Travel Planning Services Designed Around You

Salt & Wind Travel offers luxury travel planning services for discerning travelers who want more than a generic itinerary. With over a decade of expertise and 1,000+ trips planned across Italy, France, Hawaii, and beyond, our dedicated planners craft bespoke journeys rooted in food, culture, and local connection. Whether you need full-service planning or guided support, every trip starts with understanding what matters most to you.

What Are Travel Planning Services?

Aerial view of Positano, Italy, a colorful cliffside village cascading down steep rocky slopes to the Tyrrhenian Sea along the Amalfi Coast, with pastel-colored buildings, terraced gardens, and small boats dotting the turquoise water below.

Travel planning services range from free AI trip builders to full-service luxury planners, and the right fit depends on how much time, expertise, and personalization you want.

AI and DIY tools generate quick itineraries from templates. They work well for straightforward trips but can't negotiate hotel perks, book hard-to-get reservations, or adapt on the fly when plans change.

Traditional travel agents handle bookings and logistics, often earning commissions from hotels and tours they recommend.

Boutique custom planners like Salt & Wind Travel take a different approach. A dedicated planner designs your trip around your interests, pace, and budget, drawing on years of firsthand destination knowledge and a vetted network of local guides, chefs, and experience providers. Planning fees are transparent and separate from trip costs, so you always know what you're paying for.

If you're planning a milestone trip, visiting a destination for the first time, or simply want someone who knows the ground to handle the details, a custom travel planning service turns research into a ready-to-go itinerary and stress into anticipation.

OUR SIGNATURE SERVICES

Over a Decade of Trip Planning Expertise Behind Every Journey

Our custom travel planning is a personalized service where a dedicated travel advisor designs your trip around your interests, budget, and travel style. Since 2015, we've planned over a thousand trips to the world's most delicious destinations.

OUR MOST POPULAR SERVICE

Full-Service Planning

From start to finish, we handle everything

Our most comprehensive custom travel planning service. This is for travelers who want expert guidance on every detail without the stress of figuring it all out themselves.

We design your complete luxury travel itinerary, handle all the on-the-ground details, and provide ongoing support so you can focus on the excitement of your upcoming trip.

Perfect for romantic getaways, milestone celebrations, and family adventures where every detail matters. Especially when the thought of planning it all yourself feels overwhelming.

WHAT’S INCLUDED

4 planning sessions with your dedicated travel planner

Complete custom itinerary with daily plans

Dining, activity, and experience recommendations

All bookings and reservations (minimum 2 per day)

Interactive travel app with your full trip details

Personalized maps with our recommendations

Destination guides: what to pack, what to read, cultural tips

Access to our private tour partners and local guides

Hotel perks (when available): room upgrades, early check in, late check out, food / beverage / spa credits

Support for DIY exploration days

Starting at $250/day

Planning fees typically start at $2,750, quoted after your Discovery Call

GUIDED PLANNING

Trip Tailoring

Your vision, elevated by our expertise

For travelers who want expert guidance without handing over the reins. Whether you're mid-planning or just prefer to book things yourself, we'll shape your itinerary with insider recommendations and handle select reservations while you manage the rest.

Think of it as having a travel-expert friend who's done the homework for you.

We'll recommend restaurants, experiences, and hotels that fit your trip and pull it all together into a polished daily itinerary you can run with.

WHAT’S INCLUDED

2 planning sessions with your dedicated travel planner

Custom daily itinerary building on your vision

Hand-picked lodging, dining, and activity recommendations

Select dining and tour reservations handled for you

Hotel perks (when available): room upgrades, early check in, late check out, food / beverage / spa credits

WHAT’S NOT INCLUDED

❌ Destination guides

❌ Access to private tour partners and local guides

❌ DIY exploration day support

❌ Interactive travel app

Starting at $175/day

We’ll provide a custom quote based on trip duration and complexity after your Discovery Call

HOW WE’RE DIFFERENT

Transparent Planning, Total Control

✅ Over A Decade of Experience

From our first trip in 2015 to over a thousand planned through 2026, we've refined every detail of the process.

✅ Deep Destination Knowledge

Destinations we know deeply, trusted by Forbes, Travel + Leisure, and Condé Nast Traveler.

✅ Truly Personalized

No templates or cookie-cutter itineraries. Every trip is built from scratch around you.


11 Years

Of Planning Experience

8 Destinations

With Deep Expertise

600+

Local Partners

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Service

From 80+ Reviews

1,000+

Trips Planned


Unlike many traditional travel agents who bundle their fees into all-in-one packages, our trip planning services keep the planning fee completely separate from your trip expenses.

This means you see exactly what you're paying for: every hotel, every experience, every dinner reservation.

Why does this matter? Because you stay in control of your budget. We'll help you decide where to splurge and where to save.

In our experience, those smart choices often save thousands of dollars, more than the cost of our planning fee.

Salt & Wind Travel Has Been Featured In

COMPARE OUR SERVICES

Find the Right Fit for Your Journey

What's Included Full-Service Trip Tailoring
Dedicated Travel PlannerA single point of contact who learns your preferences and manages your entire planning experience. Full-Service Trip Tailoring
Expert Guidance & SupportAccess to our team's destination knowledge for advice, recommendations, and problem-solving. Full-Service Trip Tailoring
One-on-One Planning SessionsScheduled calls or video chats to discuss your trip vision, review options, and refine your itinerary. Full-Service4 sessions Trip Tailoring2 sessions
Custom Daily ItineraryA day-by-day plan with timing, logistics, and recommendations tailored to your travel style. Full-Service Trip Tailoring
Curated RecommendationsHand-picked suggestions for restaurants, activities, and experiences based on your interests. Full-ServiceComprehensive Trip TailoringEssentials
Bookings & ReservationsWe secure your restaurants, tours, and experiences on your behalf. Full-Service2+ per day Trip TailoringSelect experiences
Hotel PerksBenefits through our hotel partnerships: room upgrades, complimentary breakfast, spa credits, and late checkout when available. Full-Service Trip Tailoring
Private Tour PartnersAccess to our vetted network of private tour operators and local guides for exclusive experiences. Full-Service Trip Tailoring
Destination GuidesPacking lists, cultural tips, essential phrases, and reading recommendations for your destination. Full-Service Trip Tailoring
DIY Exploration DaysSupport for self-guided days with curated recommendations and backup plans for spontaneous exploration. Full-Service Trip Tailoring
Interactive Travel AppMobile access to your full itinerary, reservations, maps, and recommendations in one place. Full-Service Trip Tailoring
Starting Price Full-Service$250/day Trip Tailoring$175/day
Typical Planning Fees Full-Service$2,750 Trip TailoringCustom quote

Which Service Is Right for You?

"I want expert guidance and support on every detail of my trip"
Full-Service Planning

"I want to collaborate on planning and stay involved in the process"
Trip Tailoring

"I just need help booking hotels with perks"
Hotel Booking

Not sure which service fits? Tell us about your trip. We'll help you find the right match.

WE ALSO OFFER

The Same Expertise, À La Carte

One-Hour Consultation Call

Map your destination before you dive in

Not sure where to go, when, or how to shape the trip? Book a focused one-hour call with a Salt & Wind Travel planner for a big-picture overview of your destination. We'll talk through where to base yourself, the best time to go, how to structure your days, and the insider context that lets you plan with confidence.

Best for early-stage planners who want expert orientation before committing to a full trip.

$250 for a 1-hour call. Book now.

Available worldwide. Already deep in planning and need help with specific itineraries, bookings, or logistics? That's what Trip Tailoring is for.

Hotel Booking

Expert guidance on where to stay

Need help choosing the right property? Our hotel booking service pairs our selection expertise with partner perks. We'll recommend properties that match your style, location needs, and budget, then book them with upgrades, breakfast, and other benefits when available.

Perfect for travelers who know their itinerary but want guidance on lodging decisions based on their travel style.

Quote-based

Available worldwide. We'll provide a quote based on your needs.

Interested in one of these services?

FULL SERVICE PLANNING PROCESS

Here's How Our Custom Travel Planning Process Works

Step by step, from vision to vacation

1. Discovery & Vision

We start with a discovery call to explore your travel style, interests, and must-haves.

2. Personalized Itinerary Design

We craft your itinerary drawing on over a decade of destination expertise, blending your wishlist with insider recommendations.

3. Collaborative Refinement

You review the draft and share feedback. We refine until it feels perfect.

4. Seamless Booking

We handle accommodations, transportation, guides, and experiences so you can focus on the anticipation.

5. Final Preparations

You receive your complete itinerary, travel essentials, and access to our team for final questions.

6. On-Trip Mobile Support

Our travel app keeps everything in one place: your itinerary, recommendations, and essential info.

7. Return & Reflect

After your trip, we follow up to hear your highlights and make your next adventure even better.

Whether you're planning a romantic escape, a family adventure, or a milestone celebration, this is how our trip planning services work. You'll feel informed, inspired, and supported every step of the way.

Where We Specialize

We offer our Full-Service travel planning in destinations where we have deep expertise: Italy, California, France, Hawaii, Switzerland, Spain, Mexico, and Portugal. Our One-Hour Consultation Call and Hotel Booking custom travel planning services are available worldwide.

How To Get Started With Our Custom Travel Planning Services

Step 1 → Share Your Travel Vision

Complete our inquiry form with your destination, dates, and budget. Share any must-have experiences so we understand your vision from day one.

Step 2 → Speak With A Travel Expert

We'll schedule a complimentary 15-minute Discovery Call to explore your travel style and priorities. No pressure, just possibilities.

Step 3 → Receive Your Custom Proposal

After your discovery call, you'll receive a personalized proposal. Whether you need Full-Service Planning, Trip Tailoring, or à la carte help, we'll recommend the right fit.

Salt & Wind Travel is the ideal planning service for the sophisticated, experienced traveler. Aida and her brilliant team were able to interpret our requests - including a strong desire to stay off the beaten path - and craft an itinerary that was even better than we could have imagined.

The custom planning services also allowed us to get exactly what we wanted, the sense that we could take a break from our stressful, overly-scheduled professional lives, without then having to invest all of our energy into coming up with trip plans.

Their unique approach allowed us to be flexible while still not missing out on the things that were most important to us. Huge gratitude to the Salt & Wind team for giving us a magical trip that will stay with us forever!

Elizabeth M.
2019 Italy Honeymoon Trip

A custom travel planning client capturing vineyard memories during her custom travel planning experience, photographing hillside landscape with distant town and castle.
  • Guests dining at outdoor tables under pink-striped umbrellas at La Bohème café-restaurant in Montmartre, Paris, with pink flowers cascading from the balcony above

    2025 France Family Trip

    "Kristen was super helpful in our discovery call, learning about what our family would enjoy and then providing tailored suggestions for our trip to Europe.

    The Salt & Wind Travel team is not only knowledgeable but thoughtful and considerate when designing their suggested itineraries.

    Their approach, without commissions, means that you can trust their recommendations wholeheartedly. We look forward to working with them in the future on trips to various destinations."

    - Amy C.

  • Overhead spread of Hawaiian plate lunches featuring poke bowls with ahi tuna, salmon, avocado, seaweed salad, loco moco with a fried egg, kalua pork, white rice, and musubi wraps

    2022 Hawaii Solo Trip

    "Salt & Wind Travel is the best!

    Aida helped me plan a trip to Hawaii. She has unmatched local knowledge and gave me fantastic recommendations on where to stay, what to prioritize, who to book, and where to eat.

    Even with endless research, I couldn't have assembled such a fantastic trip on my own.

    Aida has a sense of taste and personal understanding that very few travel planners have."

    — C.B.

  • Two hikers descending a coastal trail through green ice plant toward rocky cliffs and crashing waves along the California Big Sur coastline

    2024 California Couple Trip

    "Working with Kristen at Salt & Wind Travel was our best decision!

    They anticipated everything we would want or need while on our California road trip.

    The app she set up was a game-changer! Travel documents, schedules, options of things to do, reservation confirmation, directions, and more — all in one place!

    The trip felt so curated to who we were and what we wanted! I don't think I'll be able to travel any other way."

    — Abbey P.

Our Team

Salt & Wind Travel was founded in 2015 by culinary expert Aida Mollenkamp.

Our trip planners have over a decade of expertise crafting bespoke, five-star journeys rooted in food, culture, and local connection across the world's most delicious destinations.

Our philosophy centers on creating profound, meaningful experiences through travel while positively impacting local communities.

Aida Mollenkamp, Salt & Wind Travel founder and travel expert

Aida Mollenkamp
Founder & CEO

A cookbook author, trained chef (Le Cordon Bleu), and former Food Network host, Aida brings deep expertise in food, travel, and hospitality.

A Cornell graduate who's lived in France and Italy, she speaks four languages and is passionate about Italy, France, Hawaii, and California wine country.

Kristen Kellogg, Salt & Wind Travel team member

Kristen Kellogg
Partner & Travel Planner

A filmmaker and digital storyteller with hospitality roots, Kristen lived in Mexico City for five years and is our Mexico, California, Hawaii, Italy and Switzerland specialist.

She travels extensively through our signature destinations and splits her time between the U.S. and Todos Santos, Mexico.

Rachel Vermiglio-Smith, Salt & Wind Travel team member

An Arizona native living in Florence since 2014, Rachel is an Italian culture expert with Pugliese roots.

She holds degrees in Italian Renaissance Art and a Master's in Art History, and specializes in Central Italy and Puglia. She splits her time between Arizona and Tuscany with her family.

Ready To Trade Overwhelmed For Excited?

Bring us your wish list and your worries.

Our Discovery Call is your chance to tap into our custom travel planning expertise.
No obligations, only opportunities.

Frequently Asked Questions

Still Have Questions?

We get it, planning the perfect trip brings up a million little details. The good news is, we love talking about travel almost as much as we love planning it. Let's connect!

Page last updated: February 2026