The Friendly Skies of Private Air Travel with Sentient Jet

Now, with the first-of-its-kind Jet Card, Sentient Jet has revolutionized private air travel.

“I’ve [considered] getting my own plane at times,” says long-time Sentient Jet client John Berylson “[But] what do you do if it breaks down? Renting is a lot easier.”

Berylson is a true businessman, running a variety of operations in the United States and doing business around the world. Since 2003, he’s been flying with Sentient Jet and has never looked back. “If I ever use other [companies], I still always come back to Sentient Jet. They offer top-quality service and have incredible safety standards; their pilots also are very good. I like the planes they use. I like the crew.”

Sentient Jet does not own its own planes. This is where its program differs from the status quo, says Sentient Jet CEO Andrew Collins. “We are the largest independent jet card company in the world with a sizeable footprint in the U.S.” Sentient Jet contracts out planes and pilots, ensuring its clients receive only the best. “We run what we call an ‘open-fleet model,’” says Collins. “We’ve screened the best operators in the [U.S.] and around the world to work with. There are approximately seven thousand private jets in our market; four thousand are jets people would like to fly on. We utilize only the top one thousand of those — only operators who have met our rigorous standards.” Collins maintains that on average, Sentient Jet employs about 150 of those private planes on a day-to-day basis. “We work with top twenty percent of operators at any given time. We are the biggest purchaser of private aviation hours off the 135 market,” says Collins.

The extensive background checks and safety protocol developed by Sentient does not go unnoticed either. “I do see the difference between [Sentient Jet] and its competitors,” says Berylson. “SentientJet only chooses quality pilots with impeccable safety records. If you start digging, it’s obvious.”

Not only does Sentient Jet’s high standards create a lasting impression on its clients, but Sentient Jet’s reliability and complete customer care is also among some of the best in its industry. “We have 24-7 customer service,” says Collins. “We can procure an aircraft within ten hours guaranteed within a price point; international is promised within 72 hours.” This exceptional attention to customer care is what creates lasting client relationships, which become almost like family.

Sentient Jet aims to go above and beyond the to ensure its clients’ needs are met and exceeded. “Sentient always has everything you need on the plane,” says Berylson. “Be it a cake or special food. And it’s always willing to go further. Sentient makes sure to go to our favorite restaurants and stock the plane with food. We chartered a yacht in Italy and loved the food the chef prepared. After our charter, Sentient Jet coordinated to have the chef send more food to the plane for our trip home.” But according to Berylson, perhaps the best example of Sentient Jet’s level of service and attention to detail is this: “My oldest daughter was having her third child in the States and we were in Europe. Sentient Jet had the plane on moment’s notice. The pilots were calling me to get status updates. It’s that kind of thoughtful [detail] that makes the difference.”

“We tend to go to extremes to makes sure people are happy,” says Collins. “Catering is fun and challenging at the same time. One of our clients loves the sushi from a particular restaurant in New York City so we pre-load that onto the plane before he arrives. Another client celebrates closing a new deal with a large pepperoni pizza. As soon as we get the news, the pizza is delivered.”

These personal touches make flying with Sentient Jet more than just a means of transportation. And it’s not only the level of air service that sets the company apart. Sentient Jet works with 500 commercial airports and approximately 5,000 small airports in the U.S., ensuring its clients can always get where they need to go. “We’re often used when people are looking to fly into places that are hard to get to,” says Collins. “Our clients are very pre-disposed to the flexibility of private aviation and we will do all we can to guarantee they arrive where and when they need to.” Collins maintains that Sentient Jet will find ways around travel issues. “We will find the closest airport, then shuttle a client via ground transportation; we will charter a helicopter. We will do whatever we have to and we will always go to the last possible solution. That’s part of the relationship.”

Berylson agrees. “Other companies don’t have the pull like Sentient Jet. It has a good reputation and when I fly with Sentient, I don’t run into any issues.”

People fly private for all types of reasons; Collins maintains that time management — “owning your own time” — is one of the biggest, but when flying private, there are many options. Sentient Jet was the first private aviation company to create a product like its Jet Card, allowing clients to choose flight hours and destinations based on their own wants and needs. “At the end of the day, I think [Sentient Jet] offers a very effective service,” says Berylson. “It’s great on the long-haul flights. Because of what it offers, I’m a very loyal customer.”