Opening up private flights to more people at a fraction of the traditional cost, KinectAir now delivers repositioning flights through its AI-backed AAM software in addition to its standard service.

Its AI tool helps travellers put together roundtrip flights to places they want to go instead of dealing with the inflexible, needle-in-a-haystack empty leg searches of the past. Travellers can view and book repositioning flights as they become available. Empty legs go fast, so users can sign up to get alerts for new legs on routes they are interested in.

In this way, a party of three fly private from Phoenix to Palm Springs one-way for just $233 per person. With a simple tap, customers can link two available KinectAir flights to create a round trip. For example, eight could fly between Spokane and Vancouver, and back home, for just $410 per person. These are real examples pulled from the empty leg marketplace for flights in December 2023; costs will vary based on repositioning availability and number of people flying. Users can sign up for alerts for routes as the best way to catch an empty leg before it is gone.

KinectAir combines empty legs from different operators to create a round trip. A customer can find roundtrip flights that work for them by taking an outbound empty leg from one operator and returning on an empty leg from a different operator's schedule. KinectAir gives customers more ways to use different operators' empty legs, making the possibilities more appealing.

"The way KinectAir manages repositioning flights is an industry-first, bridging the gap between private air travel and affordability, and signalling a shift in how we perceive and access destination flying," says co-CEO and co-founder Ben Howard. "This is the ultimate tool for flexible and spontaneous travellers, truly democratising private flights, making them as accessible as booking a car and as affordable as commercial air travel. Everyone should experience the convenience of private air travel and the joy and wonder of stress-free flying."

Flying on major airlines is increasingly less of a bargain. The Washington Post recently reported on an airline miles programme overhaul as 'dealing a significant blow to the middle class of travellers', despite survey data showing that 45 per cent of Americans have flown for the sole purpose of getting miles or earning or maintaining status.

At the same time, Congress is considering a version of the FAA Reauthorisation Bill axing the 'full-fare advertising rule that requires airlines to quote an airfare that includes all mandatory taxes and fees'. This would allow airlines to add big, hidden costs to tickets right before final purchase steps. What appears to be a deal won't be in the end. In this environment, KinectAir says its prices are refreshingly transparent and highly competitive for the majority of travellers.

KinectAir's own recent survey of 1,000 Americans revealed that respondents thought people who fly private must be privileged and rich; 83 per cent thought they could not afford to fly on a private plane, and 70 per cent thought they would never be able to. KinectAir hopes to shatter these perceptions with its wide array of spontaneous travel options.

Notably, the survey also found that a substantial number of respondents typically fly first class (23 per cent) and business class (29 per cent) on commercial airlines, with the rest in economy. This data may seem surprising, but airlines are increasing the number of premium seats on planes significantly. The survey also found that 67 per cent of respondents spend from $3,000 to more than $10,000 per year on personal travel and that 79 per cent would be willing to increase spending by $500 or more on a vacation if it meant they could take a private aircraft. More than half the respondents considered flying private to be a bucket list experience.

KinectAir key value points include:

- Cost-effectiveness: uses repositioning flights for competitive pricing, usually at least 50 per cent below the cost of normal private flights and comparable to commercial airline prices.

- Spontaneity: allows last-minute bookings. Flights appear as they become available and vanish once someone has claimed them.

- Experience: the convenience of a private flight to exceptional destinations.

"From our humble beginnings in the Pacific Northwest to our current nationwide reach, KinectAir's latest offerings evidence our growth and ambition over the past year," says co-CEO Katie Buss. "But this is about more than just expansion; it's a manifestation of how we blend cutting-edge software, deep aviation knowledge and a profound empathy for our customers. KinectAir is a testament to our unwavering commitment to shape the future of air travel, making it personal, accessible and always joyful. Private flight is no longer a luxury reserved for the few, and this year's advancements are just a glimpse of what's on the horizon for our community of travellers."

KinectAir's no-membership, point-to-point flight booking app puts FAA certified operators into a cooperative network that leverages most of the 5,000 under-utilised public airports in the US to a wider demographic than before at a price point that often beats commercial first and business class pricing. It gives real-time choices on personalised routes, tailored to passenger schedules, beyond what's available at big, crowded airports where cancellations and delays are the norm. The latter is the most pressing hassle of today's commercial flying experience according to nearly half of those surveyed.