September 28, 2023
Private jet flight activity continues down from 2021’s record levels but stays above 2019.
Global private jet departures for the week ending Dec. 11, 2022, were up 1% from the previous week. However, the 67,690 flights marked a 2% dip from the same period in 2021.
In the U.S., there were 53,347 private jet flights in Week 49, up 1% from the previous week and down 3% from last year.
Over the past month, U.S. flights were 4% off last year’s records.
Europe, with 8,954 flights last week, saw a 1% bump, with activity 5% lower than in 2021.
Over the past month, private jet flights were 13% behind last year’s numbers for Europe.
The Middle East and South America each saw an 11% week-to-week gain.
| Market | Week 49 | %Change vs. prior week | %Change vs. 2021 | 52- week high | Week | 52- week low | Week | Last 4 Weeks (Flights) | %Change vs. 2021 |
| Global | 67,690 | 1% | -2% | 78,503 | W25 2022 | 59,582 | W02 2022 | 272,937 | -4% |
| North America | 53,347 | 1% | -3% | 62,573 | W14 2022 | 46,660 | W27 2022 | 215,790 | -4% |
| USA | 48,956 | 1% | -3% | 57,147 | W14 2022 | 42,243 | W27 2022 | 197,002 | -4% |
| Florida | 6,577 | -8% | -9% | 10,603 | W8 2022 | 3,744 | W39 2022 | 28,730 | -7% |
| California | 4,556 | -1% | -9% | 6,392 | W7 2022 | 4,212 | W27 2022 | 19,323 | -9% |
| Texas | 5,463 | 5% | -1% | 6,176 | W10 2022 | 3,850 | W27 2022 | 20,775 | -2% |
| Europe | 8,954 | 1% | -5% | 17,608 | W26 2022 | 7,591 | W52 2021 | 35,789 | -13% |
| UK | 1,345 | 5% | 10% | 2,336 | W26 2022 | 894 | W52 2021 | 5,142 | -9% |
| Germany | 1,255 | -3% | -3% | 1,915 | W26 2022 | 704 | W52 2021 | 5,189 | -6% |
| France | 1,241 | 5% | -15% | 3,032 | W21 2022 | 1,052 | W52 2021 | 4,850 | -19% |
| Switzerland | 712 | 16% | 8% | 1,209 | W21 2022 | 549 | W47 2022 | 2,492 | -10% |
| Italy | 746 | -5% | 17% | 2,357 | W28 2022 | 456 | W1 2022 | 3,027 | -7% |
| Middle East | 1,626 | 11% | 15% | 1,673 | W34 2022 | 926 | W4 2022 | 6,215 | 20% |
| Africa | 779 | 3% | 29% | 876 | W19 2022 | 508 | W52 2021 | 3,176 | 18% |
| Asia | 2,643 | 5% | 17% | 2,659 | W46 2022 | 1,589 | W52 2021 | 10,692 | 28% |
| South America | 1,348 | 11% | -1% | 1,437 | W50 2021 | 848 | W52 2021 | 5,017 | -3% |
Charter and fractional operators saw a 1% week-to-week drop with 32,833 flights, 9% off of 2021.
On a global scale, charter and fractional flights are 12% down for the trailing four weeks.
The U.S. made up 24,168 of total charter and fractional private jet departures, down 1% from Week 48 and 10% below 2021’s shiny numbers.
Over the past month, flights are 11% below last year’s torrid pace.
| Market (Part 91K & Part135) | Week 49 | %Change vs. prior wk | %Change vs. 2021 | 52- week high | Week | 52- week low | Week | Last 4 Weeks (Flights) | %Change vs. 2021 |
| Global | 32,833 | -1% | -9% | 41,811 | W8 2022 | 31,911 | W2 2022 | 137,841 | -12% |
| North America | 25,568 | -2% | -10% | 32,702 | W8 2022 | 22,967 | W35 2022 | 108,567 | -11% |
| USA | 24,168 | -1% | -10% | 30,705 | W8 2022 | 21,948 | W35 2022 | 102,111 | -11% |
| Florida | 3,581 | -13% | -16% | 6,327 | W52 2021 | 2,024 | W39 2022 | 16,536 | -12% |
| California | 2,787 | -3% | -11% | 4,095 | W7 2022 | 2,638 | W27 2022 | 12,037 | -14% |
| Texas | 2,298 | 6% | -3% | 2,734 | W10 2022 | 1,644 | W27 2022 | 8,923 | -7% |
| Europe | 6,263 | 2% | -11% | 12,962 | W27 2022 | 6,071 | W47 2022 | 25,065 | -19% |
| UK | 974 | 10% | 7% | 1,772 | W26 2022 | 748 | W51 2021 | 3,656 | -14% |
| Germany | 870 | -2% | -6% | 1,295 | W25 2022 | 572 | W52 2021 | 3,529 | -11% |
| France | 828 | 6% | -21% | 2,401 | W21 2022 | 781 | W48 2022 | 3,350 | -23% |
| Switzerland | 542 | 23% | 1% | 868 | W21 2022 | 415 | W47 2022 | 1,839 | -17% |
| Italy | 571 | -5% | 17% | 1,855 | W28 2022 | 376 | W1 2022 | 2,295 | -12% |
| Middle East | 830 | 11% | 18% | 927 | W43 2022 | 481 | W4 2022 | 3,141 | 17% |
| Africa | 260 | 10% | 29% | 321 | W13 2022 | 160 | W35 2022 | 1,027 | 5% |
| Asia | 741 | 6% | 21% | 761 | W47 2022 | 365 | W4 2022 | 2,926 | 34% |
| South America | 39 | 11% | -19% | 83 | W45 2022 | 13 | W24 2022 | 174 | -25% |
The Middle East, Africa, and South America all had double-digit week-to-week gains.
However, the forecast looks bumpy.
“Business jet activity is steadily slipping off post-Covid highs, although it’s likely 2022 will still conclude with a low double-digit gain on 2019. That said, there is now a marked decline in charter activity, suggesting first-time customers may be exiting the market. Europe is still seeing the brunt of the slowdown compared to last year,” says WingX Managing Director Richard Koe.
Still, it’s not time for tears.
Koe notes business jet and turboprop-operated sectors are trending 2% below comparable 2021 for the first 12 days of December and 5% above December three years ago.
For the year to date, since January, business aviation flights are up 11% compared to last year, 14% ahead of 2019.
