This new luxury airline is looking to go well beyond first class without the huge cost of a private jet and will only serve a handful of cities.
As premium travel becomes an increasingly important part of the airline industry, a new carrier is launching that seeks to offer an experience beyond first class, but without the huge cost of chartering a private jet.
Florida-based Magnifica Air plans to begin service in 2027, with plans for six to seven daily departures, connecting Miami, New York, Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay Area, Dallas and Houston. The airline will also offer seasonal service to Napa Valley and the Caribbean.
Magnifica has entered into long-term lease agreements with Air Lease for six new Airbus aircraft, including four A220-300s and two A321-200neos. The A321neo will serve long-haul routes and have four private suites, while the A220-300 will serve medium-haul routes and have two suites.
Each plane will only carry 45 to 54 passengers, less than half of what conventional airlines carry, and there will be no overhead compartments, increasing cabin space even more.
The service begins with a driver who picks up passengers and takes them to a private terminal, where they won’t have to wait in a TSA line, while a concierge takes care of their luggage.
Travelers can arrive as little as 30 minutes before departure. Before takeoff, they can participate in gastronomic and wellness offers. On board, select entertainment and tailor-made meals are offered in the privacy of suites and recliners. After landing, luggage arrives in 10-15 minutes, while drivers wait at the curb.
“Right now, if you want a truly luxurious experience, you have two options: pay 10 times the price of a first-class ticket for a private jet, or deal with the frustrations of commercial first-class travel, where you are still treated like just a number. Magnifica Air is entering this space,” the airline said. “We offer a completely private and transparent experience for a fraction of what you would pay to charter a plane.”
Magnifica has not yet released details on ticket prices, but a spokesperson said they will vary depending on the route and dynamic demand. Meanwhile, renting a private jet can cost several thousand dollars per hour.
The airline has announced pricing for its “The Seven Club” membership, which will offer priority access and tailored service, as well as invitations to major events like Art Basel and the Super Bowl. Family memberships will start from $14,950 and corporate memberships will start from $29,950.
Magnifica comes as major airlines rely more on first and business class passengers.
In October, Delta Air Lines said for the first time that it expected premium seat sales to surpass those of its traditional main cabin offerings by 2026, a full year earlier than expected.
“Premium products used to be loss leaders, and now they’re the higher-margin products,” Delta President Glen Hauenstein told analysts on an earnings conference call.
He added that Delta sees “many, many more opportunities in the premium sector in the years to come” and cited investments in Los Angeles, Boston, New York and Seattle “where a considerable number of premiums live. Historically, Delta was not as big in those markets as we are today.”
At the same time, Delta has introduced a very premium lounge level as its Delta Sky Club lounges become increasingly crowded.
This is indicative of a K-shaped economy, in which the richest 10% of households accounted for nearly 50% of all consumer spending in the second quarter of 2025, according to Moody’s Analytics.
Even low-cost carriers like Frontier Airlines are reducing their economy class capacity to add first class seats.
“We’ve listened to customers, and they want more: more premium options, like first-class seats, possible seat upgrades, more free travel for their companions, and the ability to use miles on more than just airline tickets,” Frontier CEO Barry Biffle said last year.
This story was originally featured on Fortune.com
