Elite Traveler Winter 2024/25

Left Bombardier Global 8000

elite traveler WINTER 2024/25 149

TOP JET PROGRAMS

FLEXJET Flexjet — in Europe since 2019 — just broke ground on its fi rst private European customer location, at Farnborough outside of London, integrating with the company’s new hospitality space in Mayfair. A new partnership with Ferretti Yachts also connects clients directly from air to seaside via jet — or helicopter — in the Flexjet fl eet. Flexjet was one of the fi rst operators to install Starlink connectivity in its jets, beginning in Gulfstream G650s last fall. It now plans to extend that service to its Bombardier Global fl eet. It recently added the Embraer Praetor 600 to its o ff erings, with the super-midsize jet featuring anti-turbulence technology, baggage capacity of up to 16 pieces of luggage and the LXi Cabin Collection of luxury interiors complete with modern entertainment systems. Looking toward the future, Flexjet inked a deal to add up to 200 of Embraer’s Eve eVTOLs to its footprint once their certi fi cation has been secured, anticipated for late 2026. With rotorcraft ops already part of its expertise on both sides of the Atlantic — including the recent launch of heli service between Florida and the Bahamas — Flexjet looks to be an early integrator of the new short-hop designs. fl exjet.com NETJETS With Textron Aviation’s Citation Ascend — a new iteration of the XLS series so popular in this niche — hitting the skies in 2025, launch customer NetJets seeks to hold its position at the head of the pack in private aviation providers. Leading in terms of hours fl own, according to 2024 Argus TRAQPak data, reported by Private Jet Card Comparisons, NetJets continues on its steady course for a variety of reasons. Sheer volume helps it maintain the broadest range of bases in the category — around the world. It also will serve as the launch customer for the Bombardier Global 8000 when it enters service later in 2025, knocking a one-two punch in the ultra-long-haul and super-midsize

categories. Add to this the 250-unit order it has on the books with Embraer for a stack of Praetor 500s, and you arrive at the other secret to NetJets’ success: a young fl eet. As for jet card updates? “NetJets will continue to o ff er our One Card as an ongoing program,” the company told Elite Traveler in a statement. “As we expected, there is high demand in the market for individuals desiring a guaranteed solution with the leader in private aviation. The One Card o ff ers immediate entry into our program for those with fl exible travel schedules and has sold at double the rate we anticipated, bringing many new clients into NetJets since the launch of the product.” netjets.com VISTAJET VistaJet’s introduction of a lower-tier card program — with the price of entry set at 25 hours per year versus 50 for its standard jet card — along with the intake of additional Global 7500 and Challenger 350 jets last year has strengthened the company’s position in the pack in terms of hours fl own. With a growth trajectory of more than 10% year-over-year (2024 Argus TRAQPak data), Malta-based VistaJet has added locations and moved away from what it calls “legacy aircraft models,” according to a report in AINOnline . This divestment of its Cessna Citation Ultra and X fl eets will streamline operations and allow the provider — which includes Jet Select, Red Wing Aeroplane, Western Air Charter and XOJet Aviation in the US — to focus on the Bombardier and Gulfstream platforms. Connectivity has been a focus for VistaJet, which has featured Collins Aerospace’s LuxStream digital connection since 2019 and recently added unlimited data to its o ff ering for passengers — making good on the promise for 24/7 availability and the ability to stream ultra HD content, at speeds up to 25 Mbps in the US and 15 Mbps worldwide. vistajet.com