Jet It, a private jet operator launched in 2018, filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in December 2025, over two years after shutting down operations, with $36.2 million in liabilities and over 200 unsecured creditors, including major companies like American Express and Honeywell. The company had expanded rapidly but faced financial difficulties, partly due to issues with HondaJet support, and owed significant debts to various service providers and creditors.
Laura Schmutzer, a former Air Force pilot and now a private-jet pilot for Jet It, shares some surprising aspects of her job. She has downtime between flights to go for hikes or runs on the beach, and not all clients are VIPs or celebrities. Private-jet pilots can fly to multiple destinations in a single day, sometimes working up to 14 hours, and many of the destinations are in rural parts of the US. Schmutzer can be back home for dinner sometimes, and last-minute adventures between flights are possible.
Private-jet pilot Laura Schmutzer shares some surprising aspects of her job, including having a dedicated concierge, going for hikes or runs on the beach between flights, flying small-business owners to rural parts of the US, and being home for dinner. Private-jet pilots can fly to multiple destinations in one day, working up to 14 hours, and Jet It provides unlimited PTO for its pilots to ensure they're well-rested.
