Private Jet Flight Activity Analysis – 2021 – Week 38

Business aviation flight activity for the past week, past four weeks, globally, for North America, U.S., Europe, Africa and Asia

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.

Private Jet Flight Activity Analysis – 2021 – Week 38

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.

South America private jet flight activity surges

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.”