We’ve all been there: you’ve spent months juggling work meetings, family schedules, and the relentless hum of daily life. By the time you finally board that flight, you don’t just want a vacation—you want a release. You want the logistics to vanish so the memories can begin.
As a seasoned traveler and travel advisor, I’ve learned that the greatest luxury isn’t found in a thread count or a Michelin star. It’s found in the minutes and hours reclaimed from the “travel friction” that plagues modern journeys. It is the luxury of not being crowded like cattle and the release from the stress that comes with navigating a new destination or a busy airport (especially when you have a tight connection.)
I know what it’s like to protect every precious hour of a trip. Whether I’m planning for my own family or for my clients, my goal is to transition from “traveling” to “being there” as fast as possible. To make your next trip as frictionless as possible, here are seven ways to elevate your next journey by treating your time as the ultimate currency.
And remember, time is precious when it comes to the planning of a trip too and that is just one reason to outsource to an experienced travel advisor that can interpret your interests and preferences to build a custom itinerary without the stress.
1. Navigating Airport Chaos: The VIP Meet & Greet
Nothing kills the “vacation glow” faster than time spent in an airport. Pre-departure, your experience can be made much more pleasant with priority check in lines (access comes with airline status or business/first class tickets), faster security lines (gained through programs like TSA PreCheck or Clear), and airport lounge access (provided to premium credit card holders or business or first-class passengers.) But what about when you arrive?
One of the biggest stressors when dealing with flights that connect in an international airport is the time you need to make it through Passport Control and transit to your new gate (and sometimes terminal). Some airports have notoriously long lines and as a travel advisor, I recommend a three-hour layover to avoid this stress. This is especially true in Paris’ Charles de Gaulle (CDG) and London Heathrow (LHR) airports. And while Europe has implemented a new digital border experience called the Entry/Exit System (EES) for travelers from outside the EU, the new system may eliminate passport stamps but it isn’t without hiccups as everyone gets used to the new system. Plus, we all know that technology doesn’t always work as it should.
One way to help relieve this stress is with an airport VIP meet and greet service for transiting passengers. We used this type of service in Paris on our way to Morocco because we had a fairly short layover and if we missed our flight to Casablanca, the entire trip would have been thrown off course. We were met at the jet bridge and immediately guided through priority lanes and onto the correct train to switch terminals. Our guide knew exactly where we needed to be so we didn’t waste any time looking at displays or searching for signs. Once through priority security, he even secured us an earlier boarding group than our fare class to truly make the layover stress-free.
This type of VIP meet and greet is also very helpful when arriving at your final destination, especially if it is known to be an especially large or chaotic airport. For example, when we arrived in Morocco, our guide had the necessary forms ready to be completed and walked us through the diplomatic entry line, saving us a significant amount of time on an already very long travel day. He stayed with us through baggage collection until he handed us off to our driver. When you are tired and in a foreign place, it is so much easier to have someone to help you through the processes and find your way.
For example, I’m going to Jordan in a few weeks and I arrive in Amman at 1:00 am. I know I need to get a visa on arrival and I will also be at the tail end of a long journey. I’m relieved that the local on-the-ground partner I’m working with in Jordan has arranged a VIP meet and greet, as well as a private transfer, to eliminate any confusion or safety concerns.
2. The End of the “Taxi Queue” Anxiety
When you land in a city like Venice or Tokyo, the “last mile” of your journey is often the most stressful. Should you take a licensed taxi or public transportation? Is there Uber here and if so, where is the pick up point? Will they take credit card or do you need local currency? Will they speak English and know where your lodgings are? This is the guess work that I try to take out of the equation with pre-booked private transfers.
Now, not all private transfers are the same, and you pay according to the level of service provided. Personally, I often use Welcome Pickups when I want to avoid the long taxi line or frustrating Uber waits, but I’m ok communicating with the driver via text/app to meet them at the curb once I have my luggage.
For clients, I will usually book a black car service where the driver meets them after they exit the baggage claim, assists them with their luggage, and walks them to the waiting car. The driver already knows where the client is going and will do their best to make the clients comfortable during the ride. I provide contact details and arriving flight information and make sure to only book a service that includes at least 60 minutes of waiting time. All of this helps ease anxiety and confusion, making your arrival seamless and helps you get into vacation mode.
3. Turning “Check-In” into “Welcome In”
If you’ve ever sat in a hotel lobby at 10:00 AM with jet lag waiting for a 3:00 PM check-in, or wandered around a city until you were delirious with exhaustion and you could finally check in, you recognize the value of Preferred Partner or Virtuoso status.
Because of my relationships with elite hotel brands, my clients are prioritized. This often means:
- Early Check-In/Late Check-Out: Getting you into your room to freshen up immediately. Obviously the earlier you arrive, the more difficult this is to achieve, but I will communicate your arrival plans to the hotel in advance so that they can do their best to have the room ready.
- In-Room Welcome: A personalized amenity—perhaps a chilled bottle of your favorite wine or a sweet treat—waiting the moment you walk in. And, of course, I’ve already shared your dietary restrictions, any special occasions or celebrations, and preferences if I know them.
- The Best Room in the Category: Being placed at the top of the list for upgrades over those who booked on generic travel sites.
4. Why “Skip-the-Line” Isn’t Enough
“Skip-the-line” is a marketing term everyone uses, but for the 5-star traveler, we go further. Instead of joining the “shorter” line at the Vatican or other iconic attractions, we can arrange for After-Hours or Pre-Opening access.
Imagine helping the key master open the doors to the Sistine Chapel and enjoying it without crowds, or having a private art historian meet you at your hotel lobby in Florence to walk you directly to the David. You aren’t just seeing art; you’re experiencing it without the elbows of a thousand other tourists.
Maybe that is more than you need and in that case we can provide advice on the best times to visit, small group tours or private guides that pre-arrange tickets and lead you through the guide entrance and not the regular line. These experienced guides not only help you get more out of the experience, they know the best routes through these attractions to give you the best possible experience. For example, the “Mona Lisa at her quietest” tour of the Louvre, that gets you in front of the Mona Lisa just before closing with no waits, no lines, and unfettered views.
5. Private Guides Who Meet You on Your Terms
The DIY traveler spends a lot of time on Google Maps trying to find a tour meeting point. My clients don’t. I can arrange private guides who meet you in your hotel lobby and lead you on each step of your journey, whether by private car, public transportation, or on foot. And I can promise that you are never following a guide with an umbrella on a massive group tour! I’ve already communicated your interests, restrictions, and/or mobility needs.
6. The “Hidden” Logistics: Outsourcing the Planning Stress
The luxury of time starts months before you leave. Juggling a career and a family means your “free time” shouldn’t be spent reading conflicting TripAdvisor reviews or sorting through hundreds of open tabs.
As your travel advisor, I handle the heavy lifting. I vet the locations, confirm the transit times, and build a “frictionless” itinerary. I’m the one managing the moving parts so that your only job is to show up and be present with your partner or children. Best of all, my itineraries aren’t cookie cutter. I truly cater each trip to the clients’ interests, preferences, and travel style.
Learn more about my travel planning services and how the trip planning process works.
7. Exclusive Experiences You Can’t “Google”
The most frequent travelers have “seen it all”—until they haven’t. My expertise in destinations like France, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Morocco, and Japan allows me to open doors that don’t have websites. Whether it’s a private Sherry tasting in a family-owned bodega in Jerez or a traditional tea ceremony in a private Kyoto garden, these are the high-touch moments that make a trip unforgettable.
Reclaim Your Next Journey
Travel should be an investment in joy, not a test of endurance. If you are ready to stop managing logistics on the fly and start enjoying the “luxury of ease,” let’s talk.
Would you like me to take the logistics off your plate for your next European or exotic getaway? [Click here to get started.]
Tamara Gruber is an award-winning travel writer and the founder of Your Time to Fly. With more than a decade of professional writing experience across two travel publications and hundreds of destination guides, she specializes in crafting practical, detailed itineraries that help travelers explore the world with confidence. Her work reflects years of on-the-ground research across the globe. Tamara is a member of SATW and serves on the Board of Directors of the Family Travel Association.
