Private jet flight activity is booming in South America and Africa. However, the month’s numbers are less than a bad week in Texas.
The first four weeks of 2024 are done, and global private jet flight activity (240,323 segments) was 5% below 2023’s numbers, according to the latest WingX data.
For the week ending Jan. 28, 2024, worldwide private jet flights (60,483 segments) were up 3% from Week 3 but down 4% year-over-year.
In the critical U.S. market, total private flights (168,754) were down 6% for the year’s first 28 days, even though the most recent week (42,578 flights) was just 4% down year-over-year.
Europe started 2024 with a 4% deficit (31,288 flights) compared to 2023, including a 6% drop in Week 4 with 8,336 shipments, just slightly less than California and Texas combined.
Bright spots so far are Africa (+12%), South America (+8%), and the Middle East (+4%).
However, it is based on small numbers, with slightly under 14,000 segments over the trailing four weeks.
Market | Week 4 | %Change vs. prior week | %Change vs 2023 | 52-week high | Week | 52-week low | Week | Last 4 Weeks | %Change vs YOY |
Global | 60,483 | 3% | -4% | 76,521 | W26 2023 | 58,018 | W52 2023 | 240,323 | -5% |
North America | 46,893 | 3% | -4% | 60,279 | W46 2023 | 41,108 | W27 2023 | 188,375 | -6% |
USA | 42,578 | 4% | -5% | 55,178 | W46 2023 | 37,073 | W27 2023 | 168,754 | -6% |
Florida | 6,927 | 0% | -5% | 9,174 | W8 2023 | 3,628 | W35 2023 | 28,619 | -5% |
California | 4,397 | -1% | -5% | 5,658 | W46 2023 | 3,463 | W27 2023 | 17,728 | -3% |
Texas | 4,366 | 2% | -10% | 6,036 | W46 2023 | 3,335 | W27 2023 | 18,090 | -5% |
Europe | 8,366 | 0% | -6% | 16,289 | W26 2023 | 6,446 | W52 2023 | 31,288 | -4% |
UK | 1,052 | -5% | -6% | 2,014 | W28 2023 | 876 | W52 2023 | 4,176 | -4% |
Germany | 1,118 | 7% | -11% | 1,623 | W24 2023 | 550 | W52 2023 | 3,670 | -11% |
France | 1,215 | -1% | -19% | 2,653 | W26 2023 | 918 | W52 2023 | 4,549 | -10% |
Switzerland | 731 | -25% | -6% | 1,030 | W7 2023 | 539 | W44 2023 | 3,235 | 0% |
Italy | 719 | 4% | 8% | 2,264 | W28 2023 | 483 | W52 2023 | 2,489 | 1% |
Middle East | 1,193 | -7% | -3% | 1,671 | W6 2023 | 1,058 | W52 2023 | 5,003 | 4% |
Africa | 774 | -4% | 3% | 991 | W50 2023 | 663 | W38 2023 | 3,149 | 12% |
Asia | 2,451 | -1% | 0% | 2,483 | W3 2024 | 1,794 | W52 2023 | 9,687 | -1% |
South America | 1,316 | 2% | 10% | 1,532 | W1 2024 | 1,239 | W29 2023 | 5,513 | 8% |
Source: WingX for Private Jet Card Comparisons. Includes Jets and VIP Airliners.
For private jet charter and fractional operators, the first four weeks (126,102 segments) were down by 3% compared to 2023.
U.S. charter and fractional operators saw a 4% drop with 99,172 segments.
Week 4 (22,491 flights) was just 2% below 2023.
Market (Part 91K & Part135) | Week 4 | %Change vs. prior week | %Change vs 2023 | 52-week high | Week | 52-week low | Week | Last 4 Weeks | %Change vs YOY |
Global | 30,789 | 1% | -3% | 40,375 | W26 2023 | 29,868 | W2 2024 | 126,102 | -3% |
North America | 23,881 | 1% | -2% | 30,954 | W46 2023 | 21,649 | W27 2023 | 99,117 | -3% |
USA | 22,491 | 2% | -2% | 28,235 | W46 2023 | 20,505 | W27 2023 | 99,172 | -4% |
Florida | 4,057 | 2% | 1% | 5,792 | W52 2022 | 1,958 | W35 2023 | 16,811 | -2% |
California | 2,749 | -1% | -2% | 3,480 | W46 2023 | 2,253 | W27 2023 | 11,214 | -3% |
Texas | 1,937 | 3% | 2% | 2,496 | W46 2023 | 1,404 | W27 2023 | 8,108 | 1% |
Europe | 5,980 | -1% | -9% | 12,171 | W27 2023 | 5,313 | W52 2023 | 23,037 | -4% |
UK | 765 | -7% | -9% | 1,516 | W28 2023 | 731 | W2 2024 | 3,137 | -6% |
Germany | 752 | 10% | -17% | 1,179 | W24 2023 | 432 | W52 2023 | 2,545 | -13% |
France | 875 | -3% | -23% | 1,943 | W48 2023 | 716 | W52 2023 | 3,388 | -10% |
Switzerland | 565 | -17% | -6% | 776 | W7 2023 | 411 | W47 2023 | 2,452 | -2% |
Italy | 579 | 4% | 8% | 1,847 | W28 2023 | 422 | W52 2023 | 2,019 | 2% |
Middle East | 605 | -6% | -4% | 1,057 | W35 2023 | 596 | W13 2023 | 2,579 | 6% |
Africa | 290 | 1% | 43% | 341 | W17 2023 | 180 | W04 2023 | 1,133 | 26% |
Asia | 578 | 1% | 1% | 733 | W11 2023 | 443 | W31 2023 | 2,498 | 5% |
South America | 46 | -15% | 39% | 91 | W1 2024 | 18 | W22 2023 | 250 | 34% |
Source: WingX for Private Jet Card Comparisons. Includes Jets and VIP Airliners.
Week 4 numbers for European charter and fractional operators (5,980 segments) were 9% under the same period in 2023.
However, the month’s 23,307 flights were just 4% below last year.
So far in 2024, South America (+34%) and Africa (+26%) have seen the biggest surges.
Alas, during the past four weeks, that was just 1,133 segments within and originating from Africa and 250 for South America.
That’s slightly less than the worst week for Texas (1,404 segments) in the past 52 weeks.