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

Wheels Up Kenny Dichter

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.

Delta Air Lines values Wheels Up at $890 million

Wheels Up Delta Air Lines

The airline’s Q3 SEC filing valued its 27% stake from combining Delta Private Jets into Wheels Up at $240 million

Delta’s stake in Wheels Up is now worth nearly twice its 9% in Air France-KLM, one of Europe three largest airline conglomerates

When Delta Air Lines announced the deal to combine its Delta Private Jets unit into Wheels Up in December 2019, and then it closed in January 2020, terms were not disclosed.

However, in the airline’s 10-Q filing for the quarter ended Sept. 30, 2020, a number of details were revealed for the first time.

Wheels Up launches combined aircraft management group

Wheels Up Aircraft Management

Wheels Up is leveraging its acquisitions of Delta Private Jets and Gama Aviation Signature with a dedicated sales group to grow its share of the fragmented private aircraft management sector

After closing on the acquisitions of Delta Private Jets and Gama Aviation Signature earlier this year, Wheels Up now wants to leverage those company’s sizable aircraft management businesses under the banner of its newly formed Wheels Up Aircraft Management Group.

Wheels Up gets $74 million in CARES Act funds

Wheels up Citation X

Wheels Up Partners Holdings LLC incorporates Wheels Up, Gama Aviation Signature, Delta Private Jets, TMC Jets, and Avianis

If it’s Friday night, it’s a good time to check the Treasury Department’s website for updates about CARES Act awards. Tonight’s reveal showed on June 10 a payroll support agreement providing $74.2 was executed with Wheels Up Partners Holdings LLC.

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