More affluent travelers are booking private yachts, villas and jets than ever before, according to a survey by American Express Platinum Travel Service specialists. What's more, the majority of these clients are first-time customers. Requests by groups and multi-generational families for private villas in such destinations as Italy, France and St. Barts are at an all-time high, AmEx said. The same goes for private yacht excursions, which AmEx specialists report are being booked for about seven days and with six to nine months' advanced notice.

In private jet travel, AmEx specialists are seeing the mode of transportation increasingly used on leisure vacations, with travelers younger in age then they have been in the past. Bookings tend to be from city to city within Europe and Asia. When on land, these travelers are requesting private viewings, dinners and art gallery tours. Visit [www.americanexpress.com]. (JM)