Swiss startup PeakJet launches semi-private flights connecting Zurich to Mallorca
The semi-private flight concept has been popular in the United States for quite some time. Companies like JSX and Aero appear to have found the sweet spot between commercial and executive aviation, rising, as well, an upward trend in premium travel demand. Could this concept work in Europe, as well? A new Swiss platform called PeakJet has set out to find out. Set up by a group of experienced airline executives, PeakJet is betting that there is space in the European market for a service capable of offering an experience similar to executive flying at a price point which isn't out of whack with the typical business class fare. On August 1, 2026, coinciding with Switzerland's national day, PeakJet completed its first flight between Zurich (ZRH) and Palma de Mallorca (PMI). The flight was operated by VistaJet Gmbh (the German subsidiary of the well-known executive aviation group) using Embraer 650 Legacy. This is a key element in PeakJet's business model, since the startup doesn't hold its own air operator certificate (AOC). PeakJet acts as a platform, defining the value proposition and deploying capacity to those markets with latent demand for this type of service. At the helm of this project is Gianni Tronza, a Swiss executive with decades of experience across the industry who has held senior executive roles at airlines such as Etihad Airways, American Airlines, British Airways and Crossair, the kernel of what later became SWISS. Also backing this project is Peter Baumgartner, former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at Etihad Airways, as well as a partner in several other entrepreneurial projects in Switzerland. AeroTime spoke with both PeakJet founders ahead of the airline's launch to find out more about the idea behind it and its main drivers and objectives. The first idea that came up was that of flexibility and modularity. PeakJet has been built as an asset-light platform capable to scale up easily and allocate premium capacity to a growing premium demand In this regard, the US experience looms large. Tronza mentioned how he was particularly inspired by Aero, one of the companies that have been sprung up in the US shared private flight market and which serves mostly upmarket leisure destinations. The other thing PeakJet founders noticed is that there is a lot of available capacity in the executive aviation market, since the typical private jet is only in operation 40% of the time. The missing piece, Tronza explained, was the technology to connect this capacity with demand at regular schedules and optimize pricing dynamically. This is why most of the investment to launch PeakJet has been focused on developing these technological capabilities in-house. So far, the flights are operated by Vista Jet, although Tronza and Baumgartner said that an essential part of the model is to have a portfolio operators on the platform as PeakJet grows. eVTOLs and helicopters may soon be added to the mix, as well, since these alternative modes of air transportation can be complementary of PeakJet's core business, helping get passengers across the last miles to their final destinations. PeakJet's value proposition Two elements are central to the value proposition, though, one of them is the clear orientation towards the premium market, the other is the focus on the short-haul, defined as flights of up to 2.5 hours. Second home owners is one of the key demographics that PeakJet is targeting, hence the initial choice of routes, linking Zurich to Mallorca, Nice (NCE) and Malaga (AGP). Other cities and market may be added at later dates, both executives confirmed. The fact that European full-service airlines continue to show strong demand for premium services, even when many of them have been offering an increasingly bare-bones business class in short-haul, is seen by PeakJet's founders as an encouraging sign. At the same time, they appear confident that there is significant latent demand for premium leisure travel services which is ready to indulge in this type of service he moment it comes across the right value proposition. As an example, Baumgartner mentioned how starting fees on routes such as Zurich to Nice and Mallorca are in the 990 to 1400 CHF (US$1,100 to 1,700 approximately), which are broadly comparable to business class fares on the same routes. The difference, though, is that PeakJet aims to offer an experience much closer to that of private flying. What has, then, prevented this business model from taking root in Europe? Worth noting that at least two US-based operators, Surf Air and Aero, tried, and failed, in the last few years. Tronza attributed the withdrawal of those companies from the European market to a combination of factors. The Swiss executive noted how Brexit and the pandemic happened in that time-frame, but, perhaps more importantly, those operators made a conscious choice to focus on the booming US market. Tronza also highlighted the differences between what PeakJet offers and executive aviation, a segment of the industry which has seen several marketplaces spring up in the last few years. "We fly regular routes offering prices that are way lower than the typical private jet cost, while offering way more value than the typical European business class. Our value proposition is that you get a premium experience, save time and enjoy travel at a price point that is accessible to many." he stated. Tronza also revealed that besides the flying, PeakJet has also plans to leverage the technology platform it is building in order to offer packages and ancillary services further on. A loyalty program is also on the cards. Will PeakJet bring about the coming of age of semi-private aviation in Europe? The ingredients are there: real latent demand, an asset-light model built for quick scaling, and an experienced team. The ball is now in the travelers' court. RELATED Magnifica Air co-founder shares more details about the new US premium airline