For luxury travelers, a great travel advisor’s knowledge, expertise and connections are invaluable to ensuring a fantastic travel experience. When you collaborate with a Departure Lounge travel advisor, you gain insight and leveraged access to insider experiences worldwide from a very well-traveled and helpful professional. Our travel advisors also provide clients with the best current options for accommodations (hotels or homes), experiences and transportation, while often providing complimentary VIP perks and upgrades that cannot be secured when booking your own travel.
How is this possible?
First, Departure Lounge is a member of the prestigious multi-billion-dollar travel agency network Virtuoso, and through that partnership, our contracted client perks with the top travel providers in the world are industry-best. Second, Departure Lounge’s sales volume and relationships have earned it membership in the top travel brands’ preferred agency programs, such as Four Seasons Preferred, Ritz-Carlton & Marriott Luxury Stars, Belmond Bellini Club, Rosewood Elite, and more than a dozen other comparable programs. All of these programs provide our clients with special added values, perks and upgrades. When it comes to access, Departure Lounge travel advisors have a personal contact at the best travel provider companies and properties, and we make a considerable effort to facilitate and nurture those personal connections. These relationships lead to truly outstanding travel experiences.
Are there fees involved?
If you’ve already decided the travel provider you want (i.e., the hotel, cruise or tour company), we’ll reserve your desired travel for you and charge no travel planning fees. If you want a collaborative exploration of options with a Departure Lounge travel advisor for a custom experience, we request a planning fee of $250. For that fee, our advisor works to get to know you and your criteria for the trip, delivers options for you to consider, reserves the options you choose, checks in with you during the trip to make sure it’s going well, and follows up with you after the trip to learn what was ideal and what could have been improved . . . so we can make the next journey even more spectacular. For a five-star traveler, the upgrades and perks we deliver typically far outweigh this planning fee. Also, our planning fee is covered by travel insurance, so if you decide to purchase travel insurance, the fee is counted as one of the non-refundable travel expenses that are covered.
Should Departure Lounge reserve your air travel or private aviation?
Yes, for two reasons. First, if we don’t reserve your air travel, we are legally not allowed to assist with any flight changes or interruptions that may occur during your trip. Our clients avoid being on hold for long periods or standing in long lines if we’ve booked their flights. Second, Departure Lounge has access to special air contracts globally that often deliver considerable savings to our clients for international front-of-the-plane flights or private jet trips. Depending on the desired flights, there may be a ticketing fee required. For clients using miles or points to reserve air, Departure Lounge will happily arrange the rest of your trip, but we will not be able to access your flight records to assist you with any flight changes during your travel.
Ready to get started planning your next travel experience?
Tell us a bit about your travel preferences and the next trip you’d like to plan, and we’ll select the best Departure Lounge travel advisor to collaborate with you. Please call or email us at:
Phone: 512.322.9399
Email: [email protected]