Business partners with luggage walking towards private jet at terminal
Americans longing for a much-needed, post-lockdown escape are increasingly seeking out and booking private jets, according to a recent survey. Air Charter Service – the world’s largest aircraft charter company – said in September that Americans top the list of people seeking information on private jet travel. They are followed by the British, Canadians, Indians, Spanish, and the Chinese.
Travelers are also increasingly making spur-of-the-moment decisions, rather than booking trips weeks and months in advance. In early August, one private jet company said it saw a 51% increase in leisure travel bookings globally, even over 2019. Nearly 45% of July 2020 bookings were from first-time private jet customers.
“One of the great things about private jets [is] they adhere to your schedule,” said Richard Thompson, president of Air Charter Service Americas. “There is no waiting and clients can be instantly gratified.”
Obviously, flying privately comes at a cost. Based on data from a recent 18-month period, the average cost of a flight was $29,350 for a single leg (one way). With global restrictions changing by the week, repatriation flights also shot up 521%, when compared to last year, as travelers faced minimal options to get back home quickly or to leave a specific country.
Source: Travel Pulse
