Flying visits...a day in the life of the private flyer
- 1 in 10 PrivateFly flights are now for same-day returns - a 40% increase on 2017
- A private jet for the day also saves £1,000 - £2,000 compared to a longer stay
Private jet travel is synonymous with luxury. But that doesn’t (just) mean a private cabin, leather seats and champagne. For many people today, their biggest luxury is time – and how to get more from it. This is reflected in the significant 40% increase in bookings for same-day returns, which the private jet booking service PrivateFly is seeing this year so far.
Customers taking a jet for the day range from leisure flyers jetting off for special events, birthdays and anniversaries, to business travellers avoiding overnight stays. More time at events or celebrations, more presence in the office, or more precious time with family - it's a fact that private jet travel adds many more effective (and enjoyable) hours in a day.
Carol Cork, co-founder and marketing director of PrivateFly, comments: “We have seen a notable upsurge in demand for same-day returns so far in 2018, a trend which looks set to continue over the summer peak. When you fly by private jet, you pick your own flight times, so you make every moment count and create endless possibilities in 24 hours.
“Private jet passengers also enjoy the luxury of time with 15-minute check-ins and seamless security at private jet terminals (FBOs). And the space and privacy on board allows for important business meetings to take place in the air. In total you save several hours on a return trip compared to airline schedules – making same day flights much more viable, to many more destinations.
“Nice Cote d’Azur is proving particularly popular for same-day flights from London this year, and it was our busiest destination overall between May and September last year. This was reflected across the industry, with Nice moving into 2nd place in Europe, thanks to over 34,000 private jet take-offs or landings in 2017. Other popular destinations with our UK clients for day trips include Paris, Bordeaux, Jersey and Guernsey.
“A day return flight by private jet costs less than a longer stay too, as your aircraft stays on the spot and leaves with you the same evening – avoiding the repositioning costs that are factored into a longer return itinerary. For short flights in Europe this means you pay £1,000 - £2,000 less for a day than for an overnight return.”
A typical charter price for a same day return trip from London to Nice with PrivateFly is £10,300 on a 4-seater Embraer Phenom 100, or £12,500 on an 8-seater Citation XLS.
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