A version of this article first appeared in CNBC's Inside Wealth newsletter with Robert Frank, a weekly guide to the high-net-worth investor and consumer. Sign up to receive future editions, straight to your inbox.
Equinox's $40,000-a-year membership has a waiting list of more than 1,000 people, as demand for luxury health and wellness programs soars, according to the company's chairman.
The high-end fitness chain's "Optimize by Equinox," launched in 2024, is one of the most expensive gym memberships in the world and includes everything from personal training and nutrition to sleep coaching, massage therapy and a "health concierge."
Harvey Spevak, Equinox's executive chairman, told Inside Wealth that the program has seen remarkable demand and highlights the "insatiable" demand by the wealthy for longevity and wellness products.
"Health is the new luxury," Spevak said. "The number one thing in the experience economy, besides travel, that the consumer wants, is, 'How do I live a high-performance lifestyle?'"
The Optimize program is all part of Equinox's strategy to become the leading luxury brand in the fast-growing business of health and wellness.
The global wellness market is expected to reach nearly $10 trillion by 2030, up from $6.8 trillion in 2024, according to estimates from the Global Wellness Institute. With the population of millionaires and billionaires aging, and an explosion in companies and products promising miracle cures, the wealthy are driving much of the spending.
— Source: CNBC Business (https://www.cnbc.com/2026/02/20/equinox-optimize-membership-waiting-list.html)
