The Best Ways to Book a Private Jet for Your Next Big Trip

Getting from point A to point B right now is more complicated than ever. With local and national travel restrictions in a constant state of flux, COVID-19 flare-ups in many parts of America, and severely reduced commercial air capacity worldwide, the complexity of planning an important business trip or a safe family vacation is seriously daunting. Some of our friends have managed to take to the sky, though. Our correspondent Julie Chang Murphy has assessed the state of private aviation, and she has the answer to this pressing question: What are the best ways to book a private jet for your next big trip and which companies are best? Here’s everything you need to know about the private aviation market right now, including charters, jet cards, memberships, and fractional ownership.

Private jet travel is a beneficiary of the New Normal

Our friends at the global consulting firm McKinsey & Co. recently reported that a person on the average commercial flight has about 700 points of contact with other people and objects. In the age of COVID-19, we can’t help but cringe a that news. 700? Yikes!

As a result of fun facts like this one, those of us who have the travel bug are increasingly turning away from flying and exploring the joys of the old-fashioned road trip.

And the elite? Well, they’re fueling the rise of the charter private jet industry. With an estimated only 20 points of contact, private jets are providing peace of mind as cautious (and often older) travelers seek ways to avoid the crowded terminals and questionable air filtration of commercial air travel.

a trip by private jet may be more affordable than you realize

While we cannot say in good conscience that the costs of flying by private jet are in the realm of the affordable, you might be surprised to find out that there are several emerging companies working to democratizing access to private jet travel.

Believe it or not, as of this posting, prices for certain flights are now 30% to 50% cheaper than they were a year ago. Bringing the cost of a private-jet flight a bit more in line with a first-class seat on a long-haul commercial flight.

What’s more, as part of the CARES Act stimulus plan, the government has suspended the 7.5% excise tax charged for private-jet flights.

With airlines having cut flights as much as 90%, and direct flights scarce on routes where they used to be prevalent, some travelers may be eyeing private jet-setting as a vital element of this New Normal. Couple that with the fact that about 80% of U.S. private flights are under two hours, driven by the efficiency of flying nonstop into smaller airports. No hanging around waiting to board, no delays getting off the plane once you land.

After all, time is money, people!

demand for private aviation is on a sharp upswing

Companies like Sentient Jet have sold more than 5,000 private jet hours since the beginning of April. They report that over 50 per cent of the bookings are coming from new customers. At the same time, inquiries for flight quotes have risen by 241 per cent. In May, NetJets, the largest private jet operator in the world, had the best month of new customers in the past 10 years. Magellan Jets has seen an 89 percent increase in new customers from mid-March.

As the world remains topsy-turvy, none of us really knows what will happen next. You just might find yourself on a private jet for your next big trip or family vacation. Here’s everything you need to know right now about how to books a private jet for your next trip (without buying one of your own).

Luxury Lessons: The Best Ways to Book a Private Jet for Your Next Big Trip

What are the different private jet options? 

A one-off charter (or on-demand) is recommended for those who plan on flying under 25 hours a year. Flights can be booked directly with an operator who owns or leases the aircraft; a management company that helps owners rent their private jets; or a broker, who reviews options from a variety of operators, and then presents you with personalized options. To give you an idea of cost, according to private jet flight search engine, Private Fly, a seat on a private flight from NYC to Miami is estimated at around $35,000 and LA to Las Vegas, $10,000.

If you plan on flying between 10 to 100 hours, jet cards and memberships might be a better fit. Many jet cards give you benefits of full or fractional ownership: guaranteed access, fixed pricing, and consistent standards of aircraft. Unlike the on-demand option, you get the entire aircraft for your use and fly on your schedule. Typical jet cards users can spend $75,000 to $500,000 per year, buying blocks of time as they go. With perks like the ability to upgrade or downgrade aircrafts, easy booking, and gourmet catering, users liken it to having your own flight department.

Although fractional ownership and leases are most popular with corporations, individual jet setters with money to burn can own a 1/16th share. (the most common starting point) This is equivalent to 50 flight hours per year. The cost will be dependent on the price of the jet. It can easily be in the $600,000 to million dollar range. Owners then pay a monthly management fee and an hourly rate when flying. At the end of a typical 3-5 year contract, they can expect to receive the residual value of their share back.

Who are the key players in the private aviation market?

With all the various options and new disruptors to the private aviation realm, it can be overwhelming to know where to start. Here is an overview of the top private jet companies you should know, organized by business model.

1. Charter Companies

JSX:

If you’re just looking to purchase a seat on a private jet, JSX, an offshoot of jet-charter company JetSuite, allows you to do just that without chartering an entire plane. JSX’s fleet of Embraer ERJ-135 regional jets operate scheduled flights seven days a week between select cities, as well as seasonal destinations. Because they operate from private hangars and terminals, the flight experience is hassle-free. Imagine arriving 20-minutes prior to your flight and strolling right in.

Fly Victor:

Victor works with the leading operators to offer customers the best selection and the most competitive prices for their itinerary. Search for and book a private jet charter directly, with no intermediary between travelers and operators, subscription free. Planes range from Boeing 767s to Gulfstream IVs to Embraer EMB 120 Brasilia turboprops. For those concerned with the environmental impact of flying private, Victor aims to be carbon-neutral fuel for 100% of flights by 2020. Currently, when you fly with an ever-increasing number of their operators, the company will purchase carbon credits. It will go towards funding environmental initiatives around the world at no extra cost to the customer.

Blade:

With a fleet of jets, helicopters, seaplanes, and turboprops, Blade offers on-demand charters to practically anywhere in the world. For popular vacations spots amongst the well-heeled like Aspen, The Hamptons and The Bahamas, travelers can book by-the-seat on regularly scheduled flights. Onboard, passengers enjoy an array of amenities. This includes gourmet food selections provided by BLT restaurants, iPads preloaded with entertainment, cashmere blankets and specially designed amenity kits. These kits contain personal care products from boutique brands.

2. Membership-based Companies 

Wheels Up:

Last year, Delta sold its private jet division to Wheels Up and the new combined company now has a fleet of around 300 aircraft. Members can book flights on an on-demand basis. It includes a via an app that allows customers to pool costs with other customers booking overlapping trips. With three membership tiers starting at $2,995 to $29,500, there is a suitable option for various kinds of travelers. Members also enjoy perks like access to special art and sporting events and full support concierge through its collaboration with Four Hundred, a premier lifestyle management and travel firm.

Surfair:

Starting at $1,950 a month, LA-based Surfair offers an innovative “all-you-can-fly membership” that empowers customers to travel quickly, simply, and comfortably, anywhere in California and Texas. Their fleet of Pilatus PC-12 executive aircrafts have earned a reputation for outstanding reliability and safety. Therefore, making it the best selling pressurized single-engine turboprop aircraft in the world.

Sentient Jet:

One of the longer standing private aviation businesses, Sentient provides access to 1,000-plus aircraft from about 160 operators and categorizes their fleet according to four sizes and two age classes, Preferred (model year 2000 or newer) and Select (model year 1999 or earlier). With two different jet card options (dependent on what type of aircraft you choose), flyers gain access to all-inclusive fixed rates. They are guaranteed availability starting at 10 hours notice, seamless booking, hours that never expire, and more. The basic membership starts at $137,000 per year.

Magellan Jets:

Boston-based Magellan Jets offers various degrees of membership personalization for high net worth individuals and their families. Choose from customizable jet card ownership, membership, and also, on-demand charter. Clients can charter jets on mere hours notice for long hauls, short hops, and consecutive hops from 5,000 airports within Magellan’s global network. They offer ten aircraft types including the most desirable aircraft such as the Phenom 300, Challenger 300 and Gulfstream 450.

3. Fractional Ownership

NetJets:

Easily the most recognized name in private jets, Netjets is the undisputed originator of  the concept of fractional jet ownership. In 1986, as the lore goes, it so impressed Warren Buffet that he bought the company two years later. With a NetJets membership, you purchase an undivided interest in a specific aircraft. You will gain access to a fleet of more than 650 jets worldwide. Prices per share with the private aviation company vary depending on the type of jet you choose and how often you plan on flying. NetJets has airport hubs all over the world and can accommodate flight requests in as little as four hours.

Flexjet:

The other main competitor in the field of fractional ownership is Flexjet. It is designed for those who fly 50+ hours per year. Fractional jet ownership allows flyers to purchase equity in a specific Flexjet aircraft. They also offer options to lease an aircraft by the hour and a jet card membership for those flying fewer than 50 hours. For those wanting a personalized flying experience, Red Label by Flexjet features an exclusive dedicated crewing model. It assigns pilots and crewmembers to a single aircraft tail number. While other providers’ pilots are dedicated to an aircraft ‘type,’ only Flexjet crews are legitimately dedicated to – and are intimately familiar with – their individual aircraft.

The Best Ways to Book a Private Jet for Your Next Big Trip

There you have it – what you need to know about private aviation, including private jet charters, jet cards, and fractional memberships. An intro into the jet-setting lifestyle! In pandemic times, it’s RVs and tiny planes to the rescue. What’s your pick?

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Crediting her training as a cultural anthropologist at Wellesley College, Julie has immersed herself in various industries in the last 15 years including fashion design, event planning, and fitness. Julie lives in New York where she loves trying every ramen and dumpling restaurant with her husband and three children. She finds joy in bold prints, biographies of fierce women, kickboxing. And spending way too long finding the perfect polish color to express her mood.

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