The Wheels Up brand, along with Delta Private Jets (DPJ), Mountain Aviation. TMC Jets, Gama Aviation Signature, and Avianis are part of Wheels Up Partners Holdings, LLC. It is the largest Part 135 operator and has the second-largest fleet for hire in the U.S. behind NetJets. The acquisition of DPJ made Delta Air Lines the largest shareholder in the company (Review private jet fractional and membership company M&A activity with our PRIVATE AVIATION DEAL BOOK.) The flagship brand offers a variety of membership across its fleet of King Air 350i turboprops, Citation Excel/XLS, and Citation X jets, as well as off-fleet and jet sharing. The company was founded in 2013 by its CEO Kenny Dichter and veterans of the Marquis Jet Card program and is based in New York City.
About Wheels Up
When was the company founded?
2013
Who owns Wheels Up?
Privately held
Who is the CEO?
Kenny Dichter
How are aircraft sourced?
The company uses owned and managed aircraft, plus private jets from vetted operators.
What are the initiation and membership fees?
The first-year initiation fee for families and individuals is $17,500 for its Core membership. Renewal is $8,500. It also has corporate programs, while the Wheels Up Connect program targets flight-sharing and is priced at $2,950. In addition to selling directly to the public, since 2015 a Wheels Up Costco partnership allows members of the big-box retailer to join at a discount.
Does Wheels Up provide guaranteed availability?
Yes, with limited exceptions based on program level
Is the hourly rate guaranteed?
Yes. On its Core Membership and Corporate Membership, Wheels Up offers capped hourly rates. It then tries to provide lower rates using its owned and managed fleet of over 300 aircraft and an additional safety-vetted fleet of over 1,200 private jets and turboprops.
Can jet card holders/members use multiple aircraft at the same time?
Yes, not guaranteed
What is the company website?
https://wheelsup.com/
Where is the headquarters?
New York, NY