Uber-Style Private Airplane Trips Have Arrived – Flights Now Starting at $111
A new company called KinectAir is aiming to revolutionize private air travel by making it as easy to book a flight on a private plane as it is to order an Uber.
The service, founded in 2019, utilizes AI and software to sort through private plane operators and offer customers last-minute deals on empty leg flights for a fraction of what a private charter typically costs.
As of December 2023, KinectAir's services will expand beyond the Pacific Northwest to offer private plane bookings across the entire continental US. The company touts its simple online booking platform that provides real pricing with no hidden fees, opening up private aviation to a wider demographic who may have previously seen it as exclusively for the ultra-wealthy.
To keep prices affordable, KinectAir works with more economical turbo-prop and piston-engine planes rather than traditional private jets. While they fly slower, the difference in speed is negligible on flights under 500 miles.
Co-CEO Ben Howard claims you'd pay 5 times as much to fly a private jet compared to the piston planes they offer, making private aviation more viable for some last-minute travel situations.
The company is really slashing prices though by tapping into the private aviation industry's oversupply of empty leg flights. These flights involve repositioning an aircraft after it has completed a charter in order to fulfill its next booking obligation.
KinectAir says it passes on savings of up to 75% off typical private flight costs by allowing passengers to book empty legs at the last minute.
In one example, an empty leg from Phoenix to Palm Springs for 3 passengers was priced at $238 per person. A commercial flight would have been upwards of $500 roundtrip, while another broker quoted over $600 per person for the same private route.
Short flights under 250 miles seemed to offer some of the greatest savings compared to flying commercial airlines.
Offering Prices Lower Than Commercial Flights in Some Cases
In fact, KinectAir's model even manages to beat economy commercial flights in certain scenarios. This is especially true when looking at last-minute fares on major carriers, where costs can skyrocket compared to the set empty leg pricing.
A 48-minute flight from Sunriver to Aurora, Oregon for example can be booked for just 1 per person on KinectAir. Comparable last-minute commercial options clock in at over $300 when factoring things like baggage fees. And that's not accounting for the longer TSA lines and boarding process associated with flying commercial.
While the absolute lowest private fare found was $111, most empty legs fall in the $200 to $300 range for short hops. KinectAir guarantees the price you see is the price you'll pay, absorbing any potential fuel overages or other unexpected charges that often surprise first-time private flyers.
This allows customers to accurately compare the cost against commercial flights when making travel decisions.
At its price point, KinectAir sees an opportunity to attract entire families or small groups who can take advantage of the per-person savings. While chartering an entire 8-passenger jet may seem excessive for the average traveler, the costs become more reasonable when the overall price is split among larger parties.
A family of 5 can suddenly access private travel for about the same total price as buying commercial tickets once you factor in ancillary fees.
For family trips or group getaways with a social component, the spacious, private cabin facilitates easier conversation without strangers eavesdropping. Many pistons planes also offer customizable catering - taking the ambience up a notch.
Travelers arrive refreshed and ready to enjoy their destination without contending with airport stress, luggage fees or mediocre in-flight dining options.
This on-demand approach also suits smaller airports lacking commercial service. Customers can land closer to their final destination without lengthy ground transfers from congested major hubs.
For holiday travelers or those needing to visit multiple cities in a single trip, bypassing hub connections saves considerable time and frustration while exploring smaller communities.
In addition to efficiency gains, private aviation offers flexibility and customization for group travel. KinectAir allows unlikely private flyers to affordably experience these benefits on family vacations or weekend meetups with friends.
Whether celebrating a milestone, banding together for an away game, or maximizing time at a shared rental, the economics transform when splitting costs between a sizable party.
Offering a Streamlined Booking Experience Unlike Established Private Airlines
What really sets KinectAir apart from competitors like Wheels Up, NetJets or even UberJets, is its frictionless online booking platform. You can view real-time pricing and book flights directly without any membership requirements that lock users into a long-term commitment.
There are no initiation fees that can easily exceed $1,000, no annual membership dues reaching into the thousands, and no phone calls required to receive basic pricing information.
KinectAir wants to mirror the on-demand experience that Uber pioneered for car transportation and that Airbnb popularized for vacation rentals.
Instead of catering exclusively to wealthy private flyers, the company intends to make private aviation more accessible to a larger demographic - much like Uber did for ride-hailing. The easy-to-use interface empowers the everyday traveler to comparison shop private flights against commercial options.
Co-founder Katie Buss, herself a former military pilot, stresses safety as the company's number one priority while opening up private aviation to a larger audience. KinectAir vets each operator it partners with to ensure they meet stringent safety benchmarks.
Customers can feel confident booking even when sacrificing some luxury typically associated with high-end charters.
By absorbing much of the back-end financial complexity, KinectAir streamlines the consumer experience from search to booking. You'll encounter no surprise add-on fees after the flight that can leave first-time private flyers with sticker shock.
The company strives to bring the same transparency and certainty that travellers have come to expect when booking commercial flights online.
At its core, KinectAir wants private aviation to become synonymous with innovative, convenient, transparent and most importantly, accessible air travel. Its goal isn't solely catering to an elite clientele, but rather ushering in a more democratic era of private flying for all.
Addressing Environmental Concerns Around Private Plane Travel
Of course, expanding private air travel presents environmental concerns - especially as climate change dominates headlines. Short-hop flights generate more emissions per passenger mile compared to longer commercial routes.
And with the US lacking the extensive high-speed rail connections found in Europe and Asia, there are less climate-friendly transportation options available for many routes.
KinectAir maintains that flying piston planes rather than jets consumes less fuel per flight. Additionally, filling empty legs that would operate regardless increases efficiency by transporting more passengers.
As battery-powered and hybrid planes emerge in the coming years, smaller private aircraft are likely to adopt that technology before commercial airliners.
While unlikely to satisfy critics focused solely on reducing air travel, KinectAir believes it is incrementally moving the market in a sustainable direction.
The airline industry must balance convenience and affordability with its environmental impact across all types of planes. KinectAir aims to push private aviation closer toward that equilibrium through cost and operational transparency.
Future Goals to Further Expand Access and Increase Efficiency
As a new entrant into the private aviation market, KinectAir has ambitious plans for growth and innovation. On the horizon is an option for customers to list individual seats on a flight rather than chartering the entire aircraft. This provides an experience akin to riding a semi-private jet for a fraction of standard private fares.
The company also intends to expand route offerings between underutilized regional airports. By tapping into excess capacity, efficiency increases while providing travelers affordable flights to destinations overlooked by major carriers.
KinectAir sees a future where ease of booking and dynamic pricing make private aviation a natural substitute for driving or lower-cost commercial flights.
Rather than focusing solely on luxury comfort, they want price-sensitive travelers to ask, "for this occasion, does it make sense to fly privately?" - no different than deciding between Southwest or Delta.
While current empty-leg offerings cater mainly to last-minute impromptu trips, advance booking for special events or family milestones is another growth opportunity.
In the end, KinectAir aspires to continue ushering in the Uber era for private aviation. Near term that means matching empty leg supply with last-minute leisure and business traveler demand through an intuitive online experience.
Long term, the goal is evolving general aviation to incorporate hybrid-electric aircraft capable of serving a larger demographic without sacrificing environmental sustainability.
By leveraging technology to efficiently operate and fill repositioning flights, KinectAir makes private air travel financially viable to a wider audience.
While still at a premium to commercial flying, the price differential narrows significantly - especially for last-minute bookings. For time-constrained travelers unable to easily depart from major airports, KinectAir provides an affordable on-ramp to exploring private aviation.
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