Fast facts about the world’s largest private jet operator
How big is NetJets’ fleet of private jets? How many employees does the Berkshire Hathaway owned company have? How many airports do owners and jet card customers fly to? Here are some fast facts:
NetJets may be ubiquitous with the concept of fractional ownership, and by far the dominant player in the market, but the big question remains, is the unit of Berkshire Hathaway worth a premium?
(Updated April 23, 2022) – There’s no question NetJets is the biggest player in the private aviation sector, three times bigger than Directional Aviation’s Flexjet, the second-largest player. It’s also one of the most purchased programs by the over 3,000 subscribers to Private Jet Card Comparisons. And since I get to talk to you every day, it’s safe to say I have more day-in-day-out contact with private aviation consumers than any other journalist. And if there is one company that comes up more than others, it’s NetJets.
Columbus, Ohio-based NetJets is a subsidiary of Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway. It is the inventor of the fractional private jet ownership concept by founder and former chairman Richard Santulli who sold the company to Berkshire Hathaway in 1998 for $725 million.
NetJets then entered the jet card space with its 2010 acquisition of Marquis Jet partners (Review private jet fractional and membership company M&A activity with our PRIVATE AVIATION DEAL BOOK.).
Until 2021, it branded its jet card under the Marquis Jet banner. Today, the company’s offerings include private travel solutions from fractional ownership and leasing to an extensive line-up of jet cards and whole aircraft sales. About 50% of fractional and lease customers start with its jet card program.
NetJets currently offers the Phenom 300, Citation XLS, Citation Sovereign, Challenger 350, Challenger 650, and Gulfstream 450 for its jet card, fractional ownership, and lease programs. Additionally, it offers the Citation Latitude, Global 5000, 6000, and 7500 for leases and fractional ownership.
In 2021, it flew approximately 444,000 passengers and operated 313,000 flights.
NetJets is included in the Private Jet Card Comparisons’ database of over 50 jet card providers, enabling you to compare programs in minutes.
When was it founded?
The predecessor company of NetJets, Executive Jet Aviation, was founded in1964. In 1987 then CEO Richard Santulli launched the first fractional ownership program for private jets and renamed the company as NetJets.
Who owns NetJets?
Berkshire Hathaway
Who is the CEO?
Adam Johnson
How areaircraft sourced?
Its fractional ownership fleet and additionally, during peak periods, aircraft managed via Executive Jet Management.
There are no initiation and membership fees for its jet card programs
What is theentry-level program?
Jet cards start at 25 hours with the entry-level Embraer Phenom 300 Elite Card at $204,900. It also offers the Citation Excel/XLS, Sovereign, Challenger 350, Challenger 650, and Gulfstream G450 in the U.S. program. In 2021, NetJets Europe launched a pay-as-you-go membership option.
Do NetJets’ cards provide guaranteed availability?