‘We are positive on the macro backdrop for private aviation. General economic conditions remain strong,” says Wheels Up CEO George Mattson.
Wheels Up is expanding its Phenom 300 fleet through a definitive agreement with Embraer for six of its top-selling light jets.
Deliveries are slated for the second half of 2027.
Wheels Up CEO George Mattson said the deal complements its strategy of building its fleet, which includes Challenger 300 super-midsize jets, via the pre-owned market.
The order for new jets, a surprise, was opportunistic, Mattson says, and doesn’t indicate a shift in fleet growth strategy.
“The decision to acquire factory-new Phenom 300Es reflects the strong demand trends we are seeing in our business and our commitment to investing in a consistent, premium experience for our customers,” Mattson said.
The latest FAA data shows Wheels Up with 28 Phenom 300s on its charter certificate.
It has a dozen Challengers.
Mattson said, “Having completed our fleet modernization program earlier this year, over 18 months ahead of schedule, we have seen strong growth in demand for our Signature membership offering, supported by our best-in-class fleet of Phenom and Challenger aircraft.”
Membership in its Signature jet card program, launched last September, has now surpassed its Legacy program, which stopped selling in March.
Signature has over 1,500 members.
That includes more than 500 new members, with the largest cohort being former members.
During Q3, Wheels Up had a 99.3% completion rate.
On-time performance, measured as within 30 minutes of scheduled arrival and including a one-hour grace period for late customers at departure, was 86.4%.
Through September, Wheels Up had 163 days without any cancellations, a company record for what it calls a Brand Day.
Mattson said both reflected operational changes under Delta Air Lines and the move to a more modern fleet.
The company made Conde Nast Traveler’s Readers’ Choice awards for top U.S. airlines for the second straight year.
Corporate bookings, driven by its joint sales approach with Delta Air Lines, grew 38% year over year in the quarter.
Wheels Up has been positioning its membership as a more flexible, less restrictive option than fractional programs.
The new Phenoms will arrive with satellite Wi-Fi already installed.
That matches the current fleet, which is 100% satellite Wi-Fi-equipped.
“This agreement marks an important milestone in our relationship with Wheels Up and reflects the work and planning that began in 2024 to bring new Phenom 300E aircraft into their fleet,” said Michael Amalfitano, President & CEO of Embraer Executive Jets.
Mattson was also bullish on private aviation overall.
The CEO said:
‘We are positive on the macro backdrop for private aviation. General economic conditions remain strong. Equity values and market values that drive wealth perception and reality for our customer base remain at highs. This K-shaped economy is continuing to drive wealth into the top of the of the pyramid, and wealth is trending younger, and younger people travel more and have more demands on their time, all things being equal, with young kids and dogs, and all the reasons they travel and they’re building businesses, and so we see lots of secular tailwinds in the business.’
Mattson said private aviation remains “relatively underpenetrated among people who can theoretically afford to fly privately,” adding, “We’re still early in the adoption cycle for private aviation in general.”
Mattson said to expect more integrations where Delta customers, individuals and corporate accounts, will see Wheels Up offered as a solution.
“We think our model, our value proposition, and our go-to-market strategy will be very appealing to people who haven’t flown privately a lot yet, how to start doing it, how to go about it.”
He noted, “We’re trying to have the most customer-centric, flexible, accessible model in the industry, and just help customers hit the easy button as far as when and how to use it, and whether and when to try it.”
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