Advice on private jet charter please...

Our company still gets cases of AC-U-Kwik's for the fleet. But I use the AirNav app for looking up FBO phone numbers......usually after loosing my trip sheet haha. I think they still print the Air Charter Guide, and it still looks like a phone book.

 

I gave up on Ac-U-Kwik years ago. Heck, my airplane has the AOPA airport directory on the MFD! (Seriously).

 

Just hitch a ride with Jason on his PC12 !

Edward

 

Have you had good experience using jetsmarter? Someone else just suggested it to me and I'm considering it.

 

I haven't used them yet - the app is nice and u can get quotes in seconds

 

Believe it or not, COSTCO has a private fleet service. One year membership, Wheels Up offers aircraft with guaranteed availability on its private fleet of new Beechcraft King Air 350i and Citation Excel/XLS aircraft.
Wheels Up is a revolutionary membership-based private aviation company that significantly reduces the upfront cost to fly privately, while providing unparalleled flexibility, service and safety. Wheels Up offers aircraft with guaranteed availability on its private fleet of new Beechcraft King Air 350i and Citation Excel/XLS aircraft. Operating with an 8760 culture (24 hours a day, 365 days of the year), Wheels Up offers individual, family and corporate members exceptional world-class service with around the clock support. The cutting-edge Wheels Up mobile app enables members to seamlessly book flights, manage their accounts and participate in ride-share opportunities. Wheels Up Members also have access to the Wheels Down program, featuring exclusive lifestyle events and experiences, unique partner benefits and a full-service luxury concierge

Includes:
One (1) Wheels Up 1 Year Membership
One (1) $3,500 Costco Cash (will be sent by Wheels Up after agreements are received and account is activated)

Two Ways to Fly:
PAY‐AS‐YOU FLY
With no pre‐purchase required, Members have access to the Wheels Up private fleet of King Air 350i and Citation Excel/XLS aircraft 365 days a year, with 300 days of guaranteed availability. Pay fixed hourly rates for occupied hours only, with just 24 hours advance notice required for booking.
PRE‐PURCHASE PROGRAMS
If you purchase hours or credit in advance, you gain additional guarantees on availability. Hours or a dollar denominated account credit can be purchased for either the King Air 350i or the Citation Excel/XLS.

here is the link. its called Wheels up, can find it on the costco website.

Wheels Up Private Aviation Membership & $3,500 Costco Cash Card E-Voucher

 

Wheels Up has been mentioned a couple times in this thread, but I haven't seen much related to their pricing model and actual costs. I looked into them a few months ago - here's the capsule summary of what I found at that time. They offer two types of "membership" - individual/family and corporate. I think the individual/family membership is the most relevant for this thread and for the original question posed.

There is an initiation fee of $17,500 (the Costco credit of $3,500 is applied against this, I assume) and an annual membership fee of $8,500, which is waived the first year (in other words, included in the initiation fee). Their fixed hourly rates at the time I did the research were $3,950 for King Air 350 and $6,950 for Citation Excel/XLS. It is very important to note that those rates are for OCCUPIED FLIGHT HOURS...they do not charge for positioning or return deadhead time.

My conclusion was that you have to look really hard at how you would use them before you can decide if their offer is right for you. If your trips are out and back in one day, I think the hourly rates will kill you compared to traditional operators, who will charge total flight hours plus nominal waiting time while you are at the destination. On the other hand, if your travel is typically point A to point B, with days before you return (or fly the next leg), the fact that the pricing is based only on occupied flight hours with no deadhead time might make it pretty attractive. One also has to "amortize" the initiation/annual membership fees over the number of hours used - if you only travel once or twice a year, that significantly increases the effective hourly rate.

It's a really interesting model, and probably does make sense for a certain group of people. The guaranteed availability also has value, provided they can actually deliver as promised.

Disclaimer: No affiliation, etc.

Second Disclaimer: This type of information (and more) would be a lot more valuable coming from someone who has used them, and can comment on the actual experience. Anyone?

Bob

 

I spent 30 mins on the phone with wheels up and cant articulate their value proposition.

after multiple conversations with people which always end up feeling circular, it seems chartering when you need it is the way to go. maybe 5 yrs ago it was cool to say I fly with netjets or I have a marquis card but today no one really cares. From what I can tell if you are flying 2 to 4 times a year the consumer cares about safety and price.

If you're looking to fly private twice a month then having a goto provider or "relationship" it matters more I wld think

 

If this is what they said on the phone for 30 minutes I'd feel the same way you do. How many times can one say the same thing over and over and not say anything?

 

For that sort of money, I'd go with Netjets.

 

I was just referred to these guys:

https://setjet.com/

Sounds interesting if the route network "works" for you...(mostly CA + cabo + NYC + Aspen.

They run CRJ's with limited seating...seems amazingly cheap...not charter, but sorta like a members-only airline with no security and private jet terminals? Thoughts?

 

Can you touch a netjet share for anywhere near that low amount of money (I haven't looked at them in over 10 years, but recall even small shares being six figures each year not even including amort or purchase cost.

 

You might be right about a share, although I think Marquis would be comparable. They don't have an upfront fee either, as far as I know.

 

That's an interesting concept... sort of like the old "travel clubs" which used to operate Boeing 707s (Port's O' Call, for instance- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denver_Ports_of_Call).

It seems a little bit dicey from a regulatory point of view, but not totally out there. The idea that you have to "originate" a flight is a means of allowing it to be considered "on demand" and that seems like a bit of a stretch-- we'll see if the FAA lets them get away with it.

All first-class airlines (which this essentially is) haven't been successful in the US in the past, but it always seems like a concept which should work... so why hasn't it?

In any event, this will be worth keeping an eye on.

 

"UP TO 4 flights per day". They're not going to run these things empty.

"Book 4 hours advanced notice". If there's room. They're not going to run these things empty.

Otherwise it seems cool. But like all things "communal", it will be expensive and there won't be enough to go around.

 

I just joined to give it a whirl. There are a few shuttles that run around the country which are included in the due. Will keep everyone posted, first flight is next week.

If anyone is interested in it, feel free to PM. I can put you in touch with my rep to get you credit etc.

 

Used Jetsmarter for the first time. My initial thoughts are overall positive. The only negatives I had were they seem a tad disorganized when arranging flight information (in particular the helicopter transfers) and the wifi on board is atrocious.

The overall experience of the helicopter transfers and flight were top notch. We took a helicopter from near where I live in downtown Chicago to the ORD heliport, a shuttle to the FBO, then on to the plane. We were the only passengers on board and there was a flight attendant (who was very courteous and attentive) and two pilots. I met the chief pilot who was equally as nice. As it was Valentine's day weekend as we deplaned the FA gave my girlfriend a basket of flowers which was a very nice touch. FYI, we flew a Bombardier Challenger 850 which has seating for 15. When we landed at HPN we then took a shuttle for about 10 seconds to the helicopter which then took us to the West 30th St heliport in Manhattan. Attached are a few pictures of the experience.

In total I'll fly on the Challenger 850 four times this month, which easily pays for the annual due.

I'm aware they have cross country shuttles on G4s which can normally be full. I'd like to experience one of those as I question if a full load G4 is superior to an F or J on an American transcon flight.
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Thanks for the post! It sounds like quite a deal, for now, and I will be interested to see if it keeps going.

So how much did that trip cost you?

 

WOW. I'm curious on the cost for that one too. Running and empty Challenger...... they probably weren't making money on that deal.

I guess you could say "winter time up north" is a slow time for NYC and Chicago. Maybe in the summer the flight would be more full.

 

I paid $3k initiation fee and $9k annual due.

I'm on the ORD > HPN shuttle tomorrow as well. Right now the load looks like myself and one other.

I'm not sure if it is as much a seasonal issue as much as the Chicago leg just launched a month ago.

 

So the flights are included for those one time and annual fees?

 

Yes. Jet Deals (empty legs) are included along with 2-5 seats for guests depending on the jet. Jet Shuttles are included for the member only, however, you can bring a guest for cost (in this case it was $1599, however, I have $6k in flight credit from a signing bonus). And Jet Charters which are charters at "wholesale" rates. I don't know the industry enough to determine if the charters are fair prices or not.

Jet Shuttles are set routes on a certain date and time. For example, Chicago (ORD) to NYC (HPN) departs Tuesday mornings and Friday afternoons. NYC to Chicago departs Thursday evenings and Monday mornings. This route is always a Bombardier Challenger 850. Chicago and NYC also provide helicopter transfers. Chicago I can grab a helicopter in the South Loop to any airport you use Jetsmarter service out of (in this case ORD) and vice versa. NYC is the surrounding airports (HPN/LGA/JFK/TEB) to West 30th Street or East 34th Street heliports and vice versa. There are also NYC>LA, NYC>MIA, DFW>HOU, and several other shuttles that run around the country and a couple in the Middle East.

 

such a baller
cya tmrw
tell them they need an HPN - Naples FL leg!

 

Very interesting, thanks for detailing.

 

While not useful for planned trips, a friend of mine uses an app to book cheap jet flights on a fairly regular basis. A flight comes up, often one way, and he just takes off. He takes commercial back if needed. He has allot of fun with it.