The Best Film-Themed Travel Destinations

Many of the world’s most recognisable film locations have become major cinema tourism destinations. Discerning travellers regularly weave these iconic settings into seasonal European or North American itineraries, using private jet charter to build bespoke tours linking different production sites without the rigid connections of scheduled services.

Visiting sites from the big screen often involves navigating unique regional logistics, so a coordinated travel plan is essential to ensure the journey runs smoothly. Here are our top film-themed travel destinations to visit by private charter.

Tunisia - Star Wars

The Star Wars franchise has brought in roughly $10 billion at the box office, making it one of the most successful series in cinema history. If you’re looking to visit famous locations from the films, the southern Tunisian desert is still home to some of the original backdrops used to depict the fictional planet of Tatooine. Built over four decades ago near the oasis town of Nefta, many of the main sets remain out in the dunes and welcome travellers year-round.

As these production sites are buried deep in the Sahara, reaching them using local transport isn't realistic. The remote landscape naturally lends itself to a privately coordinated trip, with Tozeur–Nefta International Airport (TOE) acting as a direct point of entry for those travelling by private charter right to the edge of the desert.

The Caribbean - Pirates of the Caribbean

For tourists tracking down movie-inspired travel experiences, the Caribbean’s many islands offer a clear route into cinematic history. The Pirates of the Caribbean films were shot in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, with Wallilabou Bay serving as the primary port set. Further north, Jamaica’s capital, Kingston, is home to several more locations used in the franchise.

The main appeal of a production-themed tour here is the ease of combining film history with a broader luxury Caribbean getaway – travellers can unwind at secluded beaches and premium five-star resorts in between visiting coastal spots from the big screen.

Argyle International Airport (SVD) on Saint Vincent is the main gateway for arrivals into the archipelago. A private charter is the best way to hop between the islands, enabling you to fly at times that suit you while avoiding the queues and baggage constraints of commercial flights.

New York City - SATC, Birdman, The Avengers

From the classic street scenes of Sex and the City to the Broadway backdrops of Birdman and the mega-blockbuster action of The Avengers, Manhattan is one of the world's most filmed locations and an essential stop on any itinerary taking in North America’s iconic movie destinations. Planning a bespoke tour is a great way to enjoy popular tourist landmarks whilst discovering how different productions incorporated neighbourhoods like Greenwich Village, Chelsea, SoHo and Tribeca.

For Hollywood film location travel, navigating The Big Apple’s many sets by private transport is a practical way to manage your time and bypass the heaviest road traffic. If you’re flying by private jet charter to New York, opt to land at a dedicated private aviation hub such as Teterboro Airport (TEB) or Westchester County Airport (HPN) and your driver can collect you straight from the runway.

London - Harry Potter, Sherlock Holmes, James Bond

England’s capital and the surrounding counties have appeared in many big-screen franchises, making for an exciting stay packed with film location travel destinations. Private transport enables you to discover several fictional worlds in one visit – take a helicopter flight just outside the city to Watford’s Harry Potter studio sets, returning to central London to see the real-world locations that inspired Sherlock Holmes or secret service backdrops from James Bond films like No Time To Die.

Cinematic trips to London can smoothly transition between filming locations and the city’s many West End theatres, Michelin-starred restaurants and historic hotels. Keep your schedule flexible by arriving directly into a business jet hub, arranging a private jet charter to London Biggin Hill Airport (BQH) to skip the busy commercial terminal and move straight from the tarmac to a private vehicle.

Hawaii - Jurassic Park

Home to several sites from Steven Spielberg’s Jurassic Park franchise, Hawaii is perfect for a film-themed tropical escape. In Oahu, the dense jungles of the Kualoa, Hakipu’u and Ka’a’awa Valleys are home to primary sets from The Lost World: Jurassic Park and the Indominus Rex paddock from Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, while the island’s exotic landscape was also used in award-winning TV series Lost. More real-world movie sets can be found on Kauai and the Big Island.

Island-hopping by private charter is the best way to experience Hawaii’s movie destinations in a single trip, ensuring total schedule flexibility and allowing passengers to transition directly from private helicopter flyovers of the valleys straight back to their aircraft. Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL) in Honolulu is the primary gateway to the region.

Get a closer look behind the scenes with Air Charter Service

Travelling by private jet enables complex, multi-stop itineraries to flow seamlessly without the restrictions of commercial flights. Whether it’s a tailored journey tracing classic production sets across Europe or an island-hopping route through the Caribbean, we can take care of every element of your trip, from sourcing the ideal charter aircraft to arranging direct ground transfers and luxury accommodation through our experts at The Travel Division.

To look at private jet charter options or start mapping out a specific cinema-inspired route, contact us to talk directly with a member of our team.