Many years back, private jets seemed to be the travel extravagance reserved only for the wealthy. This includes businessmen, royal families, celebrities, A-listers, and the minority percentage of travelers. Everyone else who doesn’t have the cash to splurge fly commercial. They have to endure the long lines, the noise of many other travelers, and all other discomforts that come with regular airline travel.
Today, this is no longer the case. Chartered flights are more accessible to anyone willing to pay the extra price. They may not be as expensive, with so many more private plane companies operating. If that excites you, then you could now be looking for chartered flight companies for your next holiday.
Flying on a private jet does come with a lot of perks. Yet we can’t say there aren’t any downsides to it. Knowing both can give you a more informed choice when deciding to book a private flight.
The Pros
1. Luxury
Source: independent.co.uk
For some travelers, the main reason why they book private jets is for the sheer luxury of it. When you fly via chartered jets, you get an experience that’s second to none. There’s the privacy you can’t have on a commercial flight and all the other additional perks. You may check out Stratos and other private charter jet companies to know more about their offered services.
You can expect perfectly polished leather seats, wide legroom, onboard Wi-Fi, top-of-the-line catering services, excellent multimedia, and your own flight attendant at your call. Those are only the beginning of a luxurious and relaxing vacation experience.
If you have any special requests for your flight, those can be made in advance and requested for. On a private jet, you can even go as far as having your wine chilled at your desired temperature.
In reality, you can have a few of those luxurious advantages on a business class or first-class flight, too. Click here to understand more of how even those higher-class travel sections on a commercial plane still can’t compare to the luxury of flying on a private jet.
2. Immense Time Savings
Source: ft.com
Flying on a commercial flight means you’re always in a rush. You have to arrive at the airport a few hours ahead of the flight schedule to make it through boarding and security checks. Depending on the season, the queues can be very long. Flight delays can be common as well, so the travel time is going to be longer than it should be.
For busy travelers or those who just want to have a little more time to take it easy and relax, this is where the advantage of flying on a private jet comes in.
When you’re a passenger of a private jet, you get your own security check and boarding area. You’ll have a private lounge, too. This means you no longer have to arrive at the airport hours before the scheduled flight time. You can be there at least an hour or half an hour early if you want to enjoy the lounge.
Flight delays with chartered flights are also not as frequent, given that you don’t have to share the runway with so many other airplanes. Should there be a delay, the chance of having the next available flight is closer than with commercial flights, when there are so many more passengers to rebook.
3. Private Way To Fly
Many travelers now are willing to pay a premium for privacy. When you book a private jet, you’re booking it entirely for yourself or your travel group. This is an advantage to enjoy more of your flying experience, with emphasis on safe travel as can be read here. If you don’t want to risk being in the same enclosed space with a hundred or more other travelers, there’s no better choice than to fly privately.
If you’re going on a long-haul journey, flying on a private jet buys you a lot of privacy. You can sleep and do as you please, without worrying about sharing elbow space with the stranger next to you.
The Cons
1. Expensive
Source: internationalbanker.com
The most obvious drawback to flying on a private jet is the cost. They’re a lot more expensive than flying commercial. If it’s going to be your first time flying via a private jet service, you may check this to have an idea of how much you’ll have to spend.
When you travel through a commercial flight, the fare is a computation of the entire flying cost of the airline over the number of seats in flight, plus profits. When you’re on a private jet, there are fewer seats to share the cost with. You can either fly alone, or with an entire group of colleagues, friends, or family members. This means the entire cost of the flight has to be shouldered by the number of people on board.
On top of that, all the luxurious services in a private jet are also accounted for.
However, this disadvantage becomes immaterial when you’re able and willing to pay for the extra cost. If spending extra isn’t a problem for you, then private jet travel is the best flying option for you.
2. More Affected By The Weather
Source: globeair.com
Private or chartered flights fly on smaller aircraft than commercial flights with at least 200 passengers. This size difference makes private jets more susceptible to bad weather. This means cancellations and delays due to weather constraints are more frequent with private jets than with commercial flights.
There’s a remedy to this, however. If you’re keen on flying privately, choose a good season. Take time to go through weather reports of your destination and arrival locations, so you can book during long, dry, and good weather.
If you insist on traveling during a possibly rainy and snowy season, then at least book your chartered flight on an early morning schedule. Should there be bumps or delays, there’s still that higher likelihood of getting a flight on the very same day
Final Thoughts
If you’re the type of traveler willing to cash in some extra for more legroom and convenience, flying business class isn’t your only choice. Why not take the vacation a notch higher by booking a private jet instead? Learn about the most luxurious private airport here.
There are perks to it, and also a few disadvantages. Yet a few bumps along the way compared to the more stressful experience in regular airports are worth it. If you’re looking to make an informed choice, the pros and cons presented here can be your best resource. Now it’s on you to decide which of these apply to you as a traveler.
