Key Lime Air Corporation

What Key Lime Air Corporation does

Key Lime Air Corporation is a privately held Part 135 air charter operator founded in 1997 and headquartered at Centennial Airport in Englewood, Colorado. The company operates a diversified fleet of over 25 aircraft — comprising Fairchild Metros, Dornier 328 Jets, Embraer E-145LRs, and Embraer Brasilias — that collectively fly more than 10,000 hours annually across the U.S., Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and South America. Key Lime Air self-describes as the largest single feeder aircraft network in the U.S. The company holds IS-BAO, Wyvern Registered Operator, NATA, and NBAA certifications, and operates its own maintenance and dispatch functions.

The company's revenue is generated primarily through two transaction-fee streams: passenger charter (on-demand flights using the Metro 23 turboprop up to 18 passengers, Dornier 328 Jet up to 30 passengers, and Embraer EMB-145 regional jet up to 50 passengers) and cargo charter (Metro aircraft up to 3,000 lbs and Metro III Heavy up to 4,500 lbs). A proprietary in-house cargo holding system prevents in-flight cargo shifting and damage. Pricing is quote-based, not publicly disclosed, and bookings are taken via a 24/7 charter hotline and website inquiry form with as little as 2 hours' notice. A scheduled passenger service operates under the Denver Air Connection sub-brand.

Key Lime Air serves four primary customer segments: collegiate athletic departments requiring reliable team and equipment transport (e.g., University of Colorado Athletic Department, 7+ year client), corporate clients needing executive charter, VIP/political officials and celebrities requiring discreet premium service, and cargo customers with urgent or oversized freight needs. Go-to-market is sales-led and direct — no intermediaries, brokers, or distribution partners — supplemented by customer referrals. The company employs 51–100 people, has no disclosed institutional investors or funding rounds, and has remained privately held since founding.

Name

Key Lime Air Corporation

Legal name

Key Lime Air, Inc.

Website

https://keylimeair.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Key Lime Air is a privately held Colorado-based air charter operator with 25+ aircraft providing on-demand passenger charter, cargo charter, and scheduled passenger service (Denver Air Connection) across the Americas for collegiate sports teams, corporations, VIPs, and cargo customers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Air Charter Services

NAICS

Nonscheduled Air Transportation (4812), Scheduled Air Transportation (4811), Scheduled Passenger Air Transportation (481111)

SIC

Air Transportation, Nonscheduled (4522), Air Transportation, Scheduled (4512)

akta.pro primary industry

Time-Critical Air Charter & On-Demand Air Freight (TLADANAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cargo-Convertible/Mixed-Use Charter (Passenger + Freight) (TLAFABAL), Business Jet Charter (On-Demand) (THABAFAA), On-Demand Scheduled Commuter (Part 135/Small Aircraft Scheduled) (THABACAN)

Keywords

• Air charter services
• Passenger charter flights
• Cargo air transportation
• Regional feeder aircraft
• Scheduled passenger service

Headquarters

HQ city

Englewood

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Passenger Charter Services: On-demand passenger charter flights using Dornier 328 Jet (up to 30 passengers), Embraer EMB-145 (up to 50 passengers), and Metro 23 (up to 18 passengers). Revenue generated through charter fees per flight, with pricing based on aircraft type, distance, and duration.
2. Cargo Charter Services: All-cargo charter flights using Metro (up to 3,000 lbs) and Metro III Heavy (up to 4,500 lbs). Revenue generated per flight based on cargo weight, distance, and destination.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Key Lime Air provides on-demand passenger and cargo air charter services using a fleet of more than 25 regional aircraft (Metro 23, Dornier 328 Jet, Embraer EMB-145, and dedicated cargo Metros). Services are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, with aircraft ready with as little as two hours' notice across the U.S., Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and South America. The company also operates scheduled regional passenger service under the Denver Air Connection brand.

Product overview

Key Lime Air Corporation operates a diversified air charter and scheduled passenger service with a fleet of over 25 aircraft. The company offers a portfolio of three passenger aircraft (Metro 23 turboprop for 18 passengers, Dornier 328 Jet for 30 passengers, and Embraer EMB-145 regional jet for 50 passengers) and two dedicated cargo aircraft (Metro for 3,000 lbs payload and Metro III Heavy for 4,500 lbs payload). Services include private/VIP charter, cargo charter, and scheduled passenger service under the Denver Air Connection brand. The company operates throughout the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Caribbean, and South America.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Metro 23 Passenger Charter Versatile turboprop passenger aircraft charter accommodating up to 18 passengers with 850 lbs cargo capacity, 1,000-mile maximum range, 330 mph cruise speed, and accommodation for golf clubs and snow skis.
• Dornier 328 Jet Passenger Charter Jet passenger charter accommodating up to 30 passengers with 1,500 lbs baggage/cargo capacity, 1,200-mile maximum range, 460 mph cruise speed, with stronger high-altitude destination performance than other aircraft in its class.
• Embraer EMB-145 Passenger Charter Regional jet passenger charter accommodating up to 50 passengers with 2,600 lbs baggage/cargo capacity, 1,550-mile range fully loaded, three-abreast seating with no middle seat, 31-inch seat pitch, golf club/ski accommodation, and large cargo door for oversized freight.
• Metro Cargo Charter All-cargo turboprop charter carrying up to 3,000 lbs in 626 cubic feet of capacity, 1,000-mile range, 320 mph cruise speed, featuring a customized cargo hold design with the company's proprietary holding system to prevent in-flight cargo shifting.
• Metro III Heavy Cargo Charter Enhanced-payload all-cargo turboprop charter carrying up to 4,500 lbs in 626 cubic feet, 1,000-mile range, 320 mph cruise speed, with a large cargo door permitting oversized freight loading.
• Denver Air Connection (Scheduled Passenger Service) Scheduled regional passenger service brand operated by Key Lime Air, offering seat reservations on regional routes as an alternative to its on-demand charter offerings.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 10,000 flight hours annually with consistent on-time performance
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Wheels Up: Wheels Up is a US-based private aviation membership and charter platform with a significantly larger fleet and customer base, overlapping with Key Lime Air in on-demand charter demand.
• NetJets: NetJets is the largest US fractional/private aviation operator with hundreds of aircraft globally; it competes with Key Lime Air for high-end charter and corporate accounts but operates a fundamentally larger, broader model.
• Flexjet: Flexjet is a major US fractional jet provider with a much larger fleet, competing in the same private aviation customer pool as Key Lime Air but at greater scale and broader geographic reach.

Direct peers

• JSX: JSX offers semi-private scheduled regional flights on small jets in the US, comparable to Denver Air Connection's scheduled regional model and competing for the same discretionary business traveler.
• Priester Aviation: Priester Aviation is a US-based charter and aircraft management operator offering on-demand passenger and cargo charter, directly comparable to Key Lime Air's charter-and-management business model.
• Linear Air: Linear Air is a US Part 135 charter operator and broker focused on light-jet and turboprop on-demand flights, sharing Key Lime Air's niche of small-aircraft charter across North America.
• Surf Air Mobility: Surf Air operates scheduled and on-demand regional air service in the US with small turboprop/jet aircraft, overlapping with Key Lime Air's Denver Air Connection scheduled service and small-cabin charter offering.
• Corporate Flight Management: Corporate Flight Management operates a Part 135 charter fleet in the US with on-demand passenger and cargo services, directly comparable in fleet size, customer base, and charter focus.
• PlaneSense: PlaneSense operates a fractional and charter turboprop/jet fleet in the US, sharing Key Lime Air's mix of small-cabin passenger charter and on-demand service model with a similar target market of corporate and VIP customers.

Others

• Air Charter Service: Air Charter Service is a global charter broker arranging passenger and cargo charters, serving as a distribution-side comparator and indirect competitor for Key Lime Air's cargo and passenger charter demand.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/keylimeair

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Key Lime Air Corporation