Get All Access for $5/mo

This Lucky Man Booked the First Flight on 'The Residence,' a Private Three-Room Suite in the Sky Etihad Airways reveals the first passenger to purchase 'the most exclusive ticket in aviation history.'

By Geoff Weiss

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Etihad Airways | Youtube

Gino Bertuccio, a Miami business magnate, may be well accustomed to butler service, meals whipped up by private chefs and first-class comforts like Egyptian cotton sheets and flat screen TVs. But on December 27, he will be the first person in the world to experience these amenities at 30,000 feet.

Bertuccio will serve as the inaugural passenger onboard Etihad Airways' The Residence, a three-room private suite within a commercial plane that the Abu Dhabi-based airline has billed as "the most exclusive ticket in aviation history."

Comprising a living room, double bedroom and private bathroom (complete with shower), a one-way Residence ticket costs a cool $21,000, Etihad's president and CEO, James Hogan, told CNN -- "a fraction of the cost of if you were taking a private jet." For the program to be profitable, he added, The Residence would need to achieve at least 50 percent occupancy on an annual basis.

Related: Screaming Babies on a Plane? This Couple's Solution is a Poignant Lesson in Travel Etiquette.

The initiative is kicking off with a passenger for whom luxury travel is already something of a hobby. Bertuccio, who owns a personal care products company called Ligi Import Corp, is a noted aviation enthusiast, having already travelled on 22 inaugural and final flights in premium class cabins. He also boasts a collection of more than 2,000 model planes.

Of his inaugural flight from Abu Dhabi to London Heathrow, Bertuccio said he was most excited about the Savoy Academy-trained butler who will at his beck and call throughout the duration of the flight.

"I have huge expectations," he said in a statement. "My only wish is that the flight was longer."

Check out the video below to get a glimpse of the entire experience.

Related: This Crazy Contraption Straps Your Head to an Airline Seat for Better Sleep

Geoff Weiss

Former Staff Writer

Geoff Weiss is a former staff writer at Entrepreneur.com.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Editor's Pick

Franchise

How Franchising Can Alleviate Entrepreneurial Imposter Syndrome

The franchise model can alleviate entrepreneurial imposter syndrome and provide an alternative path towards professional independence.

Side Hustle

At Age 15, He Used Facebook Marketplace to Start a Side Hustle — Then It Became Something Much Bigger: 'Raised Over $1.6 Million'

Dylan Zajac, now a 21-year-old senior at Babson College, wanted to bridge the digital divide.

Business News

'You Own Nothing Here on Social': Meta Outage, Looming TikTok Ban Has Creators Questioning How Much of Their Business They Really Control

With repeated tech outages and a possible TikTok ban on the horizon, creators are looking for new ways to influence. Turns out, one old-school way still reigns supreme.

Business Ideas

63 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2024

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2024.

Living

70% of Small Business Owners Experience Monthly Burnout. Follow These 3 Rules to Avoid the Same Fate.

Here are three guidelines to help entrepreneurs achieve balance, growth and success in both their professional and personal endeavors.