If someone asked a group of people what they would spend money on if they had celebrity level cash, I’m willing to bet the most common answer would be first class travel. Maybe not first class, but just any better travel conditions. Like a waiting area where you don’t have fight for charging ports or drowning out the obnoxious business person on their phone trying to sound important. Or a seat that allows you enough room to drink your ginger ale without putting your elbow in your seat-mates nose.
But how good do celebs actually have it when it comes to traveling? Well, Chrissy Teigen is here to spell it out for us, in all its envious detail. This past weekend, Chrissy opened her Twitter feed up to questions about what life was like on the A List:
it’s celebrity question asking time! Ask me, your favorite A list celebrity anything you would like to know about being a super huge A list celebrity https://t.co/R5Sshc2O7H pic.twitter.com/ppEfNnqHB2
— christine teigen (@chrissyteigen) December 9, 2019
I love this kind of stuff. If I’d been paying attention, I would have plastered Chrissy’s wall in questions. One gentleman, named Mike, just wanted to know what plane travel was like for celebs and whether they had trouble making their flights. Chrissy answered him (with what I’d like to think was a Glinda-like titter) that no, celebs had other choices. Then Chrissy described a magical land in which celebrities sipped champagne as other people got them checked in and made sure their luggage made the flight.
there is a terminal a mile from the airport that you pay membership for. they do the same security privately and take you to the plane in a car. I know. I know. https://t.co/BtFaTBaMKh
— christine teigen (@chrissyteigen) December 9, 2019
Chrissy doesn’t name it outright, but it’s assumed she is talking about The Private Suite, which is a luxury terminal at LAX that was opened in 2017. The terminal is on Imperial Highway, which is on the south side of the airport. Services include arriving at their location through a security gate and having your car valeted, if you drove yourself. The passenger(s) go directly to their suite as their luggage and everything else is handled for them. The suite itself has its own bathroom with shower and linens, comfortable and ample seating, including a daybed in case someone needs a lie-down. They provide food, beverages and last-minute toiletries that someone might have forgotten to pack. There’s a large flatscreen for entertainment and a patio area with fake grass for Fido to relieve himself in one area, a deluxe children’s play area in another, and a nice fire-pit area for the adults to chill out if they don’t want to be inside. There are various sized suites, some including a long table that can be used for business or dining. Because customs, ticketing, security and baggage is all done in their building, there are no lines for the passengers to deal with. They also have their own car service to drive passengers to and from the plane’s steps. Once in the suite, the staff leaves their clients entirely alone unless the passengers request otherwise. And there’s absolutely no way for the paparazzi to get access to anyone. So how much do the celebs pay for this utopian travel experience? Plenty. People broke down the costs for us:
Currently, an annual membership fee is $4,500, with each domestic one-way flight costing members an additional $2,700 while each international one-way flight costs $3,000.
The prices are more expensive for non-members, who have to pay $3,500 per domestic one-way flight and $4,000 for each international one.
Additionally, members are allowed to bring three extra guests free of charge, while non-members are only permitted 2.
I guess the next question is, is it worth it? You can see videos and photos on their website and decide for yourself. Would I do it? Honestly, I would. LAX is my airport. I travelled for a living, once upon a time, and I don’t consider LAX a terrible airport but OMG it is always so busy and crowded. The Private Suite provides such a relaxing and stress-free environment. And I say that from experience. I did not use it for my travel but the rescue origination from whom I adopted my dogs has partnered with The Private Suite, so I’ve been. The suites (and we were in the smaller ones) are as nice as they appear in the photos plus the staff is unbelievable. We had a different situation re: privacy because we invited all the staff to the suite to play with the pups, but they were just delightful and seemed to meet needs before they were asked. Having done the pick-up in both the LAX International terminal and The Private Suite, customs took two hours in the terminal and about 20 minutes at The Private Suites – and that’s clearing several crates of Korean dogs. Just to note, when they have a suite available to offer for the dog pick up, The Private Suite provides it at their own cost and don’t skimp on any of the services.
The Private Suite has an IG page if you want to see the fancy pics and celebs that have used them. But I’d rather post the pup pics, if that’s okay. You can see the videos I took if you’d like. Or check out Ariel Winter’s post below from the day she came to pick up.
Photo credit: Instagram
And I thought the American Express lounge at some airports was high-style travel, lol.
I can absolutely see why people pay for that, especially if you travel frequently, and do a lot of international travel. If you have long layovers in LA, that kind of space would be amazing.
Its not in my budget at all LOL, but if I had the money, absolutely.
When I went to NY in Nov. I travelled 1st class on Alaska (it was either 1st or “steerage” lol, no business). Gotta say, while the LAX Alaska 1st class lounge was…lacking (to say the least, although it did have ind. seating (though the seats were almost welded together), each with its own plugs for charging, and pastries, coffee, soft drink, juices, but it was depressing, “decorated” in dull, dark gray, and barely any natural light).
The 1st class lounge at JFK was AMAZING! Flat screen TVs, full bar/bar seating (that opened at noon (I was too early, dammit! lol), full breakfasts (oatmeal, omelettes), pastries/muffins, fresh fruit, coffee, juices, etc.), even the hard plastic Starbucks tumblers to put your cold drinks in! It was clean, bright (walls of windows to look out at the tarmacs), individual tables as well as seating “areas” of comfortable club chairs. I kept thinking, “Man, I could *really* get used to this!” lol
I travelled internationally from Australia to LAX in June, and had a five hour layover in the Delta lounge. Terrible. If I had the money, I’d do this.
I’d rather fly privately if I was loaded. I’ve never done it, but imagine it’s a lot easier than sweating it out in those security lines, trying to keep up with your bins and listen to whatever the TSA agent is bellowing. And you could lie down in the plane. I hate travel so much, but it’s a necessary evil a couple of times a year.
What really sucks is that US taxpayers massively subsidize private jet travel. If someone flies the corporate jet for personal travel, they only have to write a check to the company for the cost of a first class ticket, while the company gets to write off the rest of the cost as a business expense. AND if it can be called “business,” the ride is entirely a business expense.
Periodically, someone in Congress tries to end this huge subsidy of millionaires and billionaires, but it gets pointed out that the private jet industry would end if anyone actually had to pay their own money to fly private. I really wish there were more understanding that YOU (assuming US reader) are paying for people flying private.
PS Dude is ugly crying/arguing upstairs. Just the dude. Can’t hear enough to pass on the gossip, but I thought you’d like to know.
That’s nice.
Greenland has lost world-ending amounts of ice lately.
Yes. I think about that ALL THE TIME.
My job forces me to take the plane at least once every two weeks and I feel super guilty because I have to travel but I find it alarming that so many people live like me, wasting the planet away.
I’m trying to figure out how I can work more in my country and take the train every time I can.
I find these complaints about travel quite obnoxious as it is NEVER comfortable. However you want to paint it. The waiting, the luggage, the packing, the miles and miles until you get there and get back to your home… 1rst class, economy… It’s all consumerism if you really start thinking about it. You are basically seated next to people in a thing above the clouds. A glass of champagne more or less does not make any difference,
The stakes are elsewhere.
You could donate money (only if you can afford it of course) to organizations that plant trees to even out your carbon foot print.
Flying is still one of the smaller problems and doesn’t add THAT much to the global CO2 emissions. Only up to five or six percent if I remember correctly.
But it’s still great that you care about it and want to change something.
Thanks @Brinibini for that suggestion and your comment. I will certainly look into that!
Look up Ecosia and Cool Earth. Search engine and a tree-planting/preservation organisation respectively.
I’m sorry, but I cannot stand this woman. She is so friggen annoying. I blame JL for forcing her on us. I wish she would just STFU, and stop sharing so much with us. She should try to keep some of her personal life person. I”m not just referring to what she’s talking about now.
#oneofthemostannoyingchicks
She’s clearly sharing BECAUSE people are interested and she has fans. Just don follow her / news about her ffs.
If you truly don’t like her, why do you read the posts about her? Why not scroll on by and ignore her? I’m curious why you would the time to read and comment on someone who annoys you so much.
I’m kinda with you…I think we’re just getting A LOT of her lately and I wouldn’t mind a break. I’m just tired of seeing headlines on CNN about “Chrissy Teigen claps back at so-and-so”. We get it. She’s good at Twitter.
And, I’m not mom-shaming, but when she said that her daughter HATES the paps, it made me side-eye them a bit. Why not give her the privacy she’s clearly craving? But, I think that the kids are now part of their “brand” which makes me sad for them a bit.
I like her. I also skip any Kardashian or Cambridge related posts because they annoy me, but that’s just me.
Well I love her. I would much rather read posts about her than the Cambridges, Kardashians, or Angelina Jolie but that’s just me.
I like outspoken women and she scored off Trump, the stunt king himself, in her kerfuffle with him, so she’s got game. I don’t like whatever the hell she’s done to her face. I hope the weeks will soften the look. She was so gorgeous in the first place!
I think when money can buy a “shortcut”, it’s somehow wrong. I think celebrities and rich people should be forced to endure what the rest of the population has to. I can’t help it, that’s how I feel.
In this case, I think the reasoning is practical, especially for the celebrities. Have you ever seen a celebrity get swarmed by people who want autographs and pictures? Can you imagine the chaos that would cause in the security area? And don’t say people wouldn’t do that because trust me, I have seen it happen. Regular people often lose their minds around celebrities and just don’t care how they act.
I know that. But still. Does their waiting are have to be a palace is my point.
Maybe if we stopped this celebrity cult at some point? The Beyhives and the Swifties – that is just plain ridiculous. I live in Europe and see lots of famous people around here at the airport (think Tilda Swinton) and NO ONE would think of mobbing around them. There are a few who will draw mobs certainly (but they have private planes) but most celebs no one gives a rats’ a$$ about. It’s just snobbish behaviour to travel ‘privileged’.
And add the kids. They’re a family of four with two young kids. It says members can bring 3 guests along for free. It’s not cheap but not traumatizing your kids is probably worth it.
I don’t think this is designed only for celebrities but for anyone with tons of money. That’s fine. I’m not sure what it would accomplish to “force” celebs to endure what we regulars have to go through. Presumably they did before they were famous.
It’s “somehow wrong” because we plebs have been educated to think this way. Wealthy, influential people think it’s normal.
My 2 cents as an expat in multiple countries over the past 3 decades is this: The difference between a 1st world country and a 3rd world one is the price tag of corruption.
Angela Kinsey and Busy Phillips posted about this suite and yeah, I had major envy. Lucked into first class a couple of times and if I had the money….TSA precheck is about the only “luxury” in my travel budget but worth every penny of the $85!
I don’t even spring for extra blue, or whatever the heck it is on JetBlue. I have serious envy about this Private Suite lifestyle 🙂
I know they probably did it for comfort and not necessity, but I still find it a bit ridiculous that they are members. I highly doubt anyone would recognize them, and really what a waste of money (how do they so much money??).
The only thing that really sticks out for me about this is that there’s such a thing as dog meat trade. OMG, I’m genuinely horrified. You guys are my witnesses, if ever I’m in a position to adopt a dog, I’ll make sure it’s a dog meat trade rescue!
Because of the trillion dollar wars and trillion dollar tax cut while so many Americans struggle to make ends meet, I no longer find this level of consumption interesting.
I find it obnoxious and ignorant.
I’m so with you. The divide between the rich and the rest of us is getting bigger and bigger and at some point there will be a reckoning. I think social media also allows the rich to flaunt their ridiculous wealth and lifestyles in the faces of the average and at one point people are going rage that someone is driving a million dollar car while people are literally starving to death.
Eh. My job unfortunately requires frequent plane travel for a living, and honestly, I can tell you most people in first class didn’t pay for those tickets. They’re usually business travelers with lots of miles who get upgraded – and frankly, it’s not all that big of an advantage over, say, Comfort Plus seating unless you’re doing an international trip with the bedding and whatnot.
Part of me is grossed out by the privileges of the wealthy, but on the other hand, there are an uncomfortable number of people who don’t understand basic human boundaries, much less around celebrities, so I’d probably shell out for privacy, too.
If I had the money, I’d absolutely do it. Travel is a nightmare.
I have just fallen in love with the little tan pup who’s sticking her tongue out. Can she come over to my house, please?
I love and admire the Dove Project so much.
She’s a beauty!
If I could afford it I’d do it for sure! The nicest experience I’ve had is the business class lounge of Singapore Air. Very nice facilities, showers, free bar and food. You board a separate ramp from premium and economy so never see the back of the plane.Nothing like this but I did get to see the cars taking first class passengers directly to the plane. I wonder if that is how my favorite royal couple get in and out of LAX( assuming they actually went there).
My husband’s firm has a corporate membership. It’s so worth it. I don’t fly out of LA that often, but he does.
I would do it. In a heartbeat.
I feel like if you’re Madonna or Bill Gates, I can see how this is better for you.
But if you’re Paul frickin Wesley or Chrissy what’s her name you don’t actually need this unless you really wanna show off that you have money to burn.
If you fly all the time for your job this is for you. Anyone else, unless incredibley worldwide famous, doesn’t actually need this and wouldn’t get stomped in the airport or die from waiting in line.