December 19, 2024
New research reveals flyers’ choice between private jets and airlines is based on calculating these benefits versus the extra cost.
Nearly 600 private jet users say the main reasons they fly privately revolve around shortfalls in scheduled airline service.
The responses are from the annual survey to members of Private Jet Card Comparisons conducted between July and September 2024.
The top reason (68.9%) for the respondents’ choosing private jets over airline flights was the door-to-door time savings compared to the airlines.
One subscriber noted, “My choices are driven by whether commercial travel is an efficient use of time versus private, which is only about money.”
“I can afford not having to add extra time at airports and ease with avoiding the crowds one finds at airport terminals,” said another.
The second most significant factor was using more convenient airports (52.0%) compared to scheduled airlines.
“Certain airports are better or are only served by private aviation,” noted one respondent.
“Direct airport-to-airport travel is simply more convenient, stressless, and enjoyable than spending an entire day schlepping through multiple, crowded commercial airports. Add the growing uncertainties of flying commercial due to frequent systems breakdowns,” said another.
| 1. Door-to-door time savings compared to airlines | 68.9% |
| 2. More convenient airports than airline flights | 52.0% |
| 3. No nonstop airline flights | 46.1% |
| 4. Traveling with pets | 37.3% |
| 5. Time savings compared to a long drive in the car | 34.8% |
| 6. Airline schedules don’t meet my needs | 34.0% |
| 7. Traveling with baggage, I would have needed to check | 19.1% |
| 8. Easier connection to/from a scheduled airline flight | 15.0% |
| 9. Traveling with children | 12.7% |
| 10. More productive inflight environment (work or leisure) | 10.4% |
Source: Private Jet Card Comparisons – The Jet Card Report 2024/25
The third biggest factor (46.1%) in paying the premium for private flying was the lack of nonstop flights.
“I can afford it, so why not go from point A to point B more comfortably,” said another subscriber.
Traveling with pets (37.3%) ranked fourth.
However, it isn’t just a choice between airlines and private jets.
34.8% of respondents said they choose private aviation as an alternative to a long drive by car.
Other key reasons include airline schedules not meeting their needs (34.0%) and the ability to eschew checking bags (19.1%).
Some 15.0% of respondents use private jets to connect with scheduled airline flights, while 12.7% said they choose private flying when traveling with children.
10.4% of those surveyed cited a more productive work environment.
Only 11.4% of respondents to the annual survey say they fly privately exclusively, although some cited international flights as exceptions.
“I only use commercial airlines for trips to Europe, etc.,” one subscriber told us.
42.3% of respondents say poor airline and airport experience continues to push them to fly privately more often.
“There is a lack of commercial airline availability and an increasing lack of safety with commercial airlines and crews. There are giant airport crowds, TSA arrogance, a super long distance to gates,” one subscriber summed up.
About 80% of respondents are programmatic flyers – using jet cards, memberships, or fractional ownership.
Other access to private aviation comes through on-demand charter flights (49.2%), private jets they own (9.4%), company jets they use (3.7), and rides on friends’ jets (23.6%).
Respondents typically use at least two different solutions—for example, 51.6% of fractional share owners also use jet cards, and 43.6% use ad hoc charter flights.
7.7% use semi-private or single-seat private jet services.
Jet card user deposits over the past year averaged $278,608.
According to the latest Private Jet Card Comparisons quarterly analysis of jet card pricing, the average jet card price was $10,954 per hour.
Regarding private jet types, 54.7% of respondents use light jets, 39.0% fly in midsize jets, and 23.3% use super-midsize aircraft. 17.5% use very light jets, followed by turboprops (10.6%), and large cabin or ultra-long-range jets (7.4%).
| Aircraft Type Used | Percentage |
| Light Jet | 54.7% |
| Midsize Jet | 39.0% |
| Super Midsize Jet | 23.3% |
| VLJ | 17.5% |
| Turboprop | 10.6% |
| Large Cabin/Ultra-Long-Range | 7.4% |
Source: Private Jet Card Comparisons – The Jet Card Report 2024/25
Based on the data, Private Jet Card Comparisons subscribers spend over $1 billion annually between jet cards and fractional ownership, not including ad hoc charter flights.
According to industry advocacy group Climbing Fast, private aviation in the United States supports 1.1 million jobs and supplies $246 billion in total economic output.
The full survey results will be published in November as part of The 2024/25 Jet Card Report by Private Jet Card Comparisons.
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