A Florida-based aviation start-up set to launch in 2027 says it will offer private jet style travel that is as accessible as a scheduled flight. Magnifica Air wants to disrupt the sector with luxuriously upcycled Airbus aircraft and a door-to-door chauffeur service to offer “a fully private, seamless experience for a fraction of what you’d pay to charter a jet.”
The airline is contracting with Air Lease Corporation and Azorra to procure a fleet of eight aircraft, it says will be ready by autumn 2027. The six Airbus A220-300s and two Airbus A321neos will be refitted with the help of Comlux: the A220s in a 54-seat first class layout, and the A321neos with up to 46 flat beds, four private suites, and an onboard lounge bar. There is a plan to increase to 25 aircraft within four years of launch.
Renderings reveal premium-look, caramel-coloured seating with diamond pleating, and gold and marble-look finishes in the bar area. Magnifica claims passengers will also be chauffeur driven to private terminals, and benefit from concierge baggage handlers and “seamless” security powered by facial recognition.
The idea, according to Magnifica, is to fill a gap in the premium market with “a truly bespoke experience” that operates under Part 121 regulations followed by commercial passenger airlines, rather than the Part 135 rules that private flights follow. The start up says, “Right now, if you want a truly luxurious experience, you’ve got two options: pay 10 times the cost of a first-class ticket for a private jet, or deal with the frustrations of commercial first-class travel, where you’re still treated like just another number.” It describes the carrier as “designed to bridge the exclusivity of private aviation with the accessibility of premium commercial travel.”
Scheduled routes range across business centres such as Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Palm Beach, San Jose, with plans for seasonal additions such as the Caribbean and California’s Napa Valley.
The reaction from travel commentators has been enthusiastic so far. Travel reward specialist One Mile at a Time (OMAAT) calls the initiative “the most interesting airline startup we’ve seen in the United States in a very long time.” The Independent’s travel section says, “the project looks tantalizing” and Aviationa2Z acknowledges the “concept is promising.”
However, all question some aspects of its viability. How will the airline acquire the “private terminals” it pledges? How will it win over business passengers who may not relish abandoning the bonuses offered by their frequent flyer programs, or indeed have any influence over their company travel policies? How will it offer the exclusivity and finger-click convenience demanded by private flyers, especially with such a limited selection of routes? And how will it manage the intensive Part 121 regime of certification, inspections, crew requirements, and dispatch systems?
The answers are yet to come but as travel trends towards the hyper-personalised, Magnifica, which has sister companies offering residences and resorts, may have struck upon a winning formula.
