Global private jet flights increased 3% week-over-week and are up 16% versus 2019 levels for the week ended Sept. 26, 2021, week 38 of the year.
According to WingX, global private jet flights over the past four weeks were 15% up over pre-pandemic levels (table below).
Figures in North America were equally strong, with business jet flights up 5% on a week-over-week level, 12% of the same week in 2019, and 10% of 2019 on a four-week rolling basis.
For the U.S., flights to and from Florida were up 7% from the previous week and a stunning 45% compared to 2019 numbers. Sustained momentum saw private flights to and from the Sunshine State up 41% compared to a rolling four-week period looking back two years ago.
Market | Last Week (Flights) | % Change vs. prior week | % Change vs. 2019 | Last 4 Weeks (Flights) | % Change vs. 2019 |
Global | 73,718 | 3% | 16% | 281,996 | 15% |
North America | 54,774 | 5% | 12% | 205,583 | 10% |
USA | 50,829 | 5% | 16% | 190,009 | 14% |
Florida | 4,705 | 7% | 45% | 17,777 | 41% |
California | 5,004 | 3% | 7% | 19,301 | 9% |
Texas | 4,956 | 10% | 11% | 18,260 | 10% |
Europe | 15,474 | Less than 1% | 29% | 62,069 | 29% |
UK | 1,844 | -2% | 10% | 7,457 | 12% |
Germany | 1,889 | 4% | 21% | 7,115 | 14% |
France | 2,655 | 16% | 34% | 9,737 | 26% |
Switzerland | 1,002 | 5% | 35% | 3,901 | 33% |
Italy | 1,653 | -1% | 28% | 7,082 | 37% |
Middle East | 1,214 | 6% | 37% | 4,839 | 28% |
Africa | 623 | -12% | 54% | 2,663 | 77% |
Asia | 1,523 | 2% | -5% | 6,073 | 3% |
South America | 1,011 | 12% | 73% | 4,338 | 77% |
Private jet flights in Europe were within 1% of the previous week and tracking 29% ahead of 2019, both for the week and rolling four-week span.
France saw the most significant week-over-week boost, with private flights up 16%. Year over year for the week, Switzerland and France were up 35% and 34%, respectively.
Looking around the globe, South American private jet flights were up 12% week-over-week, 73% up over Week 38 in 2019, and 77% ahead of pre-Covid numbers for the rolling four-week period.
Despite a 12% week-over-week decline, African business jet flights were still tracking 77% above 2019 levels for the past four weeks.
Still, Richard Koe, managing director at WingX, is cautious. He says, “The recovery in flight activity is entering an uncertain phase as the global backdrop for business aviation gets more complicated. The pace of the economic recovery is slowing, with inflationary risks increasing as post-pandemic supply line disruption becomes more apparent. Ongoing virus concerns are keeping a lid on international travel, although the softening restrictions in Europe have prompted a big rebound, particularly around reopened calendar events.”