While both Magellan Jets and Wheels Up were recently featured in Elite Traveler’s guide to the world’s biggest private jet companies, it’s important to get the facts when researching private jet membership programs so that, whichever provider you choose, it truly fits your personal or business needs. Since aircraft options, availability, safety standards, recurring fees and so much more can vary from one company to another, make sure you have the right information before investing in a membership. Check out the Magellan Jets vs. Wheels Up comparison below to review benefits, business models and other important components of their services.
Magellan Jets vs. Wheels Up
BUSINESS MODEL & INFRASTRUCTURE
Founded in 2013, Wheels Up is a private jet membership and on-demand charter provider. The company’s business model includes owning a fleet of over 100 Wheels Up branded aircraft, with three aircraft types available (King Air 350i, Citation Excel/XLS and Citation X). Additionally, Wheels Up also frequently brokers flights aboard other aircraft types and categories through its network of charter partners.
Fleet Optimization
Since fleet optimization is a major financial factor, Wheels Up guests with larger membership investments are often given priority. With three different programs, only those in the highest membership tier or with the most amount of upfront funds on account are given guaranteed access and availability to certain aircraft, as the limited Wheels Up fleet is used to serve over 8,000 members. Access to the Wheels Up fleet is also limited to specific service areas which are so complicated, they take up over 40 pages of a contract agreement.
Under this model, member funds are utilized for operational expenses too, including aircraft maintenance and organizing Signature Events for Wheels Up members. However, most members may not attend the many events that are included in the cost of their private flights. Meanwhile, most Magellan Jets clients already have access to their preferred entertainments and lifestyle brands, and invest in Magellan Jets with confidence, enjoying fully transparent pricing and peace of mind knowing their travel investment is going directly towards their flights.
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Financial Stewardship
Magellan Jets is always focused on providing sound stewardship over the security, privacy and financial well-being of all jet card owners, pay-as-you-go members and on-demand charter guests. Since 2008, Magellan Jets has earned recognition for being a proudly lean, privately-owned company with no debt, that never mixes operational funds with jet card investments.
Guest Experience
With a high focus on having guests interact solely through their mobile app, Wheels Up members often don’t receive a personalized customer service experience either. Members must pay more to upgrade to a higher program tier in order to even have access to the 24/7 member service team as well as a dedicated account manager. However, the recent purchase of Delta Private Jets does provide members with the ability to accrue Delta miles.
While technology and the rollout of a new mobile app are integral to the Magellan Jets experience, they serve to support the company’s Aviation Consultants and Guest Services experts, not replace them. Every jet card owner, member and charter guest can easily and instantly connect with the Magellan Jets team-through phone, email, the app and more-24/7, 365 days a year, regardless of program investment.
INVESTMENT & FEES
With three tiers of membership, Wheels Up costs vary depending on which program you choose. Each program also only guarantees certain benefits and features, with the more expensive memberships providing higher levels of service. Additionally, members have a choice of putting funds on account of $100,000, $200,000, $300,000 or $400,000 to secure up to 365 days of capped hourly rates, smaller flight minimums and shorter booking windows. Meanwhile, all programs are subject to dynamic hourly pricing, with capped rates available only for Core and Business members.
Initiation Fees
Overall, each Wheels Up aviation program involves an initiation fee with annual dues. The lowest tier is Connect Membership, which provides minimal benefits for an initiation fee of $2,995 and is subject to blackout dates, peak day travel surcharges and has limited service areas. Connect members are basically paying for access to brokered flights on the Wheels Up app, as they aren’t guaranteed aircraft availability, access to 24/7 team and cannot propose shared flights.
For Core members, the initiation fee is $17,500 and offers 300 guaranteed access to each program fleet category and only one exclusive fleet aircraft type, subject to blackout dates and peak day travel surcharges. For an initiation fee of $29,500, Business members receive virtually the same benefits as Core members, except for 30 additional days of guaranteed access to an exclusive fleet aircraft type, plus two additional authorized lead passengers.
Transparent Pricing
By comparison, Magellan Jets members enjoy a superior client experience with absolute hourly pricing transparency. Magellan Jets Membership features an initial investment of just $8,500 for ($14,500 for Premium membership), which guarantee a slew of benefits and features. For travelers with more flexible travel schedules, the entry-level membership tier provides guaranteed access to 2000 or newer aircraft on just 24 hours notice, as well as includes the 12-month locked-in hourly rates, no blackout dates, no fuel surcharges and no peak travel surcharges.
Meanwhile, Premium members receive access in 4 categories to aircraft that are on average 6 years old, 12-month of hourly rates locked in, guaranteed availability on just 12 hours’ notice, as well as no blackout dates, no fuel surcharges and no peak travel surcharges, plus complimentary catering (as well as wi-fi on select flights). Regardless of the tier you choose, Magellan Jets member benefits mean you always have a solution for planning family trips or business-related travel, no matter how close the holidays are or what time of year it is.
While Magellan Jets’ guaranteed hourly rates offer guests full transparency into the pricing of their flights, Wheels Up offers an alternative model. Wheels Up members must deal with unknowns and uncertainty with their bill, as pricing isn’t guaranteed, with costs varying from flight to flight.
SAFETY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
Both Magellan Jets and Wheels Up feature expert safety management systems (SMS), however, there are some differences.
Shared Flights
Although Wheels Up has specific safety protocols in place for passengers and aircraft, including mask recommendations, personal protective equipment (PPE), plus sanitization between flights, it’s shared flight program, in particular, does pose a few risks. While capacity in these cases are limited to six passengers, shared flights still involve flying with strangers who may or may not meet your personal standards for safety. In order to secure a fully private flight with Wheels Up, it will cost considerably more than their shared flight options. Magellan Jets does not offer shared flight experiences.
Healthy, Safe & Purely Private Experiences
Unlike other private jet companies and brokers, Magellan Jets has the unique capability to provide dynamic, real-time auditing on every flight to ensure SMS compliance. A model for the industry, this extraordinary and innovative approach to safety means no surprises, ever, for guests.
Another highlight of the SMS is the 5 X 5 PureSky Safety Standard, which is a multilayered, enhanced approach to COVID-19 safety, put in place to protect the health and well-being of members throughout their entire travel experience. The initiative was spearheaded by COO Todd Weeber, a veteran leader who’s stepped into the role of Chief COVID Officer for the company’s pandemic task force and has led the efforts to enhance health and safety protocols while elevating service excellence.
The 5 X 5 PureSky Safety Standard includes protocols for fixed base operators (FBOs), ground transportation, aircraft sanitization, as well as passenger and crew screening, so you know who you are flying with, every time. Additionally, every Magellan Jets flight is a purely private experience, meaning only you, your guests and fully vetted crew members will be the only ones onboard.
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AIRCRAFT AVAILABILITY & ACCESS
With over 8,000 members, yet only about hundred aircraft on fleet, Wheels Up cannot guarantee that every member will fly on a Wheels Up branded plane, especially when they request access to a specific aircraft or category, depending on the program. This means that many members end up on brokered flights, and must deal with additional limitations due to peak travel and blackout dates.
Also, Wheels Up makes extensive investments into numerous partnerships as part of brand strategy. One example is its relationship with Costco, indicating a desire to bring private aviation into the mass market. However, this inevitability leads to experiences that are less private, with slimmer aircraft availability and the feel of flying with a regional airline. But, when looking at Magellan Jets vs. Wheels Up, it really comes down to one’s priorities and what suits your personal or business travel needs.
Blackout Dates & Peak Travel
Wheels Up Connect members aren’t guaranteed availability on any aircraft or category, while Core and Business members are guaranteed availability on most days of the year to every category, as well as to the King Air 350i, although this aircraft is limited to specific operating regions. No Wheels Up membership program guarantees availability to the Citation Excel/XLS or the Citation X, even though both aircraft types are apart of the Wheels Up exclusive fleet. Access to the XLS is also limited to specific operating regions.
With no additional funds on account, aircraft availability is only guaranteed 300 days a year for Core members and 330 days a year for Business members due to blackout dates and peak travel. Traveling on peak days also requires five day advance notice.
Another aspect that lends itself to additional inconvenience for members is that, regardless of program, there’s a 60 day ramp up period, meaning there is no guaranteed aircraft availability until after the 60 days are up.
Guaranteed Access
With Magellan Jets, however, members can always fly on their terms, regardless of program, flight dates or geographical locations.
Magellan Jets Membership guarantees availability across aircraft categories on as little as 12 hours; notice, with no peak travel fees and no blackout dates. In addition, Magellan Jets also guarantees multiple daily aircraft use for Premium Members.
Overall, all Magellan Jets members have 365 day a year access and the peace of mind knowing that a private jet is always ready to safely transport them to their favorite destinations.
Explore Magellan Jets’ membership programs and discover how you can enjoy effortless, personalized and purely private experiences, every time. Click the link below to learn more.
