Everyone knows how the story goes: You get to the airport and have to search out your approach to your airline check-in desk, present your ID and drop your checked luggage off. Then, you discover your approach to the Transportation Safety Administration checkpoint, place all of your belongings on the scanner, retrieve them and discover your approach to your gate (or a lounge, when you’ve got entry).
However what if I informed you there is a a lot better model of this story? At many airports throughout the U.S. and even overseas, there’s a variety of corporations catering to anybody seeking to really feel like a VIP, even when only for a day. A few of the providers provided by these concierge suppliers embrace meet-and-greets, baggage help, expedited safety screening, translation providers and extra privateness when going via the airport. In some instances, they will even get you right into a lounge so you may calm down and be pampered.
All of those providers come at a premium. Nonetheless, for anybody who values their privateness or time — or just needs to get rid of among the obstacles the airport expertise entails — these VIP airport providers could also be price the additional cost.
Listed below are those it’s best to try everytime you really feel like an improve to superstar standing is warranted.
SkySquad
SkySquad gives providers at simply 5 U.S. airports: Baltimore/Washington Worldwide Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI), Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood Worldwide Airport (FLL), Las Vegas’ Harry Reid Worldwide Airport (LAS), Los Angeles Worldwide Airport (LAX) and Orlando Worldwide Airport (MCO). Its mission assertion is “to empower people and households to journey with confidence,” and it does simply that by providing the next sorts of concierge providers on the above airports:
- Curb-to-gate or gate-to-curb service for departures, arrivals and layovers
- Assist with carrying luggage and loading them onto safety checkpoint scanner belts
- Examine-in help
- Entry to TSA precedence lanes and help whereas going via safety
- Navigation via the airport, plus baggage chaperoning, so that you and your loved ones can use restrooms or seize a meal with out worrying about your belongings
Companies value $179 for both departure, arrival or connecting itineraries and embrace as much as two hours of help. You may e-book SkySquad’s providers by calling 877-359-2256. Bear in mind, SkySquad requires making your reserving at the very least 24 hours previous to your travels, and all modifications and cancellations to your already booked providers have to be made with greater than 24 hours’ discover to keep away from incurring further expenses.
Extra providers — together with wheelchairs, help with customs and passport management for worldwide arrivals, and chaperones for unaccompanied minors — aren’t offered.
SkyVip
SkyVip is current at most main airports within the U.S., in addition to at airports in over 100 different international locations. The corporate gives three tiers for its concierge airport help, relying on how a lot hand-holding you are searching for throughout your arrivals, departures and connections.
Reward your inbox with the TPG Every day e-newsletter
Be a part of over 700,000 readers for breaking information, in-depth guides and unique offers from TPG’s consultants
Its first tier, VIP Meet & Greet, gives a welcome upon arrival, help together with your baggage, help via all airport formalities and common airport navigation.
SkyVip’s mid-tier, referred to as VIP Salon, contains all normal help, plus extra premium facilities like chauffeured tarmac transport from aircraft to gate, entry to lounges and seamless baggage dealing with.
Its prime providing, VIP Personal Suite, elevates the expertise even additional with a non-public suite to calm down in whereas ready on your subsequent transfer. You’ll be whisked to or from the plane in a non-public automobile, and your luggage will probably be carried for you, with somebody caring for all of the formalities.
Costs fluctuate relying on what airport you are contracting providers for, your journey dates and the extent of VIP service you require. For instance, a meet-and-greet at Seattle-Tacoma Worldwide Airport (SEA) will set you again $475, whereas the VIP Salon service at LAX will value $1,620. In the meantime, the VIP Personal Suite expertise at London’s Heathrow Airport (LHR) prices $5,235. Reservations might be made through e-mail at reservations@usvipservices.com or by calling 855-575-9847.
Not all service tiers can be found in any respect airports the place SkyVip gives protection. Moreover, providers aren’t rendered at passport management and customs clearance areas, and all reservations are capped at two hours. Cancellations or modifications require greater than 24 hours of advance discover to keep away from incurring a cancellation price. SkyVip doesn’t provide help with medical wants, assist inside restrooms or assist for passengers with mobility, imaginative and prescient or listening to limitations or disabilities.
Royal Airport Concierge
Royal Airport Concierge is one other firm working at a whole lot of airports throughout the U.S. and worldwide. Very like its rivals, it provides welcome help, porter and check-in providers, fast-track help for passport management, lounge entry, transportation to your gate or plane through cart or personal automobile, and an escort to and out of your plane.
Costs fluctuate by location as a result of the character of the service ranges accessible at every airport is totally different. You’ll obtain a quote through e-mail when you request it from Royal Airport Concierge’s web site.
Please word that providers have to be contracted at the very least 48 hours upfront. Additionally, cancellations made inside 24 hours will incur a price.
Clear Concierge
Clear Concierge providers can be found at 22 U.S. airports. Its Specific service begins at $99 and is sweet for as much as 9 vacationers (who should all be Clear members). The Gate Service begins at $179 for as much as 9 passengers. Reservations might be made via Clear’s web site and telephone app.
Observe that, as of this writing, Clear doesn’t provide providers for arrivals or connecting flights; it’s completely accessible for departures. Moreover, Clear Ambassadors is not going to wait with you when you arrive at your gate, nor will they escort you from a lounge to the gate, watch your kids or pets, or present providers to unaccompanied minors.
American Specific Centurion Card worldwide arrival providers
Anybody with the Centurion Card from American Specific could make use of one of many many perks this extremely unique card confers to them. For no extra value, cardmembers can e-book a VIP arrival service for themselves and as much as eight passengers touring with them at over 30 airports worldwide. The expertise encompasses a meet-and-greet planeside, the place a consultant will assist with their baggage and escort them via the airport, together with customs and passport management. Baggage porter providers are additionally accessible for a price.
Centurion Card holders can e-book these providers by contacting Centurion’s help staff at the very least 76 hours previous to their flight. To be eligible for the complimentary service, you could e-book a business- or first-class ticket utilizing Amex or have used your Centurion Card to cowl the taxes and costs on an award ticket redemption.
The data for the Centurion Card has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or offered by the cardboard issuer.
American Airways 5 Star Service
Provided completely to passengers flying with American Airways, this service caters to VIP passengers searching for a extra curated airport expertise.
You may discover 5 Star Service at 16 U.S. and 6 worldwide airports. Advantages embrace checking in at Flagship First counters, entry to the Admirals Membership, precedence boarding on your flight, reaccommodation standing within the occasion of any disruption, and customized service all through the airport.
An upgraded model of the service referred to as 5 Star Choose can be accessible at 4 airports: Chicago’s O’Hare Worldwide Airport (ORD), Dallas Fort Price Worldwide Airport (DFW), Miami Worldwide Airport (MIA) and LAX. It contains all the usual 5 Star Choose advantages, however provides entry to Flagship First eating areas, in addition to transportation inside the airport through an American Airways automobile or cart.
5 Star Service prices $350 for the primary passenger, plus $100 per extra grownup or $50 for youngsters 17 and underneath. The service caps out at a most of 5 passengers, however bigger teams can contract a further greeter for an additional cost. 5 Star may also be booked utilizing your American Airways AAdvantage miles. As for 5 Star Choose, pricing is a bit of steeper: $650 for the primary passenger, $150 for every extra grownup and $75 per baby 17 and underneath.
Reservations for both providing have to be made at the very least 24 hours upfront of journey for U.S. airports and a minimal of 48 hours upfront for worldwide airports. Passengers should fly in enterprise class or firstclass on American Airways or a Oneworld associate airline to order this add-on service. Reservations might be made through telephone at 877-578-2702 or by emailing fivestar.service@aa.com.
Delta Air Traces VIP Choose
For the discerning Delta Air Traces flyer, the airline provides its VIP Choose service at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta Worldwide Airport (ATL), Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW), Minneapolis-St. Paul Worldwide Airport (MSP), New York’s John F. Kennedy Worldwide Airport (JFK) and LaGuardia Airport (LGA), San Francisco Worldwide Airport (SFO), Salt Lake Metropolis Worldwide Airport (SLC), LAX and SEA. It gives only one tier of VIP service that features a meet-and-greet curbside or on the gate, porter service and help with baggage, entry to the Delta Sky Membership, boarding at your most well-liked time and help with flight monitoring and rebooking ought to something surprising happen.
Delta VIP Choose prices $500 for the primary passenger and $100 for every extra traveler. Teams with 5 or extra folks additionally require a further greeter at an additional cost. The one requirement to be eligible to buy this extra service is being ticketed on a Delta-marketed and -operated flight in the primary cabin or larger.
Companies have to be booked at the very least six hours previous to utilizing the service, with cancellations required at the very least 12 hours upfront. Bookings might be made by emailing vipselect@Delta.com or calling 855-235-9847.
United Airways Signature Service
United Airways provides its personal model of VIP concierge providers at 22 airports world wide, together with ORD, JFK, SFO, LHR, Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) and Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS).
As a part of the United Signature Service, you’ll obtain premier check-in, entry to a United Membership lounge, premier entry via safety checkpoints and a Group 2 boarding place. All providers are capped at a most of three hours, however you may add extra hours for an additional cost. Observe that should you want help together with your luggage — whether or not checked or carry-on — you’ll need extra porter providers, which incur a separate extra cost.
Costs fluctuate relying on the airport you are reserving providers for, however, for instance, you may count on to pay $400 for the primary passenger (with extra expenses for extra vacationers and baggage) when departing from Dulles Worldwide Airport (IAD) close to Washington, D.C.
United recommends reserving at the very least 24 hours upfront of your travels, and cancellations are required 48 hours previous to journey. Companies might be booked through telephone at 866-662-4952 or on-line on the United Signature Service web site. Companies are solely provided to these flying on United flights; itineraries on Star Alliance companions aren’t eligible.
Backside line
Whereas these VIP airport concierge providers come at a comparatively excessive premium, passengers who require extra of a white-glove expertise can discover them at many airports, each within the U.S. and overseas. They’re a superb possibility for particular purchasers like celebrities, in addition to households who don’t journey typically and would really like as easy an airport expertise as attainable. Moreover, aged passengers would possibly profit from the baggage help offered. Even passengers who require translation providers because of language limitations when reaching their vacation spot might discover the additional cost worthwhile.
Associated studying:
