In August 2017, Julian and Kim MacQueen left Pensacola on a journey that combined aviation, hospitality research and personal adventure.
The couple planned to cross six continents in their recently delivered HondaJet, visiting hotels and communities along the way. They called the project “Around the World in 80 Stays,” a reference to Jules Verne’s novel Around the World in Eighty Days.
What began as an ambitious itinerary became the first completed flight around the world by a HondaJet. By the time the MacQueens returned to Pensacola in October, they had visited 28 countries, used 44 airports and traveled approximately 24,500 nautical miles.
The trip was not intended to be an ordinary vacation. As founders of the Pensacola-based Innisfree Hotels, the MacQueens wanted to examine how different cultures understood hospitality and how hotels could contribute to the communities around them.
Who Are Julian and Kim MacQueen?
Julian MacQueen founded Innisfree Hotels in 1985. The company grew from a small hospitality business into an owner and manager of hotels across the Gulf Coast and other parts of the United States.
MacQueen’s interest in the industry began much earlier. As a teenager, he worked in a hotel in Destin and became interested in the service side of the business. He later studied psychology at the University of South Alabama and worked at the Admiral Semmes Hotel in Mobile.
His psychology education influenced how he approached hotel management. He viewed hospitality not only as a commercial transaction but also as the creation of environments where people could meet, communicate and feel welcome.
Kim MacQueen brought a different professional perspective. She had worked as a therapist, taught at the university level and studied relationships and human development. The couple regularly exchanged ideas about business, design, service and community life.
Their shared interest in culture and human connection shaped the purpose of the 2017 trip. They wanted to see how those ideas appeared in hotels, public spaces and communities outside the United States.
A Lifelong Interest in Aviation
Julian MacQueen had been interested in flying since childhood. He began taking lessons as a teenager and used money earned from service jobs to help pay for them.
By 2017, he was an experienced pilot who had owned and operated several aircraft. The HondaJet was the third jet owned by the couple.
MacQueen had ordered the aircraft years before receiving it, while the model was still being developed. Honda Aircraft Company delivered its first customer aircraft in late 2015, and the MacQueens received theirs in 2017.
Their plane carried the registration N198HJ. Its arrival gave Julian an opportunity to combine two long-standing interests: aviation and the hotel business.
Circumnavigating the world in a light business jet required more than enthusiasm. The route had to account for the aircraft’s range, fuel availability, weather, international permits, customs rules and airports capable of supporting the plane.
Why They Chose a HondaJet
The HA-420 HondaJet was Honda’s first commercial aircraft. It was designed as a light business jet capable of carrying a small number of passengers over regional distances.
One of its most recognizable features was the placement of its engines above the wings. Most business jets carry their engines along the rear fuselage. Honda’s over-the-wing configuration was intended to reduce drag, increase cabin space and lower the amount of engine noise experienced by passengers.
The aircraft also used a Garmin G3000 flight deck with large digital displays. Its automated systems helped pilots manage navigation, communications, weather information and aircraft performance.
A light jet could not fly from Pensacola to Europe or Asia in one continuous journey. The MacQueens needed to divide the trip into shorter sections and select airports where they could refuel, clear immigration and continue safely.
This limitation shaped the adventure. Instead of flying over countries between a few major stops, the couple would land frequently and experience many different regions.
The Meaning Behind “Around the World in 80 Stays”
The name of the project suggested both travel and hospitality.
The MacQueens were not attempting to visit exactly 80 hotels. The title described a journey inspired by Verne’s fictional circumnavigation while emphasizing the places where travelers stay.
The couple planned to examine hotel architecture, interior design, service customs and the relationship between accommodation and local culture. They were particularly interested in places that did not feel separated from their surrounding communities.
A hotel can function simply as a building where visitors sleep. It can also serve as a meeting place, employ local residents, support artists, introduce regional food and direct travelers toward nearby businesses and cultural institutions.
The MacQueens wanted to identify ideas that could be brought back to Innisfree’s hotels. Their research questions included how a property could create a stronger sense of place and how hospitality could encourage connections among guests, employees and residents.
Preparing a Flight Around the World
International private aviation involves extensive preparation. Every country has its own procedures for entering its airspace, landing at an airport and allowing passengers and crew to enter.
The MacQueens worked with Shepherd Aero, a company specializing in international flight planning and operational support. Shepherd Aero helped coordinate permits, fuel, airport services, customs procedures, ground transportation and changing flight plans.
Weather presented another challenge. A route that looked practical several months earlier could become unsafe because of storms, strong winds, poor visibility or changing conditions over mountains and oceans.
The original schedule therefore included a warning that dates and destinations could change. Flexibility was necessary when operating a small aircraft across several climate zones.
The couple also needed to prepare for long flights over cold northern waters, high terrain and areas with relatively few alternative airports. Survival equipment, communications and emergency planning were part of the operation.
Honda Aircraft Company and Shepherd Aero became sponsors of the journey. For Honda, the flight offered an opportunity to demonstrate its new aircraft in different regions and operating conditions.
The Planned Route
The MacQueens planned to travel east from North America, continue through Europe and Asia, cross the northern Pacific and return to the United States.
The proposed route included stops in or near:
- Canada and Greenland;
- Iceland and Ireland;
- Portugal, Spain, France and Italy;
- Morocco, Turkey, Israel and Egypt;
- the United Arab Emirates;
- India, Nepal and Bhutan;
- Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam;
- Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia;
- Australia, Taiwan and Japan;
- Russia, Alaska and the continental United States.
Not every destination appeared exactly as first planned. International flights often change because of permits, weather, airport availability and operational needs. The completed journey ultimately included 28 countries.
Leaving Pensacola
The world tour began during the first week of August 2017. Pensacola International Airport served as the symbolic starting point.
The first major section took the HondaJet north toward Greensboro, North Carolina, where Honda Aircraft Company had its headquarters. The couple then continued through Canada and the North Atlantic route.
Flying east across the Atlantic in a light jet requires several stops. Aircraft commonly travel through northeastern Canada, Greenland and Iceland before reaching Ireland or another part of Europe.
These airports divide the ocean crossing into manageable sections. They also provide alternative landing locations if weather or aircraft conditions change.
The route offered dramatic views. The MacQueens documented icebergs near Greenland and the remote landscape surrounding northern airports. At the same time, those areas required careful attention to temperature, wind and rapidly changing weather.
Crossing Europe
After reaching Ireland, the MacQueens continued south through Portugal and Spain. Their European route also included France and Italy.
Europe provided a wide variety of hospitality traditions within relatively short flying distances. Historic hotels occupied buildings that had served other purposes for centuries, while newer properties combined local design with international service standards.
The couple could compare hotels in major cities with accommodation connected more closely to rural communities or historic districts.
They were interested in how architecture and interior design communicated identity. A hotel could use local building materials, artwork, food and landscaping to help guests understand where they were rather than offering the same experience in every country.
The European section also included aviation events connected with the HondaJet. At selected airports, the aircraft appeared in static displays or demonstration flights for potential customers and aviation professionals.
Morocco and the Mediterranean
The route next took the MacQueens across the Mediterranean and into North Africa.
Morocco exposed the aircraft and its passengers to much hotter conditions than they had encountered over Greenland and Iceland. High temperatures affect aircraft performance because warmer air is less dense, reducing lift and engine efficiency.
The couple also experienced a hospitality culture shaped by courtyards, markets, communal meals, decorative craftsmanship and strong traditions of welcoming guests.
The journey continued through Turkey and Israel. These stops allowed the MacQueens to observe places where ancient religious, commercial and cultural routes intersected with modern tourism.
The contrast between destinations was part of the project’s value. The couple was not searching for one universal hotel model. They wanted to understand how hospitality changed when it responded to different histories and communities.
A Record-Setting Flight to Dubai
After traveling through the Middle East, the HondaJet arrived in Dubai in early September.
The aircraft was displayed at the Jetex private aviation terminal, where aviation professionals and potential customers could inspect it. A demonstration flight also introduced several guests to the plane.
The journey to Dubai produced one of the tour’s speed records. The HondaJet completed the flight from Amman, Jordan, to Dubai in approximately three hours and 32 minutes.
Dubai also gave the MacQueens a very different example of the hotel industry. The city was known for large resorts, luxury properties, ambitious architecture and hospitality projects developed as major attractions rather than simply accommodation.
Its hotels showed how design and service could become part of a destination’s public identity. At the same time, the scale of Dubai contrasted sharply with the smaller community-centered properties the couple encountered elsewhere.
India, Nepal and Bhutan
From the Middle East, the MacQueens continued east into South Asia.
The route included India, Nepal and Bhutan, countries with very different geography, infrastructure and tourism traditions.
Flying near the Himalayas required particular care. Mountain terrain can create strong winds, turbulence, cloud cover and rapidly changing conditions. Airports may have limited approach paths because high ground surrounds the runway.
The descent into Bhutan became one of the journey’s most memorable aviation experiences. The country’s main international airport at Paro lies in a valley surrounded by mountains and is known for requiring specialized planning and pilot support.
The experience illustrated why a world flight could not be reduced to following a line on a map. Each destination presented its own combination of terrain, regulations, runway conditions and weather.
Travel Through Southeast Asia
The MacQueens continued through Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia.
Southeast Asia gave them examples of hospitality connected with tropical landscapes, dense urban centers, religious traditions and rapidly expanding tourism markets.
In some destinations, hotels emphasized gardens, water and open-air spaces. Others operated inside highly developed cities where efficient use of limited land was essential.
The couple also observed how food could communicate local culture. Meals, markets and regional ingredients often gave visitors a more immediate connection with a destination than standardized hotel features.
Bali became one of the journey’s visually memorable stops. The MacQueens documented its temples, landscape and wildlife while continuing to examine the relationship between tourism and local identity.
These visits raised an important hospitality question: how can a hotel introduce travelers to a culture without reducing that culture to decoration or entertainment?
Australia, Taiwan and Japan
The flight continued south toward Australia before turning north through Taiwan and Japan.
Australia represented the southernmost major stage of the route. Reaching it required long overwater legs and careful fuel planning.
Taiwan and Japan then provided contrasting examples of highly organized urban hospitality. Service in these destinations often emphasized precision, cleanliness, efficient use of space and careful attention to small details.
Japan was especially significant because Honda originated there. The arrival of a privately owned HondaJet during its first global circumnavigation connected the aircraft with the country where the company began.
The plane itself represented a global project. Honda Aircraft designed and built it in North Carolina, while its parent company had Japanese roots and an international engineering history.
Returning Across the Northern Pacific
The final international section carried the HondaJet through Russia and across the northern Pacific toward Alaska.
The flight from Khabarovsk in eastern Russia to Anchorage became another of the journey’s recorded speed achievements.
This route again required planning for remote airports, cold weather and long distances over areas with limited diversion options.
After reaching Alaska, the couple returned to the continental United States. They appeared at the National Business Aviation Association convention in Las Vegas before completing the journey in Pensacola.
Julian and Kim MacQueen arrived home on October 16, 2017, slightly more than two months after departing.
Kim MacQueen’s Role in the Cockpit
Julian served as the primary pilot, but Kim was not simply a passenger.
She spent much of the journey in the co-pilot seat and completed training intended to help her land the aircraft if an emergency prevented Julian from doing so.
Kim later said she had recorded four hours in a pilot logbook. Her preparation added another layer of safety during a journey that included ocean crossings, mountain approaches and unfamiliar airports.
She also participated fully in the hospitality research. Her background in therapy, education and human relationships gave her a perspective different from Julian’s experience as a pilot and hotel executive.
The couple had worked together for decades, testing ideas and making business decisions through discussion. The world tour continued that partnership under unusually demanding conditions.
Five Speed Records
The completed circumnavigation produced five recognized point-to-point speed records for the HondaJet.
The record routes connected:
- Pensacola and Greensboro;
- Keflavík, Iceland, and Shannon, Ireland;
- Shannon and Lisbon;
- Amman and Dubai;
- Khabarovsk and Anchorage.
The records were not based on the entire journey being completed faster than every previous circumnavigation. They applied to particular routes flown during the trip.
They nevertheless demonstrated how the aircraft performed across different environments, including North Atlantic weather, European airspace, desert heat and the northern Pacific.
The Final Numbers
By the end of the journey, the MacQueens had traveled through 28 countries and landed at 44 airports.
The HondaJet covered approximately 24,500 nautical miles, equivalent to more than 44,000 kilometers. Honda also reported the distance as approximately 27,340 statute miles.
The aircraft accumulated about 80 hours of flight time during the circumnavigation.
Those 80 hours did not include the much larger amount of time spent on the ground. The couple stayed in destinations, visited hotels, met local residents, attended aircraft events and waited for weather, permits and operational arrangements.
The project’s title therefore became unexpectedly appropriate. The number 80 described both its literary inspiration and the approximate number of hours the HondaJet spent in the air.
What the Journey Taught About Hospitality
The MacQueens returned with photographs, videos and notes from hotels and communities across the route.
The central lesson was that hospitality did not begin with expensive furniture or a list of amenities. It began with how people welcomed others and created a sense of belonging.
Design still mattered. Architecture, artwork, lighting, food and landscaping could connect a property with its location. Those elements were most effective when they reflected real community relationships rather than superficial themes.
The trip also reinforced the idea that a hotel could serve local residents as well as travelers. Restaurants, meeting areas, cultural programs and public events could make a property part of its community.
This was particularly relevant to Innisfree, whose hotels operated in Gulf Coast destinations where tourism strongly influenced local employment and development.
More Than a Promotional Flight
The journey undoubtedly created publicity for HondaJet and Innisfree Hotels. The aircraft appeared at airports around the world, and the couple documented the trip through a website and social media.
Yet the project also required genuine operational commitment. The MacQueens crossed oceans, navigated unfamiliar airspace and adapted to conditions across several continents.
They could not complete the trip simply by purchasing an aircraft and announcing an itinerary. Success depended on pilot training, technical support, international coordination and the willingness to revise plans when conditions changed.
The completed flight became both an aviation milestone and a business research project.
A Pensacola Story with a Global Route
“Around the World in 80 Stays” began and ended in Pensacola, but almost every stage took the MacQueens far beyond Northwest Florida.
The journey connected a Gulf Coast hotel company with destinations across Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Asia and Australia. It also made a Pensacola pilot the first owner to complete a global circumnavigation in a HondaJet.
When the original trip was announced in August 2017, the route was still a plan containing dozens of opportunities for delay or cancellation. By October, that plan had become a completed journey covering 28 countries and five record-setting flight segments.
The MacQueens returned with evidence that aviation could connect distant communities quickly. Their hospitality research suggested something equally important: arriving in a place was only the beginning. Understanding it required meeting people, studying local traditions and paying attention to how a community welcomed its guests.
For Julian and Kim MacQueen, the world flight united those ideas. The aircraft made the route possible, but hospitality gave the journey its purpose.