News and Insights
Luxury Travel Trends at Every Plateau
October 23, 2025
There is a lot of action in the loftier realms of the travel industry these days. A recent forecast from Luxury Hotelschool Paris characterized the global luxury hospitality market as “thriving” with its value anticipated to eclipse $166 billion this year, up nearly 8 percent over 2024, driven by a rise of professional and leisure travel and an increase in those “turning to luxury.”
Even still, there is “a profound transformation underway at the luxury end of the industry,” notes Debbie Flynn, Managing Partner and Global Travel Practice Leader of FINN Partners in London. “Opulence and excess aren’t the yardsticks they once were. Instead, many affluent travelers are looking for authentic and meaningful experiences that resonate with them both personally and emotionally.”
Credit pure-hearted Millennials and Gen Zers, she adds. “With their skepticism of conspicuous consumption, they are approaching luxury travel – indeed, all travel – differently, looking for things that align with the values they take to heart, such as sustainability, community support, and creativity.”
Flynn points to the appeal of “quiet luxury” for such travelers, as embodied by properties such as Blackberry Farm in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee, which has been hosting seekers of placidity, wellness, farm-to-table dining, fly-fishing and more since 1976. Hermitage Bay in Antigua is a longtime favorite Caribbean hideaway for the jet-set looking for warm hospitality, stunning beaches, and seclusion. The resort recently underwent a full renovation, doubling down on its commitment to quiet luxury – the real luxury here is the unrivaled access to pristine beaches, and views over the Caribbean Sea and lush rolling hills. There is also the Royal Mansour in Marrakech, one of a collection of luxury addresses in Morocco, designed for service to flow through hidden pathways à la the anticipatory hospitality of omotenashi, a Japanese concept that addresses guest needs before they’re expressed.
Luxury Travel Trends Take Flight
Whatever their personal predilections, luxury travelers can enjoy preferred perks from the get-go. Headed outbound on a long-haul or international flight from LA, Boston or NYC? New Delta One Lounges at LAX, Logan International and JFK offer a feast of amenities including dining with dishes and drinks crafted from local ingredients and conceived by celebrated chefs and mixologists; a wellness & relaxation area offering therapies to revive tired eyes, relax hands and arms, and reduce pesky jet lag symptoms; and even luxury shower suites to freshen up before one’s flight. Meanwhile, Delta’s Terminal C at LaGuardia has received a $4 billion makeover and a new Sky Lounge, while most of the airline’s Airbus A350 or A330-900 aircraft have been outfitted with Delta One suites in business class, with full-height doors and privacy dividers for travelers to maximize productivity or ZZZ’s.
Air France recently unveiled new La Premiere first-class seating, with menus by Michelin three-star chefs, a chaise longue that converts into a bed, all the technology expected by highest-end travelers, and more. In the coming years, Turkish Airlines will roll out new Crystal Business Class Suites, with adjustable suite doors, lie-flat beds, plush leather and fabrics, and wide seats and footwells sized for comfort.
Exquisite Hospitality at Home
Luxury travelers who just want to keep going will find a new avenue of high-touch conveyance from Crescent Seas, a first-of-its-kind real estate concept offering luxury residences at sea. Fashioned by urban real estate developer Russell W. Galbut, Co-Founder of Crescent Heights and former Chairman of Norwegian Cruise Line, the floating residences will debut on board The Navigator, which is currently undergoing a top-grade refurbishment by three elite design firms to the tune of $70 million+. Anticipated maiden departure: December 2026.
The first of three ships planned for the Crescent Seas fleet, The Navigator will feature 210 residences available for ownership from $750,000 to $8 million, with white-glove butler service, Starlink internet connection for remote work or schoolwork, and endless access to natural wonders and local cultures the globe over via extended port stays of up to four days compared to traditional cruising. The second and third ships, Insignia and The Ocean, will follow with phased launches in 2027 and 2028.
And what of a luxury real estate investor who is, say, prone to mal de mer? Branded residences at top-tier hotels and resorts are another alternative to traditional real estate, offering services, services, services along with location, location, location.
Conceived for those enamored of particular brands, such residences have been booming around the globe of late, with a 2023 report from the global property services company Savills noting a 160 percent increase for the sector over the previous decade, and “high levels of growth” forecast to 2030. Geographically, the Middle East and Central and Latin America have the most properties in the pipeline, while a roll call of top international hotel brands offering residences includes Four Seasons, The Ritz-Carlton, and St. Regis.
Montage International has been expanding its portfolio of branded residences, promising relaxed sanctuaries, distinguished characteristics for authentic senses of place, and the signature services and amenities guests have come to anticipate from its ultra-luxury resorts. Newly announced Montage Cay, a 53-acre private island resort and residential community in the Abacos of The Bahamas scheduled to open in 2026, for instance, will feature 51 fully furnished oceanfront residences, a deep-water marina to accommodate vessels up to 110 feet, and desirable detachment with arrival only by yacht, seaplane, helicopter, or private ferry.
Chad Belisario of FINN Travel Los Angeles notes that hotel residences and Crescent Seas are two sides of a coin at the top end of travel. “Whether rooted on land or roaming the seas, both hotel-branded residences and Crescent Seas’ new residential cruise concept speak to the same desire: a seamless, elevated lifestyle for today’s luxury traveler.”