Charter and fractional private jet operators lead November results

Part 135 charter operators saw November year-over-year totals off by just 6.4% while fractional operators were down 14.5% and Part 91 flying was 24.1% below 2019

Argus TRAQPak analysts predict a year-over-year drop in private jet flights of 18.5% during December

The latest Argus TRAQPak monthly report shows Part 135 charter operators are continuing to see the strongest recovery.

For the month, flight hours were down just 6.4% compared to November 2019. Turboprops performed the best, off by just 2.3%, while midsize private jets saw flight hours drop 3.2%. Light jet flying was off 7.5% while large-cabin private jets continued to struggle, down 19.8%

Fractional operators that fly under Part 91K, but include their jet card activity in the Argus report, saw a 14.5% year-over-year decline. Light jets were the only category not off by double digits, down just 1.6%. Turboprops and large-cabin jets were each off by 22%, with midsize jets down 17.4%.

For Part 91 operators, large cabin flight activity plummeted 34%, bringing total activity down by 24.1% compared to November 2019. Light jets saw the best rebound, still down 15.3%.

Looking at the broad market, overall activity was down 16.4%, with light jets performing the best, off just 11%. Large cabin private jet flight hours dropped 27.7%.

Private jet travel trends

TRAQPak analysts estimate an 18.5% decrease in overall flight activity year over year in December 2020.

In November, the Southeast had the most departures (55,407), followed by the West (California, Nevada, Arizona) with 30,084. The Southwest region (New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana) saw 27,692 private aviation departures last month.

Weekend activity was also much strong, with flights down 11.9% compared to 22.2% on weekdays.