47 | Departure Lounge

T0624DEPARTURELOUNGE_C_350 [Credit: Departure Lounge]
2024 sales: $340 million
Previous ranking: 55
Employees: 15 full-time

Box 26545
Austin, TX 78755
Phone: (512)322-9399
Website

Executives

OWNER/FOUNDER: Keith Waldon

COMPANY FACTS

* Privately held.

* An international luxury host agency with advisors in 11 countries.

* Works with 320 independent contractors.

* 100% of sales completed by hosted advisors.

* Sales: 95% leisure, 5% business.

* A member of Virtuoso.

DEVELOPMENTS

* Added 112 advisors, including 30 new to the industry.

* Added client-facing private booking portals.

* 34 first-year, new-to-industry advisors (added in 2023) sold $26 million in 2024.

* Expanded international footprint of advisors.

LOOKING AHEAD

* Continuing what it terms "careful growth."

* Enhancing technology.

* Offering new educational and exclusive travel products.

* Forming partnerships with companies such as Duckbill, a concierge service app; adding programs to existing partnerships such as with Texas Exes, the alumni association of the University of Texas.

* Booked more than $100 million in first two months in 2025, so "off to very strong start; otherwise predicting the world we live in currently is quite difficult." 


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