Made To Jetset, was founded in 2017 with the focus of providing bespoke and customized aviation consultation to members. Pet Jets, is the branch of Made To Jetset focused on pet-friendly private jet charter. I like to compare our small consultation business to a boutique clothing store that offers handmade and exclusive items to shoppers. Much like a boutique store, we focus on providing exceptional quality to our members. Other larger corporate options are available to our clients, but choosing a small business means you will get more personalized service and contact than you would with a large company. You also have to ask yourself when you are deciding who to work with in the private aviation industry, “what is the best option for me to receive the product and service I am looking for?” Over the past year I have learned so much about the private aviation industry, and here are five of my observations:
- Paying for a professional is worth it in situations where you are new to an industry. It is also worth it to pay a professional when you need a specific service/product, but want the process to be stress free. Back in May 2022, I was clueless as to how private jet charter worked. My only experience with flying was with budget commercial airline options like Southwest Airlines, or Allegiant. I had flown to Hawaii one time before I moved there on my husband’s military orders. I started frantically searching Google and Facebook for options on how to safely fly with my dogs over to Hawaii. The idea of my dogs going under the plane in the cargo hold left me feeling nervous, but other options seemed limited. I reached out to Pet Jets on Facebook and Honey quickly called me to discuss my move to Hawaii. Shortly after our phone call, I became a member of Pet Jets as I knew I would need consultation services to help me understand how to move my dogs to Hawaii. Some may be thinking, “why work with a broker at all?” It’s the same concept as working with a realtor to sell your home, having a lawyer represent you in court, or having a cosmetologist color your hair rather than box coloring it yourself. First, you can save money working with a knowledgeable aviation consultant that understands chartering private jets beyond what most people can find from searching online. Second, trusting a professional with experience in the industry = less stress, less headaches, and less time you personally have to put towards planning a flight/trip. At this time last year, handing off my project to a professional was the best decision I made during my moving process.
- Made To Jetset/Pet Jets is not a money saver option compared to private jet broker/operator companies like NetJets, Wheels Up, etc. Instead, our small company is an alternative option to large corporations in the private aviation industry. Isn’t using a professional private jet broker service incredibly expensive? It can be. A Google search for “private jet flights or “flying with pets in cabin” will lead you to websites for NetJets, Wheels Up, and other private jet broker and operator options. Becoming a member of NetJets or Wheels Up, is certainly not a cheap option though. NetJets cost more than $150,000+ depending on what type of jet card, or the number of hours a person is looking to buy. According to Elite Traveler Magazine, NetJets pricing in 2023 for light jets start at around $6,500 per hour and heavy and long range jet options are into the $16,000 per hour range. Wheels Up offers various membership options ranging from $2,995 and $29,500 with other fees such as annual dues. You are paying for the name brand of these companies, not a better product or service.
- Paying a membership for Made To Jetset/Pet Jets is about mutual commitment. We are dedicated to providing private jet consultation/additional services to our members and we expect members to be committed to executing the trip through us without shopping around with other brokers. How does Pet Jets and Made To Jetset membership compare to these large corporations? A membership with Pet Jets or Made To Jetset cost $399.00 annually. This is a small fraction of the cost of most private jet membership options. We are able to keep our membership costs much lower than large corporations because we choose to operate with low overhead. We work ac hoc, meaning each flight or project is different. Private jet charter pricing varies depending on air carrier availability, fuel costs, time of year, etc. We are not asking members for large sums of money upfront before securing flight options, but instead we ask for a small membership fee as a commitment to work together on a project(s). We rely on flights to create revenue for the company. If you are working with Made To Jetset/Pet Jets then we expect to be the representative for your trip when searching for private jet options. Compare it to buying a home through a realtor. It would be unfair to have a realtor show you several homes, negotiate for you, and communicate with you, but then you decide to purchase a home on your own or through someone else. This would result in a loss of commission for the realtor even after they put in hours of work for your home purchase. We are here to find options for your flight and other trip needs at your request.
- Our membership options are there for potential members/flyers to retain us and our information. Many of our members only fly once for relocation purposes when retiring, or moving for a new job opportunity, so paying a large membership fee to obtain multiple hours of flying time doesn’t make sense financially. Even when members fly multiple times a year, or over multiple years, over membership system results in less fees for them. We also have people ask us to “keep them in mind” if we have routes that pop up that fit their timeframe, or destinations. We also offer a $99.00 annual membership that allows access to our shared flight availability, empty legs, and other exclusive content. This option is a great for those who are needing more information about private jet travel with pets, or those looking for one mayor empty leg availability, but aren’t ready to commit to flying yet. The small membership fee can also be applied to the larger membership fee if you choose to move forward working with Made To Jetset/Pet Jets. The membership costs are there to compensate our time for marketing and shopping each trip plus it shows a form of commitment to working exclusively with Made To Jetset/Pet Jets.
- Private jet travel is a luxury and it will continue to be an expensive endeavor for the unforeseeable future. Even with private jet sharing being an option, or empty leg flights providing discounted prices on flights, private jet travel is expensive. Comparing private jet travel to first class plane tickets is unrealistic because private jet charter is a completely separate option that has much higher costs. Keeping in perspective that access to chartering private jets is a luxury service that still requires large amounts of money helps keep the cost expectations realistic. The question we most often get is about the pricing of private jet travel. I always refer people to our FAQ for insight into ballpark ranges for some routes we often work on. Estimated and ballpark ranges should still be taken with a grain of salt, because like I have wrote about in previous blogs, private jet charter is all ad hoc and changes frequently. Being flexible on departure/arrival dates and locations certainly helps people find options within their budget, especially if they are flexible enough to make a share option work.
Overall, the private jet industry is one that is constantly evolving. What use to be something only the very rich and famous had access to has now become more accessible to pet loving families relocating, or to those looking to fly in a more stress-free and convenient way. Just like when you are shopping for clothing, a car, a house, or any other product/service in life – you must consider your budget, the quality, and what kind of service/product are you looking for. Just a year ago I was in the position of not knowing much about the private aviation industry, but choosing to trust a professional consultant made all the difference. If you want custom tailored private aviation services, Made To Jetset/Pet Jets is here to help. Contact us today to get started: Book Now!