Flytenow
Flytenow was a U.S. online marketplace, founded in 2013 and shut down in 2015, that connected private pilots with aviation enthusiasts for 50/50 cost-sharing of general aviation flights; the company was forced to close after losing a federal court challenge to an FAA ban on internet-based flight-sharing.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2013
- HeadquartersSan Francisco, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What Flytenow does
Flytenow was a San Francisco-based internet startup founded in 2013 that operated an online flight-sharing platform connecting FAA-licensed private pilots with aviation enthusiasts for pro-rata cost-sharing of general aviation flights. The platform functioned as a digital bulletin board: pilots posted planned flights along with their FAA-verified credentials, and passengers with compatible travel purposes requested to join, after which the two parties split operating costs (fuel, oil, airport expenditures, rental fees) on a 50/50 basis. The underlying technology was a web-based two-sided marketplace with FAA credential cross-check, social media integration, and direct messaging to coordinate matches between pilots and passengers.
Flytenow firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Flytenow
- Legal name
- Flytenow
- Website
- https://flytenow.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2013
- Operating status
- Closed
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Flytenow was a U.S. online marketplace, founded in 2013 and shut down in 2015, that connected private pilots with aviation enthusiasts for 50/50 cost-sharing of general aviation flights; the company was forced to close after losing a federal court challenge to an FAA ban on internet-based flight-sharing.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Flytenow industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Flight Sharing Platform
- NAICS
- Other Nonscheduled Air Transportation (481219), Nonscheduled Chartered Passenger Air Transportation (481211)
- SIC
- Air Transportation, Nonscheduled (4522)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Aircraft Management & Part 135/135-equivalent Operators (THABAFAD)
Keywords
Where Flytenow is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Francisco
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Flytenow business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others
Revenue model
- Flight Cost-Sharing Facilitation: The platform facilitated pro-rata cost-sharing between pilots and passengers where each party pays 50% of flight costs (fuel, oil, airport expenditures, rental fees). No profit was made by pilots or the platform from these arrangements.
- Platform Services: The platform enabled pilots to share flights with enthusiasts - pilots defrayed operating costs while passengers experienced private flight. The business model was disrupted by FAA regulations before it could generate sustainable revenue.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Cost-sharing model - passengers pay pro-rata share of flight costs |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
Flytenow product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Flytenow operated an online flight-sharing bulletin board that connected private pilots with aviation enthusiasts for pro-rata cost-sharing arrangements. Licensed pilots posted their planned flights along with FAA-verified credentials, and passengers could request to join flights where they would split operating costs (fuel, oil, airport fees, rental) equally with the pilot. The platform was designed to digitize the traditional practice of flight cost-sharing via physical bulletin boards into an online marketplace. Operations were shut down in December 2015 following an adverse U.S. Court of Appeals ruling upholding an FAA ban on internet-based expense sharing.
Product overview
Flytenow was a single-product company offering an online flight-sharing platform that connected private pilots with aviation enthusiasts seeking to share flight expenses. Founded in 2013, the platform operated as an internet bulletin board where pilots posted their planned flights with FAA-verified qualifications, and passengers could request to join for cost-sharing. The service was shut down in December 2015 following an adverse U.S. Court of Appeals ruling upholding the FAA's ban on internet-based expense-sharing arrangements.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Flytenow Flight-Sharing Platform Online bulletin board platform that allowed licensed private pilots to post planned flights along with FAA-verified qualifications and enabled aviation enthusiasts to find and join flights for pro-rata cost-sharing arrangements (50/50 split of fuel, oil, airport expenditures, and rental fees).
Quantifiable outcome
- Decreased aircraft ownership and operating costs by up to 75%
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Flytenow
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Flytenow technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Flytenow partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and reference/comparison.
- Congressman David SchweikertcoreWorked with Flytenow to introduce the 'Aviation Cost and Expense Sharing Act of 2015' in Congress. This legislation aimed to allow pilots to communicate with the public via internet to lawfully share expenses under FAA regulations.
- The Goldwater InstitutecoreProvided legal representation and support for Flytenow's lawsuit against the FAA (Flytenow, Inc. v. FAA). The legal team at Goldwater Institute helped introduce legislation in Congress and explored options to appeal the court ruling.
- Gregory Winton, Aviation Law FirmminorProvided legal consultation on Federal Aviation Regulations and helped interpret FAR requirements for the platform's cost-sharing model.
- Sen. Mike LeecoreLed efforts to pass the revised Aviation Empowerment Act (S. 2650), bipartisan legislation that would allow pilots to communicate publicly online to share costs.
- European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA)reference/comparisonNot a formal partner but significant regulatory comparison. EASA embraced web-based cost-sharing flights and concluded that specific safety risks from web platform communication do not appear to exist. Their success (60,000 flights/year in Europe) served as a model for Flytenow's advocacy efforts.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Flytenow competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Wingly: Europe's leading flight-sharing platform that pairs private pilots with passengers to split costs; built on the exact same regulatory framework Flytenow championed in the US, and validated by 60,000+ flights/year.
- Aero (formerly AirPooler): Direct general-aviation cost-sharing peer that connects private pilots with passengers for shared flights; operates in the same post-Flytenow US regulatory ambiguity.
- Blackbird (Skyrydr): US-based flight-sharing marketplace that emerged after Flytenow's shutdown; offers essentially the same pilot-to-passenger cost-sharing model Flytenow pioneered.
- SharePlane: General-aviation flight-sharing platform offering pro-rata expense sharing between pilots and passengers — a direct functional analog to Flytenow's marketplace.
Others
- Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA): Largest US general-aviation trade association; not a commercial competitor but the principal lobbying counterparty that shaped Flytenow's regulatory fate and remains the dominant stakeholder in the GA ecosystem.
Broad incumbents
- Surf Air Mobility: Subscription-based regional private aviation carrier serving the demand for affordable private flying — competes for the same passenger wallet as Flytenow but without the regulatory structure of pilot-cost-sharing.
- Wheels Up: Large private-aviation membership and charter operator addressing the same end-customer need (affordable access to private aircraft) but via fleet ownership rather than cost-sharing among independent pilots.
- Blade: Urban air mobility and chartered helicopter/jet booking platform; adjacent in customer demographic (affluent urban flyers) but operating a fundamentally different service model.
- JSX: Semi-private air carrier offering scheduled hop-on flights between private terminals — competes for budget-conscious private aviation customers rather than the cost-sharing niche.
- NetJets: Industry-leading fractional jet ownership program addressing private-aviation access at the high end of the market; adjacent rather than competing in the cost-sharing category.
Market position
Strengths3 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
Flytenow social profiles
Digital presenceFlytenow financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Flytenow leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Flytenow funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds3 records
Investors3 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Flytenow 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 Flytenow
What does Flytenow do?
Flytenow operated an online flight-sharing bulletin board that connected private pilots with aviation enthusiasts for pro-rata cost-sharing arrangements. Licensed pilots posted their planned flights along with FAA-verified credentials, and passengers could request to join flights where they would split operating costs (fuel, oil, airport fees, rental) equally with the pilot. The platform was designed to digitize the traditional practice of flight cost-sharing via physical bulletin boards into an online marketplace. Operations were shut down in December 2015 following an adverse U.S. Court of Appeals ruling upholding an FAA ban on internet-based expense sharing.
Is Flytenow a public or private company?
Flytenow is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently closed.
When was Flytenow founded?
Flytenow was founded in 2013. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Flytenow based?
Flytenow is headquartered in San Francisco, United States, in the North America region.
How does Flytenow make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Flight Cost-Sharing Facilitation is the primary driver. The others are platform Services.
Who are Flytenow's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Wingly, Aero (formerly AirPooler), Blackbird (Skyrydr) and SharePlane. Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) is listed as an others. Broad incumbents are Surf Air Mobility, Wheels Up, Blade, JSX and NetJets.
Does Flytenow have an API?
No public API is recorded for Flytenow.
What industry is Flytenow in?
Flytenow's product category is Flight Sharing Platform. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THABAFAD, Aircraft Management & Part 135/135-equivalent Operators. Its NAICS code is 481219 and its SIC code is 4522.