2025 Travel Noire Awards Winner: Best Black-Owned Tour Company – Up In The Air Life

Up In The Air Life stands tall as one of the premier Black-owned luxury travel companies in the industry today. Founded by visionary entrepreneur Claire Soares, this multi-million-dollar tour company has transformed the way Black travelers experience luxury worldwide. After spending several years as a successful sales executive, Soares channeled her expertise into creating unforgettable journeys that fuse opulence with cultural authenticity.

Her company has secured more than 3,000 clients who participate in glamorous excursions across the globe, establishing Up In The Air Life as a powerhouse in the luxury travel sector. What began as a hobby generating over $20,000 in revenue during its first year has experienced exponential growth. According to Black Enterprise, by 2018, just five years after its founding, Up In The Air Life surpassed the million-dollar mark in revenue for the first time.

Up In The Air Life Redefines What Luxury Travel Looks Like

“I love traveling, and I knew other women and men of color loved to travel as well,” Soares has stated about her motivation to launch the company in 2013. As a former Fortune 500 sales executive who has personally visited more than 64 countries across six continents, Soares created Up In The Air Life after recognizing a significant absence in the luxury travel space.

One of the biggest challenges Soares faced was entering a space where few people looked like her and confronting misconceptions about Black travelers. “The biggest one is that Black people aren’t interested or can’t afford luxury travel,” she told Black Enterprise. Additionally, according to industry data she cited, spending among Black luxury travelers reaches upwards of $42 billion annually, yet “most luxury travel companies don’t even show Black people in their marketing.”

The rise of Up In The Air Life is a powerful example of identifying market opportunities and building businesses that both serve communities and challenge industry norms. Soares’ journey from corporate success to entrepreneurial triumph demonstrates how passion, expertise, and determination can transform a side hustle into a thriving enterprise that reshapes an entire industry segment.

That’s a wrap on this year’s award announcements — but the story continues. Explore the nominees for the 2025 Best Black-Owned Tour Company, along with every category and winner at the Travel Noire Awards hub.

The post 2025 Travel Noire Awards Winner: Best Black-Owned Tour Company – Up In The Air Life appeared first on Travel Noire.