Flying high in luxury is back in vogue, and commercial and private airlines are becoming creative in their offerings

The height of glamorous travelling used to be the luxury of being as far away from the plane's noisy rotating propeller as possible. But that was the beginning of the 20th century and things have changed dramatically - fortunately for the better.

Today, first class in commercial planes and private jet travel are competing on every possible level to dazzle on all fronts even before boarding the plane, to enable any requests and to take to the beauty of the wondrous skies.

"The glamour of air travel is back - affluent travellers are looking for memorable experiences and airlines are getting more creative with their offerings" says Gabriele Sappok-Klink, a luxury travel specialist at Imagine, a global creative communications agency.

Whether you're looking for an exclusive three-room suite in the sky complete with your own butler and inflight chef - a la Etihad Airways' The Residence - or a fully individualised private jet in your colour of choice, it's all about making the journey as luxurious as - if not more than - your holiday experience itself.

This is a concept that has been revived from some of the earliest days of commercial flying. Pan Am, the largest carrier in the United States from 1927 until its demise in 1991, was the cognoscenti when it came to premium travel. Endless alluring stories emerge from travellers across the world who hit the clouds in the finest luxury with Pan Am's commercial offering. "Nobody was that chic, nobody," says Elaine De Santos, a retired Pan Am flight attendant who is working on a book about her life in the skies.

At the height of its reign in the era of the television series, , Pan Am modernised its fleet with bridal suites, dining areas and salons to cater to the glitz associated with flying. Pan Am also filled its planes with the world's most beautiful people as crew - evident in the television series on ABC titled starring Margot Robbie - who could all speak multiple languages, dressed in famous designer garb and charm everyone holding a cocktail. Corey Kilgannon, in his piece, "When Flying Was Caviar", says that Pan Am's service and cuisine were inspired by the famous Maxim's of Paris with an additional "personal flair".

"When it comes to flying, the most important aspects for VIPs are access, convenience and luxury amenities," says Stephen McGee, attaché at Luxury Attaché in New York. Top travellers, the ones not in private, require butlers, chefs, masseurs and even Hermès sheets at 30,000 ft. McGee says "jetsetters have adjusted their lifestyles to flying in five-star hotels rather than cattle cars". It's as much about the preflight experience as it is about your time in the sky. Qatar Airways can certainly impress in the air, with their new Airbus A380 with just eight first class cabins, complete with extra wide seats, Christian Dior and Giorgio Armani amenity kits, the extra length flat bed and spa-like bathrooms. The entire experience feels like a "sanctuary in the sky". What gives Qatar Airways an extra advantage, however, is its special care services. Besides the Savoy-trained butler in the air, its on-the-ground experience is equally extravagant. First-class passengers are accompanied by a private concierge through a special, much faster, customs and security check point and then are led to the lounge area with dining and pampering options.

Qatar's flagship lounge, which is only for first-class passengers at the Hamad International Airport, opens in the next few months.