New York Tops US Index of Millionaire Travel Destinations
Wander’s new Millionaire Vacation Index crowns New York as the nation’s most exclusive playground, driven by private-air access, elite clubs, and an unmatched dining scene.
Photo: Jan Folwarczny / Unsplash
The ultra-wealthy are zeroing in on a familiar favorite. According to a new analysis by luxury vacation-rental company Wander, New York City ranks as the most exclusive destination in the United States for millionaire travel, edging out Los Angeles and Chicago in the inaugural Millionaire Vacation Index.
The study draws on Henley & Partners’ Centi-Millionaire Report and quantifies what “exclusive” means in practice: access to private aviation, members-only clubs, Michelin-recognized dining, and five-star spa hotels. Across those measures, New York leads by a wide margin.
The city counts 11 private aviation operators handling nearly 200,000 flights annually and five heliports—among the busiest private-air corridors in the country. On the ground, it claims 31 Platinum Clubs of America, the highest concentration nationwide, and more than 370 Michelin-recommended restaurants spanning from omakase counters to French institutions. Add 50-plus five-star hotels on Tripadvisor and a Michelin average meal cost of $82, and it’s clear why New York continues to attract repeat stays from centi-millionaires and family offices who prize cultural access as much as discretion.
Los Angeles follows in second place with 13 FBOs, 50 heliports, and a dense network of 22 Platinum Clubs and 169 Michelin-recognized restaurants. Chicago ranks third, backed by seven FBOs, 13 heliports, and 13 Platinum Clubs.
For Wander, which operates design-led vacation homes across the U.S., the index reflects a broader shift toward “hyper-exclusive” travel in 2026, as the population of Americans worth $100 million or more has more than doubled in two decades. These travelers, the report notes, value privacy and frictionless mobility as much as five-star amenities, factors that now define the upper tier of the domestic luxury market.
The takeaway for the industry: Elite clients are keeping their travel local but demanding the same level of seclusion and culinary depth they expect in Europe. And with New York’s combination of private-air access, culinary gravity, and cultural cachet, the city remains America’s capital of discreet indulgence.
