The private aviation company, Airshare, offers a twist on most competitors’ hours-based programs. By using a day-based model for both their fractional and jet card programs, the company says their clients can get more flight time hours. With the business traveler in mind, the company focuses its attention in the Midwest and Texas with newer expansions into the Upper Midwest, to optimize round-trip day travel for clients. This article provides an overview of the company highlighting their jet card and aircraft choices.
Two Jet Card Choices
The Embark Card and Embark 325 Card are ideal for clients who want to travel private but do not need as many hours per year as the fractional customer. For instance, a typical 1/16 fractional share allows for 20 days of travel each year. In comparison, the Embark and Embark 325 jet cards guarantee 10 usage days per year - equivalent to a 1/32 fractional share on their private fleet.
Jet Card Features:
- 10 days a year to travel anywhere
- No minimum fees or ownership required
- Choice of Phenom 100 or 300 aircraft
The cards begin to differ with availability. The Embark Card is available 365 days a year whereas Embark 325 has 40 annual blackout days.
Aircraft Fleet
Airshare operates over 12,000 flights annually and growing. In the past, their fleet included five types of aircraft. However, they have recently chosen to streamline their fleet to focus on only the Embraer Phenom 100 and Phenom 300 light jets. Having fewer aircraft types has proven to be more efficient and cost effective for the company. They are proud to be able to pass these savings on to their customers as well, keeping the hourly rates lower overall.
The company also has access to larger planes, through its managed fleet, if travelers need more capacity or a longer range than the Phenoms can provide.
Phenom 100 - Very Light Jet
Great for shorter trips of two hours or less, the Phenom 100 seats up to five and has 60 cubic feet of luggage space. It has a range of 1,178 nm, holds two pilots, and can maintain a cruising speed of 437 mph. This roomy, comfortable, well-designed, speedy light jet is perfect for conducting business in the air and getting to your destination quickly and efficiently.
Phenom 300 – Light Jet
The slightly larger Phenom 300 seats up to eight and holds 76 cubic feet of luggage. With a crew of two pilots and range of 1,970 nm, this jet can reach a cruising speed of 495 mph. This aircraft has been the best seller in its category for several years in a row due to its speed, range and price point. The intelligently designed cabin offers large windows and comfortable seating with all the newest in-flight technology and entertainment options.
Fees and Pricing
Pricing is essentially structured the same for both cards starting with an annual fee and adding an hourly rate for hours flown during the 10 travel days. The Embark 325 card’s annual fee is discounted by 20% but the same hourly rates apply. There are no repositioning fees to bring an aircraft to the customer. Additionally, cardholders who book round-trip flights can get up to a 40% savings compared to one-way rates.
Breakdown of Fees
- Annual Fee
o $78,360 for Phenom 300
o $48,505 for Phenom 100 - Hourly rate
o $2,650+ for Phenom 300 round trip
o $1,595 for Phenom 100 hourly & round trip
Travel Destinations
The majority of Airshare’s flights go in and out of major business markets including Kansas City, the Dallas/Fort Worth area, Denver, the Great Lakes Region as well as Buffalo, NY. However, they recently expanded their operation into the Upper Midwest to include flights to Chicago, Milwaukee, Indianapolis, Cincinnati, and Louisville. Leisure travel makes up 1/3 of their flights heading to popular destinations like Aspen and Napa Valley, and Grand Cayman.
Because business travelers make up 80% of Airshare’s customer base, the day-use model makes a lot of sense for businesses. It is not uncommon for executives to use multiple flights throughout the day—traveling to more than one city for meetings and home again.
The company has grown over 200% over the last decade and plans to continue expansion into the Northeast to meet customer demand. With AirShare you will be traveling in good company, they have signed a partnership deal with NFL quarterback Patrick Mahomes who said “My family has been able to attend all of my home games, which I greatly appreciate. For me personally, I quickly realized how much flying private has improved my time efficiency. I am very thankful for this partnership with my friends at Airshare.”