You can transform a vacation by paying for a series of luxury upgrades along the way. This completely reinvents your experience and can turn it into the best holiday of your life. These upgrades can range from you electing to stay at a nicer hotel or resort to hiring an airport car service, it all just depends on what you value most and where your money would be best spent.

Some luxury upgrades are arguably not worth purchasing, but here are some you should definitely think about paying for:

Fast-Track Airport Security

There once was a time when you could stroll through airports without worrying about long security queues. Sadly, this isn’t the case anymore and you’re usually arriving 3 hours ahead of time just to make sure you’re not stuck waiting to pass through the scanners. 

That’s where the first luxury upgrade comes into play: fast-track airport security. 

Most airports give the option to pay money and get sent through a semi-private security area. You bypass all the queues and can be through in minutes. It’s not an overly expensive service either, but to be honest, you’d pay pretty much anything to dodge the long lines. 

Airport Lounge Services

All airports will have lounges that provide private areas for people to wait for their flights. They offer a lovely quiet area that’s free from the hustle and bustle of normal airport life. Instead of frantically trying to find something to eat or fighting a hundred people for the last seat, you stroll into a lounge and enjoy luxury home comforts. 

Some of the best airport lounges are truly luxurious and extremely comfortable. Many offer fine dining options while a few even provide hot showers! Almost every airport lounge will be accessible if you pay for it. Most of the time, you gain access by having certain perks – like an American Express card or first-class flight tickets. But if you don’t have these, speak to someone at the lounge and they’ll state the fee for entry. 

It’s well worth it to get a moment’s peace before you jet off. There are few things worse than pre-flight stress in an airport. Lounges let you hide from all of this and get a far more enjoyable experience. 

Improved Tickets

Some flights will have various ticket options to choose from. Across the world, most airlines will provide economy, premium economy, business, and first-class tickets. If you hate being crammed together with loads of people or can’t stand screaming babies on your flight, you need to upgrade to a better seat class. 

The more you pay, the better the travel experience. First-class seats usually offer the most space, quiet cabins, and constant food service. A few of the best first-class tickets in the world also provide free gifts you can take home with you! 

Of all the luxury upgrades on our list, this is probably the most worthwhile. Especially if you’re on a long-haul flight and will be sitting in the same place for 5+ hours. It’s a horrible experience doing this in the economy, so upgrading to business or first class reduces loads of stress. Think of it this way, it’s an opportunity to get your holiday off on the right foot, rather than landing and having so much stress hanging over you already. 

Also, as touched upon above, first-class tickets come with other perks. The main one is access to VIP airport lounges in some airports. Instead of paying separately to enter the lounge, your ticket will give you access. 

Early Boarding 

What happens if better ticket classes aren’t available? This is often the case for shorter flights on smaller aircraft. If you only have one ticket option, the next best luxury upgrade is to get early boarding. The majority of airlines will offer early boarding alongside more spacious seats, despite only having the capacity for one seat class. 

Here, you at least get to board the plane before everyone else and bypass the mad rush. You’ll be seated with your bags stowed while everyone else stresses out trying to find overhead luggage space. 

For us, this is an essential upgrade on any family vacation. Getting you and your kids aboard the flight before everyone else helps you settle down and have easy access to your bags. 

Private Transfers

After flying to your destination, you get off the plane and pass through border control. You collect your luggage and have to find your way to the hotel or resort you’re staying in. This is where another vital luxury upgrade helps make the vacation much more satisfying. Avoid busy public transport or smelly cabs by upgrading to a private chauffeur service. You’ll receive a personal driver in a comfortable car that takes you directly to where you need to be. 

In all honesty, you can get as fancy as you want here. Some private transfer services provide nice minivans while the more expensive ones are limousines. It’s entirely up to you, but the point is that you can relax in the back seat and enjoy an effortless journey to your final destination. 

Likewise, begin your vacation with a private transfer from your house to the airport. Again, you don’t have to get any public transport or worry about finding a parking space for your car. It starts the whole experience in a positive way. 

Private Pools

It’s highly recommended to book a hotel room with a private pool. Or, you could book a villa with its own pool. Either way, this is an underrated luxury upgrade. You no longer have to go down to the communal pool and hope there are sun loungers free. You can relax in your own private space and have nothing to worry about. 

This is one of those upgrades you think is excessive, but once you’ve experienced it you realize it’s hard to go back. You want privacy while on vacation as you’re trying to relax. A private pool gives you fewer things to stress about! 

You’ll notice all of these upgrades tackle different stages of your vacation. Some deal with the initial transfer to the airport, and then you’re making the airport experience far more enjoyable. After this, you’re getting a better flying experience before being transferred to your hotel with no worries. Here, you get to enjoy the most luxurious vacation with a private room and pool. Honestly, what more could you wish for from a holiday?!

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