Semi-private jets offer a popular option for those looking to benefit from the perks and efficiencies of private travel without the cost or responsibilities of owning (wholly or partly) an aircraft. The company manages the planes, with seats offered on specific flights. These are especially popular on busy commuter routes and in and out of heavily congested metropolitan centers, as they often use private jet terminals to reduce the hassle of traveling through a major airport.
Several prominent players in the industry work on similar business models. Passengers generally pay a combination of membership and flight fees to book a seat on a scheduled flight operated by a private jet to ensure the ideal mix of privacy and convenience. Here are some of the top operators.
5 Take a whirl with Blade.
The company initially made a name for itself by running helicopter charters around the New York City area but has since expanded into charter flights. The service allows anyone to book onto existing scheduled flights or request their own flight, which may include other passengers to reduce the cost if desired. They offer flights on a wide range of routes across the US, Europe, and Canada, often including helicopter transfers as desired.
Flights come at a range of price points but can be found for as low as $99. The company also allows you to book charter flights through a network of providers. A representative flight from New York to Washington, DC, costs around $7,500, with the purchaser receiving $1,300 in credits for each seat sold.
Photo: Blade
Blade is also investing heavily in future urban mobility technology. Earlier this year, Blade and BETA conducted a test flight of the latter’s electrical vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) out of Westchester County Airport in New York.
4 Alighting from an Aero
The carrier offers direct, semi-private flights starting at $975 and features a concierge. Aero launched in Europe in 2019 with a service between two of Europe’s most famous islands, Mykonos and Ibiza. The airline has since expanded to the United States and specializes in flights between Los Angeles (Van Nuys Airport) to Aspen, Sun Valley, Dallas, and Los Cabos.
Photo: Aero
Aero has two types of jets in its fleet. It has customized its Embraer ERJ-135 jets to feature 16 first class seats; each of them has both window and aisle access. Two larger Embraer Legacy 600 business jets feature club seating, a table for four, and plenty of legroom.
Photo: Aero
Passengers in both planes receive food, snacks, and drinks and have a dedicated concierge team to assist with all aspects of your journey, from in-flight meal requests to airport transfers.
3 SetJet is set to go public.
The Arizona-based company has carved out its niche with its services. It offers a simple $99.95 monthly membership fee (following a security check fee for the same amount) and flights starting at approximately $750 per seat. SetJet, in talks to go public this year, operates a fleet of aircraft from Scottsdale and Las Vegas bases to Aspen, Cabo San Lucas, Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diago, and Salt Lake City.
Photo: SetJet
The carrier currently flies five Bombardier Challenger 850 aircraft, with a sixth on the way. The airplanes are fitted out with a galley, comfortable recliners, tables, and couches. They seat between 13 and 16 passengers and come in slightly different configurations, with some working better for groups traveling together and others in a more traditional style.
2 Catching the jet stream with Tradewind
Tradewind Aviation is headquartered in Oxford, Connecticut, and flies its fleet of Pilatus PC-12s and Citation CJ3 jets on charter and semi-private flights. It operates with a seasonal focus in the Northeast (New York area, Nantucket, Martha’s Vineyard, etc.) and the Caribbean, with scheduled flights operated between San Juan, St. Barths, Anguilla, Antigua, Virgin Gorda, and St. Thomas. Seats can be purchased in blocks or individually, with a seat on an example flight from San Juan, Puerto Rico, to Saint Barthélemy Airport next month coming in at $339.50.
Photo: Tradewind Aviation
Tradewind also has interlining agreements for baggage transfers and ticketing with several major airlines, including American Airlines, British Airways, and United Airlines, for convenient one-stop transfers across its Caribbean network. Its growing fleet of PC-12s seats eight passengers, while its CJ3s carry up to six and include complimentary WiFi on domestic flights.
1 A bit of Boutique Air
Another carrier that favors the Pilatus PC-12 is Boutique Air. The airline also operates both scheduled and chartered flights. Boutique Air has customized its PC-12s by adding custom soundproofing to its aircraft cabins, further increasing passenger comfort. It also has a fleet of Beechcraft King Air 350s to help serve its network.
Photo: Boutique Air
Due to the aircraft size, there are only eight or nine seats available, just about as close to private as one can get for the price of a commercial flight.
While the costs are still substantial, the time savings can make it worthwhile as passengers can often arrive at the airport as little as 20 minutes before the flight, much quicker than what’s required with commercial aviation.