Inside PS: How the Private Terminal Brand is Redefining Airport Luxury for Commercial Travelers

Sign into the PS private terminal in Los Angeles and someone on the team will quickly ask if you’d like the same thing you had last time—they always remember. Surprisingly few hotels manage that level of recall, and even fewer members’ clubs of late. That hyper-personalized level of service forms the bedrock of an operation that has quietly transformed how high-net-worth individuals, executives, and high-profile travelers experience the often-dreaded airport journey.

The brand is super-serving a difficult clientele in an exceptionally complicated business, so I wanted to hear from Amina Belouizdad Porter, PS’s CEO, how the company thinks about what it has built. She came to PS from private equity, and before that hotel development, and she talks about the business with an investor’s discipline and an operator’s affection. This unique dual perspective has proven essential as the company navigates the intricate intersections of aviation security, real estate development, high-end hospitality, and strict regulatory compliance across multiple jurisdictions.

For those unfamiliar with the concept, PS lets travelers flying commercial skip the public terminal entirely. Founded in 2017 as The Private Suite at LAX, it added Atlanta in 2023 and doubled its footprint this summer with Dallas-Fort Worth and Miami. Departing guests clear a private TSA checkpoint, and arriving international guests clear customs on site. Instead of battling crowded security queues, navigating chaotic baggage carousels, and waiting anxiously at packed boarding gates, guests are ushered into luxurious private lounges or salons equipped with daybeds, private bathrooms, fully stocked bars, and gourmet dining options before being driven directly across the tarmac to their commercial aircraft in a luxury vehicle.

The evolution of the brand from a single, pioneering location at Los Angeles International Airport into a growing national network highlights a broader shift in the luxury travel sector. Modern affluent travelers increasingly value their time above all else, seeking to eliminate the friction points traditionally associated with commercial aviation. While private jet chartering remains the ultimate expression of seamless travel, the staggering costs, environmental scrutiny, and logistical limitations of private aviation mean that many travelers still rely on commercial airlines for long-haul and international journeys. PS bridges that gap, offering the exclusivity, privacy, and convenience of a private aviation terminal while allowing travelers to utilize major commercial carriers.

Running such an operation requires a delicate balance between elite hospitality and stringent airport security protocols. Because PS operates within the highly regulated ecosystem of major commercial airports, its facilities must seamlessly integrate with federal agencies such as the Transportation Security Administration and Customs and Border Protection. Departing guests clear security through a private checkpoint located entirely within the secure confines of the PS facility, bypassing the general public lines altogether. Meanwhile, arriving international guests benefit from dedicated customs clearance handled directly on site, sparing them from the long queues and crowded federal inspection halls typically found at major hubs.

The leadership driving this expansion brings a sophisticated blend of financial acumen and deep-rooted operational expertise. Amina Belouizdad Porter’s background in private equity provides the analytical rigor necessary to evaluate capital-intensive expansion projects, real estate lease negotiations, and long-term infrastructural investments. At the same time, her foundational experience in hotel development ensures that the brand never loses sight of the human element—the nuanced, anticipatory service that transforms a mere physical space into an unforgettable hospitality experience. Whether it is remembering a guest’s preferred beverage, accommodating last-minute dietary requests, or coordinating complex baggage transfers with commercial airline crews, the operational team must execute every detail flawlessly.

The recent expansion into Dallas-Fort Worth and Miami, following the 2023 launch in Atlanta, demonstrates that the demand for this specialized tier of service extends far beyond the traditional entertainment and tech hubs of the West Coast. Major metropolitan aviation hubs, characterized by massive passenger volumes and complex layouts, present ideal environments for a service designed to isolate travelers from the stress of the public terminal. As the company continues to scale its operations across the United States, it remains focused on maintaining the intimate, highly personalized atmosphere that first defined its flagship Los Angeles location, ensuring that every guest—whether a frequent corporate flyer or a leisure traveler seeking absolute discretion—enjoys an effortless journey from the moment they arrive.