Owning a private jet and flying in luxury while also skipping the hassle of commercial airports comes with a super hefty price tag that not many of us can imagine let alone afford. Semi-private jet ownership has become popular in recent years, offering the luxury of private travel without the responsibility or cost of private jet ownership. Still though, membership with these semi-private jet companies can be an unattainable dream for most.
That’s where Set Jet comes in, with a model that makes taking a private jet in closer reach. Unlike other semi-private jet companies, Set Jet has no regular schedule. The fleet of five Bombardier Challenger 850 aircraft are on standby for members to book between any two destinations included in their membership plan. Trips must be booked 24 hours in advance for domestic destinations, a week for international destinations. Once a flight is chartered, other members can book a seat on that same flight. If no one books, you’re flying private. If someone does, maybe you make a new friend!
Whether your flight is completely private or you’re booking with another member, you’ll enjoy the immense pleasure of skipping TSA, and you can arrive just 20 minutes before takeoff, as Set Jet operates out of private terminals.
Set Jet currently flies out to seven destinations: Los Angeles (including LAX, Van Nuys, and Burbank), Orange County, San Diego, Cabo San Lucas, Scottsdale, Las Vegas and Salt Lake City. The company plans to add New York , West Palm Beach, Austin, Dallas, Houston and Aspen soon.
Two membership levels are available. Standard membership costs $99.95 per month, and you can cancel any time. Standard members can fly to destinations in California, Mexico, Nevada, Colorado, Utah and Texas. Elite membership costs $999.95 per month and requires a 12 month commitment. Elite members can also fly to New York, Miami, and West Palm Beach. Both levels incur an additional one-time $99.95 security check fee, and seats aboard flights start at $750 one-way for regional flights and $1,330 one-way for flights to Cabo San Lucas.
Set Jet does have rules and fees like other airlines, so take note: there is a dress code (see FAQs for details). You’ll need special permission to bring your pet donkey, but dogs, cats and birds can be brought aboard — free under 20 pounds, $250 for pets weighing 21 to 60 pounds and $350 for pets weighing 61 pounds or more. One checked bag and one personal item are allowed for each passenger, with additional bags on a case by case basis plus fees for overweight baggage. Other than the dress code, pretty standard procedure.
While most of us still have to fly economy and deal with all the related hassle of TSA, delays, and uncomfortable seats, it’s nice to know that there’s a private jet option a little less exorbitant than most that we can dream about one day flying.