Those who have the money often avail themselves of private aviation services. That can be in the form of a charter flight or owning all or part of their own plane. There are many advantages to flying private, although there is one big drawback — the cost.
Private aviation isn’t for everyone, mainly because it is expensive. A first-class ticket for a domestic flight in the U.S. probably costs somewhere between $1,000 and $2,000 depending on the destination and distance. By contrast, an hour on a light jet costs about $2,300 per person while the price for a large jet is nearly double that. For the price of a short flight on a large jet, you almost could afford to fly an entire family across the country in first class. And then there isn’t just the cost of flight time. If you own your own plane you have costs for pilots, aircraft maintenance, storage and a host of other costs. That means only the wealthy usually can afford to own their own planes or to pay to fly on private jets.
If you can afford it, however, private aviation services have a number of benefits. For one thing, having your own plane or taking a jet charter can save you a lot of time. You can fly point to point to almost anywhere, meaning you won’t have the time suck of making a connection or having to fly into a large airport and then driving two or three hours to your ultimate destination. Just about any city that has an airport that can accommodate general aviation can accommodate a jet. That means you can fly right to your destination. Using private aviation also prevents the need to go through extensive screening and you don’t have to spend time waiting to get your bags. All of this winds up saving you valuable minutes or even hours on your trip.
Another advantage to having your own plane or using a private jet charter is comfort. Most private planes seat anywhere from six to 12 people, so there is plenty of room. You also will get personal service before, during and after your flight. This can make your trip a lot easier to bear.
About half of the world’s users of private aviation services are in the U.S., largely because we have a lot of wealthy people, and private aviation is only affordable to people in upper income brackets. However, if you can afford it, flying on a private plane offers you a number of advantages over a commercial flight.
