PS (which was initially founded in 2017 as The Private Suite) is a company that operates exclusive airport facilities, intended to allow people to bypass the typical airport experience, when flying commercially.
Continue reading: PS At DFW: New Private Luxury Airport Facility Now Open ($1,295+)
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
The economics of this probably are not as ridiculous as they look at first. If rent and staffing costs are meaningfully lower than they would be at LAX, the model could still break even during the slower parts of the year and then make its real money when VIP demand surges.
That said, I would not be surprised if price cuts eventually happen. The biggest issue is that American already has a very strong premium ground product at this airport through Five Star Select, the Flagship Lounge, and Flagship Dining. For a lot of travelers, that is simply the better value because it is cheaper, easier, and arguably a more complete experience than paying separately for this.
If American had any real urgency around its premium ground experience, this would be the obvious signal to expand Flagship Check-In to DFW and MIA. The demand is clearly there. Premium travelers increasingly want the entire airport experience to feel private, efficient, and low friction, not just a better seat once they are onboard.
That is the real gap in the U.S. market. America does not necessarily need a full Lufthansa First Class Terminal style product. It is just not practical to replicate here at scale. What would actually work is something closer to the semi private terminal experience that Delta One and Virgin Atlantic customers get at Heathrow.
That kind of model is absolutely doable in the U.S., and it is probably where the premium airport experience needs to go next.
Honestly, I think this service only really makes sense for a few types of people: genuinely famous people who would hate being seen in a normal TSA line, families traveling with young kids, and people who simply do not know any better.
For almost everyone else, Five Star service is probably the smarter move. If anything goes wrong with the trip, American can actually support you end to end in a way a separate third party service cannot. You are still inside the airline’s ecosystem, you have better continuity, and the airline has more incentive to take care of you.
Plus, whether people want to admit it or not, the onboard treatment matters too. When the flight attendants know you are coming through Five Star service, the experience can feel better from the ground all the way through the flight.
$895 a visit even with the annual membership? Outside of NYC and LA (in the US) is there a market for this?
Most people who fly private only do so domestically. When flying internationally, they will often fly first class or business class on commercial airlines. So this service would definitely be helpful to them. They can arrive in their private jet from where they live to a major gateway hub (LAX, DFW, ATL). PS picks them up and takes them to a private terminal where they can have their luggage sorted. Later, they are taken to their plane without having to deal with the hassles of the airport.
So this isn’t an either or proposition (commercial vs. private). It can be complimentary.
Ben, could you please review one of the PS locations sometime soon? Would love to read about your experience there.
The Texas Stock Exchange starts up this summer in Dallas and will be huge! This will benefit from that for sure.
This is correct. Domestic commercial travel in North America is a horrible ordeal, and long-haul private flying is horribly expensive. The combination you suggest is a perfect compromise.
Are those airports set up for general aviation though? Such a concept couldn't work at LHR, CDG etc due to capacity issues.
And how will AA’s Five Star service help exactly if you’re flying Air France, BA, Emirates, Qatar, Cathay etc.?
As others have noted, there will be a market for this product and whether you as someone not wealthy enough to use it thinks it makes sense or not is irrelevant, sorry.
This is a great service! It is a smaller carbon footprint than flying private. It's too bad that the DFW airport is so far from the central business district. Downtown Dallas is not helicopter friendly.
I don’t really think the product works if it’s only catered to rich people flying internationally not on AA. Dallas isn’t Los Angeles, no matter what people think. The truth is rich folks flying AA, Five Star Select is better. This only benefits those who are not flying AA.