Your Luxury Travel Experts
The world is big.
Vast.
In an era where the amount of information on the internet is just as vast, we are here to provide bespoke travel services that bring you core memories and connect you to ends of the earth; putting the world at your fingertips like never before.
There is a google survey that says the average research time put into a one week vacation is a hefty 80+ hours. By working with J5Travel, we can cut your time down to the length of time it takes you to talk with us once or twice or even as little as the time it takes you to send a couple of emails back and forth. You can trust us to curate a luxury travel experience that would have taken you far longer than 80 hours to plan alone.
John's Story
John is the owner and founder of J5Travel
Food and travel have been my passions for as long as I can remember.
My brother and I were lucky enough to have parents who treasured travel, and so we visited much of Europe and quite a bit of the USA before we were even teenagers. For my immediate family, this was also a priority as we tried to ensure my two children were educated and inspired by both travel and food experiences the world over.
When I finally realized my financial career was not fulfilling enough for me, travel was the immediate answer. So in 2015, I started from scratch. I did the research and fully entered the travel industry with a focus on luxury travel experiences.
J5Travel was formed in May 2015, and despite the wilderness years of 2020 and some of 2021 due to Covid, I am honored that just over 8 years since founding the company, I have been named to the global list of Condé Nast Traveler's Top Travel Specialists for the past 6 years.
Today, I am so proud to have a team that shares my passion and values. We love travel and we love travel planning just as much. Hopefully you will come to view us as your personal travel tailors - custom luxury itinerary experts. We provide a bespoke service, imagining and creating itineraries for independent minded families and groups.
As we continue to explore our passion in travel even further we are also proud to announce our newest addition to J5Travel, our sister company, World Cruise Advisors, where we can happily provide expertise on world cruise adventures.Meet the Team
John | CEO + Cheif Travel Tailor
British native, I worked in the banking industry for many years, but also owned a restaurant for 5 years, before moving to the USA in 2002.
Food and travel have always been my passions and it has been a priority to ensure our two children be educated and inspired by the trips and travel experiences we have enjoyed as a family.
I am excited to be able to share this knowledge and expertise with our clients by offering a tailored travel experience complemented by the support of our host agency, Gifted Travel Network. And after just over 8 years since founding J5Travel, I have been named to the global list of Condé Nast Traveler's Top Travel Specialists from 2021-2026.
Kendall | Director of Luxury Sales
Having grown up with close connections to the travel industry, Kendall has a strong passion for helping people enjoy new experiences through luxury travel. She has traveled extensively throughout Europe and Hawaii with her favorite destinations being Italy, Ireland, Netherlands, Maui and Kauai.
Throughout her time at J5Travel, she has created relationships with many top luxury properties and suppliers that allow us to elevate our clients’ travels. Kendall continues to develop important relationships in the luxury realm that will make the difference to your itineraries.
Shanna | Director of Travel Planning
Shanna's long time passion for travel and constant desire to experience new cultures brought her to J5Travel. She has an extensive background in event planning, digital marketing, and social media management. As an avid foodie with an adventurous spirit, a few of her favorite destinations are Thailand, Iceland, and Costa Rica.
During her time with J5Travel, she has established close relationships with various suppliers while specializing in Caribbean, Central America, Spain, Portugal, France, and U.S. travel. As Director of Travel Planning, she is excited to continue to tailor luxury and memorable trips for our clients.
Kristin | Client Care & Operations Specialist
Kristin’s passion for travel began in the late 1990’s when her husband was transferred to the Netherlands. During those years she sought out the unique and sometimes out of the way places for their weekend adventures in a quest to discover the authentic essence of each location. She has continued to share her passion for travel with her children and family. Leaving her career in finance and program management she is a part of the J5 team as a Client Care & Operations Specialist. She is looking forward to assisting clients with awe-inspiring journeys.
Sara | Client Care & Operations Specialist
After working in healthcare for six years, Sara decided to follow her longtime desire to travel and join the J5Travel team. Sara’s husband, who has visited 24 countries, and her grandparents have always inspired her to seek out new food experiences and unique places. One of her favorite places to frequent is Canada to visit extended family and enjoy the temperate climate. Outside of work she enjoys spending time with her two dogs at their home in West Jefferson or out on Lake Norman during the warmer months. Sara shares her passion for cooking and craft cocktails with J5Travel and loves collaborating closely with the team to bring clients the best culinary experiences possible.
Sarah | Director of Marketing & Wellness Specialist
After working for J5Travel’s host agency, Gifted Travel Network, for 5 years Sarah decided to go back to school and pursue her passion for nutrition. Sarah loved working with amazing travel advisors and couldn’t quite leave that chapter behind her. She has been J5Travel’s Virtual Assistant for almost 6 years now and is the designer behind the J5Travel website, as well as our sister company’s site, World Cruise Advisors. Sarah has a deep love for travel and enjoys collaborating with the J5 team on new projects and creating a social presence to inspire clients.
Our Partners
As an affiliated member of Virtuoso, the leading luxury travel advisor network, we are able to offer exclusive amenities such as complimentary upgrades, included breakfasts, spa credits, etc., giving you the best value for your time and money. We are also members of many luxury hotel programs that provide amenities to our clients exclusively. Thanks to our global relationships, we can ensure you receive VIP treatment on every aspect of your trip.
