With new startup, catch rides on a private jet

Can’t quite stomach another trek through a crowded airport, yet still need to make a swift trip across the United States? Thanks to a new startup called BlackJet, you might just be in luck—as long as you have $7,000 to spare.

The newly launched company allows anyone to book a seat on a private jet making trips across the U.S.

Launched by Garrett Camp, co-founder of the private car-service dispatcher Uber and the former CEO of StumbleUpon, the startup made its debut on Friday to an exclusive group invited to use the service.

So how exactly does private jet ride-sharing work? The company uses the same logic as Uber, the helpful but pricey service that allows anyone with a phone to request a private driver on-demand, cutting out the need to permanently employ such a driver. With BlackJet, passengers can select seats on private jet flights to New York, Los Angeles, and South Florida after purchasing a membership for $2,500 annually.

Sarah Mitroff of Wired explains:

BlackJet doesn’t own any of the jets but instead helps travelers connect with charter services that fly between the aforementioned cities. Passengers give BlackJet two business days’ notice of when they want to fly. Then the company rounds up other passengers that are interested in the same trip and charters a plane for the group.

Hassle-free flying doesn’t come cheap, however. With short, one-way flights from Las Vegas to Los Angeles priced at $950 and cross-country flights set at $3,500, the BlackJet service is clearly meant for those who can afford the luxury of flying in style.

Startup Offers Private Jet Ride-Sharing, But Cost Is Still Sky-High [Wired]

This post was originally published on Smartplanet.com