Daily Pampering: The Only Way to Fly to the Masters Golf Tournament

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Have you ever flown into Augusta, Georgia? It’s a tiny airport, and you’re not going to get amazing flights. It just doesn’t work that way. This poses a problem for those planning to go to the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club, the most prestigious event the game has to offer. So, instead of dealing with the misery of airline travel – does it get worse than flying with the great unwashed? – fly down in style. Don’t let a cramped sweaty flight taint the experience of watching the coveted green jacket on the person who can only be described as golf‘s master.

Linear Air is ready to make your experience perfect. Book your trip by the end of March, and you’ll pick up a 10 percent discount … but that’s not the point of flying this way. Go the exclusive route, and you’ll have an incredible experience from start to finish, rather than merely from arrival to departure. The tournament may run from April 8 – 11, 2009, but your experience begins with wheels up – not tee off.

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Daily Pampering: Dash off to the Bahamas in style

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Travel would be great if it weren’t for airports, right? Even if you fly first class, there are still plenty of ways for the experience to go sour — from the morons in line at front of you at the security checkpoint to the long wait for your bags at the carousel. And on the plane, you have to cope with flight attendants and first class seating that falls short of the luxury you’ll experience at your destination. The solution, of course, is exclusive jet travel, and Linear Air has just what you need.

This upscale service takes the headache out of travel, making your experience top-shelf from start to finish — not just from arrival to departure. If you’re in New York or Boston and want to escape the cold for a while, take advantage of a special that Linear Air is running, with one-way fares dipping below $9,900 to the Bahamas. Once you set foot on one of the company’s Eclipse 500 jets, you’ll wonder why you ever bothered to fly with the
prolies.

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[Photo courtesy of Linear Air]

Ultimate Christmas gift: Flexjet to the Olympics

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Have you booked your ticket to Vancouver yet? The Winter Olympics are coming, and you can count on flights being packed. When that happens, even first class flying’s a drag. And, there’s no upscale treatment for every other part of the travel experience — from curb to gate and baggage claim to the door — which is were you’re bound to spend at least several hours on your journey. If you want to make your trip to the Games memorable, skip the airlines and go private. The Flexjet 25 Jet Card program offers the travel experience you deserve, and a partnership with the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games will get you access to behind the scenes action that the regular fans won’t even know is possible. Quantities are limited, and you’ll need to travel between February 26 and March 1, 2010.

Guests buying the Flexjet 25 Jet Card — 2010 Gold Edition will receive exclusive access to an award-winning athlete and a look behind the action in Vancouver. But, this is nothing compared to tickets to the events that everyone wants to see: the Closing Ceremony, Men’s Ice Hockey Gold Medal Game, Figure Skating Gala Exhibition and three Short-Track Speed Skating gold medal races. You’ll also receive three nights at Vancouver’s Sutton Place Hotel and access to the city’s top restaurants. And you’ll have your choice of jets, including the Learjet 40 XR, Learjet 45 XR, Learjet 60, Challenger 300 or Challenger 604 business jets.

This is far more than mere private jet travel: the latest from Flexjet 25 is an unparalleled experience in one of the world’s most memorable athletic traditions.

“We continually search for ways to create unique travel opportunities that provide unparalleled access for our owners, wherever their travels take them,” said Sylvain Levesque, Vice President, Marketing, Flexjet 25. “In a time when consumers are more discerning with their spending, we are excited to offer this once-in-a-lifetime experience that jet card owners will remember for years to come.”

Sead Dizdarevic, Chairman and CEO of Jet Set Sports, which is partnering with Flexjet, “Our partnership is a winning combination of the best in private aviation with the premier hospitality our customers have come to look forward to at the Games.”

This is the second jet card inspired by an expert offer. Last year’s involved exclusive access to private meeting experts, with packages offering inside looks at the art world with Barbara Guggenheim and learning to play Texas Hold ’em from World Poker Tour bracelet winner Antonio Esfandiari, among others.

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Dream Escape: the name says it all

by Tom Johansmeyer on

The problem with most vacation packages is that they’re … well … packaged. You may have some room for a little tweaking, but you aren’t going to stray far from the menu. As an alternative, you could reach out to an upscale travel agent or concierge, but you’ll probably wind up with an experience centered on destinations rendered inaccessible only by price – which, for a particular demographic, isn’t inaccessible at all. For those with the means to clear all but the most absurd of financial hurdles, the real challenge becomes getting into the places that are designed to keep you out – or which at least aren’t intended to accommodate.

This is where David Tobin’s Dream Escape excels.

Dream Escape is Scotland’s most exclusive travel planning company, constructing careful and extensive vacation experiences that you won’t find anywhere else … and may not even dream up on your own. Whether you want to inhabit a castle for a few weeks, taste the latest single malt before the rest of the world learns of its existence or zip around the Scottish countryside (there’s lots of it) in the sports car of your fantasies and toss your head onto a different pillow each night, Tobin can probably put together an itinerary that will turn you on.

The process begins well before you hit the road, with Tobin’s team getting a sense for what you like and what you don’t, soliciting any specifics you’ve already chosen and providing ideas that may not occur to you on your own – if you don’t know what can be done, you won’t know to ask. Groups of all sizes can be handled, including celebrations involving hundreds of your closest friends … all of whom expect to be carted around on private jets.

By the time you land in Scotland, everything is ready (well, the details are actually nailed down long before the wheels on your Gulstream drop). You’ll be accompanied throughout your escape by an expert on the details of your trip, though you can certainly choose to have some elbow room if you like. In my mind, this concierge is like an easily accessible itinerary: I don’t print them, and I don’t read them … but I want someone to let me know where I should be someplace, when and how to get there. This is just one of the ways in which the annoyances of travel are stripped out of your trip, and you are truly free to enjoy yourself fully.

The “everything’s taken care of” mentality can manifest itself in unusual ways, underscoring how closely Dream Escape watches even the smallest of moving parts. One party, for example, wanted to drive – a collection of sports cars (such as Lamborghinis) was the backbone of the getaway. Obviously, these rides were waiting for the guests when they landed; that’s just common sense. Each one had a GPS device with directions for the entire trip already planned into it – now, that’s thinking! And since people like me exist (i.e., navigationally impaired), the cars were stocked with prepaid cell phones that had the relevant digits already added to speed dial. The only thing missing was an imaginary friend to whisper words of wisdom into the guests’ ears. As soon as there’s a way to pull that off, I’m sure Tobin will find a way to work it into somebody’s vacation.

Doubtless, you’ve figured out by now that working with Dream Escape can be pretty costly. And, you’re right. These trips are not for the weak of wallet. Specific prices vary with the nature of your plans, especially if they involve private residences (such as castles), luxury jets or rare automobiles. Tobin did tell me that it’s possible to pull a trip together toward the lower end of the five-figure range, but it’s pretty clear to me that it takes a bit more than that to unleash the full power of his talent and connections. There are plenty of experiences out there in the $30,000 to $50,000 neighborhood – but if you’re ready to drop more than $100,000, I have a feeling Tobin’s imagination is the only limit.

Now, if you’re looking to roll at this level, you’re probably concerned about discretion. The last thing you’d want is a guy like me hearing – and writing – about your tastes, means and experiences. Well, you’ll be comforted to know there’s plenty Tobin wouldn’t tell me, and names were just the tip of this confidential iceberg. Your secrets will be safe.

Conspicuous luxury is a bit taboo during a recession – nothing makes peasants revolt quite like seeing the haves living the good life. So, skip the new house, watch or car, and call Tobin. Dream Escape will deliver the experience of your life, and nobody needs to know about it – except the like-minded folks you want to see drooling over what Tobin pulled off for you.

Flexjet cards moving, as even the rich feel the sting

by Tom Johansmeyer on

The days of the private jet may be over – or at least put off for a while – but those with means are still doing all they can to avoid commercial flights. Fuel prices have come down over the past year, but it still costs a bundle to put a private jet in the sky, especially when much of that “extra cash” has disappeared.

So, it looks like uncooperative financial markets are making private jet alternatives, such as the Flexjet 25 Jet Card, pretty attractive. In fact, sales for this particular solution are up this year … pretty surprising in this market. The company had a record-setting month in January and is about to double its sales team. When you look a little deeper, though, you can see why the wealthy are going with a “debit card” for flying.

In addition to the sheer cost of owning, managing and operating a private jet, this group of travelers is looking to the future. The effective price per flight increases when you consider the expenses that come with keeping a jet on the ground – from crew to storage. Even if the worst of the financial crisis is behind us, the absence of recovery means that jet owners are worse off than they were 12 months ago. Without a distinct change for the better, this population needs to reconsider its commitment to private flying.

With fewer flight hours logged, the ground costs become proportionately higher, leading many to question the sense of having a jet at all. The Flexjet 25 Jet Card is among the solutions that can help the truly upscale traveler cut personal expenses without luxury. Since it offers the best of both worlds – conspicuous luxury at a lower price – it’s hardly surprising that the card is gaining traction right now.

Flexjet’s good news may be indicative of a broader trend in the travel industry, particularly among high net worth travelers. Doubtless, financial pressures lead people to make cuts, and the rich are no exception. But, it would be hasty to conclude that a dip in the Dow means total abstinence from the good life. Gradual change, when possible, is the likely course of action. As the recession runs its course, it may give life to a new breed of luxury travel companies that make comfort, convenience and style more affordable … but hardly cheap.