Costco continues to be among the top go-to destinations for all your global pandemic needs: toilet paper, wipes, private jets.

Huh?

Yes. In a seemingly strange coupling, the wholesale specialist has joined forces with a private-jet charter company to offer a one-year membership. The $17,500 price tag is steep, but it comes with some quality perks, including a $3,500 Costco Shop Card and $4,000 worth of flight credit.

Other benefits include “dedicated account management”; a one-year membership with Inspirato, a luxury vacation-rental subscription service; and “guaranteed nationwide aircraft availability up to 365 days a year,” according to the description.

The jet company, Wheels Up, has the jet process running “as easily as a ride share or short-term vacation rental,” according to the product description.

There are health and safety protocols included via its “Safe Passage” program; all Wheels Up aircraft undergo a disinfectant treatment at least every 90 days, the website says.

The membership offer can be found on Costco’s site in the “Electronics” category.

It’s not only a luxury thing. During the pandemic, travelers who can afford the option are looking to avoid the coronavirus risks of commercial flights.

Sentient Jet has had record sales during the pandemic, reporting $40 million in sales in October. “Right now we’re pushing towards 60 percent of our sales going to new clients,” Sentient Jet President and CEO Andrew Collins said in a Washington Post story.

“I’m getting calls from people that have said, ‘I don’t fly privately or haven’t in the past, but I’m going to moving forward.’”

And the private-jet wave is not just travel for the sake of safety. Air Charter Service offers a two-hour “Weddings in the Sky” deal starting at $28,000, as well as a “Just the Two of Us” elopement experience for $18,000.

This Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016, photo, shows a Costco store in North Miami Beach, Fla. Costco reports financial results Thursday, Sept. 29, 2016. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

Add comment