I’ve been to West Palm Beach a handful of times for winter holidays. It’s posh, stylish and oh-so-rich. After all, where else would they sink a Rolls Royce to become an artificial reef when other Florida seaside cities simply sink ships?
If you happen to be in this area during a hurricane and don’t want to drive out like all the other folks at 5 mph, now you can call HelpJet. For an annual fee of $500, you can get a seat on a 30-passenger Dornier 328 turboprop plane, receive updates as major storms near, and choose a flight from West Palm Beach, Miami, Orlando, Tampa or four other Florida cities to Atlanta, Charlotte or Nashville.
At the destination city, you can select a 3-, 5- or 7-day hotel stay option at a 5-star luxury hotel like Starwood Hotels & Resorts or even less costly accommodations. Even with the membership, the flights can cost you $1,850 to $1,950 round-trip per person — but that includes your pet and your peace of mind during a looming storm.
The company was launched by Brian Rems, who couldn’t leave town because of packed streets during Hurricane Wilma last October, and thought, “There’s got to be a better way.”
W: www.HelpJet.us.
A: 3800 Southern Blvd., West Palm Beach, FL 33406.
T: 1.800.HELP.JET (800.435.7538).