Best Private Aviation

How to choose between Wheels Up and NetJets, the two leaders of flying private? It depends on how often you fly and how many hours you want. A NetJets membership allows customers to purchase shares in a plane instead of buying a private jet, which means the amount you pay is based upon how much you fly. Time is purchased in 25-hour increments, with a 50-hour minimum. NetJets, which boasts the world’s largest fleet of privately owned aircrafts, offers a variety of memberships, starting at $200,000. Wheels Up customers pay $17,500 and up as an initiation fee, then pay annual dues starting in year two ($8,500 for individual customers, more for business), plus the flight time. The perks are what Wheels Up founder Kenny Dichter continues to build upon. The company’s Masters and Super Bowl Week parties attract celebrities and VIPs, part of the company’s goal of providing great experiences for its 5,000 members, with an average net worth of $20 million. Dichter tells Sports Business Journal his goal is “making booking a private plane as easy as taking an Uber.” Though we’re not quite there, Wheels Up memberships are now sold at Costco, which include a $3,500 Costco voucher with your purchase.