Wheels Up Delta Private Jets Archives

American Express selects Wheels Up as Premium Private Jet Program partner

July 2, 2021July 2, 2021by Doug Gollan

Wheels Up replaces Delta Private Jets as the exclusive American Express Premium Private Jet Program provider for U.S. Centurion and Platinum cardmembers

Wheels Up is the new American Express Premium Private Jet Program partner. It replaces Delta Private Jets, the Amex partner since 2016. Wheels Up, of course, purchased Delta Private Jets in a deal that closed a year ago in January. In other words, Wheels Up essentially renewed the existing DPJ partnership. However, that analysis ignores that the terms of the new relationship are significantly different.

Continue reading “American Express selects Wheels Up as Premium Private Jet Program partner”

Wheels Up/Amex: Should you buy Wheels Up through American Express?

July 2, 2021July 2, 2021by Doug Gollan

Are the American Express-Wheels Up benefits worth getting a Platinum card for $695?

American Express is adding Wheels Up as its Premium Private Jet Program partner, replacing Delta Private Jets. Wheels Up purchased Delta Private Jets in January 2020, and the existing American Express – DPJ partnership was set to expire on Aug. 31. Delta Private Jets had been the exclusive partner of the AX Premium Private Jet Program since 2016. But should you get the Amex Platinum card just to buy Wheels UP?

Continue reading “Wheels Up/Amex: Should you buy Wheels Up through American Express?”

Delta’s stake in Wheels Up soars to $520 million

April 29, 2021April 29, 2021by Doug Gollan3 Comments

The value of Delta Air Lines’ stake in Wheels Up increased to $520 million from $210 million, surpassing its 13% holding in Korean Air

Delta Air Lines’ decision to sell Delta Private Jets has yielded a huge gain on paper. It’s up over 100% just since the fourth quarter. In its latest 10-Q filing, the Atlanta-based airline increased the carrying value of its 24% interest in Wheels Up to $520 million. That makes the New York-based private aviation company its largest equity ownership stake.

Continue reading “Delta’s stake in Wheels Up soars to $520 million”

Here’s how much Wheels Up paid for each of its 5 acquisitions

March 17, 2021March 21, 2021by Doug Gollan7 Comments

Kenny Dichter and Wheels Up doled out less than $100 million in cash to build the second-largest private jet operator with a $2 billion valuation

When Wheels Up’s acquired 5th-biggest Part 135 charter operator Mountain Aviation in January, it pushed the group past Directional Aviation’s Flexjet as the second-largest for-hire private aircraft operator in the U.S. For Wheels Up founder and CEO Kenny Dichter, it was a day at the beach compared to another cold New York winter morning in early 2019. At that point, Wheels Up didn’t operate a single aircraft. Founded in 2013, its owned and leased fleet was outsourced to Gama Aviation Signature. Wheels Up was a big brand. Yet, it was merely a marketing organization selling memberships onto what was then mainly a fleet of King Air 350i turboprops.

Continue reading “Here’s how much Wheels Up paid for each of its 5 acquisitions”