Travelling by private jet is seen as a luxury by many, yet for others it’s worth it for the time saving benefits. If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to charter a private jet, we’ll be demystifying the experience. Find out what a private jet interior looks like, how much it costs to rent a private jet, which celebrities own a private plane and more.
Why Charter a Private Jet
Private jet charter is increasingly popular, not only with celebrities but also with business people and affluent holidaymakers who appreciate the logistical advantages. The time saving is considerable, as you can take off within fifteen minutes or less.
For example, at The London City Airport Private Jet Centre it takes only ninety seconds to alight from the aircraft, clear customs and board your car. Another reason to take a private plane is if you are travelling with a group of five or more.
By the time you’ve paid business or first class tickets for your family or staff, it can be more cost effective to charter a plane. It’s particularly reasonable to charter an empty leg of a private jet.
Some commercial airlines are removing unprofitable routes so it may be the only way to fly to your destination of choice. Flexibility is the huge advantage of flying private – you can choose the most suitable time and make one or more scheduled stops en route.
If a meeting overruns, you won’t have to worry about getting home. Also, as private jets mainly operate from private airfields, you can bypass check in queues.
Where they operate from an airport such as London Heathrow, there’s a separate VIP terminal with its own baggage handling and a series of private lounges.
Finally, security is an important consideration for many high net worth individuals. There’s the reassurance of having the whole plane to yourself, and knowing exactly who is on it, but it’s also about the condition of the plane.
When flying commercial, you aren’t generally guaranteed to be in a recent plane, whereas you can specify the type of private jet that you wish to charter.
Private Jet Traffic Worldwide
According to the Knight Frank 2018 Wealth Report, the USA represents the largest market for private jets worldwide.
- USA – 13,775 – 3% increase on last year
- Latin America – 2,626 – 1% increase
- Europe – 2,580 – same amount as last year
- Asia Pacific – 1,229 – 4% increase
- Middle East – 514 – 2% decrease
- Africa – 476 – 1% decrease
- Russia/CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States) – 7% increase
Most Popular Private Jet Routes
US Private Jet Routes
There are over 4,000 airports that are suitable for private jets in the US. It’s a popular mode of transport for business and also for leisure events such as the Super Bowl tournament. According to the Knight Frank report, the busiest routes were:
- New York Teterboro to Washington Dulles – 5,106 flights.
- Los Angeles Van Nuys to Las Vegas McCarran – 4,753 flights.
The ARGUS TraqPak 2017 Review reveals that the top US private jet airports are:
- New York Teterboro
- Westchester County
- Dallas Love Field
- Washington Dulles
- Hobby Houston
- McCarran International
- Palm Beach International
- Van Nuys
- DeKalb-Peachtree
- Denver International
Europe Private Jet Routes
With more than 2,000 European airports for private planes, you can reach many luxury destinations easily. Private jet charter flights are up 10% in Europe.
The highest number of private flights in Europe depart from Paris le Bourget. There’s increased demand during the Monaco Grand Prix and Cannes Film Festival. Here are some of the busiest routes:
- Paris le Bourget to Geneva Cointrin – 3,084 flights.
- Nice Côte D’Azur to Moscow Vnukovo – 1,949 flights.
- London Luton to Paris le Bourget – 1,476 flights.
Private Jet Ownership Worldwide
In the US, 62% of private jet flights are made with the owner’s plane, 27% are chartered private jets and 11% are fractional ownership. In Europe, 40% of private jet flights are with the owner’s plane, 51% are charter flights and 9% are fractional ownership (source: Knight Frank Wealth Report 2018).
Private Jet Trends
In Asia, private jet ownership has risen 96% over the last 10 years and will continue to rise in 2018. Fleet size in Hong Kong, China, Macau and Taiwan has increased significantly. In terms of private jet charter, India is increasing fast after the government simplified regulations.
Jet ownership is slowing down in countries that are oil dependent, further to the drop in oil prices, particularly in Latin America. New, younger clients are open to chartering as opposed to ownership, together with jet cards and fractional shares.
Booking online and paying with cryptocurrencies are becoming more popular. However, many customers still appreciate a concierge style service who are able to make last minute changes to catering, departure times and other details.
Several new private jets launched in the last few years, including the Bombardier Global 7000, the world’s biggest purpose-built private jet. Bombardier also launched the Global 8000, which holds four fewer passengers than the Global 7000 but can fly further.
The Gulfstream G500 flies faster and further than previous models, while saving fuel.
Types of Private Jets
The first private jet ever made was the Lear Jet which launched in 1963. These days, the best selling private jet worldwide is the Citation Excel by Cessna.
They also make the Citation X, the fastest civilian aircraft in the world. It can reach the speed of Mach 0.935, close to the speed of sound. Other popular manufacturers are Cirrus, Dassault Aviation, Embraer and Gulfstream.
Celebrity Private Jets
There are quite a few celebrities who own their own jets, including:
- Angelina Jolie
- Bill Gates
- Celine Dion
- Donald Trump
- Harrison Ford
- Jackie Chan
- Jay-Z
- Jim Carrey
- Jimmy Buffett
- John Travolta
- Lewis Hamilton
- Michael Jordan
- Morgan Freeman
- Ophrah Winfrey
- Taylor Swift
- Tiger Woods
- Tom Cruise
- Warren Buffett
Some of these celebrities opt to pilot their own planes on occasion. Jimmy Buffett, John Travolta, Harrison Ford and Tom Cruise are all pilots, and Angelina Jolie is taking flying lessons in order to pilot her private jet. Many more celebrities opt to charter a private jet to get to their desired location with ease.
Musical luminaries such as Elton John, Iron Maiden, the Rolling Stones and U2 usually charter a jet when on tour.
What are Private Jet Interiors Like?
Inside most private jets, you can expect to find hand stitched leather seats, fine woods and the latest in technology. Some luxury private jets feature lighting that changes depending on the time of day and anti-ballistic security systems.
In the master bedroom, there’s often sound-proofing as well as stand-up showers.
One of the major trends in private jet interiors is for modular cabin figurations where you can change the layout. Super fast WiFi is another factor that clients are interested in.
Should You Buy Your Private Jet or Charter it?
Those who fly less than 150 hours a year will generally find chartering to be a good solution. Private jet owners must pay fees including inspections and insurance, whether they are using their asset or not.
In terms of the cost of purchasing a private jet, it varies depending on the model. For example, a Falcon 2000DX costs approximately $40 million.
It’s also interesting to note that around 40% of private jet flights are empty, so a significant proportion of fuel and staff costs may go to waste.
How to Charter a Private Jet?
It’s surprisingly easy to charter private jets these days, with the rise of online booking. One of our favourite operators is Private Jet Finder, the leading private jet charter broker.
They are used to catering for a sophisticated clientele and reach over 170 countries and more than 5000 airports. Known for their flexibility, they can help you plan your entire flight by phone or online.
They have access to the latest private jets and the most experienced pilots. Most importantly, they’re dab hands at problem solving and will make sure that all your needs are met. Now there’s no excuse not to take a private jet!
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In association with Private Jet Finder
