Wheels Up topped the list of U.S. Part 135 operations in the first half of the year, logging 82,478 hours, according to data specialist Argus.
In its TraqPak Mid-Year Business Aviation Report released this week, Argus noted that the Wheels Up hours during the first six months of the year edged up from the 82,083 logged a year ago. The on-demand private aviation provider by far outpaced all other Part 135 operations, according to the Argus data.
The next closest was Executive Jet Management, which logged 39,410 hours under Part 135, while Solairus Aviation followed at 26,437, XO at 23,625, and Exclusive Jets at 23,375. Jet Linx, Jet Edge, Jet Aviation, Corporate Flight Management, and Clay Lacy Aviation rounded out the top 10, in that order.
Executive Jet Management saw the biggest jump in hours flown, up by 10,473 over the 28,937 flown in the first half of 2021. Solairus also saw a significant increase, up 8,725 hours this year over the 17,712 logged in the same period in 2021. However, XO, Jet Linx, and Jet Edge each saw declines in the first half, according to the Argus report.
Proportionally, Jet Aviation was also one of the operators with the largest gains, seeing almost a 50 percent increase from 4,947 hours in first-half 2021 to 9,748 this year, moving it into the top 10.