Departure Lounge

I joined Departure Lounge after leaving a photography career. I was looking for a career change and it’s been one of the best decisions of my professional life. Departure Lounge has an amazingly supportive culture. The team has grown from about 15 of us to over 100 thanks to the leadership and vision of Keith Waldon. The team supports each other daily and the commission split is amazing. I truly don’t think I could every work for another host agency.

When you join Departure Lounge you become a business partner with Keith Waldon and his expanding travel advisor team. Keith, by nature of who he is, has created a work culture of innovation and empowerment. Keith generously offers his creative business sense and connections to enable each of his ICs to help attain their business goals and aspirations. In my 20 years of working with Keith, the last six as a part of the Departure Lounge team, I have observed him go out of his way, utilize his creative gifts, skills and contacts to help make those around him a success. There is no other place I would work.

After being with a different host agency for 3 years we made the move to Departure Lounge in September of 2019 and just had our 1 year anniversary. The change has been the best thing we have done for our business! Keith has built a team of advisors that are top notch and created an environment of collaboration and cooperation rather than competition - all of the advisors are always so helpful and willing to share their knowledge and areas of expertise. The Departure Lounge back office staff is likewise just as helpful and does a top notch job. Keith is constantly innovating aspects of the business from creating marketing tools for us to use, holding retreats, developing VIP supplier programs, etc. His reputation and standing in the travel industry is second to none and he is always available to help with anything we might need. I honestly have nothing but good things to say about our experience with Departure Lounge as our host agency.

I just joined Departure Lounge two weeks ago (during a pandemic) and can't say enough good things about Keith, the support staff and all of the advisors! There is a true spirit of camaraderie and helpfulness among the advisors and a family feel to the company. Even before signing, Keith gave me good advice on branding and positioning issues and has been responsive to my questions after joining. I feel my fellow advisors view me not as a competitor, but as a colleague and they are quick to suggest appropriate resources when I need help. All in all it has been a wonderful experience!

Integrity, ingenuity, camaraderie, creativity…. The majority of my career was in nature conservation, so when I decided to become a travel advisor, it was critical to me to find a team of smart and creative colleagues who above all exhibit impeccable integrity. Departure Lounge delivers in all these categories, with the atmosphere being set at the top by owner and founder Keith Waldon. Although he is busy and serves on many boards and committees, he always has time to answer questions, think of creative new partnerships and approaches, and help make amazing connections. I looked at every single agency listed on HAR and Departure Lounge quickly came to the top for me given its willingness to innovate, the strong sense of camaraderie (even with advisors across the continent and in other countries), an excellent reputation within the industry, a very fair commission structure, and the wonderful connections.

Mimi, Tisha and I are so proud to be part of such an amazing team! We knew we had found something special the first time we spoke to Keith Waldon. It was an easy decision to join his team. We are so grateful for the support, resources and reputation that come along with being part of Departure Lounge. We work with an wonderful group of people. Our whole team works together and is so helpful to one another and Keith's knowledge and leadership are invaluable. We feel so lucky to be here and wouldn't want to be anywhere else!

Jen Gouk, Mimi Sternberg and Tisha Patt

I spent months interviewing and considering Host Agency candidates, looking for that right fit. Departure Lounge was my ultimate choice for several reasons, including an innovative approach to doing business in the 21st century, creative & strategic partnerships, a strong sense of collaboration, and the invaluable support & guidance of Keith Waldon. The diverse collection of backgrounds and niche interests among the advisors at Departure Lounge ensures we have a well-rounded source of information and the culture is positive, feels more like a team. Those who are self-starters, motivated, and quick learners do well at Departure Lounge.

After countless hours of research and interviews with other agencies and their advisors, we kept coming back to DL. We feel so fortunate to have found our home with a host agency that has an impeccable reputation in the industry, has built incredible preferred partnerships, is always innovating and has the most engaged community of supportive advisors. We feel that the spirit of 'community over competition' is so prevalent, and is in no small feat a testament to the amazing leadership we have in Keith and the kind, intelligent, hard working advisors he has attracted to our team!

Having started with another agency originally, I can say with complete certainty that Departure Lounge is amazing- the support and database, along with a carefully built team that is intelligent and so fantastic is priceless. That combined with Keith’s connections and experience in the industry make Departure Lounge quite the powerhouse I’m proud to have backing us.

Departure Lounge is an agency full of people that care, people that operate with integrity, and people that believe in community. This isn’t by chance, Keith Waldon, our agency owner, has built a team that reflects the values that matter to him in. His reputation and innovation in this industry is unmatched and he truly cares about all of us. He makes himself available for his team and this applies to all of our colleagues as well. They are so giving of knowledge and experience and this makes us all better as advisors. The back office staff is amazing and so helpful as well. Being a part of an agency with the reputation Departure Lounge has been such a great experience, a culture of building each other up and helping each other at the forefront.