Renting a private jet is simply a practical and efficient way to fly, saving time and often saving money. Despite myths perpetuated by the industry, you don’t need huge wealth or status to fly on a private jet.
The cost of renting a private jet is determined by the size and type of aircraft, and the number of flying hours. Charter rates can start at around $1500 per flying hour and go up into five figures dependent on the jet you rent. It’s now possible to pay for a seat on a rented jet, reducing the price even further.
Flying on a private jet was once considered the realm of the super wealthy and super famous. That’s changed. It’s easier than ever to rent a jet. Here are 25 reasons why you should.
Understanding the possibility is always a good place to start. You don’t need to own a Ferrari, have your own MTV show, or feature in a celebrity gossip column once a week. You don’t even need to own a home. Private air charter is for everyone when it’s on a pay as you fly basis.
With fractional jet ownership you spend six figures and own a sixteenth of a jet. With a jet card you pre-pay for a set number of flying hours, with entry-level private jet cards starting around $50,000. But to charter a plane all you need to pay for is the cost of the flight. Take off here and touch down there - why pay for anything more?
As good a reason as any to rent a plane. It’s holiday time and it’s a long weekend. So who do you fly with? Anyone you want to invite. And where do you fly to? Anywhere you want.
Commercial airlines have set schedules flying in and out of major airports. With a commercial flight you can choose from around 10% of the total US airports. Of course, getting there often requires one or two layovers. Rent a plane and there are almost 5000 airports to fly to in the US. Multiply that figure when flying international.
While stories of luxury private jets suggest an inaccessible world, some private jets start at just $1000 per flying hour. For a seven-seat light jet that may be more like $4000 - 5000 per flying hour. Divide that by the number of seats and it’s around $700 per person. For many routes it’s a similar price to fly private as it is to fly business class on a commercial airline.
Just make sure you call up and explain that you are going to be late - it’s a little rude to leave the captain waiting, plus the captain will need to rework landing times with the destination airport. Rent a plane and it’s your charter, so it’s not going to take off without you.
Okay, so $15k for the first year and then $11k for every year after that. Come on people, it’s not some country club that still refuses to allow ladies into the lounge. It’s the simple case of needing to travel from A to B. So why the memberships? They are not necessary. It’s easy to rent a jet on a pay as you fly basis.
Welcome to a world of possibility. Anywhere you want to go. Anywhere.
Well, maybe not a pet camel but little Fido can climb on board, or whatever it is you call your cat, dog, rabbit, snake or hamster. With a private air charter it’s possible to take pets on board, as long as the operator has some advance notice.
You know that really annoying feeling when every flight you look at just isn’t quite right. Too early. Gets there too late. Not enough connection time. So how about departing exactly when you want instead? If you’re renting a jet then you decide when to take off.
Charter flights usually depart from a private part of the airport, a facility known as a FBO. So passengers don’t need to brave the queues and crowds (and terrible coffee) of a commercial terminal. Some FBOs even allow you to drive a car straight up to the plane.
For so much, read soooooo much. Forget about taking off your shoes, removing your belt, and queuing to be intrusively patted down by somebody with peculiar body odor. You’ll be in the air within moments of arriving at the airport.
As good a reason as any for renting a private jet.
Private jets are more flexible in their roots and where they can land. So if inclement weather is delaying flights at one airport, the pilot can file a new flight plan and land somewhere that remains open. Delays are minimal and there’s no hanging around crowded terminals waiting crackling PA announcements.
More fatalities occur on commercial flights than on charter flights. Compare accident rates per hour of flying and the stats are very similar - ultimately, flying is very safe and many FAA Part 135 operators have a zero-incident history.
Remember that really overweight dude. The one with the bad breath. Yes, that one seated next to you on a transatlantic flight. Rent a private jet and you can choose who you fly with.
WIth FBOs and streamlined security there’s no need to waste two hours in an airport. There’s not enough time in a day to be wasting two hours every time you check in to fly. Do what you need to do then turn up just 15 minutes before departure. And see #6 if you are going to be late.
It’s easy to get private jet tickets to the Super Bowl, Augusta Masters, or Kentucky Derby. Or to any other sporting event for that matter. Fly to a nearby city for a local derby showdown then fly back. Or follow your team across the country and be back in time to catch the late kick off on Fox.
When booking a taxi do you pay for 15 hours before getting picked up for your first ride? No. But that’s how jet cards work. Rather than flying from A to B you must pre-pay for a set number of hours. It’s cheaper than that to rent a private jet. Just pay for the flights you take rather than committing to a jet card.
Rent a jet and there aren’t any layovers. You always fly direct and you choose from more than 4000 airports in the US alone. There’s a popular myth that commercial airlines can fly faster than private jets. The reality is that private jets travel at a similar speed. But that comparison is irrelevant. The flexibility of flying direct to smaller airports is the real time saver, especially when you are flying to out of the way destinations. With commercial airlines you’re forced into a hub and spoke model, with most scheduled flights going in or out of the hub. Sometimes you must first fly northeast to end up southwest. But with a private air charter you can fly direct between the two most distant spokes.
All private jets are a little different but most now offer Wi-Fi and phone connectivity at 30,000 feet. Or at 51,000 feet if you’re renting a Gulfstream aircraft.
Charter operators are not permitted to split the cost of a charter. It’s illegal for them to sell individual seats, something that’s part of the FAA regulations that govern all aviation in the US. However, a platform like Airvel has made it possible to split the cost of a rented jet with others. You pay for your seat and send invites to friends and family. They pay for their seats. When every seat has been paid for the aircraft is chartered. So that $4900 private jet flight for a college football game starts sounding like even better value when it’s only $700 per seat.
Search for flights between any two US destinations and the actual flying time doesn’t vary that much. It’s the door-to-door time that makes all the different. Renting a private jet means using smaller airports and never having a layover (#20). FBOs (#11) and security (#12) mean arriving just 15 minutes before take off (#17). Ground transfers are significantly shorter. What was an eight-hour journey can be completed in just two. And when you calculate all the time saved renting a jet comes in at increasingly compelling value.
It’s all done in one click. With proprietary technology Airvel provides prices and aircraft for flying between any two destinations in the US, as well as worldwide. Comparing aircraft helps you select what is best for you, for that particular flight. Airvel offers an unfiltered aircraft choice. What’s best for one situation may not be best for another, so you can pick and choose based on what you need. With a single search you also receive transparent pricing for all available aircraft. Compare costs side by side and charter the plane that meets your needs.
Renting a private jet was positioned as the realm of celebrities and fat cats. Airvel is changing that. It’s the world’s leading marketplace for private air charter, responsively matching supply and demand. You get more choice, you get better deals, and operators get more charter hours out of their jets. Airvel operates on a pay as you fly model and offers a $500 discount on your first flight. The Customer Experience team provides a 24-7 concierge service, so while technology drives the website, there’s always somebody looking out for you and your flight.