Kenny DIchter is a known figure in corporate aviation, having headed up Marquis Jet and Wheels Up. Now he is adding to his portfolio with Real Jet, which will appeal to sports and lifestyle customers seeking personalisation.
Kenny Dichter, the founder of Marquis Jet and Wheels Up and a 20-year business aviation veteran, is looking to remove the last remaining barriers between aspirational private fliers and the skies, by founding Real Jet.
Real Jet adds a new dimension to Dichter's broader sports and lifestyle experience Real SLX platform, which he launched in September 2024, offering access to private aircraft without membership fees or long-term commitments. As part of a dynamic ecosystem that includes hospitality, unique experiences and curated benefits from world-class partners, Real Jet is designed for a generation of flyers who expect flexibility, predictability and personalisation.
Kenny Dichter is an entrepreneur who democratised private aviation with the launch of Marquis Jet in 2001, the industry's first fractional jet card programme, which he sold to NetJets in 2010. In 2013, he founded Wheels Up, a membership-based private aviation platform that scaled rapidly and, in 2020, announced a partnership with Delta Air Lines, marking the first major private/commercial global aviation alliance. Under Dichter's leadership, Wheels Up became the first private aviation company to publicly trade on the New York Stock Exchange, currently with a market capitalisation of over $1 billion.
Marquis Jet gave access to NetJets through prepaid 25 hour jet cards. Wheels Up created a new entry point into private aviation with exclusive fleet access to the King Air 350i through an annual membership fee. Real Jet is now redefining how flyers connect to private aircraft.
“We built Real SLX in order to put our members at the right events, in the right seats, next to the right people,” he says. “Real Jet serves its customers in the same way by connecting flyers with the right companies, the right aircraft and the right people.
“What made Marquis Jet and Wheels Up successful wasn't just aircraft – it was the people.”
