Photography by Wesley Law
Christina Royer and Abbey Meyer
The COVID-19 pandemic was a tough time to start a business—particularly when that business was a travel agency. Abbey Meyer and Christina Royer recognized it was an unexpected prospect when they launched Sky High Travel (10805 Sunset Office Drive, Ste. 202, 314-394-1125) in July 2021. Yet they also felt they had figured out a way to make travel more manageable.
“We’ve had an opportunity to create a business model straight out of the gate that’s current,” Royer says. That business model factors in the hiccups that plagued the industry during the summer travel season, with an eye toward the complexities of modern, post-pandemic travel.
The agency offers what Meyer calls “Plan B, C, D, and E” services, for when itineraries are forced to change. Meyer and Royer say one of the biggest shifts they’ve seen is that travel plans are being made much closer to the departure date than in the past. International getaways were at one time designed months in advance, but the average booking window is now 21 days before the trip begins. “That was never the case before,” Royer says. “So having an agency that is built on new trends is beneficial for our clients—they know that we’re going to move fast.”
Before becoming a travel agent, Meyer taught high school world geography. She uses that background to inform conversations with clients, often guiding them to places they might not have previously considered. One recent client, for example, had a list of reasons why she wanted to visit Greece, but everything the woman described to Meyer and Royer made it sound like Jamaica would be a better fit for her plans—and her budget.
“It happens every day here,” Meyer says. “An underrated destination for St. Louis is the Dominican Republic. We have direct flights that run to either Cancun or Punta Cana, but the Punta Cana flight isn’t nearly as known as the one for Cancun… You can get a direct flight to Punta Cana, the prices are almost the exact same, and you can try something different.”
For Meyer and Royer, thinking different is what led them to open Sky High in the first place. “When we decided to take this leap, we thought it would either be a strikeout or a home run,” Meyer says. “It’s been a home run from Day One.”
Travel Tips from the Pros
Planning a trip? Meyer and Royer share expert travel insights.
Check your passport. Because the process for obtaining and renewing a passport takes several weeks, don’t wait until you’ve booked your trip to apply for one. “They’re good for 10 years and worth their weight in gold,” Meyer says.
Don’t overlook international. Traveling on a tight budget? That doesn’t mean you have to stay stateside or limit yourself to a drivable destination. “I’m really surprised by how comparable international travel is to domestic nowadays,” Meyer says. “People don’t believe us when we send them a quote for a trip to San Diego versus a quote for, say, four nights in Cancun.”
Be flexible. Everyone wants to travel during the summer. But waiting until non-peak months, like September and October, can help you avoid crowds and high prices. “They’re what we call shoulder seasons,” Meyer says, “and they can really stretch your dollar.”
