The sale of Vista Global’s interest in Talon Air unwinds another acquisition and creates a new large independent charter operator.
VistaJet and XO parent Vista Global sold its stake in private jet charter operator and management firm Talon Air.
News of the transaction came from Talon Air.
Per the announcement, the transaction closed on Jan. 2, 2026
The new ownership group is led by Talon Air’s longtime CEO, James Chitty, and Chief Operating Officer, Nicholas Piazza, along with “an aviation-focused investment group.”
Chitty declined to name the investment group.
Vista had gained a minority stake in Talon Air via its 2021 acquisition of charter broker Apollo Jets.
Chitty said, “This is an exciting new chapter for our airplane owners as well as our dedicated team of employees, who provide the highest level of customer support and service.”
Per Chitty, Talon Air clocked over 11,000 flight hours in 2025 across its fleet of both Part 91 and Part 135 aircraft.
Depending on the percentage of flight hours flown in Part 135 aircraft, Talon Air would rank among the top 15 U.S. operators by charter and fractional flight hours.
Vista operators ranked third on the list with 127,310 flight hours.
Chitty said, “By aligning ownership with leadership, Talon Air will continue to build upon the rapid growth in managed aircraft and charter hours achieved in 2025, by investing in new growth opportunities.”
Talon Air added a dozen aircraft to its fleet in 2025, including nine in December.
The Long Island-based operator has long focused on large cabin and super-midsize jets.
Chitty tells Private Jet Card Comparisons there are no immediate plans to add a jet card or membership program.
He says, “Vista was a great partner for many years,” adding, “This separation gives us the room to focus on our core business of management services.”
Plans call for continued fleet growth via management contracts.
Talon Air manages aircraft nationwide and also provides maintenance support.
It holds ARG/US Platinum Elite, Wyvern Wingman, and IS-BAO III certification.
Chitty said he expects flight-hour growth to be driven by the wholesale market and its owners.
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Last year, Vista Global sold the former XOJet Citation X fleet to JetExcellence.
It had previously sold off the light jets acquired in its 2020 acquisition of Red Wing Aviation.
During the late last decade and the Covid-19 period, both Vista Global and Wheels Up combined to make more than a dozen acquisitions.
Other Vista Global acquisitions during the period included Air Hamburg, Camber, Jet Edge, and JetSmarter.
After the Apollo Jets deal, Vista Global launched XO Aircraft Management Powered by Talon Air.
For Vista Global, it continues to offer guaranteed rates and availability globally via VistaJet, with XO focused on dynamic pricing memberships and instant online booking, and aircraft management via Jet Select.
A spokesperson for Vista said, “As Vista continues to simplify the network of partner operators supporting the Vista Members’ fleet in the U.S., the company agreed to a private transaction aiming to take over the certificate and run Talon Air as an independent company. Vista America will continue to offer aircraft management services to North America clients under the Jet Select certificate.”
In recent years, Wheels Up also shed its aircraft management and aircraft sales businesses.
(Note: A comment from Vista was received and added after publication.)
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