In May 2028, just 48 passengers will set off from San Francisco to Seoul, then to Hangzhou, Sri Lanka, Zanzibar, Sharm el-Sheikh and the French Riviera, finishing the journey in Hampshire, England. Four Seasons' private Airbus A321LR, designed for such a small group, promises not merely flights but a carefully constructed sequence of encounters with local traditions — from tea plantations to ancient temples and private yacht excursions.
The itinerary, called "Coastlines and Culture," costs from 213 thousand euros per person. It includes stays at Four Seasons hotels, excursions with experts — for example, on the history of Shanghai or the harvesting of Ceylon cinnamon — and even the first guests at a new resort in Zanzibar. The company stresses that this is not a mass-market tour but an opportunity to touch the "authentic" heritage of regions that usually remain outside the scope of standard itineraries.
Such offerings are appearing against the backdrop of growing demand for premium travel, as global supply chains and climate challenges make ordinary flights less predictable. A private jet makes it possible to bypass overcrowded airports and crowds, but at the same time it sharpens the contrast: a narrow circle of the chosen few gains access to cultures, while local communities increasingly face the consequences of mass tourism.
In Sri Lanka, guests will be taken through a private cinnamon plantation — from harvesting to the production of oil. In Zanzibar, the focus will be on Swahili traditions and spices. In Egypt — a yacht excursion along the Red Sea coast. Each stop lasts three days, which offers a chance not merely to see but to linger and feel the rhythm of a place before taking to the air again.
Four Seasons has been developing its private jet programme for ten years, and the new itinerary adds five previously unvisited destinations. Yet behind the luxury and exclusivity lies a question: to what extent do such tours contribute to the preservation of cultural heritage, or, on the contrary, turn it into a carefully packaged product for a narrow audience.
The journey concludes on the French Riviera at the Grand-Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat with a yacht excursion to Cannes. In an era when access to remote corners of the world is becoming ever more selective, itineraries like this underscore that true value lies not in speed but in the ability to choose with whom and how to share the planet's space.
