Member Article

JetSmarter Reviews: Is it really the ‘Uber of private jets’?

Clichéd comparisons and stereotyped reviews of JetSmarter have often drawn reference to its taxi counterpart Uber. Just like Uber and other ride-hailing services, everything in this private jet marketplace is accessible via an app. However, this comparison is often contradicted due to the elite nature of private jet travel, which makes it expensive for the commoners, and is limited to a niche consumer base.

The idea for JetSmarter struck CEO Sergey Petrossov back in 2009, when he booked his first private jet and had a “totally archaic” experience – talking to a lot of people over the phone, filling out an invoice, faxing it back, etc. The experience was somewhat similar to that of the Uber founders; they too struggled to book a cab on a snowy winter evening. A terribly bad experience by the founders led them to come up with a rather innovative service.

It is a globally reviewed fact that Uber democratized traveling via taxi by making it affordable and accessible for all. But, for private aviation, this is much harder to achieve due to the challenges in demographics. Founded 5 months before Uber in 2012, the Fort Lauderdale-headquartered JetSmarter has not only lowered the entry point for private aviation, but also made it more accessible by allowing people to fly privately without hassle. Plus, it targets an increasingly tech-savvy younger audience with its easy to engage app, and sharp communication on social platforms. This vision and unique model caught the eye of moguls like Jay-Z, Wayne Chang and the Saudi Royal family who have invested huge numbers in the company.

Unlike Uber, JetSmarter works on a membership-based model, which offers free miles of flying every month to its members. Also, private jets cannot afford to run empty, which is why JetSmarter allows booking of empty seats on pre-purchased empty legs (“Jet Deals”) on fixed routes. As for its Jet Shuttles, the company has tapped on a basic emotive behavior − the love connecting on the way. Great networking and the prospect of new friendship make for something of a “country club in the sky.”

The company’s popularity has skyrocketed after JetSmarter was dubbed globally as the ‘Uber’ for private jets. It has dominated the virtual private jets industry, and has left its competitors far behind if we talk about the market share. According to sources, the top management of JetSmarter reviews their brand value proposition every month, and distinguishes from any existing business model. In an interview with Sergey Petrossov, when he was asked about JetSmarter’s competition, the confident CEO replied: “bring them all on”.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Jacob Hill .