The Miami Marlins said Wheels Up is now the team’s Official Private Aviation Partner, with a focus on promoting Wheels Up services in the Marlins Green Room, presented by Ciroc. Wheels Up will now have the ability to leverage celebrities, influencers and other athletes attending Marlins games.
“This agreement with Wheels Up provides a presence in The Green Room, presented by Ciroc – the premiere lounge for VIPs, influencers, and celebrities, and other athletes attending a Marlins game – and is a great example of our ability to find innovative and unique ways to feature our partners at Marlins Park,” said David Oxfeld, Marlins Vice President, Head of Corporate Partnerships. “The partnership is another result of establishing and developing meaningful relationships in the corporate world, both locally and nationally.”
Wheels Up was founded by Kenny Dichter, who also started Marquis Jet Partners before selling it to NetJets in 2010 and then coming back with his new entry in 2013. While Wheels Up has used the twin-engine turboprop to drive its growth, the addition of the Citation X now gives it an aircraft with coast-to-coast nonstop capability as it looks towards a possible IPO. The company has yet to announce pricing for the super fast jet, which can hit speeds of over 700 miles per hour.
“I’ve had the distinct honor and privilege of doing business with Marlins CEO Derek Jeter,” said Justin Firestone, a founding partner of Wheels Up. “The leadership and culture of doing things the right way to ensure sustained success that he’s brought to the Marlins organization made this partnership a no-brainer for Wheels Up. We are confident the Marlins will help us fulfill our goal of creating a world-class experience for our (over) 5,000 Wheels Up Members as well as continuing to support the communities where we operate.
The Wheels Up program features an annual membership fee and then you pay-as-you-fly via contracted hourly rates. While the actual hourly price doesn’t change, members who deposit funds have fewer peak days where availability isn’t guaranteed. The entire Wheels Up fleet offers WiFi. It is operated by GAMA Aviation, a Wyvern Wingman, ARGUS Platinum and IS-BAO Stage 3 operator, the highest rating from each group. Rates are $4,495 per hour on the King Air 350i and $7,495 per hour on the Citation Excel/XLS, plus 7.5% Federal Excise Tax. Segment and daily minimums are one hour.
