FLYT
FLYT Aviation Ltd is a UK-based online and mobile helicopter charter booking platform that aggregates CAA-licensed operators and event heliport slots into an instant-quote booking engine for business, luxury leisure, and event travellers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2016
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What FLYT does
FLYT Aviation Ltd is a UK-based private helicopter charter booking platform headquartered in Shoreditch, London (86-90 Paul Street, EC2A 4NE). The company operates an online and mobile booking engine that aggregates a curated network of UK Civil Aviation Authority-licensed helicopter operators and their aircraft — ranging from a 5-seat Airbus H125 up to a 16-seat Sikorsky S-92 — into a 3-step instant-quote flow (Your Flight, Options, Details). Customers enter departure, destination, date and passenger count and receive multi-operator charter options with pricing. Beyond core ad-hoc charter, FLYT sells packaged experiences including Heli-Golf Tours (multi-day Championship-course itineraries in Scotland, Ireland and the Open/Royal venues), Motorsport Charter (British GP, Goodwood Festival of Speed/Revival, Isle of Man TT) and Horse Racing Charter (Royal Ascot, Cheltenham Festival, Grand National), as well as curated luxury-hotel and dining destinations such as Le Manoir, Cliveden House, Stoke Park, Chewton Glen and Gleneagles.
The company is privately held, was co-founded by Andy King (CEO, tech entrepreneur turned helicopter pilot) and James Palmer (former co-founder of SaxonAir), and lists a CTO (Paul Robinson) in its leadership. Revenue is generated on a transaction-fee basis: FLYT quotes a charter price to the customer (return flights publicly disclosed from ~£3,300 for short hops to £14,500 for Silverstone) and remits operator/aircraft costs, retaining a margin. Additional revenue streams include non-refundable event landing and slot fees passed through to charterers, tiered late-cancellation liquidated damages (15%–100% depending on notice), and higher-AOV multi-day experiential packages. Distribution is direct-to-consumer through the website, email ([email protected]), phone (020 805 00428), WhatsApp (+44 7441 393879) and a mobile app, with no third-party reseller or OTA referenced. The company won the Sapphire Pegasus 'Best Start-Up' award at EBACE Geneva, has secured landing slots at major UK event heliports, and operates primarily in the UK with published coverage extending to Scotland, Northern Ireland, Ireland, and bespoke international charter on request.
FLYT firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- FLYT
- Legal name
- FLYT Aviation Ltd
- Website
- https://flythq.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2016
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- FLYT Aviation Ltd is a UK-based online and mobile helicopter charter booking platform that aggregates CAA-licensed operators and event heliport slots into an instant-quote booking engine for business, luxury leisure, and event travellers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
FLYT industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Private Helicopter Charter
- NAICS
- Nonscheduled Chartered Passenger Air Transportation (481211)
- SIC
- Air Transportation, Nonscheduled (4522)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Helicopter Passenger Services Brokerage, Booking & Aggregation Platforms (THABAGAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- On-Demand/Charter Helicopter Passenger Services (THABAGAB)
Keywords
Where FLYT is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
FLYT business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- On-demand helicopter charter booking commission / margin: Core revenue from brokering private helicopter charter flights through FLYT's online platform, charging customers a charter price (typically quoted as return flight from a base like London Battersea Heliport) and remitting aircraft/operator costs. Pricing is per-trip/quote-based, with payments due at least 7 days before flight (or immediately for short-notice bookings).
- Special event landing & slot fees (non-refundable): For special event bookings (e.g., Silverstone, Cheltenham, Royal Ascot), landing fees charged by event heliports are billed in advance and are non-refundable because heliport operators charge FLYT regardless of whether the aircraft lands once a slot is held. Passed through to the charterer.
- Late-cancellation / re-routing surcharges: Liquidated damages from cancellations (<7 days: 15% of price; 48hr–7 days: 25%; 24–48hr: 50%; <24hr: 100%) and additional flying-hour charges for programme variations.
- Bespoke multi-day heli-golf and experiential tour packages: Curated multi-night tour packages (Scotland, Ireland, Celtic Greats, Royal Venues, Open Venues) combining helicopter transfers, multiple championship courses, and hotel stays. Higher average order value than single charter legs.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Goodwood Festival of Speed — return from London Battersea Heliport |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Silverstone Grand Prix — return from London Battersea Heliport |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Royal Ascot — return from London Battersea Heliport |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Stoke Park — return from London Battersea Heliport |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Cliveden House — return from London Battersea Heliport |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Chewton Glen — return from London Battersea Heliport |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Le Manoir — return from London Battersea Heliport |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Gleneagles — return from Edinburgh Airport |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Brocket Hall / Auberge du Lac — return from London Battersea Heliport |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
FLYT product offering
Product offeringCore offering
FLYT operates an online and mobile helicopter charter booking platform that provides instant quotes for private on-demand flights across the UK and Ireland. Customers input departure, destination, date, and passenger count to receive real-time charter options fulfilled by a curated network of UK CAA-licensed helicopter operators flying twin-engine aircraft. The platform is extended via specialty packages for sporting events, horse racing fixtures, motorsport meetings, and multi-day heli-golf tours, with bespoke international charter available on request.
Product overview
FLYT operates a unified private helicopter charter platform accessible via its website and mobile app, where customers input departure, destination, date and passenger count to receive instant charter quotes fulfilled by CAA-licensed UK operators. Built around the core Private Helicopter Charter service, the platform is extended through several named specialty packages: Heli-Golf Tours (with sub-tour variants for Scotland, Ireland, Scotland & Ireland 'Celtic Greats', Royal Venues, and Open Venues), Motorsport Charter, and Horse Racing Charter. Across all of these the platform offers a curated fleet of seven helicopters — Airbus H125, Airbus H135, Airbus H145, Leonardo AW109, Leonardo AW139, Sikorsky S-76 and Sikorsky S-92 — and a catalogue of curated event and hotel destination experiences (e.g. Royal Ascot, Cheltenham Festival, Silverstone Grand Prix, Goodwood Festival of Speed, Gleneagles, Cliveden House, Stoke Park, Le Manoir, Chewton Glen).
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Private Helicopter Charter FLYT's core online and mobile helicopter charter booking service for business, events, and leisure travel. Customers enter departure, destination, date and passenger count to receive instant charter options fulfilled by CAA-licensed UK operators flying twin-engine helicopters with experienced crews. The service supports on-demand 'Go Now' charter with as little as one hour's notice, 24/7/365, with optional two-pilot configuration for long trips.
- Heli-Golf Tours Multi-day helicopter-based golf tours enabling customers to play multiple Championship and links venues in a single trip. Includes course-to-course helicopter transfers, flexible hotel choices, and bespoke itineraries across Open Championship and Royal venues in the UK and Ireland, with optional whisky-distillery or shooting add-ons.
- Motorsport Charter Helicopter charter service for major motorsport events including the British Grand Prix at Silverstone, Goodwood Festival of Speed, Goodwood Revival, and the Isle of Man TT, designed to deliver guests close to the action and avoid hours of post-race road traffic.
- Horse Racing Charter Helicopter charter service for premier UK horse racing fixtures including the Cheltenham Festival, The Grand National, Royal Ascot, and Glorious Goodwood, allowing travellers to land near the racecourse and skip queues and road traffic.
Quantifiable outcome
- ~15-minute helicopter flight from London to nearby luxury destinations (Cliveden, Stoke Park, Luton Hoo, Auberge du Lac) vs hours by car
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use FLYT
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
FLYT technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
FLYT partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, minor and core.
- UK CAA-licensed helicopter operator network (unnamed)flagshipFLYT works with a network of the UK's leading helicopter operators described as 'well-established in the UK, experienced and professional'. They guarantee safe, hassle-free helicopter trips. FLYT conducts checks on company insurances, airworthiness certificates, aircraft inspections, and crew background checks.
- SaxonAir (heritage co-founder link)minorFLYT co-founder James Palmer was co-founder of one of the UK's largest helicopter and private jet operators, SaxonAir. No current commercial agreement between FLYT and SaxonAir is disclosed; the link is founder heritage, not an active partnership.
- Hotel and resort partners (Le Manoir, Cliveden House, Stoke Park, Chewton Glen, Gleneagles, Luton Hoo, Lime Wood, Galgorm, The Grove, Devonshire Arms, Soho Farmhouse, Gilpin, Lucknam Park, Auberge du Lac)coreFLYT curates 'helicopter + luxury venue' packages with named UK hotels and restaurants (e.g., Raymond Blanc's Le Manoir). Destination pages describe package-style offerings (afternoon tea, dinner, stay) that rely on these venue relationships; heli-golf tours are built with 'our partners' to create bespoke itineraries.
- Event heliport operators (Silverstone, Goodwood, Cheltenham, Ascot)flagshipFLYT holds landing slots and pays non-refundable landing fees at event heliports including Silverstone Motor Racecourse, Goodwood Motor Racecourse Airfield, Cheltenham Festival, and Ascot Racecourse, enabling direct arrival at flagship sporting fixtures.
- Raymond Blanc OBE / Le Manoir aux Quat'SaisonsminorFLYT markets a Le Manoir package with dining at Raymond Blanc OBE's Panoramic Restaurant; referenced as a hospitality venue rather than a contracted commercial partner.
- Goodwood Estate / Duke of Richmond's Goodwood Festival of SpeedcoreFLYT markets exclusive Goodwood Festival of Speed packages including F1 Pavilion access, a four-course lunch, trackside Hillclimb viewing, and driver meet-and-greets (e.g., Daniel Ricciardo, Lando Norris), implying commercial alignment with the Goodwood event organiser.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
FLYT competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- VistaJet: VistaJet is a global business aviation company offering on-demand private jet programmes and increasingly adjacent helicopter services to UHNWI clients. It overlaps with FLYT on luxury discretionary air travel and cross-border shuttle demand but its core asset is fleet ownership rather than aggregation.
- Air Charter Service: ACS is a large UK-based global air charter broker arranging passenger and cargo charters including helicopters, with offices worldwide. It competes with FLYT for corporate and private helicopter business but operates as a much broader full-service charter incumbent rather than a self-serve digital platform.
- NetJets: NetJets operates the world's largest fractional private jet programme and offers supplemental on-demand charter including helicopter solutions in select markets. It is comparable to FLYT as a high-end aviation option for HNW customers but with a fundamentally different asset-heavy ownership model.
- PrivateFly by Directional Aviation / OneSky: OneSky (formerly PrivateFly's parent direction) operates a global network of on-demand flight booking brands across multiple continents. It is comparable to FLYT as a multi-region on-demand aviation aggregator but at substantially larger scale and with deeper capital backing.
Direct peers
- PrivateFly: PrivateFly is a UK-headquartered on-demand private jet and helicopter booking broker offering instant online quotes across a network of operators. It is the closest direct UK competitor to FLYT in business model (asset-light aggregator, instant-quote engine, multi-operator inventory), though with a heavier emphasis on jets.
- Blade: Blade is a digital urban-air-mobility and charter booking platform aggregating helicopters, seaplanes and jets via an app and website. Like FLYT, Blade provides instant online quotes and brokers on-demand private flights, with shared and by-the-seat helicopter products; FLYT is a UK-focused analogue of Blade's aggregator model.
- Victor: Victor is a global on-demand private jet and helicopter charter marketplace providing instant online quoting and booking across an aggregated operator network. It shares FLYT's digital aggregator approach to private aviation but operates at significantly greater scale and geographic breadth.
Emerging players
- Jets.com: Jets.com is an online private aviation marketplace aggregating operators and offering instant charter quotes for jets and helicopters. It shares FLYT's digital broker DNA and target audience (affluent leisure and corporate travellers) but is positioned at the broader light-jet end of the market.
Others
- SaxonAir: SaxonAir is a UK helicopter and private jet operator that FLYT co-founder James Palmer previously co-founded. It is thematically and operationally adjacent to FLYT's operator network and represents both a potential supply-side partner and a competitor for direct charter customers in the UK market.
Regional players
- HeliFlite: HeliFlite is a US Northeast-focused helicopter and private jet charter operator and broker offering scheduled shuttle routes (e.g., Manhattan to airports) and on-demand charters. It is comparable to FLYT in its emphasis on helicopter time-saving city-to-airport transfers and event/lifestyle usage but operates in a different geography.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
FLYT social profiles
Digital presenceFLYT financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
FLYT leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
FLYT funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds3 records
Investors4 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
FLYT M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about FLYT
What does FLYT do?
FLYT operates an online and mobile helicopter charter booking platform that provides instant quotes for private on-demand flights across the UK and Ireland. Customers input departure, destination, date, and passenger count to receive real-time charter options fulfilled by a curated network of UK CAA-licensed helicopter operators flying twin-engine aircraft. The platform is extended via specialty packages for sporting events, horse racing fixtures, motorsport meetings, and multi-day heli-golf tours, with bespoke international charter available on request.
Is FLYT a public or private company?
FLYT is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was FLYT founded?
FLYT was founded in 2016. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is FLYT based?
FLYT is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does FLYT make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. On-demand helicopter charter booking commission / margin is the primary driver. The others are special event landing & slot fees (non-refundable), late-cancellation / re-routing surcharges and bespoke multi-day heli-golf and experiential tour packages.
Who are FLYT's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are VistaJet, Air Charter Service, NetJets and PrivateFly by Directional Aviation / OneSky. Direct peers are PrivateFly, Blade and Victor. Jets.com is listed as an emerging player. SaxonAir is listed as an others. HeliFlite is listed as a regional player.
Does FLYT have an API?
No public API is recorded for FLYT.
What industry is FLYT in?
FLYT's product category is Private Helicopter Charter. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THABAGAJ, Helicopter Passenger Services Brokerage, Booking & Aggregation Platforms, with a secondary code of THABAGAB, On-Demand/Charter Helicopter Passenger Services. Its NAICS code is 481211 and its SIC code is 4522.