While the high cost of private aviation will always have it remain an extravagance that can be accessed by a very small portion of the population, the use of private jets has been up significantly even as the war in Iran skyrocketed the global price of oil this spring.
According to the latest data from aviation industry tracker WingX, the number of private jet flights around the world was up 11% during the week ending on March 29. That number was, at 57,313 departures, up 13% for flights departing from North America as a growing number of travelers sought out the ultimate luxury of being able to bypass airport lines and charter a flight to a destination of their choosing.
While seemingly controversial given the fact that jet fuel prices are currently at highs unseen since 2022, analysts attribute rising private jet use to the widespread flight cancelations and travel disruptions that left those who normally would not fly private to seek out that route.
How do you order a private jet? This boutique charter company hopes to change that
Individual rides on a private plane have traditionally been ordered by proposing flight and passenger details to a broker.
Regular private private flyers will typically start out by ordering a few flights and, if finding doing so again and again, move on to a jet card membership or fractional ownership of a private jet which gives them access to a certain number of flight hours on a company’s planes.
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Depending on the size and type of aircraft used, flight time in the U.S. typically averages between $1,500 and $15,000 per hour to what will usually amount to approximately $30,000 for a private cross-country trip in the U.S. Due to the high costs and specifics of each case, this is still usually done by phone as the broker works out the details of what the customer wants and proposes prices.
Established in 1995 by aviation entrepreneur Greg Raiff, Elevate Jet recently marked 30 years of offering private flights to sports teams and high net worth individuals with a new app in which travelers can order a ride on a private jet like they would an Uber or other ride-haling service: entering the destinations and dates and choosing from the company’s fleet of planes like the Falcon 7X, Challenger 650 and Gulfstream G200/G650
The app then provides details about different time options, any additional surcharges in the form of airport taxes and necessary fuel stops as well as additional options for transporting pets or a larger-than-standard amount of luggage.
Elevate Jet
“A private jet is a time machine”: Elevate Jet
The regions covered are the same as those included in Elevate Jet’s jet card: the mainland United States and Mexico, the Caribbean and Central America as well as some select destinations in Europe.
“Travelers that regularly fly private know that a private jet is a time machine,” Raiff said of the app. “They save valuable time on every flight but why save time on a private jet just to waste that time talking for hours? It doesn’t make sense.”
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The app is meant to introduce what, in the industry, is often referred to as the “frugal wealthy” to private travel. While some will eventually find that a jet card or fractional ownership makes for a better use of funds, Elevate Jet is hoping that the convenience of an app will serve as an entry point for some travelers.
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