The best semi-private flights in the U.S.

Ready to live a luxurious life? This short-haul alternative to major airlines even has its own private terminals. The best part? You can arrive as soon as 20 minutes before your flight, and prices are often lower than those of major carriers. We found flights from Dallas to Denver hundreds of dollars cheaper than the same route on American Airlines. Unfortunately, flights are fairly limited and at harder-to-reach airports. From New York, for example, JSX only offers flights to Miami, and it departs from Westchester County Airport.

Aero is a first-class alternative airline service for West Coasters serving destinations like Los Angeles and San Francisco with connections to top-notch resort towns like Aspen, Sun Valley and Los Cabos. Aero planes offer first-class-style seating, and its private terminals have stellar lounges. Just be prepared to pay top-dollar: A flight from L.A. to Aspen in May will set you back over $2,000—but yes, you will have significantly fewer people.

This private jet company offers more flights and more destinations than its competitors and allows travelers to book a seat or even charter a whole flight. Passengers can hop on shared flights from New York to South Florida (locations include Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale, White Plains and Farmingdale)—there are four flights per day—with seats starting at $1,395. Shared memberships cost $595 per year and waive the non-membership fee of $395 per seat, making it a great option for frequent flyers. There are also the standard XO and XO Reserve Memberships, which cost $995 per year: compare the costs and benefits here.

Surf Air options include on-demand charter flights around the world (although those are far from cheap) and semi-private scheduled flights. Right now, flights between L.A. and San Francisco start around $525—about $200 more than a business-class ticket on United. So what makes it worth your while? 1) You can pull up to the plane 15 minutes before take-off without worry 2) You know they're not going to delay, cancel or lose your luggage.

Katana allows customers to buy or sell seats on private planes, which means someone else’s loss is your gain when it comes to semi-private flying. Choose from three different options, with tier 1 being the most basic (access to commercial flights as well as commercial schedule service partners like Aero and XO, both of which are mentioned earlier in this piece). However, you must be a tier 2 member (“Flyer”) to unlock most Katana features. A seat on a private plane from Los Angeles to New York starts at a whopping $6,000, so be prepared to splurge.

BARK Air operates semi-private flights for dogs and their owners who don’t wish to travel without their furry friends or leave them confined to an underseat, or, if they’re too big, stuck in the aircraft's cargo hold. With that in mind, Bark Air is especially ideal for oversized dogs. Upon booking your flight, a BARK Air concierge will reach out to gather more info to provide a “white-paw” experience. On the day of arrival, you and your pet will arrive 45 minutes before boarding time to check in and go through security—that is, sans crates, carriers or lines. To help ease Fido’s pre-flight jitters, expect calming aids like music and lavender-scented towels—plus bags filled with treats, leashes, poop bags and more. During ascent and descent, dogs are served a beverage of choice, such as water or bone broth, to alleviate discomfort caused by changes in cabin air pressure. BARK flies to and from New York, Milwaukee, Fort Lauderdale, London, Los Angeles and Paris, and prices start at around $950 per dog and human.