Private planes are usually synonyms for luxury and very expensive travel. But there are companies offering private and semi-private services that might be more affordable than some travelers think.
During the pandemic, certain markets in the travel industry evolved, and private flights were one of them. There are many advantages —and disadvantages— that travelers could consider for their upcoming trips.
And yes, there are new and interesting luxury bus routes to avoid airport chaos, but time is precious, and jet travel can get you to your destination faster and very comfortably without all the regular stress. It is usually required for travelers to arrive just 20 or 30 minutes in advance, and since they use private or small airports, there’s no need to worry about crowded terminals or traffic at the airport.
There are businesses offering great routes for fall and winter that could add value to your vacation experience. Here’s a list and a brief description of 7 apps that are offering exclusive jet services in the United States.
JSX
This independent air carrier—founded in 2016— is offering semi-private flights with comfortable seats, flight attendance, and spacious cabins. On their website, they state: “You can enjoy the convenience of private travel at not-so-private fares”.
JXS flies to popular cities like Miami, Austin, Houston, Phoenix, San Diego, Las Vegas, and Los Angeles, with fares per seat starting at $159 and even less. There are different prices, we have compared them to traditional carriers, and sometimes the price differs by just a few dollars on certain routes.
XO
This is one of the largest companies in private aviation. XO owns over 2,400 aircraft worldwide. They offer shared flights where travelers can book individual seats and also entire private jets, and it can all be done through their friendly mobile app.
This company is currently offering flights from Las Vegas to San Francisco starting at $785. XO also offers memberships starting at $595 per year, and members get discounts and benefits all year.
Flewber
This company describes itself as a private jet charter and travel app and offers travelers routes in the United States, Canada, and the Caribbean. Users can book or bid on flights and choose from 9,023 aircraft. Flewber currently offers 57,360 routes at 1,964 airports.
Surf Air
This carrier is headquartered in California and offers memberships starting at $199 per month that provide discounts and perks—like being just 15 minutes before flights—and on-demand flights start at $500 per hour.
The prices can change considerably depending on the aircraft and the distance of your trip, but travelers can find seats for as low as $100.
Jet ASAP
Another popular charter operator in the US and Canada is Jet ASAP, this aviation company has an intelligent pricing tool, and travelers can request trips through the app and get quotes and see current routes from over 700 different companies. Memberships start at just $79.99 per month or $399 per year.
Users can use the “empty leg” feature to search for upcoming flights and find the best deals through the app.
Wheels Up
Wheels up also include a search engine that showcases over 1,500 aircraft and offers customers a special app to book flights, and also apply for membership programs starting at $2,495 for two years and an initiation fee of $2,995.
They have a special partnership with Delta, and users can link Delta Skymiles—policies recently updated— and get more benefits. The company updated its fees a few months ago, and according to a shared review on Private Jet Card Comparison, now hourly rate prices start at $5,195.
Blade
This company is also popular—especially in New York— for its helicopter and seaplane services. Blade also offers jet services and a special seasonal scheduled jet service called BLADEone for flights from New York to Miami or Palm Beach for $9,750, and travelers get $900 off per seat. They also offer seat packs with discounts.
