sky. The Wings Over the World programs scale down the private jet experience to a boutique style of travel.

The first slated departures have already sold out and A&K is planning to add more.

By DAVID COGSWELL

Abercrombie & Kent First In The Air With Lie-Flat Seats On Private Jet Journeys

New Wonders of the World Itinerary for 2015

- Abercrombie & Kent will be the first to operate

 luxury private jet journeys featuring fully lie-flat seats beginning in the fall of 2014. All of A&K's private jet

 journeys will now feature a privately chartered Icelandair Boeing 757-200ER with 50 custom-designed Italian

 leather seats equipped with a personal massage system, 4-way adjustable headrests and lumbar support,

 and a fully lie-flat bed more than 6.5' long (79" pitch).  Additional seating enables each guest to socialize in

 comfort with their travel companions, while a full privacy screen and extra-high seat back provide undisturbed

 rest.

"I truly believe – in fact I built Abercrombie & Kent on the belief – that we can provide our guests with an

 unexpected level of comfort," says A&K founder, chairman and CEO Geoffrey Kent. "So I'm thrilled that

 our guests will be the first to experience completely lie-flat, first class seats on our private jet journey around

 the world this fall."  

Travellers will have another opportunity to experience this extraordinary plane on Wonders of the World 

by Private Jet, which will whisk guests from Machu Picchu to Easter Island, Angkor Wat and Istanbul.

 Under ordinary circumstances these places would be difficult – perhaps impossible – to visit on a single

 itinerary.  But this journey brings all of these inspiring experiences within reach, while the small group size 

allows for an itinerary packed with exclusive, invitation-only events.

Wonders of the World by Private JetSeptember 17 – October 10, 2015

• Board the luxurious Hiram Bingham train on an exclusive charter to Machu Picchu.
• Walk through the volcanic quarry on Easter Island where giant stone moai were laboriously carved. 
• Unwind in the tropical paradise of Samoa.
• Enjoy dinner at the Sydney Opera House and attend a private performance.
• Explore Angkor Wat with a preservation specialist.
• Experience the power of the Taj Mahal at sunrise and sunset.
• Explore Istanbul's Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace and Basilica Cistern when they are closed to the public.
• Sleep under the stars in the Sahara Desert and discover Marrakech with Geoffrey Kent as your host.

Leading every Private Jet Journey is an A&K Tour Director who oversees everything from start to finish. A team

 of exceptional Tour Managers guarantee seamless service, while expert local guides lend additional insight.

 A&K's Travelling Bell Boy^® service collects luggage from each room and ensures it is waiting at the next hotel.

Abercrombie & Kent is one of the most experienced companies in the luxury private jet business, 

having designed and operated private jet programs since 1999. Deep roots and long-established relationships

 — as well as 52 offices worldwide— allow A&K to offer unique encounters unavailable to others.

To learn more about Wonders of the World by Private Jet (24 days, from $108,000 per person, double

 occupancy) contact your travel professional, go to http://www.abercrombiekent.com/privatejet

 or call 800 554 7094 to speak to a Travel Consultant.

About Abercrombie & Kentwww.abercrombiekent.com

Abercrombie & Kent pioneered luxury adventure travel with their first African safaris in 1962, and today their

 award-winning travel services extend around the globe to more than one hundred countries on all seven

 continents. A&K's custom itineraries and small-group journeys offer one-of-a-kind inspiring experiences,

 while our 52 on-site offices ensure invitation-only access to the people and places that make every travel

 destination unique.

Video - http://youtu.be/P_hQCllLwHA