AVIATION
TOP PRIVATE JET DESTINATIONS
Consumer behavior is shifting, and passengers are opting to fly privately, thanks to higher perceived safety and overall reliability.
GINA SAMAROTTO
Private aviation has been less affected than commercial. Consumer behavior is shifting, and passengers are opting to fly privately, thanks to higher perceived safety and overall reliability. Business and pleasure flights are rapidly recovering, and the flexibility of this segment will allow one to depart and land in almost any runway in the world. Kyle Patel, CEO of BitLux, a private jet charter company based in South Florida, projects that "the same top private jet destinations prior to today's will reclaim the lead in terms of activity and number of operations, thanks to their strategic locations and infrastructure."
New York via Teterboro Airport
Teterboro Airport is arguably the most common private jet hub in the United States and a top 5 option worldwide. It sits just 12 miles away from downtown Manhattan, a highly coveted destination for business and pleasure travelers. One of the main reasons this terminal ranks first is that almost 99% of its operations are private jet based, resulting in fewer crowds and traffic on the runway. It registers nearly 230,000 operations every year.
Miami via Opa-Locka Executive Airport
Sun, beaches, shopping, and nightlife. South Florida never gets old. Whether for business or pleasure, sunny South Florida is home for global celebrities of entertainment and sports. OpaLocka Executive is the airport of choice for the local jet set and thus accounting for the third most movements in the U.S. It is located 17 miles from Miami Beach, and it registers more than 100,000 private operations yearly.
Los Angeles via Van Nuys Airport
Van Nuys Airport serves the central hub on the U.S. west coast. The Los Angeles area, famous for Hollywood, a keen sports industry and essential business and tech hubs, has a massive demand for executive aviation. The terminal sits 20 miles from downtown L.A. and registers a whopping 170,000 movements a year. Although those numbers are pre-pandemic, charter jet companies are currently seeing the demand for this destination rise.
London via Luton Airport
London, by definition, is one of the top 5 destinations in Europe. When you give private jet passengers the possibility to land at a gold standard private terminal as Luton, the chances are that the executive travelers will rank it even higher. Number one in England, Luton is located 35 miles from the city center, and it is the main hub used from private jet flights from the United States.
Paris via Le Bourget Airport
Europe's most coveted jet hub, Le Bourget, registers more than 50,000 operations a year. It's a very safe bet to estimate that those numbers will recover, mainly thanks to Paris. The city of lights is one of the world's leading destinations, and private jet travelers are always seeking to avoid landing at crowded Charles de Gaulle airport. Le Bourget is also home to the International Paris Air Show, set for June 2021.
Overall, private aviation is better positioned because it allows the passenger to control almost every step of the travel process, granting clients piece of mind and reducing uncertainty.