One of the world’s most iconic airlines could be returning to the skies. On October 9, 2025, the aviation merchant bank and consulting firm AVi8 Air Capital, along with Pan American Global Holdings, which owns the rights to the Pan Am brand, announced that they had finally completed their business plan, which could see Pan Am relaunched as a scheduled airline.
Following on from this, the team has also now formally started the certification process with the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
The two teams have been working since June to evaluate the prospects of a “new” Pan Am. If approved, the plan is to launch operations from Miami, the historical and spiritual home of the original Pan Am, with a fleet of Airbus aircraft.
In a statement, the company said, “The relaunch aims to revive the Pan Am legacy for a new generation of travellers. It will combine modern technology and efficiency with the airline’s original spirit of innovation, style, and service.”
And this isn’t just a pipe dream. AVi8 Air Capital brings deep experience to the venture, specialising in aviation finance, strategy, and airline management. Over the past four decades, Avi8 has helped launch two US regional airlines, led the privatisation of a major international carrier, guided certification for two US Part 121 airlines, and developed a $2 billion aircraft leasing platform for a global investment bank.
Pan Am ceased operations in 1991 after years of financial struggles. However, the name and brand have remained immensely popular in popular culture. Earlier this year, Pan Am Global Holdings chartered a Boeing 757 from Icelandair, adding the iconic globe to the tail and Pan Am titles on the fuselage, for a 12-day, round-the-world itinerary, retracing some of the airline’s classic routes.
Would you be excited to see Pan Am in the skies again?
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Yes I would but the old PanAm was very special including the best dining room in the sky in the bubble of the first 747 it’s never been beaten
Fred Finn Guinness World Record Holder most traveled person in the world including 718 flights in Concorde.