JetSmarter’s founder Sergey Petrossov says a scrum of start-ups like his are vying to get you—yes, you—onto a private jet. Read this exclusive interview with him and a list of our other contenders for the 2015 Travel Vanguard.
How does JetSmarter work?
“Jet charters have been around for a while, but we’ve got the technology to connect you to an entire aircraft of your choosing, check out photos, talk to real humans, and book from the palm of your hand, in real time. That’s new. JetSmarter has a network of 3,200 private aircraft around the world, 2,500 of which might be flying empty at any given time—say, when getting to or returning from a chartered trip. So, we’ve structured these exclusive, crazy, “empty leg” deals. Our members pay an $8,000 annual fee to get access to as many of these empty-leg trips as they can book.”
Is flying private really becoming more affordable?
“Yes, if you imagine the annual fee as a monthly payment (about $700). Normally, chartering a top-tier jet from, say, New York City to Miami would cost between $16,000 and $30,000—get that flight with your annual fee and it’s a pretty amazing deal. Get six friends to join you and chip in, and it becomes so affordable, it’s absurd. If you just book one empty-leg jet a year, you’ve gotten your money’s worth.”
Who’s flying?
“Our goal is to democratize private air travel. Even a lot of wealthy people don’t fly private because they think it’s too expensive. But start-ups like ours are changing that. We had one college kid who broke up his membership fee onto two different credit cards and took eight empty-leg flights. His mind was blown. We’re bringing in people who could never, ever have imagined flying on a private jet.”
How do travelers use JetSmarter?
“People are spontaneous when presented with the opportunity. They’ll take a vacation even if they weren’t planning on it. When we have, say, an empty leg to St. Maarten it’s literally gone within seconds; this happens on a daily basis. People will hop a plane and figure out the details when they get there.”
What is the flight of the future?
“One niche not being filled today is trips less than 500 miles, distances people would typically drive. If done right, flying could cost the equivalent of gas expenses on a car trip. Not to get all sci-fi, but I do think you’ll eventually see small planes arrive vertically in your driveway. Like the Jetsons.”
More startups changing the space
Below, six of the most exciting start ups in the private jet space, along with what to expect on a flight with them.
BlackJet
Website: BlackJet
The Big Idea: What if private jets sold individual seats instead of the whole plane?
You Get: A seat on a private plane, where and when (within a three-hour window) you want it. In 2009, fueled by celebrity money, BlackJet kicked off the “Uber of the sky” trend. After a bumpy patch, it relaunched with a shift away from the Uber model to better match seat-supply with demand.
Price of Entry: A $5,000 annual membership gets you 80 percent off a seat on someone else’s jet or on a charter of your own if you’re bringing the whole crew.
JetSmarter
Website: JetSmarter
The Big Idea: What if we let people book empty jets returning from a charter?
You Get: A whole aircraft for yourself or all of your friends that you can book straight from your phone.
Price of Entry: $8,499 annual membership, then any empty-leg flight is all yours.
ClipperJet
Website: ClipperJet
The Big Idea: What if we created a country club 30,000 feet in the air?
You Get: Flights between L.A. and NYC on ultra-luxe Gulfstream jets. Plus exclusivity: There are only 90 members per hub city. Five more “city pairs” are on the way this year, plus flights to events such as Cannes and the Kentucky Derby.
Price of Entry: $9,700/month for unlimited standby flights, four one-way trips, and access to special events.
Victor
Website: Victor
The Big Idea: Let’s to hop the pond and get in on this private jet boom in the United States.
You Get: One of the U.K. company’s 7,000-plus chartered aircrafts where you want it, when you want it, booked from your phone.
Price of Entry: No membership fee. Book an empty-leg trip (from $1,500) or charter a flight (from $25,000).
SurfAir
Webiste: SurfAir
The Big Idea: What if we gave NorCal/SoCal commuters a civilized, efficient flight—on an 8-seat Pilatus PC-12 jet?
You Get: From Oakland to L.A. in 120 minutes, with no pass through security.
Price of Entry: $1,000 initiation fee + $1,750 a month + 3-month commitment = unlimited free flights.
Beacon
Website: Beacon
The Big Idea: Hey, why doesn’t the East Coast have a SurfAir?
You Get: Quick and easy flights between Boston and NYC, plus to the Hamptons and Nantucket, in season. (So long Amtrak. Bye, bye Jitney.)
Price of Entry: $2,000 monthly membership, then all you can fly.
