Sankaty Jet Capital Closes $68 Million Financing Deal with Wheels Up
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: May 13 2026
0mins
Source: Newsfilter
- Financing Agreement: Sankaty Jet Capital has closed a $68 million secured mezzanine financing deal with Wheels Up, aimed at supporting the company's fleet modernization plans, reflecting confidence in its growth potential.
- Asset Backing: The financing is secured by 51 existing aircraft with a total appraised value of approximately $277.8 million, ensuring the safety of the investment and providing a foundation for future aircraft acquisitions.
- Market Leadership: Wheels Up has solidified its position as a leading provider of on-demand private aviation, leveraging a long-standing partnership with Delta Air Lines to create opportunities for future transactions.
- Strategic Growth Plans: CEO George Mattson of Wheels Up stated that this financing not only provides essential capital for their growth strategy but also reflects confidence in the company's sustainable development, indicating potential for future business expansion.
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About UP
Wheels Up Experience Inc. is a provider of on-demand private aviation in the United States. The Company offers a complete global aviation solution with a large and diverse fleet and a global network of safety-vetted charter operators. Its offering is delivered through a mix of its member programs and charter solutions that utilize its owned and leased aircraft fleet and an asset-light charter model to deliver a range of global travel alternatives. In addition, its partnership with Delta Air Lines, Inc. (Delta) provides its members and customers with an offering across both private and premium commercial travel. In addition to its Wheels Up Membership and Wheels Up Charter offerings, it provides wholesale charter services to customers, such as charter flight brokers and third-party operators. It offers group charter flights, cargo flights, maintenance, repair and operations services (MRO), fixed-base operator (FBO) services, safety and security services, and special missions.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
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- Enhanced Customer Experience: By implementing a concierge-level customer loyalty model in the UK, Wheels Up aims to reduce handoff points and strengthen accountability, thereby improving customer satisfaction and loyalty.
- Strategic Partnership Benefits: The strategic partnership with Delta Air Lines allows customers seamless access to a full range of aviation solutions, including private jet charters and group charters, further solidifying Wheels Up's competitive position in the market.
- Ongoing Professional Services: Air Partner Cargo will continue to operate under its original name, maintaining its specialization in global freight and courier services, ensuring that customer needs across different service areas are met.
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- Enhanced Customer Experience: The newly launched integrated customer engagement model aims to reduce handoffs and strengthen accountability, thereby providing customers with a seamless experience from inquiry to booking, trip delivery, and ongoing support, which is expected to boost customer satisfaction.
- Strengthened Strategic Partnership: Through its strategic partnership with Delta Air Lines, Wheels Up offers a broader range of aviation solutions, including private jet charters and flexible private-commercial travel, further solidifying customer relationships and enhancing market competitiveness.
- Continued Operational Assurance: Air Partner Cargo will continue to operate under its existing name, maintaining its specialized focus and expertise in global shipping and courier services, ensuring that clients receive dedicated service in the cargo sector.
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- Customer Service Model Upgrade: The newly launched integrated customer service model aims to reduce responsibility transfers and improve customer experience by organizing dedicated sales and service teams to ensure high-quality service at every stage from inquiry to travel.
- Strengthened Strategic Partnership: The strategic alliance with Delta Air Lines further solidifies Wheels Up's market position, allowing customers seamless access to a comprehensive range of aviation solutions, including private charters and group charters, thereby enhancing overall customer satisfaction and loyalty.
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See More
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- Customer Experience Enhancement: The newly launched integrated customer engagement model is being implemented in the UK, aimed at optimizing the customer journey through dedicated sales and service teams, reducing handoffs, which is expected to improve customer satisfaction and loyalty, driving business growth.
- Strengthened Strategic Partnerships: The strategic partnership with Delta Air Lines provides customers with more flexible private and commercial travel options, further enriching its service portfolio, enhancing customer choice and convenience, and increasing market appeal.
- Optimistic Future Outlook: Company executives have expressed that this integration not only retains Air Partner's expertise but also leverages Wheels Up's scale and technological advantages, demonstrating confidence in future growth, which is expected to drive long-term customer relationships and market share expansion.
See More
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- Enhanced Customer Experience: The newly launched integrated customer engagement model aims to reduce handoffs and strengthen accountability, ensuring that customers receive a consistent service experience throughout the booking, trip delivery, and ongoing support phases, thereby increasing customer satisfaction and loyalty.
- Strengthened Strategic Partnership: Through its strategic partnership with Delta Air Lines, Wheels Up offers more flexible private and commercial travel options, further enriching its service portfolio and enhancing market competitiveness to attract more high-end clients.
- Ongoing Operational Assurance: Despite the brand integration, Air Partner Cargo will continue to operate under its existing name, maintaining its specialist focus and expertise in global shipping and courier services, ensuring its sustained advantage and market positioning in the logistics sector.
See More
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- Brand Integration Completed: Wheels Up has successfully integrated Air Partner's private jet and group charter services under a unified brand, enhancing brand recognition and trust among customers in key global markets.
- Enhanced Customer Experience: The newly launched integrated customer engagement model aims to reduce handoffs in service, optimizing the customer journey through dedicated sales and service teams, thereby improving customer satisfaction and loyalty.
- Strengthened Strategic Partnership: The strategic partnership with Delta Air Lines allows customers seamless access to a full suite of services, including private jet charters and flexible private-commercial travel, further enhancing competitive positioning in the market.
- Ongoing Operational Assurance: Despite the brand transition, Air Partner Cargo will continue to operate under its existing name, maintaining its specialized focus and expertise in global shipping and courier services, ensuring that customer needs across different business areas are met.
See More
Wheels Up Completes Global Brand Integration
- Brand Integration Completed: Wheels Up announces the consolidation of its private jet and group charter services under a unified brand, marking the completion of global integration and enhancing customer experience and brand recognition.
- Enhanced Customer Experience: By implementing a concierge-level customer loyalty model in the UK, Wheels Up aims to reduce handoff points and strengthen accountability, thereby improving customer satisfaction and loyalty.
- Strategic Partnership Benefits: The strategic partnership with Delta Air Lines allows customers seamless access to a full range of aviation solutions, including private jet charters and group charters, further solidifying Wheels Up's competitive position in the market.
- Ongoing Professional Services: Air Partner Cargo will continue to operate under its original name, maintaining its specialization in global freight and courier services, ensuring that customer needs across different service areas are met.
See More
Wheels Up Completes Global Brand Transition for Private Aviation Services
- Brand Integration Complete: Wheels Up has announced the integration of Air Partner's private jet and group charter services under a unified brand, marking the completion of its global brand transition and enhancing customer service experiences worldwide.
- Enhanced Customer Experience: The newly launched integrated customer engagement model aims to reduce handoffs and strengthen accountability, thereby providing customers with a seamless experience from inquiry to booking, trip delivery, and ongoing support, which is expected to boost customer satisfaction.
- Strengthened Strategic Partnership: Through its strategic partnership with Delta Air Lines, Wheels Up offers a broader range of aviation solutions, including private jet charters and flexible private-commercial travel, further solidifying customer relationships and enhancing market competitiveness.
- Continued Operational Assurance: Air Partner Cargo will continue to operate under its existing name, maintaining its specialized focus and expertise in global shipping and courier services, ensuring that clients receive dedicated service in the cargo sector.
See More
Wheels Up Completes Brand Integration, Expands Global Services
- Brand Integration Completed: Wheels Up has successfully integrated Air Partner's private jet and charter services under the Wheels Up brand, marking the conclusion of its global integration and enhancing customer brand recognition and trust.
- Customer Service Model Upgrade: The newly launched integrated customer service model aims to reduce responsibility transfers and improve customer experience by organizing dedicated sales and service teams to ensure high-quality service at every stage from inquiry to travel.
- Strengthened Strategic Partnership: The strategic alliance with Delta Air Lines further solidifies Wheels Up's market position, allowing customers seamless access to a comprehensive range of aviation solutions, including private charters and group charters, thereby enhancing overall customer satisfaction and loyalty.
- Future Development Outlook: The integration not only improves service quality but also lays the groundwork for future market expansion, with expectations to attract more customers and enhance its competitiveness in the global aviation market.
See More
Wheels Up Completes Global Brand Integration
- Brand Integration Completed: Wheels Up has announced the completion of its global brand integration, unifying Air Partner's charter services under the Wheels Up brand, which enhances brand recognition and service consistency, thereby strengthening its competitive position in the market.
- Customer Experience Enhancement: The newly launched integrated customer engagement model is being implemented in the UK, aimed at optimizing the customer journey through dedicated sales and service teams, reducing handoffs, which is expected to improve customer satisfaction and loyalty, driving business growth.
- Strengthened Strategic Partnerships: The strategic partnership with Delta Air Lines provides customers with more flexible private and commercial travel options, further enriching its service portfolio, enhancing customer choice and convenience, and increasing market appeal.
- Optimistic Future Outlook: Company executives have expressed that this integration not only retains Air Partner's expertise but also leverages Wheels Up's scale and technological advantages, demonstrating confidence in future growth, which is expected to drive long-term customer relationships and market share expansion.
See More
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- Brand Integration Completed: Wheels Up has announced the completion of its global brand transition, integrating Air Partner's private jet and group charter services under the Wheels Up brand, marking a unified identity in key markets that enhances brand recognition and trust among customers.
- Enhanced Customer Experience: The newly launched integrated customer engagement model aims to reduce handoffs and strengthen accountability, ensuring that customers receive a consistent service experience throughout the booking, trip delivery, and ongoing support phases, thereby increasing customer satisfaction and loyalty.
- Strengthened Strategic Partnership: Through its strategic partnership with Delta Air Lines, Wheels Up offers more flexible private and commercial travel options, further enriching its service portfolio and enhancing market competitiveness to attract more high-end clients.
- Ongoing Operational Assurance: Despite the brand integration, Air Partner Cargo will continue to operate under its existing name, maintaining its specialist focus and expertise in global shipping and courier services, ensuring its sustained advantage and market positioning in the logistics sector.
See More
Wheels Up Completes Global Brand Transition
- Brand Integration Completed: Wheels Up has successfully integrated Air Partner's private jet and group charter services under a unified brand, enhancing brand recognition and trust among customers in key global markets.
- Enhanced Customer Experience: The newly launched integrated customer engagement model aims to reduce handoffs in service, optimizing the customer journey through dedicated sales and service teams, thereby improving customer satisfaction and loyalty.
- Strengthened Strategic Partnership: The strategic partnership with Delta Air Lines allows customers seamless access to a full suite of services, including private jet charters and flexible private-commercial travel, further enhancing competitive positioning in the market.
- Ongoing Operational Assurance: Despite the brand transition, Air Partner Cargo will continue to operate under its existing name, maintaining its specialized focus and expertise in global shipping and courier services, ensuring that customer needs across different business areas are met.
See More
