Billionaires prepare their private jets and superyachts ahead of the holiday season. Every December, the wealthy of the world prefer to vacation in expensive locations with their families and often with other billionaires. This year, things will be different, according to Business Insider.

According to Winston Chesterfield, the founder of the luxury-focused company Barton, billionaires prefer private resorts far from everyone else, “because they don’t want to be near the rest of the crowd.”

Many of the world’s largest yachts have already set sail for warmer waters.

Jeff Bezos’s yachts “Koru” and Barry Diller’s “Eos” are in the Caribbean. Eric Schmidt’s “Whisper” is heading to Barbados, and Len Blavatnik’s “Odessa II” recently docked in Antigua. Once the billionaire owners are aboard, several of these ships are likely to head to St. Barts.

Known for its exclusivity, beautiful hotels and restaurants, and natural beauty, this island has been a favorite spot for the super-rich for decades. The Rockefellers and Rothschilds built estates there in the mid-1900s.

Last year, Bezos, his fiancée Lauren Sanchez, and Michael Jordan were spotted in St. Barts, and David Geffen’s superyacht “Rising Sun” was also nearby.

For those who don’t stay on yachts, popular luxury hotels such as Eden Rock and Cheval Blanc, owned by LVMH billionaire Bernard Arnault, cost more than $5,000 a night for a room during this time of year.

Less expensive hotels aren’t exactly cheap — that’s part of the appeal. A room in the cheapest available hotel during the week between Christmas and New Year costs more than $3,000 a night. “There’s nothing mass-market about it. You can’t be there unless you’re very wealthy,” said Chesterfield.

Other ultra-wealthy travelers opt for colder destinations, preferring winter weather. “A mountain getaway is more of an escape from reality than any option, even a private remote island getaway,” Chesterfield said.

In Europe, it’s the Alps. Gstaad, St. Moritz, Courchevel — a favorite spot for Russian oligarchs — and Val d’Isère are classic choices for people with very high incomes.

Chesterfield noted that some of the rich choose quieter places, like Crans-Montana in Switzerland, where billionaire Vicky Safra has a home, or Kitzbühel in Austria. “There’s less chance of running into someone you know,” he added.

Some of the ultra-rich own chalets worth eight digits, which they rent out for $40,000 a week during peak season. Property prices in these places continue to rise, with homes in Gstaad, the priciest spot, selling for €41,500 per square meter.

Purchasing luxury apartments in resorts like Six Senses in Courchevel is also becoming increasingly common, largely due to amenities such as spas, saunas, ski valets, and concierges.

In the U.S., Aspen remains the most elite ski resort.

The city has the highest concentration of residents with a net worth of over $30 million in the U.S., according to a 2023 study by Altrata.

Of course, sometimes billionaires behave like regular people — at least a little. For example, one of them is gifting their family a trip to Disneyland, although it will cost more than a typical American family’s vacation at Cinderella’s Castle. “It’s a few days, for about seven or eight people. It’ll probably end up costing around $75,000, plus or minus.”