Flying private VS flying commercial

During the pandemic, thousands of first or business class travelers have opted for chartering a private jet for their trips as commercial aircrafts were stuck on the ground. Groups of young people also found out they could keep traveling if they shared the cost of a private flight with their friends. And guess what; there has mostly been no coming back to commercial flights.

When you take a commercial flight on first-class or business class, you are already kind of privileged with more comfy seatings, better food, and the upmost attention from the crew compared to the economic class.

But wether you travel on first or economic-class, the aircraft will be leaving at the same date, at the same scheduled time, from the same airport, which means the same constraints than for anyone:

• You have to get to the airport which is probably not the closest one from you;
• You have to be at the airport at least 1 hour before the flight departure;
• You experience the same waiting time when you go through security check and border controls than anyone;
• If you arrive earlier, the aircraft will not leave earlier;
• If you arrive late, the aircraft will not wait for you;
• You will land at another big airport which is probably not the closest one from where you are heading to either.

Let’s now see what a private flight looks like in comparison.

The time when private jets were only for the wealthiest individuals in the world is over. Indeed, flying private can be more accessible than you think and depending on your travel needs, it could even be more interesting than flying commercial.

• Private jets will take you anywhere (40.000 available airports in the world), while commercial aircrafts are authorized to land on approx. 4000 airports only. This way, your departure airport can be literally next door, and the arrival airport can be the one of your choice, closer to your end destination than the nearest commercial airport;
• You can arrive at the airport 5 minutes before the departure time, security check & border controls being a matter of 2 minutes in most cases;
• Don’t wait for your luggages, ever. They boarded with you, they leave the aircraft with you;
• Change the schedule almost as much as you want; there is nothing more flexible than private aviation. And of course, if you arrive late at the airport, your pilots are waiting for you.
• Enjoy first-class service, food & comfort. You can order the food and beverages you want, and you can choose the interior configuration that suits you best (seats, couches, beds, TV, etc.) for your trip.
• Wether you have confidential work to be done onboard or you just don’t want to share your space with people you haven’t chosen yourself, flying private is of course the best option if privacy is what you need.

If you are an Ultra High Net Worth Individual, you probably already fly private at all occasions. If you are not, there are many answers to the above question, especially because there are different types of travelers and needs.

Here are a few examples of occasions when you should absolutely hire a private jet for your trip:

For your demand, honeymoon or Valentine’s day: This is a must-do once in your life with your favorite person on earth. Tell our team you are booking for this special occasion, and we’ll personalize your jet with roses, hearts and chocolates all over the place ♥♥

Is it best to take a commercial or private flight to Burning Man? Our answer is: BOTH.

Going to the Burning Man‘s “Playa” is a real expedition; for you to survive in the desert, you need to bring a huge quantity of water, enough food to eat and share with your neighbors, some gifts, sleeping equipment – like a tent and a mattress – and something to move around – like a little bike. Imagine yourself taking all this with you on a flight from Europe, then on a flight to Reno Airport, then on a bus to Black Rock City… sounds like a nightmare right? This festival is meant to be a dream experience, not a pain in the ***.

If you can’t afford a non-stop private flight from Europe (around $10K), you can fly commercial to San Francisco for a few hundred euros if you book in advance, and then book a private flight from SF to BRC for 500-600€ per person (Little Bird: 4-6 passengers). This way you will land on the Playa directly and get assistance for your luggage.

You say special event, we say special arrangements. So, private or commercial flight?

Let’s say you are organizing your brother’s Bachelor Party in Ibiza, with 5 or 6 friends. Leaving from London, you can find a nice jet with a stewardess for around $2000 per person. Not unattainable, totally worth the experience.

Let us know what special event you are booking for and we’ll make your Birdy special for you ★