You Can Now Book a Private Jet in Just 30 Seconds With This New App

For most travelers, the words “private jet” bring to mind celebrity glamour and the uber-rich, but one company is working to make it more practical and, increasingly, more accessible thanks to technology.

Enter: FlyHouse, an app connecting travelers with aircraft owners who are motivated to maximize the use of their planes. Travelers plug in their dates and destinations, and owners of more than 2,000 aircraft bid for the business in real time, creating a competitive environment that drives down costs.

“Guests can easily book a flight via the FlyHouse app, connecting travelers, aircraft owners, and operators in one seamless ecosystem,” FlyHouse CEO Jack E. Lambert, Jr. told Travel + Leisure. “Consumers can compare aircraft types, pricing, get a quote and book in as little as 30 seconds.”

The company said the goal is to make flying private easier and more affordable, and to help aircraft owners utilize and make money off of their planes.

How much does it cost?

T+L tested the app, searching for a roundtrip flight between Denver International Airport (DEN) and Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC). The resulting flight options weren’t cheap—the most affordable came in at over $62,000, plus tax—but the quote was delivered in just about 30 seconds and the rate was for the entire plane, a Cessna Citation CJ3 in this case. If you could fill the aircraft, the cost could be split between up to seven passengers.

FlyHouse also offers a FriendShare option where travelers can share the cost with other passengers. Currently, customers can share the flight cost with people within their group, but the company said it plans to launch a public share option in October.

Once passengers run a search, flights are held for up to 30 minutes.

Will it get less expensive?

These private flights may still not be what most people define as affordable, but FlyHouse is still young. The company was founded in 2021, and CEO Lambert said more aircraft and more users can translate to lower costs.

“More aircraft and more owners mean greater availability, more competition, and ultimately lower prices for travelers,” Lambert said, adding “This unique new industry model creates an ‘indirect network effect’ where you have users, buyers and sellers, so the more that they operate within that marketplace, actually, the lower the price goes and the higher the utilization.”

Where can you fly?

Currently, FlyHouse offers on-demand domestic travel bookings along with international travel on a case-by-case basis. However, Lambert said the company plans to expand to South America, Europe, and the Middle East in the near future.

Is it safe?

FlyHouse has its own independent certification system, which the company said differs from traditional private air travel where passengers must rely on an aircraft operator’s financial capacity to pay for audits.

“The FlyHouse Safety Seal is awarded to operators and pilots who pass FlyHouse’s independent, rigorous audit around safety measures and financial responsibility. It ensures exceptional safety standards and transparency beyond industry norms,” Lambert said, adding “The first value proposition for FlyHouse is safety.”

What about perks and frequent flyer miles?

FlyHouse became the first aviation company to acquire a bank and now plans to launch a consumer credit card later this year that will earn rewards. These rewards, called “House Hours,” will essentially work as frequent flyer miles.

Lambert said said FlyHouse also offers a Private Client Group (PCG), which provides valued guests with a premier, invitation-only concierge service that includes arranging bespoke experiences and meeting on-call charter needs.