Thiel's move signals billionaires seeking a 'plan B' abroad

This has been known for years.

> your plans may be spoiled if you haven't already left.

Not necessarily. The Epstein Class does not have to travel via standard airports/trains/busses like everyone else. They take hired private transportation (sometimes they also own the transport vehicle as well, as in owning the plane they are using to fly away to Argentina when something goes south).

They also have hired hands who are tasked with advising them about such a need, so they can "get away" just ahead of the actual issue occurring.

Of course, for a full societal collapse, while they might "get away" to their Argentine (or other) palace, unless they have enough land (and can find the labor) to farm their own food, they will eventually grow very hungry just like everyone else who depends upon the rest of "society" producing the food they consume daily.

Edit to add: In addition, there's little lost from their perspective to be extra paranoid and "jet off to their Argentine palace (or wherever theirs is)" at the slightest hint of any trouble. The cost to do so, to them, is essentially "pocket change" at their level, and their perceived benefits of already being "away" should the paranoid hint turn out to be true would far outweigh any costs to them to do so.