Writer

Amy Wilder

Airshare is celebrating its 25th anniversary and is reflecting on its evolution from a regional fractional operator to a nationwide private aviation operator. Founded in Wichita, Kansas, in 2000, the company has expanded its footprint across the U.S. while building a fleet of more than 100 aircraft and diversifying its services.
Early in its tenure, the company introduced a days-based model for fractional ownership, and later added aircraft management, charter services, and jet cards. In 2008, Airshare expanded into whole aircraft management, followed in 2023 by the acquisition of Wheels Up’s aircraft management business, which doubled the company's employee count and significantly enlarged its fleet. Last year, Kompass Kapital acquired a controlling stake, fueling further national expansion of the fractional program. Airshare now ranks as the eighth-largest private jet operator in the U.S., according to the company, which&nbsp;plans to celebrate its milestone with events nationwide, including a gathering at its headquarters in Kansas City on September 19.
“Reaching our 25th anniversary is a testament to the hard work of our employees, the loyalty of our customers, and the strength of our vision for private aviation,” said CEO John Owen. “From our founding in Wichita to becoming a nationwide operator across all of our services, we’ve remained focused on delivering exceptional experiences when flying with us.”
This year also brought a marquee sponsorship as the PGA of America designated Airshare the official private aviation provider of the Ryder Cup.&nbsp;
Owen shared market observations during the <a href="https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2025-09-16/fractional-ops-stay-heated-faced-trade-uncertainties">JetNet iQ Summit </a>in Washington, D.C., where he joined other fractional operators last week. At the summit, he noted that demand slowed briefly in the first quarter of 2025 due to political and economic uncertainty, but “in April, it’s like the switch flipped again and everything was back to normal.” He added that growth has since returned to normal, underscoring the resilience of the fractional sector.

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