Think package tours means being stuck on a tour bus and eating tourist traps? Think again. High-end package tour operators are stepping up with round-the-world tours by private jet. Private jet travel is being adopted by high-end tour operators, like Abercrombie & Kent and TCS Expeditions, who are marketing five-figure, around the world expeditions that visit all corners of the globe.

These journeys encompass remote destinations that may be tricky to reach via commercial airlines without multiple connections and long layovers. Most of these trips also allow travelers to bypass hectic airport check-ins and avoid lengthy customs and immigration lines. Boarding and luggage handling is also expedited, and most trips also feature knowledgeable guest lecturers who travel alongside the participants.

Costs for these trips usually don’t include round-trip airfare between home cities to the designated meeting location, passport and visa fees, and personal expenses such as immunizations. Around-the-world jetsetters tend to be between the ages of 50 and 70 years old however, the age range of participants has been declining, with baby boomers and even some travelers in their forties signing on. While the prices for such trips are at a premium, though probably not too far off from traversing the globe on a series of first class tickets, these tours are in demand. In fact, most of the 2008 itineraries are already sold out and tour companies are already marketing trips well into next year. Here’s a look at the major players.

Abercrombie & Kent

Abercrombie & Kent, which has been offering private jet programs since 1989, established a division devoted to private jet travel in 2006 to keep up with demand. Its Boeing 757 accommodates 52 passengers and is outfitted with a lounge in the back. Multilingual tour escorts accompany travelers on every expedition.

Available Trips: Four in 2008 and four in 2009

Duration: 22 to 26 days

What You’ll See: The Nine Wonders of the World tour includes stops in Machu Picchu, Peru, Easter Island, and the ancient city of Petra in Jordan. Tour highlights in 2009 include a new 23-day itinerary called Empires & Sultans, which visits Malta, India, Laos, Vietnam, Egypt and Turkey. Perks: A luggage manager travels along on all private jet journeys to ensure expedited luggage handling throughout the program, and more importantly, that all bags and purchases made along the way arrive safely.

Cost: $64,950+ per person

TCS Expeditions

TCS Expeditions has operated nearly 100 private jet trips to more than 95 countries since 1995. A custom-fitted Boeing 757 is reconfigured to accommodate just 74 passengers. TCS Expeditions has developed itineraries that encompass the far corners of the world including remote cities in Asia, Africa, South America and the South Pacific. TCS Expeditions’ sister company is Travcoa, a tour provider that offers the same programs along with other escorted journeys.

Available Trips: One in 2008 and eight in 2009

Duration: 14 to 25 days

What You’ll See: The Around the World Wonders tour jets to nine different destinations, beginning in Guatemala and ending in Istanbul, Turkey. The itinerary for History’s Lost Cities brings travelers to temples in India, Jordan, Laos and Cambodia, home to the ornate Angkor Wat, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Perks: The plane has been specially equipped for in-flight presentations by lecturers who accompany the trip. A unique audio system with individual earpieces keeps travelers in touch with local guides and TCS faculty during sightseeing excursions. In addition, TCS has partnered with the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative, a small group of physicians who specialize in international health and humanitarian aid; some trips include an HHI physician on the lecture team.

Cost: $38,950+ per person

Smithsonian Journeys

Smithsonian Journeys is the educational travel program of the Smithsonian Institution. Travelers board a private Boeing 757 that is specially configured to accommodate 88 seats.

Available Programs: Two in 2008 and three in 2009

Duration: 21 to 26 days

What You’ll See: One unique vacation with an educational twist is Extraordinary Cultures, a 25-day around the world journey where travelers explore the cultures of Papua New Guinea’s Huli Wigmen, Mali’s Dogon stilt dancers, New Zealand’s Maori people. Lands of the Great Buddha is Smithsonian Journeys’ current featured tour and takes travelers to the Buddhist centers in India, Vietnam, Bhutan, and Nepal.

Perks: Tours are led by world-class Smithsonian experts.

Cost: $44,950+ per person

Starquest Expeditions

Starquest Expeditions was founded in the fall of 2003 by a team of veteran travel industry professionals, who have traveled to well over 200 countries. Starquest’s Boeing 747 accommodates 88 passengers. Starquest’s Lands of the Great Buddha tour is sponsored by Smithsonian Journeys.

Available Programs: One in 2008 and six in 2009

Duration: 14 to 25 days

What You’ll See: Travelers on the Empires of the Near East tour get the chance to explore the crossroads of civilizations in the Mediterranean, North Africa, and Asia stopping off in Uzbekistan, Tunisia and the temples of Ramses II and Nefertari in Egypt. The Legendary Cultures tour whisks participants from Mongolia to Ethiopia, with pit stops to Australia and New Guinea along the way.

Perks: Travelers have options. If traveler has already visited a stop such as Angkor Wat, alternate arrangements can be made for them to visit Hanoi. If Tibet’s high altitude is troublesome, a visit to the Chinese city Xian can be substituted. Starquest also leaves blocks of time free in some destinations, when travelers can choose among activities such as horseback-riding and hiking.

Cost: $64,950+ per person