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There was a time when chartering a private jet to travel was the exclusive domain of the rich and famous.
In recent years, however, private jet travel has become more affordable. With the COVID-19 pandemic changing the way we travel, a private jet charter is also starting to look like a more viable option in the eyes of many.
Chartering a private jet presents plenty of advantages and very few downsides. Let’s talk about private jet travel’s pros as well as its cons.
Private Jets Are A Safer Option Amid COVID-19
While both commercial airlines and private jet charters have strict sanitization and social distancing protocols in place for their planes, the fact remains that the latter carry fewer passengers.
Also, if you hire a private jet, you have the final say on who gets on board. You won’t have to sit with strangers, and you and your fellow passengers can sit as far apart as you want.
You can also expect a limited number of people to handle your baggage when flying private. Some private charter companies even make it a policy that only their pilots are allowed to handle luggage. With only a select few touching your bags, the risk of getting infected with the coronavirus and other pathogens will be lower.
Baggage Restrictions Don’t Exist
With no baggage restriction, you can bring whatever you want on your trip. The amount of baggage you can carry on your private flight will only be limited by the chartered jet’s weight capacity.
You Own Your Schedule
Flying commercial means the airline will dictate your flight schedule. With a private jet, it’s the other way around. You take off at whatever time you choose.
No TSA Pat-Downs
If getting patted-down by TSA personnel is your pet peeve when traveling by air, you’d be glad that won’t be happening if you’re flying private, as passengers don’t have to go through security screenings.
Longer-Range Flights
Your trip will likely be a non-stop one if you rent a long-range private jet that can fly more than 7,000 nautical miles without refueling, getting you to your destinations so much faster.
For corporate executives who need to get to the other side of the world and back within a short span of time, these long-range private charters are absolutely perfect.
Private Jets Can Land At Small Airports
Landing at small airports in locations far from big cities is never a problem for private jets. You can fly directly to those places, which can reduce your travel time significantly.
Better Food and Drinks
Compared to the food served on commercial airlines, the food and drinks served on private flights will be so much better, mainly because you get to choose them yourself as you book your trip. With private jet travel, you can dictate the type of food and beverages to be served during the flight.
Your Pet Can Be Your Seatmate
Unlike commercial flights, chartered private jets allow owners to bring their pets with them into the cabin. That means you can fly wherever you want with your beloved dog or cat seated beside you or on your lap.
The Downsides of Private Jet Travel
For many people, a clear downside of chartering a private jet is the cost. It’s typical for private jet charters to charge $1,000 to $2,000 an hour, depending on the jet type and size, amenities, and other factors.
However, private flight costs are now dropping by 30% to 50%. When you think about it, such rates will already be closer to what commercial airlines charge for first-class and business class tickets.
And if friends and family fill the private jet to capacity as you go on a holiday somewhere, it’s possible that chartering an entire jet will turn out to be cheaper than buying everyone first-class tickets on a commercial flight.
You can also say the same if a company goes on a corporate retreat. The company will likely save some money if they charter a private jet for the corporate activity, but every member of the team will be flying in style just the same.
Another downside of private jet charters is that they are smaller planes and are, therefore, mostly incapable of flying during a storm. While it’s possible that larger private jets can be more resilient, few private pilots will risk flying through it.
As soon as the weather service announces that there will be bad weather, private aircraft almost always end up being grounded and inevitably delayed.
Nevertheless, the benefits of private jet travel far outweigh its downsides. With the pandemic still very much gripping the world, it makes a lot of sense to consider flying private. Private jet charter companies have already seen demand grow in the last few months, and it’s only going to get bigger in the future.
About the Author
Melissa Hull is the Content Marketing Strategist for Aviation Charters, a West Trenton, New Jersey-based private aviation company that provides on-demand aircraft charter, aircraft management, and aircraft acquisition services. Aside from her passion for writing, she loves to travel and read espionage books.
