For the business crowd, consider this an efficient option to Tampa.
Credit: Ascend via Makers Air
For South Florida professionals bouncing between coasts, a new aviation option is aiming to turn a fuller travel day into a quick meeting run. Fort Lauderdale–based Makers Air has launched Ascend for Business, a corporate-focused flight program connecting Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport and Tampa International Airport in about 50 minutes of airtime — roughly 75 minutes door-to-door for travelers skipping traditional airport hassles.
The program departs from Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport, a hub popular with private aviation, offering direct flights to Tampa aboard an Executive Oasis Cessna Grand Caravan. The idea: arrive minutes before departure, board directly from the ramp and land with transportation waiting. It eliminates long TSA lines, packed terminals and the unpredictable delays that often come with commercial air travel.
“As more corporate professionals split time between Florida’s coasts, expanding Ascends private charter footprint to Tampa allows us to offer a smarter alternative to the growing challenges of commercial travel,” Jennifer Valencia, general manager of Makers Air, tells Browardist. “Today’s business travelers are dealing with congested airports, unpredictable schedules, and hours of lost productivity. For people whose time is extremely valuable, that simply does not make sense. Our corporate shuttle concept is designed entirely with business travelers in mind. Clients can arrive just minutes before departure, step directly onto the aircraft, and land to transportation waiting on the ramp.”
Flights currently operate Mondays and Tuesdays with a 7 a.m. departure from Fort Lauderdale to Tampa and a 9 a.m. return. Thursday and Friday afternoon options are also available, leaving Fort Lauderdale at 2 p.m. and Tampa at 4 p.m. The route targets professionals making quick same-day trips between South Florida and the Tampa Bay region.
Ascend’s model blends private aviation with a shared-seat concept. Companies can join annual or enterprise-level travel programs that guarantee seat access throughout the year, while individual travelers can opt for “Solo Travel Packs.” These packages allow business travelers to purchase seats without committing to a corporate contract, with concierge booking support and a 90-day window to use tickets.
Seats start at $490 each, positioning the service somewhere between commercial airfare and traditional charter flights.
For more information, visit charterflightsflorida.com.
