Hollywood actor John Travolta spotted flying out of Queenstown Airport

Hollywood actor John Travolta has been spotted jetting out Queenstown this afternoon after spending the past week in the South Island resort town.

It appears the 70-year-old star was behind the controls and was photographed in the cockpit and on the tarmac.

Travolta was flying in what looks to be a Falcon 900 private jet, which is the model the actor flew to the Paris Olympics last month.

A source told the Herald the actor arrived in Queenstown on Friday last week and was thought to be staying at an upscale luxury lodge in the area.

“Whenever I feel stressed, I just want to hop on a plane to Queenstown,” Travolta has said in the past.

The Dassault Falcon 900 is a multimillion-dollar luxury jet built by French aircraft manufacturer Dassault Aviation that can accommodate up to 14 people. Only 177 were built during its production between 1986 and 1999.

Herald exclusive: John Travolta waves to onlookers at Queenstown Airport from his private jet on September 4. Photo / Supplied exclusively to Herald

Travolta may have been visiting the resort town on a ski trip – the family are known to be avid skiers – but the weather in Queenstown has been up and down, although Saturday was reported to be a good day.

The Grease actor has been flying for most of his life, having gained his private pilot’s licence at 22 years old.

He lives at a fly-in community in Florida called Jumbolair Aviation Estates and owns several aircraft, many of which he keeps at his private estate.

The Hollywood star is a frequent flyer who shares photos and videos of many of his travel and piloting experiences with his 5.4 million Instagram followers.

Travolta is also a worldwide ambassador for Qantas Airlines, having flown as a pilot for the company on two worldwide tours promoting the aviation industry.

John Travolta spotted departing Queenstown Airport in his private jet on September 4, 2024. Photo / Supplied exclusively to NZ Herald

He even owns a Boeing 707-138 that used to be part of Qantas’ fleet. The company originally leased it to the actor until he took on the ambassadorship.

Travolta currently holds eight jet licences, according to the National Air and Space Museum.

As well as the Boeing 707, these include ones for a Boeing 747, a Gulfstream II, a Hawker 125, a Lear 24, 25 and 26, a British Vampire Jet and a Canadair CL-41 Tebuan jet.

In March 2022, he revealed via Instagram his most recent aviation credential; the licence to fly a 737 aeroplane.

“A very proud moment in my aviation history,” Travolta said in a video.

Actor John Travolta reportedly arrived in Queenstown on Friday last week. Photo / Supplied exclusively to NZ Herald

“To add to my 747 and 707 licences, I just received my 737 licence, and it went very well, so just sharing my moment with you.”

With picturesque views of the Otago landscape promised from the cockpit, hopefully, Travolta’s trip to Queenstown was the de-stresser he was looking for.

Travolta isn’t the only big name who has headed to the South Island getaway in the past year.

In December, Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary of Denmark made their way to Queenstown for a pre-Christmas family holiday with three of their four children.

Taika Waititi and Jenna Ortega were also understood to have shot a film adaptation of Kazuo Ishiguro’s 2021 bestselling novel, Klara and the Sun, in the alpine tourist town earlier this year.