Vista Global Blends XOJet, JetSmarter into XO

Vista Global (VG) today unveiled XO, a “digital jet marketplace” that combines and replaces XOJet and JetSmarter, the respective charter fleet owner/operator and mobile booking app developer the Dubai-based group purchased in its bid to create a global charter offering. XO “addresses the shift toward digital solutions in the industry,” VG said in its announcement, creating a one-stop offering where “customers will be able to choose the best digital membership option, request a flight, or book a seat—instantly.”

VG—formed in August by Thomas Flohr, founder and CEO of luxury charter fleet owner/operator VistaJet—said XO will deliver “elevated services” by leveraging the “customer-centric expertise of XOJet with the speed and convenience of technology originally developed by JetSmarter.”

California-based XOJet ranked as the third-largest Part 135 charter provider by flight hours in 2018, according to Argus International. Florida-based brokerage JetSmarter’s technological prowess was often overshadowed by controversy surrounding its high-profile membership plans, which promised benefits such as free seats on shuttle flights, while legal issues predating its purchase by VG remain.