Jet Linx

What It Is: Omaha, Nebraska–based Jet Linx operates a jet card program and provides aircraft management services, using its managed fleet of more than 100 aircraft to provide lift for 2,100 card members at almost 20 airports across the U.S.

How It Grew: Omaha entrepreneur and business aviation user Denny Walker founded Jet Linx Aviation in 1999 as a locally focused fractional ownership program operating from a private terminal at the city’s Eppley Airfield. In 2002, when the company had four aircraft and 12 shareowners, son Jamie Walker signed on to develop the business into a national brand.

From 2003 to 2004, Jet Linx transitioned from a fractional program to a jet card and management-services company (no ad hoc charter), with its own Part 135 certificate. With Jamie Walker as CEO, national expansion commenced in 2009, with Jet Linx using a Base Partner model, developing community roots and teaming with a minority stake owner at each new location: Indianapolis and Dallas (2009); Denver (2010); San Antonio (2011); St. Louis and Scottsdale (2012); Atlanta and Houston (2013); Tulsa, Oklahoma (2014); Washington, D.C., and Detroit (2015); Nashville and Fort Worth (2016).

Related Article

Jet Linx Introduces Flight-sharing Feature

Part of the company's new mobile application, it will allow aircraft owners and jet card holders to sell empty seats on a per-flight basis.

In 2017, Jet Linx staged its first annual Safety Summit, voluntarily grounding all its aircraft and bringing all team members together to focus on safety issues; it also passed the 100-aircraft- under-management milestone. In the interim years, Jet Linx introduced an Elevated Lifestyle membership benefits program (2014), launched a simplified card membership plan, and eliminated deposit requirements (2016).

Expansion into major metro areas picked up in 2018, with bases established in Chicago and Boston. In this, its 20th anniversary year, Jet Linx added Austin, Texas to its base roster, and in July the company introduced OpenSeat Exchange, a flight-sharing program, to its mobile owners and members app.

What It Offers:

Jet cards. Club Card and Executive Card ($12,500 and $17,500 initiation fee, respectively) provide guaranteed availability and hourly rates. Operates from 18 private terminals nationwide.

Aircraft management. Turnkey service; generates charter revenue by providing lift for card members.

Acquisitions and sales. Transactional services for clients entering or exiting ownership.

Recent News: In September, Let Linx opened its 18th private terminal, at New York–area business aviation hub Teterboro Airport, its first tri-state metropolitan area location and first trained and certified in new proprietary service standards developed by Forbes Travel Guide.

FAST FACTS:

Founded: 1999

HQ: Omaha, Nebraska

Employees: More than 500

Jet card members: About 2,100

President and CEO: Jamie Walker

Chairman: Denny Walker

Website: jetlinx.com