FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

We know you have questions about StraightLine. We’ve addressed the most common questions here.

General Questions

StraightLine is a boutique private aviation club serving a like-minded group of members in the coordination of private flights. Our members rely on us to find them the safest, best suited aircraft at the lowest price for every private flight they take.

When you join StraightLine, we serve as your personal “private flight desk” so that you can focus on the destination, while we focus on getting you there.

SIMPLICITY.  In an industry burdened by complex & confusing rules and opaque pricing, we aim to simplify every aspect of our member experience so that you can focus on enjoying your precious extra time.

Our members are a mix of leisure and business travelers that fly private between 10 and 100 hours per year. Our members possess one unifying characteristic – they prioritize their TIME above all else. 

Beyond that, below are a few specific characteristics of StraightLine members. 

  • Many members are first-time or occasional private fliers
    • These members use our service to supplement or replace commercial travel, sometimes using a combo of commercial & private for remote, difficult-to-reach destinations.
  • We are commonly used as a replacement or supplemental “hedge” against other more expensive jet programs. 
  • We service many aircraft owners (fractional or full) that use us when their core airplane is unavailable or ill-suited for a particular mission. 
  • Many of our members fly with local charter operators for occasional flights. They use us when they need lift elsewhere OR switch outright to StraightLine to alleviate the burden of safety vetting, price negotiation and the other complexities of chartering on their own. 

StraightLine is a deposit based program designed for members who plan to utilize a variety of different aircraft types with the ability to select the aircraft that best suits the requirmenets of each trip.  

New Members join with initial deposits ranging from $100K to $300K, with an average of approximately $150k. Deposit amounts can be replenished any time with no long-term commitment.  100% of your funds go toward your flights, as there are no membership fees or dues.  

Comparing StraightLine

Anyone can charter an aircraft through a broker and, from an economic perspective, this can be a suitable approach for occasional travel.

That said, the high volume, transactional nature of the charter broker business model dictates the selection of the lowest cost provider and not necessarily the provider with the highest quality service.

By serving a closed group of members rather than transacting with the general public, we offer members a far more personalized, hands-on approach that ensures the highest level of safety and service.

Furthermore, by leveraging the large, aggregated buying power of our member base, our prices are generally lower than those offered through traditional brokers.

As we primarily serve members that fly between 15 and 100 hours per year, we are most frequently compared to other jet card and membership programs.

Since coming on the scene in late 2016, we have become the fastest growing program in this segment of the industry for the following key reasons:

  • Highest service levels
    • We are the boutique player in our industry and are not out to be the biggest, just the absolute best. Members appreciate that we know them by name and their cell phone numbers by heart.
  • No membership fees or dues
    • Programs that charge membership fees or dues immediately reduce the amount of money you have available for private flights and raise your “effective hourly rate” when you do fly. With StraightLine, all funds go towards your flights.
  • Widest selection of aircraft
    • Every trip our members take is slightly different. Our program has been designed from inception to allow members to select the right aircraft for each mission. Most programs offer a limited “fixed fleet” which frequently results in a mismatch between aircraft and mission.
    • We are the only program that offers a one-stop-shop for every aircraft category — from helicopters, sea planes & pistons thru VIP airliners
  • Least expensive flight costs
    • Not only do we offer access to more cost-effective aircraft, we offer lower base hourly rates on an “apples-to-apples” basis than any other program
    • We charge the actual cost of each trip, while other programs automatically include deadhead “repositioning” charges in their base hourly rates whether incurred or not
  • Fly to and from anywhere
    • Most jet programs have a centralized regional home base. When you fly out of this region, it costs you. By operating independently, the StraightLine service is available everywhere in the world, with no additional charges or fees.

StraightLine is pure, on- demand private aviation. When you book an aircraft, the whole thing is yours. And it goes where you want it to go.

We do not sell by the seat, nor do we require that members wait for empty legs (though we do search for cost-effective empty legs to occasionally save members money).

Aircraft

Aircraft are operated by vetted & approved FAA Part 135 operators. Approved operators must have a written agreement with StraightLine for every flight and exceed FAA Part 135 standards.

Your safety is our number one priority. Each of our operator partners has been rigorously evaluated for safety.

In our evaluation process, we call upon research & information from the Federal Aviation Administration, Department of Transportation and renowned third party safety & compliance auditing firms such as ARG/US, Wyvern and IS-BAO.

Aircraft age is something we review carefully. The planes range from virtually brand new to those that were built several years ago.

It is important to note that aircraft age is not the most important barometer of safety or even comfort (it’s often difficult to observe any difference between a refurbished plane and a brand new one).

What’s most critical in a safety evaluation is understanding the manufacturer lifespan of the aircraft and to ensure that proper care and maintenance has been performed every step of the way. We do all of this.

No. Our business model does not involve purchasing or maintaining our own airplanes. This is purposeful.

By working with independent owners, we’re able to offer our members access to vastly more aircraft than any other program.

Furthermore, our business model is protected from the financial uncertainty inherent in owning & maintaining planes.

Business & Contractual

Unlike most jet card programs that require you to use your flight time within 12-18 months, there is no fixed term with StraightLine. Your account balance never expires and you simply add funds as you wish during the course of your membership with us.

Your remaining balance can be refunded (modest redemption fee applies) if your circumstances change or you are not satisfied.

StraightLine membership is by invitation only for two important reasons.

1) We want to ensure we can exceed your expectations. If we’re not a fit, we’ll be sure to tell you.

2) Our relationship with aircraft operators, pilots & owners is paramount. By vetting & approving members, we gain confidence that our partners & their valuable aircraft will be treated with the utmost respect.

Every anticipated charge is outlined in the price quotes we send you for each of your trips. There are never any gimmicks or hidden charges.

The only additional charges that may be incurred are for member-directed flight changes en route, non-core catering requests and unanticipated charges such as for deicing if required.

Your member card deposit is held in a secure, segregated account and disbursed for payment of each individual trip. You approve and confirm each trip before funds are released.

StraightLine has established proprietary strategic relationships with a premier network of independent, boutique aircraft owners & operators that meet our requirements for safety, service and aircraft quality.

These owners & operators provide us with preferential, wholesale rates for our member flights.

We make money by combining these wholesale rates with our booking margin. The total amount is typically lower than the retail rates members would pay if they were to do it all on their own.

Booking

With each flight orchestrated by StraightLine, our 24/7 Flight Arrangement Process ensures every flight is operated by a Part 135 certificated operator, not only in accordance with FAA standards, but also with our own rigorous approval.

Our team verifies every safety and operational detail to confirm operator compliance and to ensure your trip goes well.

STEP 1: Trip Feasibility (Within 24 hours of flight request)

• Airport and FBO operational details

• Flight feasibility and legality checks

• Aircraft performance requirements

• Ensure booking is in compliance with all established Federal Regulations and StraightLine Safety Standards

STEP 2: Flight Review (24 hours prior to departure)

• Member history and expectations

• Flight details

• Air Traffic Control plan and communication

• Weather plan and alternate solution

• Aircraft and operator performance

• Airport and FBO checks

• Client communication plan

STEP 3: Execution Plan (Day of flight)

• Condition at airport

• Weather review at departure, en route and at destination

• Air Traffic Control monitoring and updates

• Real-time flight tracking

Aircraft availability, particularly on short notice and during peak times, is critically important to members. 

That’s why we’re meticulous about only inviting new members to join when we’re confident in our ability to serve them. 

You will notice that StraightLine frequently has a “waitlist” in certain markets.  The principal reason for this is that we are ensuring we have adequate aircraft available to support member travel. 

The more notice you can give, the greater the selection of aircraft and likelihood of availability. We ask for 36 hours notice to request a flight, though we will make every effort to arrange a plane on shorter notice. 

In the vast majority of cases, yes.

Certain operators do not allow pets and a few charge a modest “pet cleaning fee.”

We will always notify you of the details relevant to your pet.

  • Departure & Arrival Airport(s)
  • Departure & Arrival Date(s) and Time(s)
  • Passenger Legal Names
  • Approximate Passenger Weights (lbs)
  • Passenger Dates of Birth
  • Expected Luggage (# of bags & lbs)
  • Lead Passenger Email Address and Day Of Flight Phone Number