The Luxury of Ease: How Lugos Travel Turns Weeks of Planning into 47 Minutes
Editor’s note: Time is the rarest luxury. Shane Mahoney, founder of Lugos Travel, shares lessons from 14 years crafting end-to-end trips for executive couples and families, arguing that ease, not excess, defines true luxury. His team’s goal: shrink planning from weeks to under an afternoon (record: 47 minutes) so travelers trade decision fatigue for presence.
Lugos Travel was born out of frustration, plain and simple.
Initially, my frustration was with life itself. I had a corporate job and was checking all the boxes of a “successful” life. But I felt like there could be more.
At 34 years old, I quit everything and was ready to say goodbye to the typical life I’d known. Through an interesting turn of events, I was guided towards opening up my own tour operation, which I have operated for 14 years.
But frustration was also what inspired our greatest gift to travel. During COVID, and with a lot of free time on my hands, I turned my attention to the process of buying travel. I thought, what if there was a vacation from planning a vacation?
The whole process feels like work for our clients, and the amount of time it used to take to book a private, luxury tour hadn’t changed in more than 60 years, even with the advent of the internet.
To me, travel should feel like a breath of fresh air, not a to-do list. The process of purchasing should be included.
The meaning of Luxury
Luxury, for me, has never been about excess. It’s about ease. It’s the ability to be fully present. No stress, no logistics to juggle, no questions left unanswered.
True luxury is walking into a new place and feeling like it was made just for you.
Whether it’s a black car at your doorstep or a private tour with skip-the-line access that doesn’t feel rehearsed, the magic is in the details. Our guests never have to ask, “What’s next?” Because we’ve already thought of it.
We answer every question before it needs to be asked. We provide everything they need from start to finish.
At the end of the day, luxury is about being able to specialize in your own life. To be present in your life. If I give you back three weeks of your time and attention, what could you do with it?
Challenges
The hardest part? Changing the pace of an industry that wasn’t built for speed.
Traditional agencies would take a week or more to deliver an itinerary. The standard is 3-5 business days.
That didn’t sit right with me. I believed you could be fast and exceptional. So we built our own system, custom from the ground up.
It took years of testing, adjusting, and refining. But now we can deliver a curated itinerary in minutes. We didn’t just solve a problem, we turned it into our edge.
Most rewarding moments
There’s nothing more meaningful than the call that comes after the trip. A mother telling me it was the first time their teenage kids looked up from their phones, or the first time a father said he didn’t have to be the decision maker about everything.
A couple falling in love again. That’s the reward. That’s the why. It’s not about headlines or accolades. It’s about knowing we created the space for people to reconnect—with each other, and with themselves.
How has your location shaped your concept?
Being based in the States, I know what it means to have ten days off and still crave a full experience.
I also know what it’s like to come home, have dinner, get the kids ready for bed, and finally have a chance to talk to your spouse about anything meaningful at about 10 pm.
That’s the time when those families are expending energy they don’t have to plan a complex vacation months in the future. The process is daunting.
Americans don’t have time to waste, and they shouldn’t feel like they’re settling. That shaped everything we do.
Our itineraries are built to maximize meaning, not minutes. We don’t overpack the days, but we never waste them either. We aim to deliver depth, even in a short window.
What would you tell someone just starting out in the industry?
Forget the glossy brochures. This business isn’t about perfect beaches or five-star lobbies. It’s about people.
If you want to succeed, solve real problems. Anticipate needs before they’re spoken. Be obsessed with removing friction.
The real luxury isn’t a suite with a view. It’s knowing someone has your back every step of the way.
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- About the Author
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Shane Mahoney is the founder of Lugos Travel and author of The 18/40 Rule. He helps busy professionals reclaim their time through fully personalized, luxury vacations—delivered in minutes, not days. With over a decade of experience crafting seamless, private travel experiences, Shane brings a unique blend of insight, innovation, and heart. His book explores the power of letting go and living fully—before life demands we slow down.
