The jet set has an ingenious new travel secret - and it's saving them thousands

Daily Mail​

30-04-2025

Middle-class Americans are canceling vacations this year amid skyrocketing costs and growing anxiety over the economy.
But for the rich, travel is booming.
From the Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc on the French Riviera to the Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles, luxury resorts are selling out faster than ever.
And it's in large part because there's a new way to get there.
Gone are the days of booking a private jet and broadcasting your every move to the world. Now, the ultra-wealthy are traveling in stealth mode — and saving big.
Patrick Mrozowski is the CEO of Atlas, a credit card for VIPs that offers a white-glove concierge service, including an in-house travel agency.
'The category our clients spent the most on last month was private aviation,' he reveals - referring to the soaring demand for high-end charter services used by royalty, billionaires, and Hollywood stars.
Mrozowski explains that the ultra-rich — think Elon Musk, Taylor Swift, and the Kardashian clan — are increasingly relying less on the jets they own.
Instead, they charter private jets through third parties like NetJets or Vista, allowing them to travel incognito — no identifying tail numbers, no paparazzi tip-offs, and no public scrutiny.
Atlas even takes it a step further: the concierge can book travel under aliases and issue payment cards under those aliases, ensuring a seamless and discreet experience from door to door.
These ghost flights are also far more economical.
If you want to have a private jet at your beck and call to fly to Paris tomorrow, you're talking serious moolah.
For example, a typical plan might run you $1 million per year for 100 hours of flying.
But Atlas has shrewdly negotiated sharp discounts by leveraging the collective spending power of its members.
'Because we have so many clients flying private, we can aggregate that spend,' Mrozowski says.
'The rates that we're getting are extremely competitive.'
He notes that Atlas doesn't charge commissions or markups and even waives the standard 4 percent credit card processing fee when booking private jets through the platform — a move that saves clients thousands and lets them earn rewards points they can use toward luxury stays at resorts like Aman.
'The economy is slowing down a ton,' he admits. 'But not for this market. Our clients are still dining at Cipriani, staying at Amans, flying private. They are traveling more than ever.'
The majority of Atlas members are based in New York, Miami, and Los Angeles - cities where luxury is a way of life.
And when it comes to destinations, one place stands above the rest — a nostalgic nod to the golden age of the jet set.
'It's definitely the south of France,' says Mrozowski. 'When we looked at the numbers in July last year, it was outpacing everywhere in terms of concierge requests.'
From Saint-Tropez beach clubs to Cannes red carpets and champagne-fueled yacht parties, it's the Riviera that's luring the world's wealthiest back year after year.
Atlas membership is invite-only, though hopefuls can add their names to a growing waitlist.
Myriam Harrouche, partnerships lead at Atlas, says: 'Our focus is on building deeply intentional partnerships across every corner of the hospitality world - whether it's securing a table at the hottest restaurant like Chez Fifi, crafting exclusive hotel experiences, or unlocking preferred access at a wellness club like Remedy Place.'
And as for those still stuck in economy? Mrozowski says demand has never been higher.
'We're doing several hundred million in spend on an annualized basis and it's growing double digits every month,' he beams. 'But for now, it's the best-kept secret in luxury travel — and our members like it that way.'