Carry On Airlines

Phoenix, AZ, United States

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Carry On Airlines

Phoenix, AZ, United States

Firm

PETERMAX Co

Type

Hospitality + Sport › Bar/Nightclub

STATUS

Built

YEAR

2024

SIZE

0 sqft - 1000 sqft

BUDGET

Undisclosed

Carry On Airlines transforms a narrow storefront in downtown Phoenix into the cabin of a mid-century jetliner, turning a constrained urban shell into a fully immersive journey through time. Guests approach through a custom jetway and step across a glowing “air gap” before entering a 1970s wide-body aircraft cabin, where curved walnut bulkheads, brass reveals, and softly lit windows establish the spatial rhythm of a fuselage.

The design draws from Eero Saarinen’s TWA Flight Center at JFK, translating its sweeping curves and theatrical circulation into a compact interior. A central aisle organizes the space like a retro first-class cabin, reinforcing both spatial clarity and narrative immersion within a tightly constrained footprint.

Within that shell, the bar operates as a choreographed experience. Each evening unfolds as a ninety-minute “flight,” complete with boarding passes, in-cabin announcements, and service rituals inspired by vintage airline hospitality. LED windows trace evolving flight paths that shift over time—originally charting a route from San Francisco to Mexico City, and more recently from New York to Tokyo—revealing aerial landmarks while ambient engine rumble and shifting cabin lighting simulate takeoff, cruising altitude, turbulence, and descent. Service infrastructure and storage are fully concealed, preserving the illusion of a continuous aircraft interior while maintaining ADA-compliant circulation and operational efficiency.

Rather than relying on renovation, the venue evolves through new “routes” that refresh visual content, menus, and soundscapes without altering the architecture. Salvaged aviation artifacts—including a folding lavatory door—are paired with newly fabricated beverage carts, extending the logic of in-flight service into the spatial experience. Within just 730 square feet, Carry On Airlines distills the language of flight into a fully realized piece of experiential architecture.