Some people talk about ideas. Amanda Archer builds them.
I’ve known Amanda for years — we worked together closely, and I saw first-hand what she’s capable of. About a decade ago, we pulled off something most editors only dream about: exclusive interviews with Paris Jackson and her grandmother Katherine Jackson. And I flew to Los Angeles for each interview, My abiding memory is doing the interview with Paris Jackson in her room while she sat cross legged on the floor with her pet Boa snake wrapped around her shoulders. And then doing the shoot, her first since the tragic death of Michael Jackson with her music playing in the background. Following the interview, we went to the Playboy Mansion for dinner. Like everything with Amanda, it was surreal and you never quite know what to expect but it’s always a fun ride.
Landing those took tenacity, trust and an unerring instinct for what people actually want — qualities Amanda has in spades. She is, quite simply, a force of nature, and one of the smartest operators I’ve worked alongside.
So when she told me about her new venture, Travel Habit, I wasn’t surprised it was ambitious. I was only surprised nobody had done it before.
Announced this week out of Beverly Hills, Travel Habit is a private membership platform that brings together the world’s most coveted hotel VIP programs — think Virtuoso, Marriott STARS, Four Seasons Preferred, Rosewood Elite and Hyatt Privé, among dozens of others — into one automated booking hub.
Until now, the perks attached to those networks — room upgrades, daily breakfast for two, property credits, early check-in and late check-out — were reserved for travellers willing to chase individual loyalty statuses, pay hefty credit card fees or juggle multiple travel advisors.
Amanda’s answer is elegantly simple: consolidate it all. Early members are reportedly receiving upwards of $7,000 a year in privileges across more than 2,300 luxury hotels and resorts worldwide, with no minimum stays, flexible cancellations and the freedom to pay with any card.
“So many clients told me their elite credit card promised upgrades they rarely actually received,” says Amanda, who moved from Australia to permanently reside in the States after those series of Jackson family interviews.
“With Travel Habit, our members get upgraded almost every time — we’ve been testing and refining the program for nearly two years to make sure of it.”
That last part is classic Amanda. Two years of quiet testing with seasoned travellers and industry insiders before saying a word publicly. She’s never been one to launch on hype alone — she launches when the thing actually works.
For women who travel often — for business, for family, for the sheer joy of it — the appeal is obvious. It’s the upgrades. It’s the peace of mind of knowing the details are handled, and that you’re getting genuine value every time you check in.
The Travel Habit Has Arrived
Travel Habit officially launched this week, with membership previews available now at travelhabit.net.
Congratulations, Amanda. I can’t wait to watch this one take off.