.

#1 William Gates III

2007-01-15T10:00:00.000+07:00

Age : 50
Fortune : Self made
Source : MicrosoftNet
Worth : 50.0
Country Of Citizenship : United States
Residence : Medina, Washington, United States, North America
Industry : Software
Marital Status : Married, 3 children

Harvard University, Drop Out. Microsoft's chief visionary moving further away from day-to-day corporate work. For the first time did not offer a strategy outlook at last year's financial analyst meeting. Instead, prefers to dive into innovative projects, foster collaboration among Microsoft's many divisions. Microsoft aims to be omnipotent, selling software for PCs, servers, cell phones, television set-top boxes, gaming consoles, the Web.

At the ripe (tech sector) age of 30, Gates' company impressively beats rivals in profit margins, market capitalization and R&D budget, but its sales growth is slowing to a (recently) single-digit percentage pace. Like elder statesman of computing, IBM, has been investing heavily in its own stock. Diversifies methodically, selling 20 million shares every quarter, reinvesting through Cascade Investment. Big stakes in Canadian National Railway, Republic Services, Berkshire Hathaway. Philanthropy, via $29 billion Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, aimed at fighting infectious disease (hepatitis B, AIDS, malaria) and improving high schools.

#2 Warren Buffett

2007-01-15T09:00:00.000+07:00

Age : 75
Fortune : Self made
Source : Berkshire HathawayNet
Worth : 42.0
Country Of Citizenship : United States
Residence : Omaha, Nebraska, United States, North America
Industry : Investments
Marital Status : Widowed, 3 children

University of Nebraska Lincoln, Bachelor of Arts / ScienceColumbia University, Master of Science Revered investor took it on the chin over Berkshire Hathaway's General Re insurance unit; SEC threatened civil fraud suit against General Re Chief Joseph Brandon over questionable transaction with American International Group. Also got it for his board seat at Coca-Cola, where his "independence" might be compromised by Berkshire's ownership of Dairy Queen, which buys lots of Coke products. Buffett: "Do they want us to favor Pepsi?" At Berkshire set in place two governance reforms: regular meetings of directors without Buffett present; whistleblower line for employees. Sitting on $43 billion in cash, hoped to make some big acquisitions last year, "but I struck out." Instead, invested in foreign currencies: $21 billion bet against the dollar and in favor of various other currencies. "In no way does our thinking about currencies rest on doubts about America." Newspaper delivery boy filed first 1040 at age 13; claimed $35 deduction for bicycle. Studied under Benjamin Graham at Columbia. Applied value-investing principles to build Berkshire Hathaway. Portfolio includes utilities (MidAmerican Energy Holdings), insurance (Geico, General Re), apparel (Fruit of the Loom), flight services (FlightSafety, NetJets). Also chunks of American Express, Coca-Cola, Gillette, Wells Fargo. Instructs managers to run a business as if it's the only asset the manager's family will own over the next 100 years. Prefers his investors to buy equities only after careful analysis. "If they insist on trying to time their participation in equities, they should try to be fearful when others are greedy and greedy only when others are fearful." Says he underestimated the severity of certain stocks' overvaluation during the tech bubble. "I talked when I should have walked." No matter. Since taking control of Berkshire 40 years ago, has delivered compound annual return of 22%. "No wonder we tap-dance to work."

#3 Carlos Slim Helu

2007-01-15T08:00:00.000+07:00

Age : 66

Fortune : Inherited and growing

Source : TelecomNet

Worth : 30.0

Country Of Citizenship : Mexico

Residence : Mexico City, Mexico, North America

Industry : Communications

Marital Status : Widowed, 6 children

Latin America's richest man added more than $6 billion to his fortune this year. He sold off his stakes in MCI and Altria and used the proceeds to up his holding in Saks Inc; in his fixed line operator, Telmex; and in America Movil, his flagship wireless telecom outfit. The latest was a particularly smart move as America Movil's stock has almost doubled in the past year. He also owns 71% of a new public company, Impulsora del Desarollo Economico de America Latina, which he spun off from financial services giant Grupo Financiero Inbursa. Inbursa also invested in a start-up budget airline called Volaris. An art collector, Slim houses his Rodin sculptures in Mexico City's Museo Soumaya, the museum he funded and named after his late wife. His Grupo Carso is reportedly a combination of his first name and his late wife's.

Americans Richest

2007-01-15T07:00:00.000+07:00

A nine-figure fortune won’t get you much mention these days, at least not here. This year, for the first time, everyone in The Forbes 400 has at least $1 billion. The collective net worth of the nation’s wealthiest climbed $120 billion, to $1.25 trillion. Surging real estate, oil and other asset prices paved the way for 28 new members and 14 returnees.

The Top Ten :
1. William H. Gates III
2. Warren E. Buffett
3. Sheldon Adelson
4. Lawrence J. Ellison
5. Paul G. Allen
6. Jim C Walton
7. Christy Walton
8. S. Robson Walton
9. Michael Dell
10. Alice L. Walton

China's Richest

2007-01-15T06:00:00.000+07:00

China's wealthiest got much richer in the past year, thanks to the nation's booming economy. Take just the top 10% of our list. The 40 richest businesspeople are now worth a collective $26 billion, up from $18 billion a year ago. China is now home to ten billionaires and their families, up from three last year.

The Top Ten :
1. Larry Rong Zhijian
2. Zhu Mengyi
3. William Ding Lei
4. Wong Kwong Yu
5. Liu Yongxing
6. Liu Yonghao
7. Guo Guangchang
8. Xu Ming
9. Hui Ming Mau
10.Tianqiao Chen

Southeast Asia's Richest

2007-01-15T05:00:00.000+07:00

Our inaugural list of the 40 wealthiest businesspeople in Southeast Asia extends our coverage beyond the region's 18 billionaires.

List members hail from Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. A minimum net worth of $210 million was a prerequisite. And, unlike our annual list of the world's billionaires, this regional list broadens to include heads of state and family fortunes. As a result, Thailand's Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and Indonesia's Putera Sampoerna, who shares his wealth with his family, made our list.

The Top Ten Asia:

1. Robert Kuok
2. Ananda Krishnan
3. Kwek Leng Beng
4. Rachman Halim
5. Ng Teng Fong
6. Quek Leng Chan
7. Wee Cho Yaw
8. R. Budi Hartono
9. Lee Seng Wee
10. Lim Goh Tong

Most Expensive Private Islands 2006

2007-01-15T04:00:00.000+07:00

They're not just for the pathologically reclusive or tragically stranded. Private islands, with their bare beaches, 360-degree views and delicious solitude, are coveted by billionaires and celebrities alike.

"If you win the lottery, you buy a private island," says Cheyenne Morrison, broker for Coldwell Banker Morrison's Private Islands in Port Douglas, Australia. "Or if you become a tech mogul, that's what you do. You think, 'I'll buy a yacht. I'll buy a private island.'"
The main incentive to owning an entire island is pretty obvious: keyword "private." A huge margin of water serves as a far more effective barrier to the outside world than a stone wall, automatic gate or towering privet hedge. There are no noisy neighbors; no photographers may set foot on your beach without permission.

Click here to see the 14 most expensive private islands in the world.

There is also an element of fantasy to having your own private island--especially given the prices. Though pocket-sized properties without beaches, in dubious or chilly parts of the world, can be had for as little as $200,000, private islands are increasingly rare.
"Islands are very scarce, the good ones," says Farhad Vladi of international brokerage Vladi Private Islands in Hamburg, Germany.

Many have been set aside as nature preserves, sold off in parcels, developed into multiple resorts, or will simply be bought and held for decades. In some countries, such as the Philippines, foreigners are not allowed to buy private islands. So, it's no wonder prices for the biggest can be sky-high.

This year, for example, Forbes.com's 2006 list of the Most Expensive Private Islands tops out at nearly $40 million, the price for Isla de sa Ferradura, a Spanish property occupied by a luxurious resort villa. The ninth-most expensive private island on the market, a stunning example off the coast of St. Thomas known as Thatch Cay, clocks in at a tough-to-reach $24 million. And though we scoured real estate listings for the properties on our list, there are likely several more that are being sold very, very quietly at comparable prices--or higher.
The list of people who have owned private islands is long and illustrious.

Mel Gibson paid $15 million for his cliff-ringed Fijian retreat. Richard Branson wisely bought Necker Island decades ago, when it was still possible to purchase such properties in the British Virgin Islands. Marlon Brando lived for years in rustic fashion on Tetiaroa in French Polynesia (the island is currently being turned into an eco-resort). Thought the world's richest person, Microsoft (nasdaq: MSFT - news - people ) Chairman and Chief Executive Bill Gates, is not known to own his own island, he reportedly toured Grand Bogue Caye, the largest available private island in Belize. Priced at $25 million, it has 314 acres and thousands of feet of pristine beach.
So, why don't more billionaires and celebrities own their own islands? For one thing, there is a finite supply of them. For another, they are not to everyone's tastes, no matter how appealing they might seem in the abstract. The best islands have beaches to lounge on, clear waters to swim and fish in and terraces to dine on, but unless your property happens to be close to civilization, you can rule out shopping, dining out and visiting museums.

In fact, access can be a real problem and some private islands are not large enough to land a Gulfstream, or have a harbor deep enough to handle anything larger than a small boat. Then, of course, there can be the hassle of ensuring there are always enough supplies, not to mention electricity and running water. Most islands aren't on a power grid and few are located near a Home Depot (nyse: HD - news - people ) or a Wal-Mart (nyse: WMT - news - people ). Last, but not the least, islands can be prone to salt damage, insects and, more important, natural disasters like tidal waves and hurricanes. After a while, even a billionaire may get fed up of having to constantly rebuild at the end of every hurricane season.
Still, advances in technology have made island living cheaper, more comfortable and less cut-off. You will still pay more to build a house on an island, since materials need to come in by boat, and for traveling you are generally at the mercy of the sea. But solar panels and wind power generators have become more affordable in recent years; so has desalination equipment.

"Communication was always the biggest drawback of an island," Morrison says. "Up until five or ten years ago, no matter how much money you had, you couldn't have telephone service; you had to rely on radio."
Today, even remote islands have cellular phone service, and if yours doesn't, you can get telephone, Internet and television service via satellite.

Though "private island" might conjure up images of tropical paradises lush with palms, such properties can be had around the world. You can buy part of a remote Asian archipelago that can only be reached by plane, then car, then boat; or a vintage estate off the coast of Connecticut--close enough to commute to Manhattan each day.
One thing holds true around the globe, however: Before you consider buying an island retreat, you must rent one, Vladi advises.
"Check out the flora and fauna," he says. "See how you can get along in an anti-social environment. See if you like the local culture--you have to buy your groceries, get your boat repaired."

Some locales may be more welcoming than others. For example, a $27.5 million property known as Sultan's Island originally appeared on our list, but was subsequently withdrawn because of local anti-foreign sentiment. "The media are creating a stir about foreigners buying it and so the owner has taken it off the market," says Morrison, the listing broker.
Consult a professional broker, and be sure to ask the right questions about any island that looks appealing in pictures.
"The further away the island, the more remote the island, the less salable the island is," Vladi says. "No photo shows you that. You don't see mosquitoes in photos. I can show you the most beautiful islands that have sand flies."
If the prices on our list are too steep, don't despair. Though the big ones are certainly desirable, often because of development potential, the best islands for private retreats are often smaller and far cheaper.
"An island that is five, ten, or 20 acres, that's human-sized," Morrison says. "Something you can walk around in an hour or two hours."
And, of course, you still won't bump into any neighbors.

Bigger Than Yours

2007-01-15T03:00:00.000+07:00

On the ocean, less is not more.

As the fortunes of the world’s wealthiest have grown, so, too, have their floating palaces. Twenty years ago a 150-foot boat would have made its owner the envy of the sea- faring set. Now it wouldn’t even get a ranking on the world’s 100 largest yachts list, according to Power & Motor-yacht magazine.

Limited Brands billionaire Leslie Wexner kicked off the yacht wars in 1997 when he launched the 316-foot Limitless, at the time 110 feet longer than any other boat. Since then a competitive sport has emerged in waterlines. To play, you need to spend up to $300 million, and perhaps buy more than one vessel (Russian Roman Abramovich owns three). Rumor has it Larry Ellison ordered his Rising Sun be built a few feet longer than Paul Allen’s Octopus--just to stick it to his Microsoft (nasdaq:

MSFT - news - people ) rival (Ellison’s folks deny this story). “Yachts are the closest a commoner can get to sovereignty,” explains U.S. billionaire Charles Simonyi, who spends six months a year on his 233-foot Skat.

A boat owner should be prepared to spend 10% of the purchase price each year on fuel, cleaning, system maintenance and crew salaries. Plus there are dockage and registration fees, taxes, insurance and the cost of a good mari-time attorney. But if you have to ask about any of these outlays, you can’t afford them.

Click here to see Billionaire Yachts.

Vehicles Owned by Billionaires

2007-01-15T02:00:00.000+07:00

If your pockets were as deep as Bill Gates’ what would you drive? A new Porsche or a seven-year-old one? Each year, Forbes magazine compiles a list of the world’s wealthiest people. While awaiting the release of the 2006 list, which will be published in March, ForbesAutos.com wanted to give you a look at the vehicles driven by the billionaires at the top of the 2005 list. Check back in March when we update this list to reflect the Top 10 ranking for 2006.

Top 10 Vehicles Owned by Billionaires :
1. William Gates III
2. Warren Buffett
3. Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Alsaud
4. Ingvar Kamprad
5. Paul Allen
6. Lawrence Ellison
7. Jim Walton
8. Alice Walton
9. Michael Dell
10.Steven Ballmer

World's Most Expensive Cars 2006

2007-01-15T01:00:00.000+07:00

The superrich are responsible for firing the imaginations of car lovers everywhere.
The world's ten most expensive automobiles, which you can see in the slide show that follows this piece, include such dreams-come-true as a street-legal, ten-cylinder Porsche race car (the Carrera GT) and cars with over 1,000 hp each ( Bugatti's Veyron 16.4 and SSC's Ultimate Aero).

These kinds of cars make Ferraris and Aston Martins look like relative bargains; despite their fame, they are much cheaper than the cars on our list. Of the ten most expensive cars, only two are made by brands with household names--Porsche and Mercedes-Benz--although I guess it depends on what your household is like.

Click here for a slide show of the world's ten most expensive automobiles.

But the ten most expensive cars aren't just rare. They are beautiful, but in daring, sometimes avant-garde ways that mainstream cars can't follow. Their top speeds set records. Their technology is pioneering, and attainable only by the wealthiest of car buyers--and that's a blessing even for the non-wealthy.
"If rich people didn't buy these things," wrote a leading car blog in response to our piece last year, "they'd never get made, and the world would be a poorer place for all pistonheads."
Just how rich a world is the world in which the ten most expensive cars live? For one thing, no Ferrari, Aston, Bentley, Lamborghini or Rolls-Royce made the list. Two Maybachs did--but just barely.

The final cut was determined through extensive research and stringent methodology.
For one thing, the list only concerns vehicles of which multiple copies exist. Special prototypes were not included. In addition, some hot-rod shops can build, to a customer's specification, cars that cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. These custom jobs are not the sort of thing we considered for this story. Nor did we consider kit cars, under the logic that things you build in your garage don't count. We also only considered original-issue cars, and not modifications of other manufacturers' vehicles.
For each nameplate that we evaluated, we only looked at its most expensive model. For example, Italian automaker Pagani makes several different editions of its Zonda supercar, but we only included the most expensive one--the $667,000 Clubsport version of the Zonda Roadster F C12S 7.3.

Pagani recommends all of its global dealers offer the Zonda for the same base price. However, other companies' cars can change prices for different countries--and we're not just talking about the inclusion of region-specific charges, such as duties and transportation fees.
For example, Saleen's S7 Twin Turbo supercar costs $83,000 more in Europe than in the U.S.--a price hike of 15%. This is because Saleen originally designed the car for the American market and must modify it to make it street legal in other regions. But each of the ten cars in the slide show--the ten most expensive street-legal cars in production in the world at press time--is not available in all markets. Although some cars on the list are not available in the U.S., we converted all base prices to U.S. dollars to determine each vehicle's place in the rankings. We based all conversions on current exchange rates. In order to properly position such cars as the S7, which have different base prices in different areas, we fit each car into the rankings based on its highest base price in the world. Other cars have one base price that applies throughout the world. We contacted all of the manufacturers represented in the slide show for verification of the statistics presented there. Moreover, to make sure we did not miss any vehicles that had a chance of qualifying for the list, we sent multiple e-mails or made multiple phone calls to each manufacturer--of whom we were aware--of original, exotic sports cars; not everybody responded. Since the only other kinds of vehicles we felt had a chance of making the list were the ultra high-end cars of Maybach, Rolls-Royce and Bentley, we contacted those manufacturers and asked if they knew of any other similarly pricey luxury cars. All three said "no." In searching for companies to contact, we encountered certain obstacles. Some automakers had what appeared to be either defunct contact information or no contact information listed on their Web sites. Some had Web sites that were not available in English. Some had no Web sites. And in a few cases, we had heard of some manufacturers but were unable to track them down.

Most automakers are reachable via e-mail, and we excluded from consideration automakers without published e-mail addresses. However, we are confident that we spoke with the automakers that had the possibility of making this list. Another technicality in terms of contacting companies is that we were able to obtain American and/or European prices from some companies, but not global prices. When a manufacturer would not provide us with global prices, we fit its models into the rankings based on the highest base prices of which we were aware.

As a rule for this story, we used the most current information available. The slide show that follows is a step into a world that few people ever see--a world that would appear rich even to rich people.
Click here for a slide show of the world's ten most expensive automobiles.

Homes Of The Billionaires

2007-01-14T10:00:00.000+07:00

How does the other half live? Well, it depends. Try more like how the other .00001% lives.

According to the National Association of Home Builders, the median American house size is slightly more than 2,000 square feet. Compare that to the domicile of the world's richest man: as might be expected from one with that sobriquet, Microsoft (nasdaq: MSFT - news - people ) founder Bill Gates' house is more than 30 times that size. The NAHB says that most houses have three bedrooms, one fireplace and are sided in vinyl or aluminum. Some billionaires' homes have more than a dozen bedrooms; the only vinyl is in the rare-record collection housed in the custom-built listening room.

Yet as extravagant as some of their mansions may seem, the homes of the superrich are not out of proportion to their wealth. In fact, they can seem comparatively downright modest.
In Pictures: Homes Of The Billionaires
A report released by the National Association of Realtors last year pointed out that in the U.S., about a fifth of a household's wealth is composed of home equity. Let's say that held true for Warren Buffett. The mastermind behind holding company Berkshire Hathaway (nyse: BRK.A - news - people ) is second on our list of the World's Richest People, with an estimated net worth of $42 billion. If he sank the average 20% into his home, the property would have to be worth...oh, approximately $8.4 billion. In other words, the gross domestic product of Libya.
Instead, Buffett lives more like a millionaire than a billionaire. For nearly 50 years, he's bedded down in the same Omaha house he bought for $31,500. Although far from elaborate, it is still more than adequate. In 2003, the local assessor pegged its value at nearly $700,000. Buffett disagreed--he thought it was worth more like $500,000.

Buffett's not the only penny-wise homeowner on the list. Ingvar Kamprad, founder and former chief executive of home furnishings giant IKEA, is a notorious tightwad who drives a second-hand Volvo despite his estimated $28 billlion fortune. His house in Lausanne, Switzerland, though hidden behind a high hedge, is said to be surprisingly unremarkable. He does indulge in winemaking, at his small vineyard in Provence, but has been known to complain that it's an expensive hobby.
And even though Gates' sprawling estate is tremendous and impressive, it's not Xanadu through and through. Sure, there's the tremendous main staircase, the 60-foot-long swimming pool...but countless luxury estates have 20-room theaters. Just try peeking into a few Beverly Hills mansions.
Don't get us wrong, though. There are plenty of opulent estates in private and well-manicured hands.

Prince Alwaleed bin Talal Alsaud of Saudi Arabia, No. 8 on the list, has a 317-room palace in Riyadh, which reportedly cost $130 million to build. Totaling 400,000 square feet, it has a soccer field, eight elevators and more than 500 television sets. Then again, his $20 billion in riches, includes the largest individual stake in Citigroup (nyse: C - news - people ).
Lakshmi Mittal, the Indian steel tycoon who is the world's fifth-richest man, set a worldwide price record for a single-family home in 2004 when he spent $128 million for a London townhouse. It's not just near a palace, it's outfitted like one. Even the columns by the swimming pool are said to be encrusted with gems.
And why not? Even if you don't need the mortgage-interest deduction on your income taxes, there are practical reasons to own a mega-mansion. If you want to pack some political punch, for example, you'd best be prepared to host some high-profile fundraisers. Hollywooder David Geffen boosted the campaign coffers of Bill Clinton and Al Gore with events at his Beverly Hills estate.

The GOP also has plenty of friendly fundraisers with big houses. In 2003, President George W. Bush visited cellular phone magnate Craig McCaw (and collected campaign money from deep-pocketed donors). The event also drew protestors to the wealthy enclave of Hunts Point, Wash.
Click here to take a photographic tour of homes of 15 of the world's richest people.

The Celebrity 100

2007-01-14T09:00:00.000+07:00

The rich and famous have had a great year--and a terrible one. Movie attendance dropped 8% last year as fans retreated to their home theaters, complaining of, among other things, high ticket prices. Can-do-no-wrong actors such as Nicole Kidman delivered the year's biggest turkeys ( Bewitched, anyone?). As a result, box office receipts fell 5% to $8.9 billion.

Breakups, babies and betrayals monopolized the headlines nearly eclipsing the careers of actors such as Jennifer Aniston and Angelina Jolie. But generating headlines isn't enough to solidify your standing in Hollywood. A fat paycheck won't do it, either. Only a combination of earnings and sizzle will land a celebrity a coveted spot on our Celebrity 100 list of the most powerful names in the business.

The Celebrity 100 :

1. Tom Cruise 2. Rolling Stones 3. Oprah Winfrey 4. U2 5. Tiger Woods 6. Steven Spielberg 7. Howard Stern 8. 50 Cent 9. Cast of The Sopranos 10. Dan Brown 11. Bruce Springsteen 12. Donald Trump 13. Muhammad Ali 14. Paul McCartney 15. George Lucas 16. Elton John 17. David Letterman 18. Phil Mickelson 19. J.K. Rowling 20. Brad Pitt 21. Peter Jackson 22. Dr. Phil McGraw 23. Jay Leno 24. Celine Dion 25. Kobe Bryant 26. Michael Jordan 27. Johnny Depp 28. Jerry Seinfeld 29. Simon Cowell 30. Michael Schumacher 31. Tom Hanks 32. Rush Limbaugh 33. Denzel Washington 34. Cast of Desperate Housewives 35. Jennifer Aniston 35. Angelina Jolie 37. The Olsen Twins 38. Nicole Kidman 39. The Eagles 40. Rod Stewart 41. Shaquille O'Neal 42. Jerry Bruckheimer 43. David Beckham 44. Jessica Simpson 45. Andrew Lloyd Webber 46. LeBron James 47. Neil Diamond 48. Alex Rodriguez 49. Will Smith 50. Dick Wolf 51. Dave Matthews Band 52. Tom Brady 53. Ronaldinho 54. Jodie Foster 55. Ray Romano 56. Paris Hilton 57. Adam Sandler 58. Derek Jeter 59. Jennifer Lopez 60. Rick Warren 61. Scarlett Johansson 62. Katie Couric 63. Maria Sharapova 64. Valentino Rossi 65. Halle Berry 66. James Patterson 67. Leonardo DiCaprio 68. Kiefer Sutherland 69. Jim Carrey 70. Cameron Diaz 71. Gisele Bundchen 72. Renee Zellweger 73. Carson Palmer 74. Michelle Wie 75. Reese Witherspoon 76. Bill O'Reilly 77. Kate Moss 78. Diane Sawyer 79. Sean (Diddy) Combs 80. John Grisham 81. Rachael Ray 82. Dave Chappelle 83. Larry the Cable Guy 84. Tyra Banks 85. George Lopez 86. Regis Philbin 87. Serena Williams 88. Ryan Seacrest 89. Wolfgang Puck 90. Venus Williams 91. Annika Sorenstam 92. Matthew Broderick/ Nathan Lane 93. Mel Brooks 94. Emeril Lagasse 95. Nicole Richie 96. Heidi Klum 97. Mario Batali 98. Eric Idle/ Mike Nichols 99. Adriana Lima 100. Ty Pennington

Travel Like A Billionaire

2007-01-14T08:00:00.000+07:00

Contrary to popular belief, not all billionaires travel the same way. For example, not all of them own a yacht or are driven around in a $325,000 Maybach. And many of them don't necessarily opt for the largest and most expensive hotel suite--even if they could afford to buy the hotel many times over.

But what they do is travel better. When was the last time anyone saw Bill Gates or Warren Buffett taking his shoes off going through airport security? Has Larry Ellison recently missed a flight because he was stuck in traffic? Do any of the Waltons lose their luggage? Does Indian steel king Lakshmi Mittal worry that he can't get a reservation at his favorite London restaurant?
Not at all.

See how you can travel like a billionaire.

That's because in many ways the greatest luxury of all, both on and off the road, is ease. Being ultra-wealthy not only enables billionaires to travel, stay and eat anywhere they please--within reason, of course--but more important, it allows them to do so with minimal hassles or discomfort. Theirs is a life full of limousines purring at the front door, helicopters ready to go on a moment's notice, private planes waiting on the tarmac, hotel managers rubbing their hands in anticipation and maitre d's hovering by the door.

Yet there is a lot of effort that goes into creating the illusion of trouble-free travel. Behind the scenes, flight crews, florists, concierges and cooks are constantly scrambling to make sure that everything works seamlessly. The secret is for billionaires or, more likely, one of the many people who work for them, to have the right tools.
Topping the list is a private plane--the luxury that actually becomes a necessity when one is a billionaire. Bought, leased or fractional, jet or prop, because they are safer, faster and more reliable, private planes keep everyone happy--from family to clients and even shareholders.
Almost as useful is a little black card, weighing less than an ounce, that lets billionaires do just about anything. Cardholders must be invited to apply for the Centurion Card from American Express (nyse: AXP - news - people ), and the company won't say how many cardholders there are or how they are chosen.

"Centurion cardholders travel an average of 25 times per year," says Desiree Fish, an American Express spokeswoman. "They must have an annual spend-level of $250,000 to be considered." Once signed up, subscribers pay an annual fee of $2,500 and have access to a dedicated personal concierge as well as a travel agent, private-jet charter program, chauffeured limo service and international emergency health care. They can also get tickets to "By Invitation Only" events, like seats onstage at a recent Rolling Stones concert, which cost $5,800 per pair.
Are any of these things impossible to achieve through other means? Of course not. The card's real appeal is its exclusivity; it is one of the few amenities that the very wealthy cannot simply buy.

Not to fear. Our list has plenty of services to which buying-power alone guarantees access. Take Fischer Travel, a New York-based luxury-travel firm, which charges clients a $50,000 initiation fee and a $10,000 annual charge. Fischer may be expensive, but he delivers: He has planned vacations for one-time Citigroup (nyse: C - news - people ) Chairman Sanford Weil and can arrange once-in-a-lifetime experiences, like meals cooked personally by celebrity chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten or golf lessons with pros like Tiger Woods.
Fischer is well-connected to say the least, so he can get last-minute reservations at resorts like the Four Seasons (nyse: FS - news - people ) Punta Mita, one of his clients' favorite destinations. The hitch? Fischer's number is unlisted--but if you don't have at least one friend you can get it from, you probably couldn't afford him anyway.

It's not all beach resorts and celebrity chefs in the life of the world's richest travelers, however. Billionaires often carry highly sensitive information with them on the road, and unfortunately, they also make particularly tempting kidnapping targets. For this reason, we've included some basic safety services on our list, like U.K.-based Executive Group Holdings, whose founder, Mike Faux, has kept everyone from Michael Jackson to The Duchess of York safe. For a few thousand dollars, he'll do the same for you.

We've also included gadgets to keep your electronic data and phone conversations secure, like the BioCert Odyssey ClipBio Biometric Flash Drive, which is a long way of saying that no one can access your computer without your unique biometric information (your fingerprint). At $299, it's a small price to pay for that kind of security. For another $3,000, you can get the CT 8000 from Boston-based Granite Island Group, a pocket PC which encrypts phone conversations. "Financial CEOs are buying these up five and six at a time and passing them out to their teams," says James Atkinson, president and senior engineer of the company.

Technically speaking, not everyone is a billionaire. But with Fischer in your Rolodex, a Centurion card in your wallet and the CT 8000 at your ear, you'll certainly look like one. And that's the fun part.
See how you can travel like a billionaire.