Four private jet companies rank in Condé Nast Traveler's top eight airlines

Condé Nast Traveler's annual Readers' Choice Awards placed four private jet companies among its eight highest-ranked U.S. airlines, according to Private Jet Card Comparisons. Tradewind Aviation ranked fourth, Wheels Up sixth, JSX seventh and Aero eighth.

All four companies also ranked in the 2025 awards. Last year, Tradewind placed fourth, JSX sixth, Wheels Up seventh and Aero eighth, meaning Wheels Up and JSX have swapped positions between the two editions.

Tradewind's recognition

Condé Nast highlighted Tradewind's use of private air terminals. Per Condé Nast, readers praised its "super helpful and generous staff" and its "stress-free airport operations, which include lounges with an array of pre-flight beverages and snacks." Readers also praised its "charter flights and scheduled shuttles to upscale watering holes like Nantucket and Newport from its Westchester County base in the northeast, and to St. Barts, Antigua, and Anguilla from its San Juan base in the Caribbean."

Wheels Up and other entries

For Wheels Up, Condé Nast noted the company gives access both to third-party charter aircraft "including seaplanes, helicopters, and private jets of varying sizes" as well as its own fleet of Bombardier Challenger 300 and Embraer Phenom 300 private jets. Delta Air Lines, Wheels Up's largest backer, ranked first in the overall airline rankings.

JSX, which operates by-the-seat shared jet service, placed seventh. Aero ranked eighth, rounding out the private aviation entries in the top eight.

The vote and rankings

Condé Nast Traveler reported that readers cast 798,867 votes across all entries. This was the 39th edition of the Readers' Choice Awards. JetBlue placed second in the overall rankings, followed by Alaska Airlines. The reporting does not say whether any other private aviation operators placed outside the top eight, or whether any additional details about the awards will be disclosed.

For charter buyers and jet card holders, the rankings highlight how the four operators are perceived by a broad readership base, though Condé Nast's selection criteria and voting methodology are not detailed in the reporting. The awards do not directly affect pricing or availability, but consumer perception rankings of this scale can influence market positioning and brand strength among leisure and business travellers.