While all airline tickets get you from point A to point B, the difference between an economy and luxury-style travel experience lies primarily in the small details.
You can stretch out to sleep, eat better food aboard the plane and, in what was formerly the domain of celebrities, even go through private security and get driven directly to the plane.
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With nearly 94 million travelers passing through its doors in 2022, Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport is the busiest airport in the country. It is also in the midst of some major renovations — on September 6, the airport will open a terminal for VIP clients who want to avoid the crowds.
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A Private Luxury Experience Is Also Coming To Atlanta
Previously known as the Private Suite, PS had created the first such terminal in the U.S. at Los Angeles International Airport back in 2017. It also built similar private terminals in cities such as Dubai and London.
In each, clients pay to be chauffeured directly to one's flight, pass a private TSA check and wait in a luxury lounge free of airport crowds. The vibe, the operator said, will be a mix of "global sophistication" and local Atlanta culture.
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If arriving from an international location, travelers will also be able to clear customs separately. As the traveler is driven directly to one's flight after clearing TSA and spending time in the lounge, the actual flight one needs can be in any one of Hartsfield-Jackson's terminals and concourses.
"At boarding time, Members and guests will then be driven to their commercial flights at any of ATL's gates to board the plane directly from the tarmac," the operator says in a news release.
'We Hope Other Airports Will Follow Suit,' Operator Says
To get this level of luxury, travelers can pay a starting price of $1,095 while $4,850 will get one access to the terminal for a year. The airport is already accepting reservations for flights after Sep. 6 while one can also pay extra for a separate suite or premium food and alcohol options.
In its news release, PS said that it also plans to open similar luxury terminals at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport in 2024 and Miami International Airport in 2025.
While almost every airport has a lounge for those flying on a higher ticket class (or who have certain credit cards with lounge access), the private terminal is a notch above that before 2017 was reserved only for celebrities and ultra-VIPs with private security.
The planned terminals are meant to expand that luxury experience to anyone who wants to pay the steep price — while VIPs often do this for the privacy and security, others do it simply for the luxury aspect.
"Opening our second PS location in America's busiest airport will bring the countless travelers that fly to and through Atlanta the convenience and luxury that has become synonymous with the PS brand," PS CEO Amina Porter said in a news release. "The Atlanta Department of Aviation played a pivotal role in bringing this vision to life and we hope other airports will follow suit."
