Flexjet CEO on F1 partnership, fleet expansion to 400 aircraft, and private aviation's tailwinds from commercial decline

Flexjet CEO Andrew Collins on fleet growth, F1, and the commercial aviation tailwind

Andrew Collins joined Flexjet in 2012 through the acquisition of Sentient Jet, the company that invented the jet card — a fractional flying model sold in 25-hour increments. He eventually became global CEO, and the company now employs around 5,000 people and operates a fleet of 350 aircraft, with plans to reach 400 by end of year.

Fleet and capital structure

Flexjet's model is less capital-intensive than it looks. Most of the fleet is owned by customers who purchase fractional shares, so while the company carries some balance sheet debt, the bulk of the aircraft liability sits with buyers. Collins describes the approach as deliberately conservative — methodical debt, strong banking relationships, and a business that will log 350,000 flight hours this year at a profit. The company considered going public but decided it already has sufficient access to capital without the public-market constraints.

The fleet mix has shifted upmarket. Flexjet has moved from light and super-midsize jets toward large-cabin aircraft, recently announcing both the Gulfstream G700 and G500 programs. Transatlantic flying is up 60% year over year, and Collins frames the company as genuinely global now rather than a 48-state domestic operator.

“We'll grow to another 50 aircraft this year to get to about 400. We're up 60% year over year on transatlantic flying. We announced the G700 program last year, we just announced the Gulfstream G500 program. We are the official private aviation partner of F1 now.”

Commercial aviation as a sales force

Collins is careful not to attack commercial carriers directly, but his read is clear: degraded commercial service — driven by staffing pressures, aging infrastructure, government shutdowns, and distressed carriers in Europe — is the best marketing Flexjet has. Private aviation operates across roughly 500 airports in the US, deliberately bypassing the 70 major hubs that absorb most commercial volume and most of the disruption. When something goes wrong at those hubs, Collins argues Flexjet becomes the default alternative for anyone who needs to guarantee arrival.

The retention story from COVID matters here. Customers introduced to private flying during the pandemic largely didn't return to commercial. Collins confirms demand still outpaces supply — there's a waitlist for certain aircraft types, and he says he'd add another 50 planes this year if he could get them.

F1 partnership

Flexjet is now the official private aviation partner of Formula 1, flying F1 executives and select drivers. Collins frames the tie-up as both a brand play and a global distribution move: F1 spans more than 20 countries, giving Flexjet a canvas for high-end customer experiences across markets it's actively entering. The broader pitch is an "economy of experiences" — Flexjet differentiates in-cabin through customized artisanal interiors, Starlink connectivity, and curated entertainment, and is now extending that positioning to off-aircraft experiences through partnerships like this one.

Fleet procurement and emerging technology

Collins says roughly 58% of new OEM orders are now coming from fractional operators, making companies like Flexjet significant buyers. Flexjet has applied that leverage carefully. Ahead of the eVTOL wave, it acquired two twin-engine helicopter companies — one in London, one in New York — specifically to build in-house expertise in short-distance aviation before committing to unproven technology.

On eVTOLs specifically, Flexjet has ordered over 200 aircraft and has a second partnership with a UK-based operator it recently announced. Collins is clear that no order happens without flight testing and full technical due diligence, backed by 1,500 in-house product support and maintenance staff. The framework is: understand the model, understand the safety profile, then decide if it fits the brand and the customer base.