Airline and airport disruptions are pushing private jet demand to double-digit gains despite a big drop in Middle East flying.
During week 13 of 2026, global private jet flight activity has increased by 11.3% compared to the same week last year.
It has now been seven weeks since the last year-over-year drop in weekly flying.
According to WingX data, private jets worldwide recorded nearly 81,000 total flights.
This also represents a slight increase of about 2% compared to last week.
So far, in 2026, on a year-over-year basis, the scorecard shows:
The conflict in the Middle East, specifically the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, has driven jet fuel prices to record highs.
As a result, scheduled carriers have been forced to cancel thousands of flights, and fares have increased significantly in recent weeks.
This is also combined with major TSA staffing shortages at major US-based airports.
This has left commercial terminals in disarray in recent weeks.
This has led to a growing number of travelers turning to private aviation for personal or business travel, even as jet fuel prices have risen sharply.
Over the past week, WingX analysts reported a total of 80,921 private jet departures around the world.
Overall, this is an approximate 11% increase year-over-year.
This is also a 2% increase in flights from last week.
So far this year, private jet flights are up about 4.5% compared to the same period last year.
This marks a much larger increase from the 2% achieved over the same period in 2025, compared to 2024.
WingX Analyst Nick Koscinski spoke with Private Jet Card Comparisons about the differences between the commercial and private aviation industries.
Koscinski stated:
‘Now more than a month into the conflict, we’re seeing a tale of two aviations. Scheduled carriers are cutting flights, raising fares, and warning of worse to come, while the business jet trend has been firmly positive through March. The commercial aviation experience has rarely been more chaotic, with soaring fares, gridlocked terminals, and shrinking schedules, those who can afford the alternative are taking it.’
The United States saw a significant 13% increase over last year, recording over 57,000 total flights.
Major markets led this sharp increase.
Florida, California, and Texas each posted double-digit year-over-year increases.
Texas saw a 27% year-over-year increase in weekly flights.
| Market | Week 13 | %Change vs. prior week | %Change vs W13 2025 | 52-week high | Week | 52-week low | Week | Last 4 Weeks (Flights) | %Change vs YOY |
| Global | 80,921 | 2% | 11% | 83,361 | 2025-42 | 64,150 | 2026-01 | 312,589 | 6% |
| North America | 58,824 | 2% | 13% | 61,722 | 2025-42 | 43,464 | 2025-27 | 227,485 | 7% |
| USA | 57,313 | 2% | 13% | 59,939 | 2025-42 | 41,967 | 2025-27 | 221,728 | 7% |
| Florida | 9,785 | 0% | 19% | 10,123 | 2026-08 | 4,381 | 2025-33 | 38,103 | 10% |
| California | 5,440 | -4% | 11% | 6,086 | 2026-07 | 3,905 | 2025-27 | 22,310 | 11% |
| Texas | 6,426 | 14% | 27% | 6,706 | 2025-47 | 4,036 | 2025-27 | 23,475 | 10% |
| Europe | 9,776 | 2% | 10% | 16,231 | 2025-28 | 6,574 | 2026-01 | 37,940 | 5% |
| UK | 1,448 | 0% | 11% | 2,290 | 2025-28 | 934 | 2026-01 | 5,580 | 4% |
| Germany | 1,202 | -6% | 0% | 1,692 | 2025-22 | 541 | 2026-01 | 4,678 | 0% |
| France | 1,335 | -7% | -3% | 2,900 | 2025-28 | 1,073 | 2026-01 | 5,660 | -1% |
| Switzerland | 788 | -2% | 13% | 1,082 | 2026-04 | 545 | 2025-16 | 3,123 | 7% |
| Italy | 1,096 | 5% | 26% | 2,560 | 2025-26 | 571 | 2026-01 | 4,126 | 21% |
| Middle East | 875 | 4% | -41% | 1,850 | 2025-20 | 750 | 2026-11 | 3,603 | -32% |
| Africa | 835 | 9% | 7% | 1,060 | 2025-48 | 611 | 2025-39 | 3,139 | -1% |
| Asia | 2,569 | 13% | 7% | 2,780 | 2025-49 | 1,865 | 2025-19 | 9,659 | 3% |
| South America | 2,882 | 5% | 24% | 3,080 | 2025-51 | 1,724 | 2026-01 | 10,930 | 17% |
Source: WingX for Private Jet Card Comparisons. Includes Jets and VIP Airliners.
Europe also saw a double-digit year-over-year increase, recording about 10% more flights than last year.
Major markets in the country led this increase.
The UK, Switzerland, and Italy each saw increases of over 11%. Even so, private jet travel remained stagnant in Germany, and France saw a slight drop.
Compared to last week, Europe saw about 2% private jet flights. However, the UK, Germany, France, and Switzerland each saw slight drops.
Unsurprisingly, private jet travel in the Middle East has continued to struggle.
However, the Middle East only accounts for about 1% of global private jet departures.
Overall, the region only saw 875 total flights.
This was a 41% drop compared to the same week last year.
The Middle East also saw a 14% year-to-date drop in private jet travel.
| Market (Part 91K & Part 135) | Week 13 | %Change vs. prior week | %Change vs W13 2025 | 52-week high | Week | 52-week low | Week | Last 4 Weeks (Flights) | %Change vs YOY |
| Global | 40,063 | 1% | 11% | 42,685 | 2025-42 | 33,093 | 2026-03 | 155,565 | 6% |
| North America | 31,178 | 1% | 13% | 33,362 | 2025-42 | 24,493 | 2025-27 | 120,864 | 7% |
| USA | 30,619 | 1% | 14% | 32,664 | 2025-42 | 23,815 | 2025-27 | 118,666 | 7% |
| Florida | 5,657 | 0% | 18% | 5,733 | 2026-08 | 2,355 | 2025-33 | 21,910 | 9% |
| California | 3,487 | -4% | 11% | 3,961 | 2026-07 | 2,607 | 2025-27 | 14,154 | 10% |
| Texas | 2,848 | 11% | 31% | 3,002 | 2025-47 | 1,854 | 2025-27 | 10,627 | 12% |
| Europe | 6,317 | 0% | 5% | 11,686 | 2025-28 | 4,854 | 2026-02 | 24,636 | 0% |
| UK | 930 | 0% | 0% | 1,635 | 2025-28 | 729 | 2026-06 | 3,613 | -2% |
| Germany | 696 | -9% | -2% | 1,125 | 2025-22 | 403 | 2026-01 | 2,811 | 1% |
| France | 879 | -5% | -3% | 2,172 | 2025-28 | 715 | 2026-02 | 3,677 | -5% |
| Switzerland | 594 | -3% | 13% | 745 | 2026-07 | 407 | 2025-16 | 2,340 | 4% |
| Italy | 716 | 1% | 9% | 1,918 | 2025-27 | 426 | 2026-01 | 2,738 | 8% |
| Middle East | 389 | -6% | -44% | 1,049 | 2025-35 | 387 | 2026-11 | 1,810 | -25% |
| Africa | 193 | 25% | -4% | 280 | 2025-48 | 149 | 2026-09 | 731 | -1% |
| Asia | 396 | 40% | 38% | 396 | 2026-13 | 198 | 2025-29 | 1,281 | 14% |
| South America | 47 | -32% | -25% | 84 | 2026-09 | 32 | 2025-19 | 203 | -20% |
Source: WingX for Private Jet Card Comparisons. Includes Jets and VIP Airliners.
Elsewhere in the world, Africa and Asia each saw a year-over-year increase of about 7%.
South America saw the largest year-over-year increase, recording 24% more flights than the same week last year.
Fractional and charter operations around the world also saw a significant year-over-year jump, recording over 40,000 flights over the past week.
This represents an 11% increase, similar to the global private jet market.
The US saw a 14% year-over-year increase, recording over 30,000 total flights, representing over 75% of the total market.
Texas led the way, recording 31% more flights year over year. However, Florida and California, other major markets, also saw double-digit increases.
Part 91K and Part 135 operations also increased year over year in Europe.
The region saw 6,317 total flights over the past week, representing a 5% increase.
Switzerland saw the largest year-over-year increase of about 13%.
However, Germany and France both saw slight drops.
Compared to last week, fractional and charter operations in Europe remained relatively flat, with Germany, France, and Switzerland each seeing week-over-week decreases.
The Middle East also saw a significant year-over-year drop, as expected.
The region saw only 389 total flights, 44% fewer than last year.
Asia, on the other hand, saw nearly 400 flights, representing 38% more fractional and charter flights than the same week last year.
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