Have you ever wondered if a private jet service cost is worth it? Imagine this scenario: You pull up to your plane at a small airport. Then you walk directly from your car onto the jet. Your bags — weighing more than 50 pounds apiece! — are whisked to the hold by an employee as you settle into your seat and enjoy a gourmet snack. A few hours later, after a nap and a movie, you land at your destination. Once there, you grab your bags right from the plane and go on with your day.
Now compare that to your typical airport experience. You arrive several hours before your scheduled flight. You then wait in line, deal with security, grab a stale sandwich and trudge to your gate. Then you discover your plane is delayed. Once you’re finally onboard, you cram yourself into the middle seat between two former linebackers with questionable hygiene.
While the first scenario sounds like a dream, it’s now a reality for travelers who have discovered private jet service. You may think that chartering a private plane is something that only the uber-wealthy can manage. But in some cases, choosing a charter is actually more affordable than purchasing a first or business-class ticket on a commercial airline.
Private Jet Service: Convenience, Luxury & Savings
When exploring the idea of chartering a private jet, it’s important to make one fact clear: It’s not a low-cost option for the casual traveler looking for a deal.
That being said, it’s not uncommon for a private jet service cost to be relatively competitive with a first or business-class ticket in terms of price. For example, Los Angeles Private Jets offers a one-way flight from Los Angeles to New York on a Citation 10 – which seats 8 passengers – starting at $32,000; that’s $4000 per person. Meanwhile, a first-class ticket on a commercial airline starts around $1500 with restrictions and several layovers. Likewise, a similar commercial nonstop flight with the option to make changes without fees typically runs $3000.
It’s the lack of restrictions that makes private jet travel so appealing to many travelers. In most cases, when you charter a private flight, you have control over the flight schedule. Instead of rushing to the airport for an early morning flight and wasting time on layovers, you can leave when you need and travel directly to your destination, usually via smaller, less congested airports. In some cases, when you take into account the cost of ground transportation and the fees charged by commercial airlines plus your time’s value, a private jet represents a better value, even if the bill is slightly higher.
Flying privately is usually more comfortable, although not all private jets are luxurious and packed with amenities. Some are small, carrying as few as four passengers, and not significantly more comfortable than the average commercial plane.
Booking Private Jet Service
Because private flights are customized to the individual traveler, the best way to reserve one is to request a quote from a charter jet service. But for the best deals, you may wish to use a budget private service that allows members to grab seats on private flights that are already scheduled for low prices. For example, someone may book a flight from Chicago to San Francisco; if the plane has empty seats or it will return to Chicago without passengers, the plane’s owner can post the flight. Then, travelers can take one of those unfilled seats. The more people who jump on the flight, the lower the individual price falls.
For years, traveling on repositioning flights has been common throughout Europe. Most of the time you cannot choose the exact route or schedule. But you can take a private flight to a place like Ibiza for up to 75% less. Again, you can use a service to help you find deals, or search “deadhead” or “empty leg” flights to find options that may be more appealing than a commercial airline.
Obviously, most people will still find that flights on commercial airlines are the most affordable. But for special occasions or additional convenience, that private jet service cost can be more appealing. Consider looking into it for your next trip, and don’t be surprised if you never want to go commercial again.
About the Author
Although Louise Vinciguerra is a fantastic joke teller, she has yet to be discovered by a Hollywood producer and still travels commercial most of the time. To bide her time, she enjoys a million hobbies when she’s not creating content on Facebook, WordPress or Twitter.
Photo Credit: Mikhail Starodubov
I have a couple of friends who’ve been lucky enough to score these types of flights. They’re an amazing, comfortable way to fly.
If you have a large enough group, sometimes this can be well worth it. My dad had his pilot license, and when we were younger he would fly us places all the time. It was fun!
How much would a private flight cost? Seems like it would be prohibitive to most travelers.
Joe – if this does get popular – expect the TSA to clamp down.
Private jets do sound like a far off dream for most middle class Americans but when it comes to business travel, your company will pay on your behalf, and depending on the contract terms, you may be entitled to business or first class (the rates of which are comparable to private jets, as mentioned here). For this market, the biggest benefits would probably be conveniences as time is money. Many flights tend to get delayed for one reason or the other, and standing in the check-in line can seem pretty cumbersome too.
A while back, I had a boss who often rented a helicopter to take him on short haul trips. I thought this was total excess, but when he shared with me how much it cost, I really didn’t think it was that bad.
Interesting. Although you will never get me on a helicopter, SB. They’re a bit too risky for my taste.
Very interesting information. I was not aware of this.
I like the way you have explained it.Usually, many people are not aware of the advantages that comes with hiring a private jet. It is a convenient way of traveling and also helps one to maximize resources as well as save time.
Surprised at the comments with LA fires still being dealt with. And yes, private charters are a very wasteful indulgence as is much of air travel. Confession here, I am a plus 10,000 hr ex commercial pilot with many friends still in the industry flogging everything from rotary, to air tankers (fires), and airlines. Many have over 30,000 hours plying their trade.
There is an industry pecking order with flight instructors at the bottom, and private jet charters not much above. With your pick you’ll get a decently paid captain and a food stamp co jo trying to build time in order to leave and move on. Rotary, at least decent companies, are beyond prohibitive unless you charter a piston Robinson. There is a niche and need for them although will probably be replaced by drones in the near future.
There needs to be less air travel not more unless one actually needs to tour an operation for business. Documents can be signed online, conferences can be virtual, and the travel bucket list…..don’t even go there.
I know this comment will piss people off but so be it. And my past pilot life was spent mostly in the north flying support for the mining industry and remote transportation. Dying industry which I left before age 40…..30 years ago. Remote communities build a winter road, eventually as do likely mining ventures. When a good ore body is developed road transport will be eventually paved at Govt expense. Coastal transport moves to boat boat traffic whenever possible. The only growth in air travel is overcrowded cattle cars heading for me too destinations.
Yesterday many articles about the Louvre being overcrowded by tourists…hours waits and no proximity. Med countries trying stop tourism or limit access. Iceland inundated. 40 years ago my wife visited the Louvre and was the only viewer for the Mona Lisa. Today? Insanity. This economy is on a knife edge. Can’t see it continuing, but who knows. Meanwhile, lets keep pumping carbon into the atmosphere as fast as we can.
Thanks for the awesome comments on jet travel, Paul. I appreciate your first-hand knowledge!
That being said:
1) Carbon dioxide is not a pollutant. Almost all living foiliage depends on it to live; mammals and other entities exhale it as a byproduct of the natural life cycle.
2) Carbon dioxide has far less affect on climate than, say, water vapor and the sun.
3) The world has been hotter and colder in the past than it is today – without the presence of humans. That alone is the biggest tell that this whole anthropogenic climate change religion is a scam.
Stop being a victim of the green-energy grift. The only beneficiaries are the government – who uses it to extract more taxes from gullible people who believe their lies – and their cronies who have got into the green industry.