August 21, 2024
CES customers with Wheels Up will now benefit from additional fixed-rate service areas and use of funds for cargo and group charter flights.
Delta Air Lines-backed Wheels Up continues its push into the corporate travel market by adding benefits to its CES product, which is short for Custom Enterprise Solutions.
The program targets companies spending at least $500,000 per year.
Today’s changes follow a refresh of offerings announced in June.
Chief Commercial Officer Dave Harvey says the move comes as Wheels Up is seeing increased involvement from corporate travel managers in arranging private aviation.
The former Southwest Airlines executive, who joined Wheels Up in May, tells Private Jet Card Comparisons, “The travel managers were generally not overseeing the private side historically, but it is becoming more and more in their purview.”
Since Delta and Certares led a $500 million investment in Wheels Up last year, the private aviation flight provider has been targeting the corporate travel market, seeking to balance day-of-week demand with its historically leisure-oriented membership.
Delta has an estimated 40,000 corporate travel agreements.
Harvey says Wheels Up currently has “hundreds” of CES agreements.
According to its Q2 financials, Wheels Up ended June with 8,268 overall members.
Key enhancements announced today via an email to prospects include expanding fixed hourly rates with guaranteed availability and service recovery for flights within the U.K. and select European countries.
CES customers can now use funds for group, courier, and cargo charter services via its Air Partner unit.
They also have access to safety and security consulting offered through Air Partner.
CES agreements are customized to client needs.
That includes capped hourly rates outside the current domestic primary service area, mainly east of the Mississippi River and East Texas, and high-traffic areas in the West and Southwest.
Wheels Up also offers negotiated fixed hourly rates on large-cabin jets for CES customers flying within the Continental U.S., something it removed from other programs in 2023.
During their latest earnings call, executives teased a fleet refresh.
CEO George Mattson told analysts the company is evaluating “plans to modernize the fleet, including bringing in larger, more capable aircraft.”
READ: A brief history of Airlines and Private Jet partnerships
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