From the earlier AirChicago business. This original material describes past programs, people or events. Prices, schedules, memberships and endorsements here are not current offers or representations of today’s website. Explore current travel options.
March 15, 2017 – 8:00AM
Written by: Captain David Koch
Private-Jet Access Myths
Most road warriors will tell you that they would prefer to travel by private-jet rather than by airline. However, many of them believe in the myth that you must buy your own jet or a share in a private-jet if you want to access the advantages of private-jet travel. Many very-high-net-worth individuals and larger corporations have gone the sole-ownership route. And many more have purchased a fractional share in a private-jet through NetJets, Flexjet, Jet Alliance, Executive AirShare, PlaneSense, AirShares Elite or The Company Jet. There are over 12,000 business jets in the U.S. that are owned by individuals, corporations and fractional-ownership operators.
However, you can also access private-jet travel through jet-charter operators, jet-card operators, aircraft-charter brokers, membership-based charter operators, empty-leg brokers, the emerging single-seat-charter companies like AirChicago and hybrids of these business models. Let’s take a quick look at these other methods often used to access private-jet travel.
There are 2,155 charter companies in the U.S. that operate approximately 3,200 jet aircraft. Most of these charter operators have only a couple of aircraft available for charter, but there a few larger jet-charter operators like Gama-Landmark, Atlantic Aviation, Priester Aviation and XOJET that operate from 50 to 200+ jets.
Jet Card Operators
Jet cards typically offer a debit-type card with which you can purchase private-jet charters in bulk (25 – 200 hours per year). Big jet-card providers like Sentient Jet have thousands of customers, fractional-share operators like NetJets (Marquis Jet Card) and Flexjet (Flexjet Jet Card) offer their own versions of jet cards and there are scores of other jet-card providers like Jet Linx, PJS Jet Card and Delta Private Jets that you can purchase jet cards from.
Aircraft Charter Brokers
There are many aircraft-charter brokers in the U.S. Most are mom-and-pop shops, but several larger brokers are in the market like Blue Star Jets, Avinode, JetOptions and Talon Air. These brokers arrange jet charters for their clients with jet-charter operators.
Membership Based Operators
Membership-based charter operators provide enhanced charter services to their members. These enhancements usually include ride-share services, guaranteed availability and a certain amount of camaraderie. Otherwise, the charter services they provide are standard to the industry. One of the largest and fastest-growing membership-based charter operators is Wheels Up.
Empty-Leg Brokers
Empty-leg brokers compile lists of empty legs that are on offer from jet-charter operators. Empty legs are just what they sound like. For example, when a chartered jet flies empty back to its home base after dropping off a charter customer, an empty leg is generated. The charter operator is anxious to fill this empty leg, so it offers it for sale on one or more of the Websites operated by empty-leg brokers. Some of the larger jet-charter operators have their own distribution system for empty legs. Jetsmarter is one of the largest empty-leg brokers in the U.S.
Single-Seat Charters
Single-seat-charter companies like AirChicago and Surf Air sell single seats on the charter flights they arrange as opposed to whole-aircraft charters like the businesses described above. The flights on which you can purchase a single seat are usually operated over a fixed network of routes and on a regular, and frequent basis.
Hybrid Services
There are also hybrid business models that include some, or all, of the business models I’ve already talked about. For example, the backbone of AirChicago’s business model is single-seat charters over a network of routes that are operated on a regular and frequent basis. However, it also offers on-demand whole-aircraft charters and empty legs. Jetsmarter concentrates on offering empty legs and brokering whole-aircraft charters although it is dipping its toes into the single-seat-charter market.
So, as you can see there are several ways that you can access private-jet travel. In future blog posts, I will address the myths regarding private-jet-travel safety and costs.
or