Elvis Apparently HATED To Fly: “He Would Take A Customized Double-Decker Bus From Memphis To LA”

Who knew.

Now I can certainly see why the “The King of Rock ‘n’ Roll” wanted to have, and did have, his own private plane, affectionately named the “Lisa Marie” after his late daughter, but it wasn’t just because he wanted to enjoy the spoils of his extremely successful music career.

In conversation with the Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino (previously known as the International Hotel, where Elvis held his world-famous Las Vegas residency), Elvis’ stepbrother David Stanley revealed a surprising fact about him… he HATED to fly and would avoid it at all costs.

In fact, Elvis would only fly private (even before he had his own plane), and David says when he would have to be in LA during the time he was filming so many movies, he had a customized double-decker bus that he would ride back and forth across the country to avoid flying.

Additionally, he apparently loved to drive it himself a lot of the time, and David recalled seeing the bus come through the gates at Graceland, often with Elvis behind the wheel:

“Another surprising fact was that Elvis didn’t like to fly. He only started flying when he started touring and would only fly in private jets, eventually purchasing the ‘Lisa Marie.’

When he was doing movies and had to get to Hollywood, he would take a customized double-decker bus from Memphis to LA… and he loved driving for part of the trip. I recall seeing the bus returning through the gates of Graceland and Elvis was often at the wheel.”

In fact, Elvis never toured internationally, and only went over to the UK one time in March of 1960… which wasn’t even for a concert, but rather a stop at the airport to refuel, where he did get out of the plane for a brief time.

And speaking of his private plane, which he called “flying Graceland,” it’s an incredibly luxurious 1958 Convair 880, which Elvis purchased in April of 1975. He spent more than $800,000 just getting the jet remodeled, which features a living room, conference room, sitting room, and private bedroom, as well as gold-plated seat belts, suede chairs, leather covered tables, 24-karat gold-flecked sinks and more.

The Lockheed Jet Star, also customized by Elvis with a yellow and green interior, was primarily used for taking Elvis’ manager and his staff from city to city during his concert tours, because obviously he wasn’t gonna fly if he didn’t have it.

It must’ve been nice for his staff to get to use it, though, because it looks like he didn’t spare an expense, though I think after stepping foot on a plan like this, I’d never want to fly another way again.

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