This California company wants to make private jets accessible for everyone

Published on Jun 11, 2025 at 8:05 AM (UTC+4)
by Alessandro Renesis

Last updated on Jun 11, 2025 at 8:05 AM (UTC+4)
Edited by Emma Matthews

This California company wants to make private jets accessible for everyone

This California airline wants to make private jets accessible for everyone.

The airline is called Aero – pretty generic, we know – and it uses Embraer jets.

Fares are cheaper than you think.

But there are at least two catches.

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California airline Aero Black, doing business as Aero, is an airline based out of Van Nuys, California, and it’s pioneering a unique concept.

They want to ‘democratize’ private jets.

At the time of writing, the Aero fleet comprises five Embraer ERJ-135 aircraft with 16 seats, which cover a handful of destinations across the United States and only one abroad, San Jose del Cabo in Mexico.

The airline uses secondary airports – Van Nuys, Napa County, Jacqueline Cochran – as well as major hubs such as Salt Lake City International Airport and Harry Reid in Las Vegas.

The idea is quite simple.

You get as close as you’re likely to get to private flying on a budget by sharing the plane with strangers.

In terms of atmosphere, you’re definitely getting a proper private jet experience.

Unlike, for example, BeOnd, Aero uses Embraer, an aerospace company that specializes in corporate jets.

You also get the proper private jet experience because the airline checks all the private flying boxes.

There’s no line, no crowds, check-in ends, but also starts, basically, 20 minutes before your flight, and you get complimentary in-flight dining and drinks.

So what’s the catch?

There are two.

The first catch is that the fares are inexpensive for what you’re getting, but not cheap in absolute terms.

Pricing starts at $777, and that’s for a flight that lasts less than an hour.

Flying longer distances is, of course, more expensive.

For example, a return ticket from Van Nuys to NYC would set you back over $5,400.

But the biggest problem, and this is an issue that Aero shares with companies like BeOnd and others, is that this business model is still very costly.

In other words, it’s easy to see where and how you, the customer, are saving money, but it’s difficult to see where exactly the profit for the company is coming from.

Alessandro is an automotive journalist with 10 years of experience covering supercars, automotive history, emerging vehicle technology, and luxury transportation. He wrote the first article published on SupercarBlondie.com when the website launched in 2022 and has since built a reputation for insightful reporting across the automotive and transportation industries. His expertise is grounded in hands-on experience. Alessandro has driven every Tesla model ever produced, from the original Roadster to the Cybertruck, and regularly covers the latest developments in electric vehicles and automotive innovation. His passion for transportation extends beyond cars, he has even flown a Boeing 787 Dreamliner simulator in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. His reporting spans everything from classic American muscle cars and rare automotive discoveries to luxury yachts, private aircraft, high-end watches, and cutting-edge vehicle technology. Known for his deep knowledge of automotive history and ability to uncover the stories behind iconic vehicles, Alessandro brings readers a blend of historical context, technical expertise, and first-hand experience.