A Newburyport startup is looking to put a fresh spin on the ride board. This winter, Flyer’s Club hopes to help New England travelers rent a plane as easily as they’d rent a car — pilot’s license not necessary.
Launched this year by Boston resident Kane Smith, Flyer’s Club’s web service allows customers to book a ride on small charter jets at prices that rival business class fares on commercial airlines and services offered by other private charter companies.
Routes are priced in advance and be anywhere within a 500-mile radius of Boston. For example, a round trip from Boston to Burlington, Vt., will cost $1,400, the cost of which can be shared by up to four people – and takeoff time can be chosen at will.
Smith is hoping that the convenience offered by his service will convince frequent travelers to destinations underserviced by the big airlines to trade in miles and hours spent waiting at airports for a Flyer’s Club membership.
Smith is partnering with charter companies whose pilots can pick up shifts that suit their schedule. In the future, Smith hopes to add to his fleet by leasing aircrafts from local owners during down time, to be flown by pilots who have commercial certification.
“There’s a gap out there. Most people don’t know anything about private aviation,” said Smith. “A large part of what I’m trying to do is educate people that there are options.”
Smith, who has a pilot’s license, founded the company earlier this year.
In the summer, Nantucket was a favorite destination and Smith would book about 20 trips a month. Traffic has slowed down for the fall, but destinations have diversified: members have requested trips to Bar Harbor, Maine, Burlington, Vermont, Albany, N.Y., and more.
Flyer’s Club is one among a handful of services that are offering travelers an alternative to the cramped seats and mini peanut snacks on commercial airlines.
WheelsUp, based in New York, offers a similar membership-based model to business and private travelers, and charges by the hour rather than by route.
Like Netflix but for air travel, New York-based Beacon offers unlimited flights for a fixed monthly cost starting at $1,750. The service launched its inaugural route between Boston and New York this year, but unlike Flyer’s Club, intends to focus on highly trafficked routes in the Northeast.