BALTIMORE — A New York-based private aviation firm is capitalizing on the void left by Spirit Airlines' closure by launching a dedicated flight program for Preakness Stakes attendees traveling to Baltimore Washington International Airport this weekend.
Flyte launches private flights to BWI for Preakness Stakes weekend
Flyte has activated its Preakness flight program to service travelers heading to BWI, increasing short-haul service from local airports in major cities, including New York, Boston, Washington D.C., Virginia, and Philadelphia.
Marc Sellouk, founder and CEO of Flyte, said the collapse of budget carriers like Spirit has made regional travel increasingly difficult for everyday passengers.
"It's allowing people to get around regionally, as we see with Spirit is an unfortunate example, but a lot of these airlines are eliminating their regional routes, which makes it a lot harder for people to get around from a commercial perspective, and what we're bringing into the mix is we're essentially activating airports that most people never even knew existed," Sellouk said.
Sellouk said the company is anticipating high demand from travelers who want to avoid large commercial airports, connecting flights, or long drives to Maryland.
"We're actually seeing the demand come to us, so whenever we can help and step into a scenario where people need to get to this event, for example, we'll create a program that makes sense. Whether you're coming in from the northeast or even locally, we're getting people to get to where they need to be faster more efficiently, and it's actually not breaking the bank," Sellouk said.
Flyte offers small planes for families or groups of friends, and pets are allowed on board. The firm also flies to and from smaller regional airports, which Sellouk said could cut travel time significantly.
"It's Eastern Maryland; we have some local airports in Virginia, for example, they may seem farther from a driving perspective, but from a flight time, you know you're looking at under 30 minutes," Sellouk said.
Sellouk said the partnership with BWI has been a key part of making the program work.
"It's great that they allow us to fly in there; they are very helpful in terms of navigating traffic and allowing passengers to get in and out efficiently. It's really helpful, and they have been wonderful in putting this program together with us," Sellouk said.
Flyte has concentrated capacity on its core high-demand corridors, where demand is urgent, repeatable, and time-sensitive.
Primary Revenue Drivers
NYC (HPN / TEB) → BWI
Core route serving business and leisure travelers seeking an alternative to I-95 congestion.
Boston (BED / BOS) → BWI
High-value executive traffic with strong overlap in finance and biotech sectors.
DC (IAD) → BWI
High-frequency shuttle corridor serving political, private equity, and executive demand.
Philadelphia (PNE / TTN) → BWI
Underserved, high-conversion market offering a direct upgrade from ground travel.
Expansion Routes Driving Incremental Volume
Charlotte (CLT / JQF) → BWI
Institutional capital base with strong racing alignment.
Raleigh-Durham (RDU) → BWI
Growing technology and finance corridor with increasing premium demand.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
