The acquisition of Clay Lacy by Solairus creates a charter fleet with nearly 200 aircraft, including 150 large cabin and ultra-long haul jets.
A deal by Solairus Aviation to acquire Clay Lacy Aviation’s aircraft management and charter divisions brings together two of the largest U.S. private jet charter fleets.
Clay Lacy’s FBO, maintenance, and real estate businesses are not part of the transaction.
They will continue under the Clay Lacy name with their current ownership.
According to an email sent to customers, the deal is expected to close by the end of September pending regulatory approvals.
News of the mega-deal was reported earlier today by Corporate Jet Investor.
Solairus manages around 360 private jets for jet owners.
According to FAA data, 144 of the aircraft are on their charter certificate.
Clay Lacy manages 160 private jets, with 51 on its charter certificate.
Over 150 of the aircraft are large-cabin or ultra-long-range jets.
Combined, the two companies would have 195 aircraft on their charter certificates.
In an email from Solairus CEO Dan Drohan to aircraft owners obtained by Corporate Jet Investor, he wrote, “This has little to do with size — Solairus already manages the largest fleet of managed aircraft in the United States.”
Drohan continued, “What matters is that this brings together two like-minded companies built on a passion for personalized service and the most forward-thinking support systems in the industry.”
He added, “We will work hard every day to be the best, not just the biggest.”
According to ARGUS data, Solairus ranked 7th among U.S. operators in 2025, based on charter and fractional flight hours.
Clay Lacy was 17th.
The flight hours do not include managed aircraft operated under Part 91.
Solairus clocked 57,517 hours on 7.7% year-over-year growth.
Clay Lacy had 12,237 hours, a quarter-percent more than in 2024.
The combined 69,754 hours would have moved the combined entity into the sixth spot behind FlyExclusive with 73,080 hours and ahead of PlaneSense with 57,801 hours.
The two companies have 71 large-cabin Gulfstream jets, 36 Bombardier Global ultra-long-range jets, and 34 Dassault Falcon large-cabin jets on their charter certificates.
Craig Ross of Aviation Portfolio, who supports full and fractional owners, says, “Clay Lacy was the last major independent standing, and out of the big three (aircraft management) players, Solairus just won the arms race.”
Executive Jet Management is part of the NetJets group and owned by Berkshire Hathaway.
Jet Aviation is a unit of General Dynamics,
Private equity firm Ancient Management LP owns yacht broker Burgess, auction house Sotheby’s, and Solairus.
Ross says, “For our Aviation Portfolio aircraft owners at Clay Lacy, preserving their core relationships is critical, and we have learned they will remain intact.”
He added, “Solairus brings serious tech and bulk purchasing power, giving our owners immediate cost savings without sacrificing the high-touch service they expect.”
Both Solairus and Clay Lacy offer jet card programs.
The Solairus program provides guaranteed availability and fixed hourly rates by aircraft category.
Clay Lacy Preferred offers as-available round-trip pricing based on specific aircraft.
As of late afternoon, neither company had responded to requests for comment or issued an external announcement.
The Solairus-Clay Lacy combination continues the industry’s M&A frenzy.
Last month, Canadian fractional operator AirSprint was acquired by two private equity firms.
FlyExclusive, Bond, George J. Priester, SC Aviation, TLC Jet, FlyHouse, and V2 Jets have each acquired other brokers, operators, and management companies in 2026.
Talon Air’s management bought back a minority stake owned by Vista Global.
Magellan Jets announced plans to acquire other brokers.
Vista Global raised $525 million through a bond offering.
Palantir and Citadel Advisors each took stakes in Surf Air.
Delta has continued to extend financing to Wheels Up.
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