Wheels Up (WUP, Teterboro) has completed a fleet modernisation strategy announced in late 2024, finishing it 18 months ahead of schedule. The company has transitioned all executive jet operations to Challenger 300 and Phenom 300 family aircraft, replacing Citation Jet 3, Citation Excel, Citation X, and Hawker 400XP series types.
“Retiring our legacy jet fleets from revenue service repositions our offering to a more consistent, premium, and operationally efficient experience for our members and customers,” said chief executive George Mattson.
Wheels Up retired the Citation Jet 3 in mid-2025, followed by the Citation Excel later that year. At the time the modernisation plan was announced, the company operated sixteen Citation Jet 3 series and sixteen Citation Excel family aircraft.
While several Citation Jet 3s remain in storage, eight units have been inducted by Part 135-certified operators, including four by Alante Air Charter. Among Citation Excel series aircraft, Contour Aviation now operates eight units, while other Part 135-certified companies have inducted additional aircraft.
As of December 31, Wheels Up's fleet comprised twenty-two Citation X and nineteen Hawker 400XPs, all now retired. The company said that member commitments, including those linked to Citation X and Hawker 400XP aircraft, will continue to be fulfilled through third-party partner operators.
Ten Citation X aircraft were phased out after the modernisation plan was announced, with wholesale charter specialist Baker Aviation adding three, while other Part 135 operators inducted additional units. Nine Hawker 400XP jets were also retired during the same period. Fly Alliance, which had already taken three former Wheels Up Citation Excels, added three Hawker 400XPs.
Wheels Up's legacy jet fleet has been replaced by Phenom 300 and Challenger 300 aircraft. The company currently operates twenty Phenom 300s, six Phenom 300Es, and ten Challenger 300s. Earlier in 2026, it outlined plans to “nearly double” the number of Phenom 300 and Challenger 300 family aircraft in operation.
Initial Phenom 300 operations began in November 2024 under the Part 135 certificate of GrandView Aviation, before transfer to Wheels Up's own certificate in April 2025. The first Challenger 300 was acquired in March 2025 and entered revenue service the following month.
Wheels Up's Phenom 300-series jets were manufactured between 2012 and 2021. Nine were sourced outside the transaction that included GrandView Aviation’s fleet of seventeen Phenom 300 and Phenom 300Es. Of the nine, seven previously operated in the United States, with one registered in the United Kingdom and another in Germany.
Meanwhile, Wheels Up's Challenger 300s were built between 2010 and 2014, with two older units manufactured in 2001 and 2007. All were previously registered in the United States, except one that operated in Canada.
“We are encouraged by the higher customer satisfaction ratings we are receiving on our Phenom and Challenger offering and remain focused on building a stronger, simpler, and more scalable aviation platform,” Mattson added.
