April 18, 2024
Despite an up week, charter and fractional operators are lagging 2022’s private jet flight activity by double digits. That could be a good thing.
Global private jet flight activity increased by 4% week-to-week in Week 10 with 70,829 flights. That was still 7% behind 2021’s numbers.
Over the past month, private jet segments worldwide were down 7%, with 280,165 flights.
U.S. activity for the week ending March 12, 2023, was up 6% from the previous week, with 51,129 flights, down 9% from last year.
The 201,039 flights over the trailing month were also down 9%.
In Europe, the 37,479 flights over the past month represented an 11% year-over-year decline.
On smaller numbers, Asia (+19%), South America (+18%), the Middle East (+13%), and Africa (+12%) continued to see gains. Together, they accounted for just under 25,000 flights over the past four weeks.
| Market | Week 10 | %Change vs. prior week | %Change vs. 2022 | 52-week high | Week | 52-week low | Week | Last 4 Weeks | %Change vs. 2022 |
| Global | 70,829 | 4% | -7% | 78,503 | W25 2022 | 57,233 | W51 2022 | 280,165 | -7% |
| North America | 56,316 | 6% | -8% | 62,573 | W14 2022 | 43,691 | W51 2022 | 221,438 | -8% |
| USA | 51,129 | 6% | -9% | 57,147 | W14 2022 | 38,832 | W51 2022 | 201,039 | -9% |
| Florida | 8,683 | 7% | -5% | 9,721 | W11 2022 | 3,744 | W39 2022 | 34,258 | -11% |
| California | 5,077 | 9% | -10% | 5,817 | W16 2022 | 4,066 | W51 2022 | 19,796 | -15% |
| Texas | 5,772 | 22% | -6% | 6,176 | W10 2022 | 3,730 | W5 2023 | 20,537 | -7% |
| Europe | 9,292 | 2% | -7% | 17,608 | W26 2022 | 6,648 | W52 2022 | 37,479 | -11% |
| UK | 1,268 | 8% | -6% | 2,336 | W26 2022 | 982 | W52 2022 | 4,919 | -12% |
| Germany | 1,135 | -9% | -12% | 1,915 | W26 2022 | 651 | W52 2022 | 4,826 | -5% |
| France | 1,462 | 4% | -6% | 3,032 | W21 2022 | 1,011 | W52 2022 | 5,627 | -11% |
| Switzerland | 797 | -8% | -11% | 1,209 | W21 2022 | 549 | W47 2022 | 3,528 | -10% |
| Italy | 792 | 19% | 8% | 2,357 | W28 2022 | 511 | W52 2022 | 3,003 | 2% |
| Middle East | 1,302 | -11% | 3% | 2,173 | W50 2022 | 984 | W52 2022 | 5,562 | 13% |
| Africa | 708 | -3% | 1% | 876 | W19 2022 | 622 | W2 2023 | 3,139 | 12% |
| Asia | 2,497 | -3% | 18% | 3,269 | W50 2022 | 1,786 | W32 2022 | 9,983 | 19% |
| South America | 1,489 | 1% | 16% | 1,490 | W6 2023 | 1,006 | W29 2022 | 5,812 | 18% |
Less shiny were the numbers from charter and fractional operators.
Global flights were 15% below last year’s Week 10 levels, and the 137,499 segments were a similar 15% off 2022’s record pace.
In the U.S., the 101,169 charter and fractional flights marked a 16% drop for the trailing four weeks.
Florida, the biggest market, saw 18,460 departures during the past month, an 18% drop.
European charter and fractional flights were down more. They were 20% below last year with 25,510 flights.
| Market (Part 91K & Part135) | Week 10 | %Change vs. prior wk | %Change vs 2022 | Last 52-week low | Week | 52-week low | Week | Last 4 Weeks (Flights) | %Change vs. 2022 |
| Global | 34,400 | 4% | -15% | 41,552 | W25 2022 | 31,174 | W51 2022 | 137,499 | -15% |
| North America | 27,204 | 5% | -15% | 32,766 | W10 2022 | 22,967 | W35 2022 | 108,386 | -15% |
| USA | 25,305 | 4% | -16% | 30,754 | W10 2022 | 21,948 | W35 2022 | 101,169 | -16% |
| Florida | 4,692 | 6% | -13% | 5,792 | W52 2022 | 2,024 | W39 2022 | 18,460 | -18% |
| California | 2,993 | 10% | -18% | 3,745 | W10 2022 | 2,635 | W51 2022 | 11,936 | -20% |
| Texas | 2,350 | 23% | -12% | 2,734 | W10 2022 | 1,644 | W27 2022 | 8,307 | -13% |
| Europe | 6,303 | 3% | -15% | 12,962 | W27 2022 | 4,995 | W52 2022 | 25,510 | -20% |
| UK | 864 | 7% | -15% | 1,772 | W26 2022 | 735 | W2 2023 | 3,454 | -20% |
| Germany | 754 | -4% | -16% | 1,295 | W25 2022 | 516 | W52 2022 | 3,135 | -12% |
| France | 995 | 6% | -14% | 2,401 | W21 2022 | 764 | W52 2022 | 3,873 | -18% |
| Switzerland | 596 | -7% | -19% | 868 | W21 2022 | 415 | W47 2022 | 2,641 | -17% |
| Italy | 600 | 28% | 7% | 1,855 | W28 2022 | 389 | W52 2022 | 2,236 | -5% |
| Middle East | 580 | -14% | -16% | 1,075 | W50 2022 | 512 | W52 2022 | 2,505 | -7% |
| Africa | 224 | -4% | -6% | 321 | W13 2022 | 160 | W35 2022 | 947 | -2% |
| Asia | 604 | -7% | 4% | 1,015 | W50 2022 | 407 | W30 2022 | 2,420 | 9% |
| South America | 43 | 19% | -19% | 83 | W45 2022 | 13 | W24 2022 | 170 | -10% |
Even smaller markets like the Middle East, Africa, and Asia all saw declines in fractional and charter flights over the past four weeks.
What do these numbers mean?
WingX Managing Director Richard Koe says, “March 2022 was the record peak in business aviation activity, reflecting the pent-up demand as the pandemic faded and lockdowns were released. So, it’s not a great surprise to see lower YOY activity. However, with emerging concerns of another global financial crisis, we may well see further softening in business jet usage in the next few months.”
Not all providers are bothered by the dip. “Last year’s levels were operationally unsustainable,” he says.
