It’s not every day that you’re invited to board a private jet – in this case VistaJet’s Bombardier Global 7500, bound for Monaco during the Grand Prix weekend.
And, as if that wasn’t reason enough to make me jump from my laptop with joy, the itinerary once there included an intimate fireside chat with Ferrari F1 racing driver, Monégasque native and not-so-secret crush, Charles Leclerc… need I say more?
Pulling up at Farnborough airport, having your bags whisked away before you’ve even had a chance to enter the terminal, and stepping into quiet and space that feels a world away from the usual chaos of airport life – the life of those who are lucky enough to fly private already begins to unfold. Diamonds from London high-jewellery house David Morris wink at you from glass cabinets, while the airport lounge – all immaculate sofas, scatter cushions and artfully stacked coffee table books – has clearly had the touch of a well-mastered interior designer. Walking the apron to the iconic silver and red jet, ushered across by the cabin crew wielding umbrellas against the rain, we quickly left London’s grey skies behind and made our way to the far sunnier shores of the Côte d’Azur.
On board, the excitement levels stepped up a notch as we giddily explored the cabin. With room for fourteen passengers, deep recline leather armchairs that swivel, a bathroom stocked with Dr. Barbara Sturm products and a double bed next to a widescreen TV that turns into its own separate cabin, all serve as just a few of the features that remind us we’re far from flying commercial. The ascent is unlike any other flight; private jets cruise at a higher altitude than commercial planes so the takeoff is steep but surprisingly quiet – a hush that continues throughout the flight. Cruising at above 40,000 feet makes for a surprisingly smooth journey – airspace is less congested, it’s typically above most weather-related turbulence and the air at altitude is thinner, which creates less aerodynamic drag. The usual thrum of an aircraft is gone, and as we settle in for the best in-flight meal of my life, I understand why those who can fly private, do.
The air stewards on board are as close to sommeliers in the sky as you can get, so when I happen to casually mention that Ruinart Blanc de Blancs is one of my favourite Champagnes, it’s unsurprising that a bottle is quickly popped open as an aperitif before our meal. We choose a selection of dishes that span the breakfast and lunch menu, with fresh burrata salad, tuna niçoise, chia pudding and an epic pastry selection amongst the offerings. We learn that the produce is all seasonal and local; your taste buds are affected at high altitude, with the tongue’s ability to detect salt and sugar decreasing by as much as 30 per cent so, to counteract this, VistaJet works with the freshest produce on the ground (unlike commercial airlines, which instead laden their onboard meals with a heavy dose of salt, that only further contributes to jet-lag).
Arriving at Nice airport, the captain hugged the coastline, giving us the most amazing aerial views over Monaco before touching down on the tarmac. Being able to walk straight through and into the waiting VistaJet-branded Bentleys was, yet again, a surreal experience – and not having to endure huge queues for passport control, or waiting time at the baggage carousel, was the sort of convenience that comes at a price, but a luxury that I’m already totally on board with.
We were in Monaco to get a taste of what life is like as a member of VistaJet’s Private World – an exclusive club that comes with all the added perks and insider bookings you could wish for. Membership starts from as little as 25 flight hours a year on the VJ25 tier, right up to the all-encompassing Program membership, which guarantees aircraft availability 365 days a year, anywhere in the world, with as little as 24 hours’ notice. Every membership comes with access to Private World, VistaJet’s curated network of experiences and partners designed for members who expect more than just a seat on a plane.
And “more” really is the operative word. Private World experiences include private concerts with Andrea Bocelli in his hometown of Lajatico, followed by an evening at his family residence in Forte dei Marmi to private dinners with trailblazing chefs – the kind of access that isn’t for sale anywhere else. It’s this ethos, VistaJet says, of hospitality “in its truest sense” that defines the membership: not just a fleet of aircraft, but a team built around anticipating what a member might want before they’ve had to ask.
For us, that meant settling into an intimate conversation with VistaJet ambassador Charles Leclerc ahead of race weekend in his home country, at the Métropole Monte-Carlo with another glass of Blanc de Blancs in hand. I’m struck by how this experience is truly a one-off, especially as someone who comes from a family of F1 fans (who, quite frankly, are livid that I’m here and they’re not). Charles is incredibly likeable, and the interview only serves to build on the atmosphere and what we’re really here for – the Formula 1.
We’re here for practice day, and our vantage point for it doesn’t get much better than superyacht Liquid Sky – a regular on the Monaco social scene come race weekend. A personal favourite feature was the sundeck Jacuzzi, complete with its own swim-up bar. This year, it played host to the inaugural Ferrari GP Yacht Club, which team principal Fred Vasseur declared “beats the Paddock Club” as he swung by for another of the intimate chats VistaJet had lined up with the Scuderia Ferrari team.
From our spot overlooking the Nouvelle Chicane, we watched the cars brake hard before hurtling back down the track – the noise and atmosphere already electric, and this was only practice day. Perrier-Jouët flowed freely and the canapés never stopped: breakfast bites first thing, bigger bowls by lunch, even a crudo station for good measure. SkinCeuticals were on hand for skin consultations, and a full glam squad was stationed below deck for touch-ups – a detail I clocked immediately, filing it away as exactly the kind of thing I could get used to.
So, was it worth it? Flying private with VistaJet replaces the usual travel grind with something closer to being looked after, properly, from the moment your bags are whisked away to the second a glam squad appears below deck. Add in a fireside chat with Charles Leclerc, a yacht with its own swim-up bar, and a Ferrari team principal casually one-upping the Paddock Club, and you start to understand why their members don’t – and won’t – fly any other way.
Lead image: VistaJet / Photography: Florent Gooden
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