What It's Like Flying Private (Almost)
A photography round-up from a semi-private flight to Martha’s Vineyard.
Matt here. We talk a lot about luxury experiences, flying first class, caviar & champagne—you know, all the finest in travel. But the honest truth is we’re never above sitting in the last row of economy…in a middle seat…even next to the lavatory. We’re just lucky to go where we go and bring you along.
That said, if we’re dreaming big: flying private is the grail that we’re after.
And as I sit writing this newsletter in a Delta One seat en route to a job in the old world, I’m thinking back to a flight a couple of weeks back that was as close to flying private as it gets—though hopefully not as close as we’ll ever get.
[In a hurry? Scroll down for the photo dump to prove it!]
We had the pleasure of flying Tradewind Aviation from Teterboro to Martha’s Vineyard for a quick weekend escape from the city heat. And quick and painless it was—exactly how it should be.
How often do we bark about the discomforts of the modern airport experience? Our regular readers would probably say too often. But ditching commercial for Tradewind meant you don’t have to hear that shit this time.
There was no TSA to speak of. No screening of any kind. Our lone cabin-mate showed up nine minutes before takeoff—and just 45 minutes later, our PC-12 touched down on the island without a fuss. We’ll drink to that. And we did.
On the island, we stayed with the fine folks at Harbor View Hotel—a property dating back to 1981 that, as its name suggests, watches over Edgartown harbor. A lovely stay with many high points, none more memorable than taking in foggy mornings and perfect sunsets from the veranda.
And, of course, we checked out a few other properties along the way—including this gem. We’re always on the hunt!
Given this year marking the 50th anniversary of JAWS, filmed right here on the island, you know we had to hit some of the filming spots—and throw on the flick itself for good measure. But we never dipped a toe in the water. Not even once. We’ve seen how that ends.
While the Hamptons can sometimes feel like a walking billboard and Nantucket has its polished thing going on, Martha’s Vineyard moves slower and is less concerned with what you wore to dinner. There’s something familiar about it. Almost Midwestern, in the best way. From the farmer’s markets to the warm, unbothered locals (and yes, there are actual locals), the place is just lovable.
Some destinations ease you into a rhythm you never want to leave. This was one of them. And when it was time to head back to the mainland, at least we knew we didn’t have to budget our last few hours of ‘vacation’ sitting at the airport…
We showed up last minute. Boarded our own plane. Back home in no time.
That’s all for today…time to close the ’ol typewriter and go down for an in-flight nap. You can bet that I’ll be dreaming about the whisper-quiet takeoff of a Gulfstream G650. (And just maybe we’ll be on board one next time.)
Photography Round-Up: Martha’s Vineyard
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As always, smooth skies to the lot of you!
Love the photos. Thanks for sharing
No mention of the cost of the nearly private flight. Are prices not a thing you divulge in this stack? Just curious, I’m not trying to be a sh*t disturber.