Reasons to choose Private Jets over Commercial

Reasons to Choose Private Jets Over Commercial

By Ricky Gomulka

Updated January 11, 2021

Fact Checked By Kevin Bales

When it comes to deciding whether to fly commercial or private, there are many different variables to consider. Here are a few that we have broken down for you on why you should choose flying private vs commercial.

BENEFITS OF FLYING PRIVATE VS COMMERCIAL
Flying private offers unmatched benefits over commercial, including tailored schedules, enhanced privacy, and direct route access, eliminating layovers and reducing travel time significantly.

#1. Cost

One of the first things people think of when they compare private jets to commercial airlines is cost. When it comes to money, there are aspects about private jet charter flights and commercial flights that you’ll want to keep in mind: When you’re traveling alone and buying a single first class seat, you’re paying less than private. On the other hand when you charter a private jet, you’re renting the entire aircraft. For example, if you’re taking a group of friends out of town, or a group of business colleagues to a meeting, all of whom would normally take first class in a commercial aircraft, the prices start to go in favor of the private plane. Additionally, when you factor in all the other perks of flying private? Well, the choice becomes obvious. Related: The Comprehensive Guide to Chartering a Private Jet

COST COMPARISON OF PRIVATE JETS AND COMMERCIAL FLIGHTS
While perceived as costly, private jets can be cost-efficient for group travel, providing a bespoke, luxurious experience with advantages in time-saving, privacy, and direct access to a wider range of airports.

Private Jets Are Safer Than Commercial

#2. Private Jets Are Safer Than Commercial

Private jets are a much safer choice when it comes to air travel, for myriad ways. Let’s look at just a few of them.

IS PRIVATE JET TRAVEL SAFER THAN COMMERCIAL?
Private jet travel is considered safer and more private than commercial flights, offering a personalized experience with stringent safety measures and less exposure to crowds.

Private Terminals

When you’re traveling by private plane, you use a private terminal rather than the public terminal that is full of people and has very few cleaning staff. In the day and age when clean surfaces and scrubbed door handles are a necessity, the private terminal becomes much more attractive. And, in many cases, you can bypass the terminal entirely, having your driver take you right into the hangar and drop you at the plane, so you never have to wait in a terminal at all.

You Choose Who You Fly With

Unlike commercial flights, private jets’ guest lists are determined by the lead flyer. By being able to choose who is on your flight, who is sitting next to you, and whose air you’re going to be breathing, you can rest safely knowing that the people on your flight did not recently come from their sick beds.

The Overall Journey is Shorter, Limiting Your Contact Points

From start to finish, you’re going to be in contact with fewer people. 
  • It starts with your boarding pass: you don’t have one. There’s no ticket agent and there’s no kiosk that other people have already been touching to print out their tickets. 
  • Second, the baggage is handled by one or two people, not dozens, which means not only is your bag safer, but there’s less chance of it being handled by someone carrying a sickness. (And it’s not going to get lost!)
  • Third, there’s never a layover where you’re herded out into the general terminal, touching handrails and sitting in airport chairs. In fact, newer charter jets have extended flight distances that mean you won’t be stopping at all for most flights. Overall, a shorter journey is a safer journey.

More Thorough Cleaning

In addition to having fewer touchpoints, the touchpoints that you do have will be safer, because the standards for cleaning a private jet are much higher than the standards for cleaning a commercial airliner. 

#3. Quality of Service

When it comes to quality of service, a private jet charter cannot be matched–certainly not by first class commercial travel. With flight attendants who are focused entirely on you, with catering that is predetermined according to your tastes and preferences, and with comfort that you can’t get in a commercial plane, the private plane far exceeds that of a commercial flight in regards to quality of service.  The quality of the service starts when your ground transportation drops you off at your plane, bypassing security checks and baggage disputes. You no longer need to wait in long lines, nor travel through a mile of concourse to get to your gate. You arrive directly to the plane and enjoy the comforts of the flight while the baggage attendant takes your luggage from the car, and attends to any other necessities you might have. There’s no waiting, either. Once you’re in the plane, you’re ready to go. You don’t have to wait for other passengers like you would a commercial flight. No need to endure the annoyance of waiting for passengers to clamber past you in first class to get to their coach seats, their bags bumping into your shoulders while they trundle down the aisle. You only wait for the handful of people who are going with you. The flight crew is focused on you and your needs exclusively. You’re in a private jet with your hand-picked fellow fliers, and that means comfort. In Flight Productivity

#4. In Flight Productivity

The biggest boost in productivity is that the flight cuts out all of the waiting time. It leaves according to your schedule. You are not going to be late for the plane because it waits for you, and are not going to lose two hours of productivity in the abovementioned security lines and waiting rooms. If productivity is your concern, you can get all of your executive team on the flight, turn your chairs to face each other, and have a board meeting right there–something you’d never dream of doing in a public plane. You can hash out private details of business plans and brainstorm and go through presentations. Or, if you’re busy on your own, you can relax in the quiet of a private cabin and type away on your computer–without having to worry about needing enough room from the tray in front of you, or the tight spaces that cramp your legs. You can stretch out and work.  Choosing a private jet charter allows you to be in control of your time and your productivity where as a commercial plane limits that control. Flying private vs. commercial allows you to have more freedom with your time and what you are able to accomplish on your flight. 

#5. More Eco-Friendly

We’ve all heard about the mass amounts of carbon that planes pump into the atmosphere, and that’s a legitimate concern. A recent calculation in Forbes showed that private fliers emit less than one tenth the CO2 of a passenger jet, when adjusted for the revenue brought into the economy. Looking at the numbers: air travel generally contributes to 2% of the total carbon emitted into the atmosphere, but private air travel accounts for only 2% of that, or 0.04% of global CO2 emissions. 

Conclusion: Private Jets vs Commercial Airlines

If you’re looking for a flying experience that is safe, productive, faster, and arguably cheaper in some circumstances, private jets offer all of that and more. Flying to your destination city does not need to be a hindrance. You can be invigorated by a productive meeting, or relaxed from a long quiet nap, or full of a delicious meal. The benefits of flying in a private jet far exceed flying a commercial flight. Request a quote to fly with JetLevel Aviation today!