Developments in private aviation, hospitality, and the business of travel
Wheels Up’s third quarter brought the crossover its restructuring was built for: Signature memberships and revenue passed the legacy programs for the first time, the premium fleet reached 43 aircraft, and the company placed an order for six new Embraer Phenom 300E jets for 2027.
On September 1, Gama Aviation became the sole business aviation handler at RAF Northolt, adding a West London gateway to an FBO network that now spans Glasgow, Jersey, and Sharjah.
Blade is relaunching its seasonal jet service between Westchester County and South Florida with Aero on November 19, after a two-year hiatus. Sixteen seats, Starlink Wi-Fi, and helicopter transfers from Manhattan.
With AED13 billion of contracts under execution and more than AED55 billion due for award during 2026, the expansion of Al Maktoum International Airport has moved from renderings to runways. Phase one is targeted for 2032.
Construction began on May 14, 2025, on a terminal designed to handle about 50 million passengers a year in its first phase. Changi is building for the traffic of the 2040s.
NetJets wants scale at both ends of its fleet, Vista is standardizing on the Challenger 3500, Flexjet has gone all in on Embraer, and Wheels Up is modernizing with a sale-leaseback.
Business aviation's biggest week returns to Las Vegas on October 20: the latest aircraft from 15 manufacturers, a new main stage, more than 70 education sessions, and an expected 17,000-plus industry professionals.
The General Aviation Manufacturers Association's second-quarter report shows 383 business jets delivered through June, billings up 15.5% to $14.3 billion, and Embraer leading the major jet makers with a 21% delivery increase.
Certified in April 2025 and in customer hands since August, the G800 has settled into Gulfstream's ultra-long-range lineup. A June record flight of 8,303 nautical miles underscores why rivals have taken notice.
The fastest civil aircraft since Concorde entered service in December 2025 and has since added FAA, EASA, and London City clearances. Bombardier's ultra-long-range answer to the G800 is now certified on both sides of the Atlantic.
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