Wheels Up
72
Conditional recommendWheels Up sells membership and charter, and members can also book Delta Air Lines flights in the same relationship.
High confidence Memberships
Facts
| Website | https://www.wheelsup.com/ |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | New York |
| Founded | 2013 |
| Ownership | Public, NYSE: UP. Delta Air Lines is the largest shareholder. |
| Who it is for | Travelers who want private flights and premium commercial flights in one membership |
| Pricing model | Membership fee plus a fund |
| Specialties | Memberships |
| Industries served | personal travelcorporate |
Verdict
Delta's site and Wheels Up's 2026 filings describe Membership Fund use toward Delta flights, Medallion status tied to qualifying spend, and self-booking of Delta flights inside the Wheels Up app from January 2026. It suits travelers who mix private legs with premium airline travel.
The trade-off is a membership and a fund before the trip. The rate on a given day can be fixed or dynamic, which is not the same as locked-in pricing.
Wheels Up scores 72 and ranks 11 in this set. The number is a weighted composite, not a star average.
Approach
The company sells access to a fleet through a deposit. The contract year decides the rate rules.
What they offer
- Membership fund, then fixed or dynamic hourly rates.
- Signature is the product the company has been selling. Deposits start well above a taxi fare.
- Not a fractional share.
- George Mattson has led the company since 2023. Delta is the largest shareholder.
Score breakdown
Each criterion is scored out of 100 from public product facts. The composite weights customer experience at 30%, booking transparency at 20%, aircraft and airport access at 20%, flexibility at 15%, and safety standards at 15%.
Customer outcomes
| Dimension | Score | Bar | Vs. median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Customer experience and service | 72 | -6.0 | |
| Booking and pricing transparency | 64 | -12.0 |
Company and commercial
| Dimension | Score | Bar | Vs. median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aircraft and airport access | 76 | -2.0 | |
| Flexibility and commitment | 64 | -14.0 | |
| Safety standards | 82 | -5.0 |
Pricing
Signature deposits were reported at $200,000, $500,000, and $1 million. Dynamic tiers were described with 2, 5, and 8 percent discounts. Confirm the live offer.
| Plan | Price | What stands out |
|---|---|---|
| Signature, fixed or dynamic | $200,000, $500,000, or $1 million | Reported September 2025. Fixed rates were described as nationwide, plus Bahamas and Los Cabos. |
| Core deposit | From about $100,000 | Older capped-rate program. New sales have been steered to Signature. |
| What you do not buy | A share | The fund is not equity in an aircraft. |
Best at / Poor fit when
Best at
- A funded membership with a choice of fixed or dynamic rates.
- A flyer who wants Phenom and Challenger cabins in a program.
- A company already close to Delta.
Poor fit when
- Someone who wants a titled share.
- Someone who thinks a rate that changes is a locked-in price.
- One seat on a Tuesday.
Use-case fit matrix
| Use case | Fit | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Want a fund and a fleet | Partial | Confirm fixed versus dynamic in the contract. |
| Want a share | Weak | See NetJets. |
| Want one seat only | Weak | A membership is a large tool for one seat. |
Where it sits in the field
Price band on the horizontal axis. Editorial composite on the vertical axis. Bands are product types, not invoices.
Wheels Up scores 72 and ranks 11 in this set. A tie shares the rank. The number does not measure market share.
Timeline
- 2013: founded.
- Merged with Delta Private Jets.
- September 2023: George Mattson takes the lead.
- September 2025: Signature fixed rates described as nationwide.
Leadership
| Name | Title | Note |
|---|---|---|
| George Mattson | Chief executive | In the role since September 2023. |
Methodology and sign-off
Overall = (Support + Reliability + Flexibility + Value + Booking clarity) / 5.
Each input is an editorial read of public terms, not a mean of star ratings.
Reviewed by The Private Jet Index desk.
Conflicts: none are disclosed for this company.
Wheels Up did not pay for this review.
Updated September 27, 2026. Methodology.
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