Individual luxury travel is booming, be it in a private jet, on your own train or on a zeppelin. Changed circumstances have created changed needs - those for exclusivity and tranquillity have gained momentum. Private travel is on the rise, true to the motto: Prepare for take-off!

Travel is becoming increasingly important

Queuing at the airport? With a private jet this is not necessary - the plane is waiting for its exclusive guests. Without others even noticing, you board comfortably, the doors close and off you go on your dream holiday. "Luxury has become difficult to define," says travel professional Dominik Babel, who offers individual trips in the high-priced segment with Elegant Travel. "A golden tap and champagne in the room no longer interest many people at all. Instead, the experience of travelling is becoming more and more important, the exclusive access," says the expert.

For a long time, being on the road was more of a nuisance. People took on the transport in order to finally be able to relax at their destination. Even those who could have afforded to travel by private jet before Corona usually considered it an unnecessary waste of money. People preferred to save money on the journey to their destination in order to be able to spoil themselves with luxury upon arrival. The pandemic has set a new course in this regard. "The demands for safety and health have now grown among travellers," confirms Babel. "People prefer to spend more money to enjoy the luxury of being alone - so that the relaxation factor can start at home."

Luxury in the air

According to Globetrender, a British agency that forecasts travel trends, travel by private jet is greatly increasing. Adam Twidell, CEO of the exclusive flight provider Privatefly, explains this on Globetrender's homepage as follows: "Travelers are trying to avoid crowds and crowded places. Private operators are filling gaps left by the collapse of commercial airlines. This is true for both business and leisure trips."

How the flight offer will change after the pandemic is still unclear. Many commercial airlines have had to cancel routes - whether they will ever resume is questionable. Innovative providers are stepping in and offering new, tailor-made products that respond to the new circumstances. Swiss travel start-up Travelcoup Deluxe, for example, is focusing on private jet packages. "It's a concept that was long overdue," says CEO Niclas Seitz: "People want to travel safely, worry-free as well as time-efficiently and treat themselves on their first holiday in a long time." The target group is the middle premium segment, the classic premium economy or business class passenger. A trip to Mallorca with four nights in a hotel, return flight and transfer from/to the airport is offered from about 4,000 Swiss francs per person. 

Private dinner

But how does this kind of exclusive travel reconcile with the idea of environmental protection, which is becoming increasingly important? "The emissions per passenger kilometre are higher in a private jet than in a wide-bodied aircraft," admits Seitz. "We are aware of our responsibility towards the environment and automatically and completely compensate flight-related CO2 emissions on every flight. In each destination, we offer premium hotels that pay special attention to ecology, as well as transfers with electric cars," says the CEO.

The hunger for travel is great after the pandemic. It's no wonder that world travel is booming - after all, people have a lot of catching up to do. A round trip offered by Crystal Air Cruises starts at $159,000. Guests travel on a luxuriously appointed Boeing 777-200LR; butler, concierge and Michelin chefs included. Stopovers are planned on the 27-day trip in Los Angeles, Tokyo, Beijing, Bangkok and Paris, among other cities. Individual requests will also be accommodated. In Beijing, for example, you can visit the Chonghua Palace, which is normally closed to the public. Or would you prefer a private dinner on the Great Wall of China? No problem.

Eternal ice

The more unusual, the better: people who have already been almost everywhere in the world have only a few white spots on their personal travel map. The South Pole is probably one of them. The luxury hotel "Ellerman House" in Cape Town, South Africa, not only rents out villas with a fantastic view of the sea with a private chef, but also offers a trip to Antarctica by private jet and from there on to the South Pole. "White Desert Experience" is the name of the adventure, for which you should pack warm clothes. It ranges from one day including a champagne finale to stays of 24 days in the eternal ice.

The so-called "Whichaway Camp" is a small, highly exclusive hotel in Antarctica. The offer ranges from guided hikes to climbing ice formations to a relaxed picnic, depending on the fitness level. From there, the journey continues by private jet to the geographic South Pole and the legendary Amundsen-Scott Polar Station. You will travel in the Bombardier Challenger 350, a superlative private jet with space for eight guests. If you want it even more exclusive, combine the private jet with the private yacht: an eight-day trip to the Galapagos Islands for twelve guests begins with a private jet taking you to the yacht (with Jacuzzi, of course). A guide is on hand for each private tour, and a chef caters to your every need. For $49,800 per person, you're in.

slow travel

But slow travel is also in vogue. Luxury trains are the new cruise ships, only smaller, more exclusive and more environmentally friendly. For example the Japanese classic Twilight Express Mizukaze train, which focuses on exclusivity and high-quality design with only 34 passengers. The Shiki-Shima, also Japanese, has been in service since 2017 and is a five-star hotel on rails. The deluxe suite even has a working fireplace to give a real living room feel. Former Porsche and Ferrari designer Ken Okuyama is responsible for the cool design. At the same time, the futuristic-looking train offers a contemplative journey into Japanese culture. There are typical Japanese bathtubs; tea ceremonies are held.

For those who still prefer to take off, zeppelins are available. Gently gliding through the skies, traveling slowly yet with a high adventure factor. Travel experts predict the zeppelin to be a possible future of luxury travel. Zeppelins are five-star hotels in the sky; a yacht you can fly on. In 2023, this dream is set to come true. 16 tourists will then set off from Spitsbergen towards the icy north.

The best private jet providers

Avcon Jet

This provider is one of the largest European aviation companies and offers a wide range of services. With a total of 70 aircrafts worldwide, the entire spectrum of business jet models is covered. Accordingly, the network is also globally structured, which increases business flexibility in terms of customer service. Particularly good: Avcon Jet is eligible to participate in the Visa Waiver Program, which allows travelers from participating countries to visit the United States without a visa.

Privatefly

This provider offers three different ways to fly with a private jet: the private jet Card, the Privatefly Jet Account and for occasional travellers the on-demand charter.

Travelcoup Deluxe

Travelcoup Deluxe is a new way of travelling, where every travel arrangement includes a flight in a private jet. The company is based in Switzerland, founded in July 2020, with a maximum of eight passengers on the planes, but they don't necessarily have to be part of a closed group. Flights are offered from Zurich, Munich, Frankfurt and Düsseldorf.

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by travelcoup deluxe (@travelcoupdeluxe).

Boeing Business Jets

According to self-promotion Boeing Business Jets brings the best of commercial aviation to the realm of private air travel, offering customers a wide range of Boeing products that can be customized for the private, business or government sectors. The fact is, the amenities on the planes are terrific; you'll find the same amenities here as on the ground: office, bedroom, a shower, dining facilities, entertainment options, etc. - making every long-haul flight a pleasure.

JetASAP

Completely new is the concept of JetASAPwhich was only launched in 2020 and works via app - and is very easy to use. Using the app, you can search for and book a private flight. You don't have to pay a membership fee and you can contact the operator directly. The goal behind it: to make booking private jets as easy as possible. The concept itself is even patented.

 

 

 

 

 

Check out this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Credit: Hybrid Air Vehicles, 123rf, Boeing, Rainer Klostemreier, Axel Kull, : Taketo Oishi / AP / picturedesk.com, Aman Hotels