Photo: Costco Wholesale
Next time you’re at Costco buying home supplies, apparel and jewelry, food and pretty much anything else you could ever think of, check another item on your shopping list: your future private jet flight.
In what has been dubbed a strange but very appropriate sign of the times, Costco is now selling private jet memberships. The goal, according to the wholesale retail giant, is to make private flying as accessible as hailing an Uber. It goes without saying, though, that the price will be wildly different than what you normally pay for ride-sharing in a car.
For its latest venture, Costco has partnered with Wheels Up, a charter jet company with some 300 aircraft in its fleet and 1,250 more planes available from partners. The move comes to address widespread (and completely justified) reluctance to book commercial flights, and aims to make private flying a bit more accessible.
Under the “Electronics” section in brick-and-mortar Costco stores, you can now find a one-year membership for a private jet. It will set you back $17,500 ($17,499.99, to be more accurate) and, while it’s definitely not cheap, it does come with extra perks for the seasoned traveler with deep-enough pockets.
The number one advantage is, well, that you get your own private jet for your travel needs. The second one, according to Costco, is that the guarantee of “nationwide aircraft availability up to 365 days a year” thanks to Wheels Up’s fleet, and the ability to book a flight with just 24 hours in advance. With the one-year membership, you also get a $3,500 Costco Shop Car, $4,000 in-flight credits and a one-year membership with Inspirato, which offers luxury vacation rentals.
In other words, you get both the perfect holiday option and the means to get there safe. In 2020, the importance of the latter can’t be stressed enough. To that end, Wheels Up says they’re giving each plane anti-microbial shield treatment at least every 90 days, and surface sanitization between flights.
For its latest venture, Costco has partnered with Wheels Up, a charter jet company with some 300 aircraft in its fleet and 1,250 more planes available from partners. The move comes to address widespread (and completely justified) reluctance to book commercial flights, and aims to make private flying a bit more accessible.
Under the “Electronics” section in brick-and-mortar Costco stores, you can now find a one-year membership for a private jet. It will set you back $17,500 ($17,499.99, to be more accurate) and, while it’s definitely not cheap, it does come with extra perks for the seasoned traveler with deep-enough pockets.
The number one advantage is, well, that you get your own private jet for your travel needs. The second one, according to Costco, is that the guarantee of “nationwide aircraft availability up to 365 days a year” thanks to Wheels Up’s fleet, and the ability to book a flight with just 24 hours in advance. With the one-year membership, you also get a $3,500 Costco Shop Car, $4,000 in-flight credits and a one-year membership with Inspirato, which offers luxury vacation rentals.
In other words, you get both the perfect holiday option and the means to get there safe. In 2020, the importance of the latter can’t be stressed enough. To that end, Wheels Up says they’re giving each plane anti-microbial shield treatment at least every 90 days, and surface sanitization between flights.
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