The Cheshire-based luxury operator said its Cruise Collection flights would cut out long road journeys or inconvenient departure times.

Pre-priced departures are available from Manchester, Leeds-Bradford, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Birmingham airports to Southampton airport, with onward transfers to the city’s cruise port.

London flights and flights from other airports are available on request.

Prices are based on passengers per flight, and include all airport handling and landing fees, standard drinks and catering, and transfers. Flights are operated by Learjet 75, Cessna Citation II and Nextant 400XTI private jets.

Neil Baines, chief executive of Journeys by Jet and Flitestar, said the move would formalise and consolidate the two businesses’ ad hoc cruise flights, offering passengers and travel agents a “luxury alternative” for cruise departures.

Baines said Cruise Collection passengers will be able to transit through their departure airport and board their aircraft in around 15 minutes. He added the company had “worked closely” with a number of major cruise lines operating out of Southampton to develop the programme and meet the needs of discerning cruise passengers.

Cruise Collection flights are also available from London Biggin Hill airfield and Manchester airport to Barcelona and Rome (for Civitavecchia port), as well as other regional airports on request.

Additionally, Journeys by Jet has developed a secondary programme connecting guests to Belmond Afloat in France’s collection of luxury, fully crewed barge voyages on the French canal network. It is offering travel to 12 French regional airports, with transfers direct to barge departures.

Journeys by Jet is a member of the Travel Trust Association. All Cruise Connection air fares are commissionable by agents at a rate of 10%.