Here’s why private jet charter is becoming the best way to travel
Once upon a time, air travel was a glamorous affair. Boasting decadent meals, seats that lay fully flat, and doting flight attendants, air travel used to be considered a glorious luxury event. Nowadays, while we can revel in the knowledge that flying to your destination is generally safer and faster than in the past, that doesn’t make it a pleasant experience.
Air travel has become a necessary nuisance instead of the posh experience it once was. Now airlines increasingly shrink seats to cram in more passengers and then overbook flights to ensure that no seat goes unfilled. Add in flight delays and security pat-downs and it’s easy to see how flying has become a necessary evil rather than a joy.
As the big airline business seems to be squeezing every dollar out of passengers, the private jet charter business is becoming more affordable. Learn to love to fly again by consulting sites like Jettly and taking a look at our considerations list below.
A private plane doesn’t have to be your plane
It’s no secret that owning your own plane is expensive. The price of plane ownership is excessive, including not just the initial sale price and down payment, but also maintenance and repairs, storage fees, insurance, and fuel costs. On average, a small $75,000 financed Cessna winds up costing $200 per hour, if flown 100 hours per year. A pilot can rent a similar aircraft for about $125 per hour.
Owning your own plane rarely makes sense beyond bragging rights, which is why there has been a marked shift away from whole aircraft ownership. Those looking for a more convenient and relaxed flying experience are growing the shared and membership models of private flying, making private jet charters more accessible as a whole.
A chartered plane vs a first-class ticket
While on the surface, a chartered plane is a more expensive endeavor than a first-class ticket, there are a number of factors that need to be included in that comparison. While a first-class ticket for one traveler can cost anywhere from $800 to thousands of dollars, a private plane chartered generally ranges from $2,500 – $6,500/hour, depending on the size of the plane chartered. If a traveler is bringing a group, the cost of the first-class flight goes up, while the cost of the charter remains the same (unless you need to book a bigger plane).
Another factor in the cost of chartering a plane is that for many executives, time is money. Private jet charter planes often have the ability to land in smaller airports, closer to their client’s final destination, and skip the long security lines that slow down commercial travelers.
A chartered plane can wait for their passenger, allowing the client to fly back immediately after their business is completed, and executives can work more easily on a private flight versus a commercial. Lastly, for trips that simply cannot be rescheduled, the reliability of a private flight may pay for itself.
How safe is a private charter aircraft?
While there are dozens of new names in the private jet charter business, longevity is definitely worth considering when booking a private flight. We’ve seen the challenges that came with the rise of ride-sharing platforms for cars and find comfort in private charter aircraft companies that have already established themselves. Although newer names in the private charter industry may offer deals, it’s worth looking into companies that can share their safety history and standards.
Companies like Icarus Jet, with years as a private charter, can provide safety and security numbers as well as a variety of flight options that can make your private air travel experience the luxury event that it was meant to be.
