How To Save A Few Bucks On Your Next Private Jet Flight

5

Along with an across-the-board tidal wave in private jet travel associated with the pandemic, “jet cards” prospered mightily. Many well-heeled travelers used the high-end debit travel cards to explore private flying for the first time. But just as the tsunami in new and used business jet sales, charter and fractional ownership has begun to recede, jet card purveyors are also faced with pulling in their fangs.

According to Private Jet Card Comparisons, which monitors the industry, hourly rates did rise 21 percent in 2022 compared with 2021. Across all categories of jets (from light to intercontinental “global” models), the average hourly rate has increased to $11,748. But when it comes to light, midsize and super-midsize jets, profit-generating lower daily minimum prices have dipped to “pre-Covid” levels, said the company, reducing the cost of average flights significantly. In other words, the daily minimum for a jet card holder’s flight time was 109.3 minutes in Q2 of 2022, but in Q4 dropped to 94.7 minutes. That reduced the average cost of shorter flights by 9 percent.

If you (or someone you know) is exploring the nuances of private jet travel options, according to Private Jet Card Comparisons, take heed that the average cost for fixed-rate jet cards was lower than on-demand charter pricing on five out of 12 flights. But for the last three months of 2022, “minimum” jet card flights averaged $18,542, while fixed-rate cards roughly matched the low end of the on-demand flight cards at $27,738 and $27,853, respectively.

Mark Phelps
Mark Phelps is a senior editor at AVweb. He is an instrument rated private pilot and former owner of a Grumman American AA1B and a V-tail Bonanza.

Other AVwebflash Articles

5 COMMENTS

    • I wouldn’t worry about it. Most persons who can afford the real cost of charter usually don’t worry about a few $ here and there!

  1. I feel so lucky. Rather than being forced into spending that $11K on an hour of jet travel I can relax with a full week of lodging, food, entertainment and sightseeing on a nice cruise ship.

  2. Well, for those that gotta be there, there it is.

    Like a motorcycle pilot, I am more of the how it is to get there than the being there. Its true… headwinds give, and they taketh away. I cherish the flight but also the beer after the last landing of the day.

LEAVE A REPLY