Business aviation flights increase 2.2% in May as jet card and on-demand charter for large private jets spike 11%

Jet card and on-demand charter helped boost the Part 135 air charter market 2.8% in May while fractional flying grew 0.7%

Bigger was better, at least when it came to on-demand and jet card charter in May as flight activity with large jets spiked 11% year-over-year. It was the opposite of fractional share flying where large jet activity plunged 21.9%, according to ARGUS TRAQPak. 

TRAQPak’s review of year over year flight activity (May 2018 vs. May 2017)

indicates that May 2018 recorded an increase of 2.2%. The results by operational

category were all positive with Part 135 activity leading the way, up 2.8% year

over year. Part 91 activity followed with a rise of 2.1% while Fractional activity

recorded a slight rise, up 0.7%. The aircraft categories were all positive with light

jets posting the largest gain from 2017, up 2.9%. Mid-size jets followed with an

increase of 2.8%, and large jets posted a 1.2% year over year increase. The

turboprop segment posted an increase of 1.5%.

May business aviation flight activity posted an expected (typical trend) month

over month increase to finish up 4.2% from April 2018. Results by operational

category were all positive for the month, with the Part 135 segment posting the

largest monthly increase, up 5.3%. Part 91 & Fractional flight activity each posted

an increase of 3.6% & 3.8% for the month. Aircraft categories were mostly

positive as well, with turboprops leading the way, up 8.3%. Light jets followed

with an increase of 4.1% for the month while mid-size jets posted an increase

2.8%. Large jets posted a 1.1% decline for the month.