Industry news: Wheels Up goes big

In January 2020 Wheels Up, launched as an air charter membership business, formed a partnership with Delta Air Lines that will allow Wheels Up and Delta’s Delta Private Jets (DPJ) member-customers access to both companies’ fleets of private aircraft. The combination creates one of the world’s largest owned and managed fleets of nearly 200 private aircraft, ranging from the King Air 350i to large-cabin jets.

With this expanded private fleet and access to Delta’s global network, Wheels Up is strategically positioned to fulfill every travel need of its now 8,000-plus members and customers. Partnership benefits and other program features will soon follow. For example, Wheels Up members will be eligible to earn Delta Medallion status, accrue miles in Delta’s SkyMiles loyalty program, and use Wheels Up Fund program balances to pay for Wheels Up private and Delta commercial flights. Likewise, Delta Private Jets customers will have the opportunity to receive exclusive Wheels Up membership offerings, experiences, and access to the Wheels Up fleet.

Now comes news of another deal that will make Wheels Up one of the largest aircraft management companies in the world, second only to NetJets, with its fleet of some 750 airplanes. In March, the company acquired Gama Aviation LLC (doing business as Gama Aviation Signature). Gama Aviation is a private aviation services company that provides management and charter services for its own aircraft. Gama Aviation Signature also has been the exclusive operator of Wheels Up’s fleet of King Air 350i, Citation Excel/XLS, and Citation X airplanes ever since Wheels Up was established in 2013.

Now that Wheels Up has added Gama Aviation Signature, its owned and managed fleet has instantly grown to more than 300 airplanes.

“This transaction supports our long-term vision for the future of Wheels Up, and as we continue to build the fleet and offer aircraft management services, we are uniquely positioned in the market with a full ecosystem for all private aviation needs,” Dichter said. “We welcome Gama and their pilots into our Wheels Up family as a natural step based on the successful history of our two companies.”

According to a Wheels Up statement, Gama Aviation Signature will operate as a wholly owned subsidiary of Wheels Up and continue to provide the same service to existing aircraft management and charter customers out of its current location in Shelton, Connecticut. Financial terms of the transaction will not be disclosed.

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