October 31, 2024
After global private jet flight activity dropped 6% and 7% in the past two weeks, in Week 28, it rebounded with 73,217 flights, up 7%.
For the weekend ended July 17, private jet departures worldwide were just 1% ahead of the same period last year.
The less-than-rosy economic outlook is clearly starting to erode the previously unstinting growth in business jet demand in the key U.S. market
– Richard Koe, Managing Director, WingX
With 293,174 private jet flights, global private flights were up 4% for the four-weeks trailing.
The positive numbers were driven by a 13% week-to-week improvement in the U.S.
Still, the double-digit gains left U.S. private jet flight activity 3% behind 2021 for Week 28.
With 190,123 private jet departures over the past month, flights were just 1% ahead of last year for the trailing month.
While the 17,228 private flights in Europe during Week 28 were 1% down from Week 27, they were a 13% gain from last year.
Over the past month, European private jet departures were 15% ahead of 2021.
| Market | Week 28 | % Change vs. prior week | % Change vs 2021 | Last 4 Weeks (Flights) | % Change vs. 2021 |
| Global | 73,217 | 7% | 1% | 293,174 | 4% |
| North America | 51,954 | 11% | -3% | 207,835 | 1% |
| USA | 47,648 | 13% | -3% | 190,123 | 1% |
| Florida | 4,457 | 4% | -5.5% | 19,185 | 0% |
| California | 4,640 | 10% | -7% | 18,493 | -6% |
| Texas | 4,390 | 14% | -4% | 17,696 | -2% |
| Europe | 17,221 | -1% | 13% | 68,512 | 15% |
| UK | 2,293 | 0% | 71% | 8,987 | 74% |
| Germany | 1,668 | -7% | 11% | 7,235 | 18% |
| France | 2,767 | -3% | 19% | 10,762 | 14% |
| Switzerland | 936 | 4% | 16% | 3,727 | 12% |
| Italy | 2,352 | 3% | 20% | 8,837 | 23% |
| Middle East | 1,445 | -8% | -1% | 6,095 | 6% |
| Africa | 648 | -15% | -15% | 2,884 | 7% |
| Asia | 1,886 | 0% | 8% | 7,764 | 15% |
| South America | 1,030 | 4% | 6% | 4,119 | 0% |
Fractional and charter operators saw a 5% increase week-to-week with 37,960 flights.
That was 1% below last year, and for the trailing month, fractional and charter flights were just 1% up on 2021.
Despite a 9% week-to-week increase, U.S. charter and fractional private jet flights were 7% below 2021 levels for the third straight week.
U.S. charter and fractional departure were 7% down for the trailing month.
In Europe, charter and fractional operators say airline and airport chaos is driving more demand.
This week flight activity dipped 1% week-to-week but was still 12% ahead of the same week last year.
For the past month, Europe private jet charter and fractional flights were 18% up. For the U.K., flight activity was 77% higher.
| Market (Part 91K & Part135) | Week 28 | % Change vs. prior week | % Change vs 2021 | Last 4 Weeks (Flights) | % Change vs. 2021 |
| Global | 37,960 | 5% | -1% | 150,093 | 1% |
| North America | 25,236 | 9% | -6% | 99,816 | -6% |
| USA | 24,349 | 9% | -7% | 96,318 | -7% |
| Florida | 2,352 | 3% | -8% | 9,903 | -8% |
| California | 2,891 | 8% | -10% | 11,427 | -12% |
| Texas | 1,807 | 11% | -7% | 7,288 | -7% |
| Europe | 12,339 | -1% | 12% | 48,576 | 18% |
| UK | 1,574 | -6% | 64% | 6,562 | 77% |
| Germany | 1,113 | -6% | 17% | 4,754 | 24% |
| France | 2,028 | -2% | 23% | 7,737 | 20% |
| Switzerland | 689 | 5% | 18% | 2,676 | 17% |
| Italy | 1,802 | 4% | 18% | 6,724 | 24% |
| Middle East | 709 | -6% | -9% | 2,831 | 1% |
| Africa | 105 | -19% | -22% | 555 | 13% |
| Asia | 254 | -1% | 18% | 1,040 | 26% |
| South America | 24 | 9% | 100% | 89 | 71% |
“The less-than-rosy economic outlook is clearly starting to erode the previously unstinting growth in business jet demand in the key U.S. market; Texas, California, and Florida are all seeing sizeable year-on-year declines in charter activity,” says WingX Managing Director Richard Koe.
He adds, “Europe is behind the U.S. curve on the covid rebound, and in the peak summer season, so we’ll probably not see that decline until September.”
Despite the lessening demand, executives speaking at Corporate Jet Investor’s Town Hall say the industry will continue to face operational challenges for the foreseeable future.
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