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Flyte is launching Flyte Hops Florida, expanding the company's regional aviation network from its original New York-based service to now providing multiple aircraft along the entire East Coast from Maine to Florida.
The launch follows a recent soft operational rollout in Florida, which occurred while one of Flyte's Cirrus Vision Jets was undergoing routine scheduled maintenance in the region. During that brief period, Flyte generated more than $160,000 of inbound flight bookings on a single aircraft without marketing or promotional activity, demonstrating strong organic demand in the Florida market and beyond.
These results provided confidence for Flyte to accelerate the pace of the planned growth of the aircraft fleet and expansion strategy to formally launch Flyte Hops operations throughout Florida, expanding coverage across the U.S. Southeast and creating a fully connected regional network spanning the entire East Coast.
“Demand during our Florida trial launch significantly exceeded expectations,” says Marc Sellouk, founder and CEO of Flyte. “What began as a temporary operational adjustment quickly validated the strength of our regional aviation model. With the launch of Flyte Hops Florida, we now effectively cover the entire East Coast. Importantly, this demand developed organically without any marketing effort, highlighting the size of the opportunity in regional air travel.”
Flyte is building a regional aviation platform designed to connect high-demand US travel corridors using modern Cirrus Vision Jets, operated by Flyte's wholly owned subsidiary, Ponderosa Air, an FAA certified Part 135 air carrier. Each aircraft is equipped with advanced safety technology, including the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System (CAPS), making it the industry's only private jet with a whole-aircraft parachute system.
Flyte's Hops service focuses on short-haul private aviation routes connecting underutilised regional airports where commercial airline service is limited or non-existent. The service enables travellers to bypass major hubs and significantly reduce total travel time, providing a faster and more flexible alternative to traditional travel.
The US has more than 5,000 public-use airports, the vast majority of which are underutilised by commercial airlines, creating a significant opportunity for regional aviation platforms like Flyte to connect cities more efficiently.
Flyte is executing a fleet expansion strategy designed to replicate its regional air mobility model across multiple high-demand US markets, with at least five Cirrus Vision Jets expected to be in operation by Memorial Day 2026.
Following the completion of its East Coast network, Flyte plans to expand operations into California and Texas in 2026 as part of a broader multi-region rollout strategy designed to replicate the company's model across major U.S. travel corridors. Additional markets are currently under evaluation in the Midwest and Northwest regions.
“Our focus now is disciplined execution and strategic expansion,” Sellouk continues. “Regional mobility remains one of the most underdeveloped segments of aviation, and Flyte is building the infrastructure to connect cities in a way that is faster, more efficient and dramatically more convenient.”