MIAMI – (October 9, 2025) – AVi8 Air Capital (“Avi8”) announced today that it has successfully completed its comprehensive business plan for the potential relaunch of Pan American World Airways® as a scheduled commercial airline.
In June 2025, Pan Am® Brands, a division of Pan American Global Holdings® LLC, and Avi8 Air Capital announced a strategic partnership to evaluate the feasibility of reintroducing Pan Am® as a scheduled commercial airline. As a result, Pan Am® has formally initiated the certification process with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), a key step toward re-establishing Pan Am® as a U.S. Part 121 scheduled carrier (subject to all FAA and US DOT approvals). Avi8 has assembled a world-class team to lead the certification effort and has received strong initial support from aircraft lessors and key vendors.
Once certified, Pan Am® will be headquartered in Miami and operate a fleet of Airbus aircraft, subject to all FAA and DOT approvals. Further updates on the certification process and other milestones will be shared in the coming months.
About AVi8 Air Capital
AVi8 Air Capital is a specialized aviation merchant bank and strategic consulting firm providing expertise in airline strategy, fleet financing, and operational management. The firm has a proven track record of success in airline startups, restructurings, and large-scale aviation investments and in the last 40 years has launched two US based regional express airlines, privatized a major international airline, and led the 121 certification for the launch of two US part 121 scheduled airlines and also led the development of a $2 billion aircraft leasing platform for a major investment bank. For more info: www.avi8air.com.
About Pan American Global Holdings®
Pan American Global Holdings®, LLC, is the owner of the Pan Am® brand, a name synonymous with glamorous airline travel, products and world class experiences. For more information visit www.panam.com.
Pan Am: A Brief History
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Founded in 1927, Pan American Airways started as a small mail and passenger service flying from Key West, Florida to Havana, Cuba.
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It quickly grew into the world’s most famous international airline, pioneering routes across Latin America, the Atlantic, and the Pacific.
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Pan Am became synonymous with innovation: introducing the Boeing 707 jet, the jumbo jet era with the Boeing 747, and even early computerized reservation systems.
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At its peak in the mid-20th century, Pan Am symbolized luxury and America’s global reach in aviation.
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After deregulation and financial troubles, Pan Am ceased operations in 1991.
Pan Am’s Relationship with South Florida
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South Florida was Pan Am’s cradle and global headquarters.
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The airline’s base was the Pan American Seaplane Terminal on Dinner Key in Coconut Grove (Miami), built in the 1930s to serve massive flying boats that connected Miami with Latin America and the Caribbean.
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Miami became known as the “Gateway to the Americas” largely because of Pan Am’s influence.
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The airline headquartered its training facilities and administrative offices in the Miami area, attracting thousands of employees, and shaping South Florida’s role as an aviation hub.
Video of the last Pan Am flight from Miami International Airport back in 1991 as viewed from Perimeter Road.
Pan Am and Miami Springs
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In 1929, Pan Am built the Pan American Airway’s Technical Headquarters just west of Miami Airport.
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Many Pan Am employees lived in Miami Springs, making it effectively a “company town” for Pan Am families through the 1930s–1980s.
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The airline also invested in nearby Pan American’s training academy, where pilots and crew from around the world trained—further cementing Miami Springs’ identity as a hub of aviation life.
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Even today, Miami Springs carries reminders of this heritage: street names, community memory, and historic ties to Pan Am and Glenn Curtiss.
