New services have brought the price of private air travel down below the £500 mark, with a flight to Geneva possible for as little as £310 per person.
For the vast majority of people, private jets don’t even factor into the equation when booking a holiday, with such extravagance presumed to be the territory of movie stars and Silicon Valley billionaires.
Flying private means no lines for security or customs, flying into a wider range of airports, and flexible departure times, but normally comes at an exorbitant cost.
However, thanks to flight sharing and empty leg booking services, the cost of chartering a private jet is becoming more comparable to business and first class commercial pricing.
A number of companies have sprung up to accommodate those who want to go the extra mile for their holiday or business trip, but don't have the means required to book full price charters.
A private jet to Jersey for four, including a unique "three-course three-venue" Michelin star lunch experience.
One such company is private jet charter website Fly Victor, who offer an empty leg flight booking service.
An empty leg flight is where private aircraft have been booked one way only, so have to make the return flight with no passengers - these flights can then be sold on to others at a discount. Although the departure times aren’t flexible, up to 75pc can be saved according to Fly Victor.
At the time of writing, their website shows 30 available empty leg flights, ranging from as little as £310 per person for a light jet from Geneva to London, up to £1,579 per person from Los Angeles to Hawaii on New Year's Day.
A one way first class commercial flight from Los Angeles to Hawaii on the same day would cost anywhere from £500 to over £1,000 depending on the airline used.
That would mean flying outbound on the chartered flight and returning first class could potentially only cost an extra £500. A traveller willing to fly back in economy could negate the extra cost of the charter aircraft entirely.
Another company offering new ways to access private air travel is Private Jet Club UK, who for an annual membership fee of £248 provide access to a range of shared private jet charters for a member and up to four guests.
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Members request seats on flights, with multiple parties being used to fill up a flight, offering significant discounts compared to the price of a sole charter.
It can by no means be described as cheap, but for those already willing to spend hundreds or thousands on business and first class commercial travel, it represents a feasible way to step into the next tier.
According to Private Jet Club UK’s example pricing, a return flight to Geneva on different days for six people sharing is estimated to cost £1,583 per person – flying there and back on the same day takes it down to £783.
For Nice, the same situation costs £2,000 per person for different day flights, or £1,000 to take a return day trip.
When booking a private flight, be wary of unlicensed or poorly run operators - always ask what certification they hold. At a bare minimum you should expect to see the air operator's certificate (AOC). It's also worth checking the experience of the flight crews used, and looking for any hidden costs that could be added on such as catering.
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