Destination Designers

Meet Trisha Rathke, founder of VIP Travel Designs

I had always planned to make travel a big part of my life. That’s why, at 20 years old, I became a flight attendant at Southwest Airlines.

I was filled with big dreams of jet-setting around the world, using my time off to explore all the magical destinations I read about in the brochures.

Turns out, life had other plans!

For one, I met my husband just 4 months after I started my flight attendant career—and I “grounded” myself. He was a land-based kind of guy, and exploring the world didn’t sound quite as enticing if he wasn’t by my side.

And when motherhood hit, I had every intention of ensuring my little ones were world travelers. My son’s first flight was at 6 weeks old, and my daughter’s was at 2 months.

But I “grounded” myself again when my daughter Megan had her first Grand Mal seizure before she even reached her first birthday.

Twelve years and countless seizures later, we learned that Megan had a rare, life-threatening genetic condition, one that affects fewer than 300 people worldwide.

For a long time, we opted not to travel with a medically fragile child.

That changed in 2012.

To celebrate the fact that Megan had been two years seizure free, I booked a cruise for the family.

And it was incredible. Exploring the ports, soaking up the sunshine, spending quality time together as a family—we loved it all.

More than anything, though, it was incredible to see how carefree my kids were on board. And how carefree I was! Travel finally shook lose all the pent up frustrations and challenges my family faced.

After that trip, I vowed to bring travel back into our lives.

Trisha travels with her family in Paris on luxury vacation

Because life is too precious—too fleeting—to spend it regretting the trip you never took.

When my family travels together today, I don’t take the trip—not a single moment—for granted.

And I don’t take my client relationships for granted either. I started VIP Travel Designs to help others embrace the gift of travel for themselves, by creating customized itineraries full of VIP touches and special surprises. I draw on over two decades of travel industry experience (13 years as a travel planner) to craft luxury travel experiences that truly make the trip worth it. Because the last thing I want you to think on vacation is, “gee, I wish I was back home.”

That’s a thought that will never cross your mind on a VIP escape!

So, make the time. Take the trip. Experience the gift of exceptional travel.

I’d be honored if you let my team design it all for you. – Trisha