April 25, 2024
A funny thing happened on the way to the downturn: Global private jet flight activity continues its bullish track in the latest WingX data.
Private jet flight activity worldwide was equal to the previous week and just 4% below last year’s record numbers for the week ending Aug. 13, according to WingX.
In Week 32, there were 68,633 departures.
Moreover, during the trailing four weeks, the volume – 282,578 – was 4% under last year.
U.S. private jet segments increased 2% week-to-week with 47,268 takeoffs, 5% below 2022.
The past month saw 190,665 flights, with 4% of last year’s volume.
Europe dragged the overall numbers with 12,335 segments, a 9% week-to-week dip, and the same percentage under 2022 for both the week and past month.
| Market | Week 32 | %Change vs. prior week | %Change vs. 2022 | 52-week high | Week | 52- week low | Week | Last 4 Weeks | %Change vs. 2022 |
| Global | 68,633 | 0% | -4% | 76,521 | W26 2023 | 57,233 | W51 2022 | 282,578 | -4% |
| North America | 51,395 | 2% | -5% | 58,838 | W41 2022 | 41,108 | W27 2023 | 207,485 | -3% |
| USA | 47,268 | 2% | -5% | 55,070 | W41 2022 | 37,073 | W27 2023 | 190,665 | -4% |
| Florida | 4,144 | -3% | -6% | 9,174 | W8 2023 | 3,744 | W39 2022 | 17,334 | -5% |
| California | 4,390 | 1% | -8% | 5,512 | W46 2022 | 3,463 | W27 2023 | 17,619 | -9% |
| Texas | 4,124 | -1% | -10% | 5,797 | W43 2022 | 3,335 | W27 2023 | 17,082 | -5% |
| Europe | 12,335 | -9% | -9% | 16,289 | W26 2023 | 6,648 | W52 2022 | 55,767 | -9% |
| UK | 1,444 | -4% | -10% | 2,140 | W35 2022 | 982 | W52 2022 | 6,473 | -15% |
| Germany | 1,072 | -5% | -15% | 1,858 | W38 2022 | 651 | W52 2022 | 4,830 | -16% |
| France | 1,734 | -11% | -8% | 2,653 | W26 2023 | 1,011 | W52 2022 | 8,232 | -13% |
| Switzerland | 600 | -10% | -24% | 1,039 | W3 2023 | 549 | W47 2022 | 2,801 | -14% |
| Italy | 1,620 | -23% | -7% | 2,264 | W28 2023 | 511 | W52 2022 | 8,023 | -4% |
| Middle East | 1,425 | -4% | -4% | 2,173 | W50 2022 | 984 | W52 2022 | 5,981 | -1% |
| Africa | 757 | -3% | 7% | 987 | W17 2023 | 622 | W2 2023 | 3,100 | 9% |
| Asia | 2,117 | 4% | 20% | 3,269 | W50 2022 | 1,786 | W32 2022 | 8,390 | 13% |
| South America | 1,498 | -2% | 23% | 1,490 | W6 2023 | 1,051 | W44 2022 | 5,598 | 24% |
Charter and fractional operators flew 36,276 segments in Week 32, just 1% down from Week 31 and the same drop from 2022.
Over the past month, the charter and fractional segment accounted for 150,072 segments, again just 1% below last year’s frenetic pace.
The U.S., with 24,818 fractional and charter segments in the week, was 2% ahead of the previous week, flat to last year, and over the past four weeks, just down 1%.
| Market (Part 91K & Part135) | Week 32 | %Change vs. prior wk | %Change vs. 2022 | 52-week high | Week | 52-week low | Week | Last 4 Weeks | %Change vs. 2022 |
| Global | 36,276 | -1% | -1% | 40,375 | W26 2023 | 31,174 | W51 2022 | 150,072 | -1% |
| North America | 26,053 | 2% | 0% | 30,412 | W52 2022 | 21,649 | W27 2023 | 104,073 | 0% |
| USA | 24,818 | 2% | 0% | 29,057 | W41 2022 | 20505 | W27 2023 | 99,281 | -1% |
| Florida | 2,270 | -2% | 1% | 5,792 | W52 2022 | 2,024 | W39 2022 | 9,386 | 0% |
| California | 2,725 | -1% | -9% | 3,410 | W46 2022 | 2,253 | W27 2023 | 10,923 | -8% |
| Texas | 1,788 | 0% | -3% | 2,494 | W42 2022 | 1,404 | W27 2023 | 7,176 | -1% |
| Europe | 9,426 | -9% | -5% | 12,171 | W27 2023 | 4,995 | W52 2022 | 42,876 | -5% |
| UK | 1,057 | -8% | -11% | 1,612 | W35 2022 | 735 | W2 2023 | 4,888 | -13% |
| Germany | 793 | -6% | -11% | 1,223 | W37 2022 | 516 | W52 2022 | 3,570 | -9% |
| France | 1,375 | -10% | -2% | 1,943 | W27 2023 | 764 | W52 2022 | 6,409 | -9% |
| Switzerland | 462 | -12% | -21% | 776 | W7 2023 | 415 | W47 2022 | 2,192 | -11% |
| Italy | 1,303 | -21% | -6% | 1,847 | W28 2023 | 389 | W52 2022 | 6,421 | -2% |
| Middle East | 895 | -3% | 13% | 1,075 | W50 2022 | 512 | W52 2022 | 3,665 | 13% |
| Africa | 226 | -12% | 28% | 341 | W17 2023 | 160 | W35 2022 | 997 | 37% |
| Asia | 503 | 14% | 12% | 1,015 | W50 2022 | 433 | W31 2022 | 1,900 | 6% |
| South America | 40 | 21% | 67% | 83 | W45 2022 | 17 | W38 2022 | 143 | 35% |
I’m right now in the middle of my annual subscriber survey, and as I’ve reported from the preliminary findings, it’s hard to see a reason to be concerned from a demand standpoint.
We may find out that the market, at the end of the day, is quite healthy.
Certainly, there are increasing costs and operational challenges.
What it is beginning to look like is a market of winners and losers.
I hear from subscribers that the earliest delivery slot for a Phenom 300 from NetJets is now early 2025.
WingX shows Flexjet departures, including its FX charter fleet, in August are tracking 24% ahead of 2022.
Nicholas Air is 40% up so far this month.
