November 30, 2023
Charter operators get more aggressive as demand continues to fall, down 16% compared to 2022.
With 68,543 flights, global private jet flight activity fell 3% week-to-week, 9% below last year’s numbers for Week 12.
Over the past month, worldwide private flights in 2023 were 8% below 2022.
The 48,683 departures were a 2% slip from the previous week and 11% below last year.
Over the past month, U.S. flights are 10% lower than in 2022.
Europe also continued its slide, off 4% week-to-week with 9,632 flights. That’s 8% down from Week 12 last year.
| Market | Week 12 | %Change vs. prior week | %Change vs. 2022 | 52-week high | Week | 52- week low | Week | Last 4 Weeks | % Change vs. 2022 |
| Global | 68,543 | -3% | -9% | 78,503 | W25 2022 | 57,233 | W51 2022 | 277,604 | -8% |
| North America | 53,520 | -2% | -11% | 62,573 | W14 2022 | 43,691 | W51 2022 | 217,896 | -10% |
| USA | 48,683 | -2% | -11% | 57,147 | W14 2022 | 38,832 | W51 2022 | 197,635 | -10% |
| Florida | 7,880 | -7% | -14% | 9,344 | W14 2022 | 3,744 | W39 2022 | 33,125 | -12% |
| California | 4,801 | -4% | -16% | 5,817 | W16 2022 | 4,066 | W51 2022 | 19,515 | -14% |
| Texas | 5,010 | 5% | -11% | 5,797 | W43 2022 | 3,730 | W5 2023 | 20,230 | -10% |
| Europe | 9,632 | -4% | -8% | 17,608 | W26 2022 | 6,648 | W52 2022 | 38,095 | -8% |
| UK | 1,271 | -11% | -16% | 2,336 | W26 2022 | 982 | W52 2022 | 5,139 | -10% |
| Germany | 1,332 | 3% | -5% | 1,915 | W26 2022 | 651 | W52 2022 | 5,002 | -5% |
| France | 1,339 | -18% | -19% | 3,032 | W21 2022 | 1,011 | W52 2022 | 5,839 | -10% |
| Switzerland | 685 | -18% | -21% | 1,209 | W21 2022 | 549 | W47 2022 | 3,176 | -12% |
| Italy | 865 | 9% | 6% | 2,357 | W28 2022 | 511 | W52 2022 | 3,110 | 1% |
| Middle East | 1,263 | -12% | -13% | 2,173 | W50 2022 | 984 | W52 2022 | 5,461 | 3% |
| Africa | 780 | -10% | -9% | 876 | W19 2022 | 622 | W2 2023 | 3,083 | 1% |
| Asia | 2,436 | -10% | 3% | 3,269 | W50 2022 | 1,786 | W32 2022 | 10,211 | 17% |
| South America | 1,565 | 13% | 20% | 1,490 | W6 2023 | 1006 | W29 2022 | 5,917 | 23% |
Charter and fractional operators fared no better.
Their 32,955 flights last week were a 6% week-to-week drop and 17% down from 2022’s record levels.
U.S. charter and fractional segments dropped 4% from week 11, putting them 16% under last year.
In Europe, the 6,351 departures were 17% under 2022.
| Market (Part 91K & Part135) | Week 12 | %Change vs. prior wk | %Change vs .2022 | 52- week high | Week | 52- week low | Week | Last 4 Weeks | %Change vs. 2022 |
| Global | 32,955 | -6% | -17% | 41,552 | W25 2022 | 31,174 | W51 2022 | 135,232 | -16% |
| North America | 25,710 | -5% | -17% | 32,327 | W14 2022 | 22,967 | W35 2022 | 105,878 | -16% |
| USA | 24,161 | -4% | -16% | 30,511 | W14 2022 | 21,948 | W35 2022 | 98,935 | -17% |
| Florida | 4,279 | -7% | -18% | 5,792 | W52 2022 | 2,024 | W39 2022 | 17,970 | -18% |
| California | 2,833 | -3% | -21% | 3,678 | W16 2022 | 2,635 | W51 2022 | 11,473 | -21% |
| Texas | 1,979 | -6% | -22% | 2,494 | W42 2022 | 1,644 | W27 2022 | 8,340 | -16% |
| Europe | 6,351 | -6% | -17% | 12,962 | W27 2022 | 4,995 | W52 2022 | 25,556 | -16% |
| UK | 832 | -15% | -26% | 1,772 | W26 2022 | 735 | W2 2023 | 3,496 | -18% |
| Germany | 810 | 1% | -17% | 1,295 | W25 2022 | 516 | W52 2022 | 3,153 | -14% |
| France | 904 | -18% | -26% | 2,401 | W21 2022 | 764 | W52 2022 | 3,958 | -17% |
| Switzerland | 496 | -18% | -28% | 868 | W21 2022 | 415 | W47 2022 | 2,342 | -20% |
| Italy | 655 | 13% | 1% | 1,855 | W28 2022 | 389 | W52 2022 | 2,309 | -4% |
| Middle East | 541 | -19% | -33% | 1,075 | W50 2022 | 512 | W52 2022 | 2,456 | -16% |
| Africa | 242 | -22% | -15% | 321 | W13 2022 | 160 | W35 2022 | 1,008 | -2% |
| Asia | 576 | -19% | -19% | 1,015 | W50 2022 | 407 | W30 2022 | 2,538 | 3% |
| South America | 44 | 13% | -20% | 83 | W45 2022 | 13 | W24 2022 | 162 | -17% |
WingX Managing Director Richard Koe says, “The sharper decline in the U.S. charter market has eroded a substantial amount of the gains compared to pre-pandemic 2019. European bizjet gains compared to 2019 have narrowed to 5%.”
Several charter brokers tell us they look a Wheels Up as a bellwether.
As it bought various operators, Wheels Up, executives said they would continue to keep their wholesale channels open.
However, as demand surged and Wheels Up needed capacity for its members, that stopped.
“They’re quoting again, and they are aggressive,” one broker said, while another added he has seen a similar availability opening in Vista Global’s XOJet fleet.
“I wouldn’t call it a buyer’s market yet. I call it an active market,” noted a third broker.
