The luxury of private jets is the time you save, not a gold-plated bathroom fitting or an opulent leather seating arrangement. Private jets simply take you from A to B, with a minimal amount of fuss and a maximum amount of time saved.

The Luxury of Private Jets is Saving Time

“We’re just removing their baggage, then we’ll be on our way.” Sound familiar?

Their baggage! Cue hysterical tuts, audible groans, and a passenger besides you repeatedly punching the in-flight magazine.

Somebody didn’t board the plane. Now everybody has to wait while ground crew locate the passenger’s baggage, then remove it from the plane. Next a further delay. The aircraft missed its slot. Cabin crew put on their cheeriest possible voice to inform you that the flight will probably take off next Tuesday, “providing their aren’t any other delays.”

Surely there is another way to fly?

And of course there is. You could fly on a private jet. But isn’t that highly luxurious and expensive? No.

Popularized media and long-lasting stereotypes would have you believe that luxury private jets are for the rich and famous, those who buy jets as a status symbol. Modern developments mean the majority of people can charter a plane and get the best deals. So while the photos suggest glitterati and opulence, the luxury of private jets isn’t a customized interior. It’s all those hours saved.

Delays - Commercial Flights vs Private Jets

Delays are an obvious pitfall of flying on commercial airlines. Everyone has experienced them. The cheery voice informing that “we’ll soon be on our way.” Then the cheery voice informing that you must disembark this plane and board a different plane. Perhaps also the less than cheery voice that informs you that the flight has been cancelled, then, as if to make everything okay, “we are sorry for any inconvenience caused.” Inconvenience! The corner bakery running out of bread is an inconvenience. An Uber cancelling on you is an inconvenience. The flight being cancelled is an outright nightmare.

But it doesn’t happen that often right? One in five United Airlines flights were delayed from June 2017 to May 2018. Jetblue make it on time just seven times out of ten. 58.4% of Air Inuit flights are delayed. Alaska Airlines have the best on-time performance of all US airlines, coming in at 84.1%. That gives them a four-star OTP rating, even though one in six of their flights are delayed. So even when you’re flying on the most reliable airlines, a sixth of your flights will be delayed.

Private jets are also delayed because the passenger didn’t turn up on time. But that passenger is you, the person who chartered the plane. Naturally, the plane doesn't take off until the person who chartered it has turns up. There aren’t any stats on on-time private jet performance, but in all the time Airvel has been operational we can count the delays on a single hand. For perspective, an average of 1277 American Airlines flights are delayed every single day - and they’re a three-star performer.

Luxury Private Jets Fly From FBOs

The great luxury of flying private is taking off and landing at an airport FBO. Almost all private jets use FBOs, whether they are executive jets, business jets, or seriously opulent private jets. FBOs are private airport terminals that handle private jet flights. Think of them as being similar to a first-class lounge, except they have all their own processes, such as check in, security, customs and everything else. They are small and completely private, so you don’t need to step foot in the commercial terminal. And that is a real luxury. When you fly private it’s not just the jet you fly on, it’s the terminal you use, and all the time this saves.

Luxurious Private Jets - Adding Up the Time Saved

One luxury of private jets is turning up 10 - 15 minutes before departure, rather than the two hours required by commercial airlines.

Check In

Arrive at the airport two hours before departure. Check. Now, queue up for the check-in desk, even though you have already spent 30 minutes using a malfunctioning app or website to check in online. You battled through the app, ignored all the extra services being offered, didn’t pay $35 just to choose your seat, and now you have to queue up with everyone who didn’t even check-in online. After shuffling forward for 30 minutes you’ve handed over the luggage.

Magazines and click-bait articles will tell you all about the interiors of luxury private jets. We think the real luxury is something completely different. It’s maximizing the time saved. It’s your charter abd you depart through a FBO, so it only takes a moment to check in and hand over your luggage.

Security

Now security. Shuffle, shuffle, shuffle, waiting behind all those people who seem to take three hours putting their liquids into a plastic bag. Finally, laptop out of the bag and you’re moving through the security system like a pro. Wait a second! You did everything requested but a different security officer doesn’t like your shoes. And what’s this! It takes five minutes just to repack everything, put your belt and shoes and jacket back on, then work out which direction to turn.

Private jet flights are subject to similar security requirements as commercial flights. But through the use of FBOs the process is streamlined. Most passengers find they have already passed security before knowing it has happened. Like check in, it really does only take a minute, and that’s the luxury of private jets.

Customs and Immigration

More queuing. More wasted time. That’s on a commercial flight. The luxury of private jets is that they take off from FBOs, private terminals with their own customs and immigration. There are no other passengers to process, so as long as you’re not breaking any law, you move on in less than a minute.

Getting to the Aircraft

You’ve fought your way through. Now, which gate is it again? E43! Estimated time to E43 is 45 minutes! These big airports are such a blag. Not only are you departing from a gate that’s practically in the next city, the corridors are designed to transport you through as many duty free establishments as possible. Fly Jet2 from Amsterdam to Leeds and the flight time is similar to the time spent walking through the airport.

Of course it’s not busy at the FBO. These private terminals are much smaller, so it rarely takes a moment to walk through and reach the aircraft. At some FBOs you can drive onto the runway and park next to your private jet.

More Queues, More Waiting

Now you’re queuing to get on the plane. And we’re back to the passenger who didn’t show up and forced a delay. Amsterdam Airport has a wonderfully malicious announcer, who names and shames passengers about to miss their flights. It’s a highlight of flying out of AMS, except if the passenger in question is on your flight. Other passengers can’t delay your private air charter, unless they are passengers that you personally invite. In that is the case, grab a drink in the lounge and know that the plane will only take off when your travel partner has arrived.

Private Jets Are Luxurious Because You Can Always Fly Direct

Sometimes it’s not so bad in a commercial terminal. What’s two hours anyway? Is it that bad to queue a little? Take off, eventually, then touch down and...you have to change planes of course. More security, more queuing, double the chance of a delay. Think about it, if one in six commercial flights are delayed (and that's a good performing airline), that means one in three of your two-leg flights don’t show up on time.

But an extra hour or two at the airport is nothing on the time saved by direct routing. Commercial airlines work on a hub and spoke model. The luxury of private jets is flying direct to exactly where you want to go. That’s an enormous time saver. Just think how much you could get done when the flight is three hours total, instead of two hours plus a two-hour layover plus two more hours flying. With a private jet you can fly direct between any two airports, anytime you want to fly. Such convenience is a real modern-day luxury.

Touch Down Closer To Your Destination

You saved time at the airport, you saved time by flying direct, now you save more time because the airport is next to your final destination.

Commercial airlines operate from 400 - 500 US airports. Private jets can utilize thousands. That becomes especially important when your destination is outside a major city. Touch down at regional airports and you might slash ground transport from two hours to 20 minutes. Take off from a small private airport and you save an hour versus flying from a busy international airport.

Private jets can fly anywhere and their luxury is this ability to get you closer.

Time saved upon arrival

There’s always a humorous moment on commercial flights, just after the plane has touched down. Half the passengers stand up, mostly oblivious to cries from the cabin crew. They’ve unbuckled and they’re straining to reach the aisle, so they can reach up, grab their hand luggage, and skip some waiting time. That leaves most of the passengers stood up in their seats, their necks crooked sideways, their frustration visible.

Everyone disembarks the plane. And now you’re waiting again. First immigration. Then the baggage carousel.

Private jets use FBOs. So it’s not just time saved when taking off, it’s all that time saved upon arrival. In most cases you’re out of the plane and into a vehicle within ten minutes. Luggage is easy - it’s only your luggage on board. Customs and immigration is instant. Plus the FBO is small, so there’s no time wasted while walking around.

Private Jets - Why Saving Time is Such a Luxury

You’ve got a family and every hour at home is precious.

You’ve an executive and the shareholders want the best use of your hourly rate.

You have three site visits to do and a private jet means you do them all in one day.

You’re going on vacation for the weekend and a private jet makes it possible.

Luxury is a pleasure obtained only rarely. Saving time is a rare pleasure in a world where everything takes more time than it should, and there really isn't enough time in the day.

Flying on private jets mean you get more day out of your day. Add up the hours saved and it can equate to many days each year. So the question with private jets is how much is your time worth?

Getting the Best Deals on Private Air Charters

Private jets aren’t for the rich and famous. They are for everyone, especially with prices in a similar range to business class commercial flights. Add up all the time saved and private jets come in at increasingly good value.

Airvel is here to help you get the best private jet deals. It’s the world’s leading marketplace for private air charters. Instantly search flights to and from any destination, then compare aircraft, prices, amenities and journey time. You can book and pay online. Or you can do it all over the phone through the Customer Experience team.

Most people are unsure what it would cost to fly by private jet instead of a commercial airline. Just give Airvel a call and we’ll give you prices for a variety of aircraft. We’re here to get you the best deals, because we also don’t like that feeling when the plane is delayed and there’s somewhere you absolutely have to be…