The Jet-Set Travel Trends to Know
Luxury sleeper trains, private jets and floating hotels – this is how to experience the world’s most extraordinary journeys. By NATASHA BIRD
When influential society columnist Igor Cassini coined the term ‘jet set’ in the 1950s, he was describing an ultra-rarefied group of socialites, wealthy enough to move between the Saint Moritz, Palm Beach and Côte d’Azur hot spots by jet aircraft, while the rest of the world was limited, if traveling by air at all, to propeller planes.
In 2026, we have a much wider view of jet setting, but we are still looking for the exalted experience; ways of traveling the world that most people don’t get to. While globe-trotters still choose to move around by jet and yacht, the most sublime luxury is not necessarily in ownership, but in effortlessness, exclusivity and added experience. These are the new jet-set trends to know…
The hop-on, hop-off helicopter
Similar thinking is also driving growth in companies such as Blade, whose on-demand helicopter network has become an increasingly popular solution in cities like New York, and Hoper, a similar, Athens-based platform with a particular focus on Greek-island hopping throughout the summer.
The spirit of convenience, with an added element of excitement, extends to airport transfers too.
One of the clearest examples of this belongs to luxury hotel group Maybourne – home to Claridge’s, The Connaught, The Berkeley and The Emory, among others – which has partnered with Flexjet to service guests arriving at private terminals in Farnborough, Biggin Hill, Luton or Stanstead in the UK, with their own helicopter to whisk them directly into central London, via a few panoramic views of the capital. Other luxury hospitality groups are taking note. For instance, The Four Seasons is experimenting with helicopter itineraries across a range of destinations too.
The floating hotel
There is a reason the most interesting development in luxury travel right now is happening at sea. Not necessarily on yachts, but in a category all of its own: the floating luxury hotel, where expanse and effortlessconvenience converge perfectly.
Leading this new era of luxury is Explora Journeys, the privately owned venture from the Aponte family, whose maritime heritage stretches back more than three centuries. Its ‘Ocean State of Mind’ philosophy centers on space, stillness and immersion. Guest residences (not simply ‘rooms’) feature separate areas for living, dining and sleeping. Each suite has a private terrace. Sweeping floor-to-ceiling windows are designed to help enhance the feeling of being suspended in nature. Plus, a superfluity of pools, spas and a host at your 24-hour beck and call make for a wellness-centered approach not typically associated with ocean travel.
Exclusive access to select global events and iconic calendar fixtures, such as the Monaco Grand Prix, also sets Explora apart. Guests enjoy one of the most sought-after berths in Port Hercule, right at the center of the action – an unrivaled position compared with staying in a hotel. For those who may not have considered this type of vacation before, this kind of sought-after experience might just tempt you to think again.
The return of the great train
At the same moment the world became obsessed with speed, another corner of ultra-luxury travel moved in the opposite direction. While flight may have the advantage of efficiency, there’s only so much comfort and freedom a plane can offer. Train travel, in response, has had a seriously glamorous reboot.
Among the finest examples is the famous Belmond British Pullman, whose beautifully restored Art Deco carriages transform even a day trip into an immersive and gorgeous event in and of itself. Guests settle into refurbished wood interiors, sink into velvet armchairs, wander up and down and sip Champagne as the world rolls by. Private carriages can be reserved for families, groups and smaller celebrations, or you can hire out the whole locomotive for the ultimate Agatha Christie-inspired experience.
There is also Belmond’s Royal Scotsman, and the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, which travels between Verona, Venice and further afield, but other ultra-luxury train experiences are picking up steam across Europe, America and Asia, too. Seven Stars in Kyushu, for instance, is the only ‘seven-star’ train in Japan, pairing exquisite, minimalist aesthetics and deluxe residential suites with itineraries that include art workshops through to forest treks. And The Maharajas’ Express is an incredible way to see India in absolute splendor.
The jet on demand
Private aviation used to operate around a simple principle: if you could, you bought the jet. Today, though, many are choosing not to.
The most significant change in the space has been the rise of membership and subscription models, which provide on-demand access to jet fleets. Industry leaders, including VistaJet and Flexjet, have built businesses around the Uber-ification of private planes, alleviating many of the inconveniences of ownership.
VistaJet’s founder Thomas Flohr established the company on the precept that people should only pay for the hours they actually fly. Members have access to well-appointed, plush planes, moving between more than 2,400 airports worldwide, without ever worrying about the logistics that go on behind the scenes.
What’s more, its latest Private World collection can jet you off to a curated experience, including everything from Arctic expeditions in Norway’s Lofoten Islands and helicopter-assisted adventures in Alaska, to bespoke expeditions through Namibia and Madagascar.