About Flying Wheels Travel

Barbara and Judd Jacobson established flying Wheels Travel in 1970. Judd was a quadriplegic because of a diving accident and identified a need for a full service travel agency to assist people with disabilities with their travel needs. Their years of experience, advocacy, knowledge and development of resources made Flying Wheels Travel a premier agency recognized throughout the world. 

Since Judd’s passing, Barbara and her expert team have kept his legacy alive by providing award winning travel experiences not only to people with disabilities but expanding their services to people with chronic illness and the mature traveler.

Today, the Flying Wheels Travel team provides individual travel arrangements, customized escorted tours and group travel experiences all over the globe — serving people worldwide.

Barbara Jacobson

Barbara is owner and president of Flying Wheels Travel. Judd and Barbara met in Hawaii in 1968 when he was escorting a group of Minnesota farmers on a 4-island tour of Hawaii for radio station KDHL, and Barbara was managing the office of TWA (Trans World Airlines) in Waikiki, the tourist center of Honolulu.

Barbara, who was born in England, subsequently moved to Judd’s home town of Owatonna, Minn. and they were married at Christmas of 1968. Judd worked for local radio station KDHL on air and in sales and marketing. As a Southern Minnesota radio personality, he escorted tours every winter to Hawaii, Mexico or the Caribbean accompanied by an attendant. Thus, with their wonderful combined experience in the travel industry, the Jacobsons opened their travel agency to provide corporate and vacation travel services to the people of southern Minnesota. At the same time, they also started Flying Wheels Travel, which specialized in travel for people with physical disabilities.

Barbara received the Condè Naste award for top travel specialist for people with disabilities in 2004-2006. In 2007 Condè Naste unfortunately discontinued this category. 

Timothy Holtz

Timothy joined Flying Wheels Travel in 2009. He brought more than ten years of experience of working with people who have a chronic illness or disability with the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Timothy developed national award winning programs and services for people living with MS and provided travel opportunities, weekend getaways and advocacy for people with various disabilities. Today, he is expanding group travel opportunities and services for the agency.