Air travel has reached a pivotal moment where more customers are willing to pay more just for a humane travel experience.
This is apparent as legacy carriers have invested heavily in expanding their on-board business class and premium economy cabins, as well as building out more lounge space at more airports across the United States. Even non-legacy carriers like JetBlue, Spirit and Frontier have moved (or are moving) towards offering premium products and services.
Luxury lifestyle brand Magnifica is preparing to launch an all-premium scheduled airline called Magnifica Air. Scheduled to take flight in 2027, Magnifica Air wants to bridge the gap between commercial first-class and private aviation.
There aren’t much details, but the carrier wants to offer a private jet-like experience, but at one-third the cost of flying private. Based on their presentation, customers can expect to be picked up from their home or place of work with black car service. From the point of pick up, customers won’t have to worry about their checked bags as this will be handled by Magnifica staff.
Similar to JSX, customers won’t have to deal with crowds as they aim to use smaller VIP terminals which will also have the full lounge experience, concierge service, gourmet dining and private suites with room for up to four people.
The carrier plans to operate up to 14 aircraft (most likely Airbus A320s or A220s based on the renders), offering all-business class seating. From the photos, the cabin has full lie-flat seats in a 2-2 layout. Even though legacy carriers have gone the way of offering enclosed suites, I figure Magnifica may not be able to offer the same in order to keep costs down.
Credit: Magnifica AirIn a release, the company’s CEO Wade Black said:
“Magnifica Air aims to create a new standard for premium air travel, with a focus on sustainability, exclusivity, and a deeper connection to what matters most.
“We understand that today’s families are looking for more than building wealth—they want meaningful experiences that reflect their values. Magnifica Air is here to support that.”
The airline further added:
“High-net-worth travelers with assets between $100,000 and $5 million represent a significant underserved segment with unmet needs in premium air travel options. Magnifica Air directly addresses this gap by offering a private jet-like experience at approximately one-third of the typical cost.”
Magnifica’s plans aren’t new, as other U.S. brands have tried similar and failed. The closest successful example at the moment might be JSX. However others like La Compagnie and Beond have proven that it’s possible to maintain this type of travel model over the long term.
It’s still early days, so we’ll see if Magnifica Air comes to pass.
Featured image: Magnifica Air
