Vacation is supposed to be a time to release stress and get away from the hustle of your routine, but one particular travel aspect tends to be the opposite of a stress reliever — the airport. Between flight delays, missed connections and long security lines, the airport experience can really put a damper on a trip.
While many people trudge through the airport and stress about any interruptions, travel experts say it doesn’t have to be that way. There’s a whole arm of the travel service industry that’s made to make your airport experience less stressful and more personal.
The exact name for the service varies depending on where you are, but the most common one is an airport greeter. “There is airport greeters, airport ambassadors, airport fast track, airport meet and greet … it depends on where you [are] traveling around the world,” said Ron Gorfinkel, a partner at Royal Airport Concierge, a worldwide airport greeter company.
“It’s a service that airlines offer directly as well,” said Jason Squatriglia, a luxury travel concierge.
No matter the name, this airport service takes a lot of the uncertainty out of flying and offers some pretty nice perks, too. Below, travel experts share everything you need to know about airport greeters and why they can be so great to book:
Airport greeters’ main job is to expedite your journey through an airport.
At the most basic level, “the greeter is gonna find the most efficient way through the airport,” Gorfinkel explained. This can mean getting you through lines as quickly as possible or helping you use any machines needed for security purposes (for things like passport scanning, for example).
They’ll also know the layout of the airport well and are aware of any extra security lines that a first-time visitor may not know about, said Ashley Ganz, the founder and CEO of Artisans of Leisure.
Airport greeters will also track your flights and any gate changes, which can help you get to your connecting flight as quickly as possible. If you have mobility issues (or a super-tight connection to catch), your airport greeter can also arrange golf cart service to get you through the airport, Squatriglia noted.
In some places, they can even get you through customs faster.
The exact services available depend on the company you book and the airport you’re using, but some airport greeters can get you through customs and immigration faster.
“We arrange private tours around the world, and a lot of our tours include the arrival and departure airport service as a standard inclusion. In some countries, for example, in Egypt or Vietnam or Turkey, we include the [airport] service. It’s just an additional peace of mind that someone will be waiting for them as soon as they get off the plane and just help them out,” Ganz said. “And it usually includes a fast-track element also … they don’t have to think about where to go, they’re in and out of the airport much faster and through the immigration procedures much faster.”
Squatriglia estimates that 80% of European airports allow some kind of fast-track customs service via the airport greeter.
“It’s just a nice way to enhance the experience for anyone that wants to be treated like a VIP … even if it’s not to save time, it’s just such a stress reliever to have someone just guide you, and to be able to walk off the plane and have someone direct you all the way through,” Squatriglia said.
Gorfinkel added that the rules when arriving through the U.S. and going through customs tend to be pretty different, so this type of expediting isn’t the same here.
Airport greeters can also help you with your luggage.
“People really need help with their luggage,” Gorfinkel noted, which is where an airport greeter can also come in.
Depending on the airport, your airport greeter may meet you with a golf cart for you and your bags. Or they’ll simply handle carrying your bags for you.
“I find that a lot of people who are older or, for whatever reason, are not as comfortable handling their luggage, they’re willing to book this just for peace of mind,” Ganz said. “They don’t want to stress out about having to lift very heavy suitcases, and they find it’s worth every penny to just have someone else take care of that.”
Keep in mind the cost and type of services you get depends on where you’re traveling and what you book.
In some places, your airport greeter may bring you around in a golf cart to get you through the airport, and in other places, you may travel on foot with your airport greeter leading the way. Certain greeter companies may include access to lounges, while others don’t. Or you may be able to get through customs faster in certain airports, but not others.
Before booking, it’s worth asking the airport greeter company what’s included in your specific package and location. Popular airport greeter companies include Royal Airport Concierge (Gorfinkel’s company) and Empire CLS. Squatriglia also recommends Bold Luxury. Or you can ask your airline if they offer greeter services.
The service doesn’t also doesn’t have to cost as much as you probably think. Going by the fact that a mere water bottle costs $8 at the airport, you’d expect the price to book an airport greeter would be high. While it isn’t a free or even low-cost service, it is still, generally, affordable when you consider that the average vacation for a family of four is $3,600. Airport greeting services through Gorfinkel’s company run between $350 to $550 on average for up to four people on the same flight, he said. The more amenities you add on, the more expensive these services get.
In the end, airport greeters take a lot of the unknowns out of stressful travel days so you can make it to your destination and not feel like you need a vacation from your vacation.