Private jets are experiencing a huge surge in popularity thanks to covid. Once the domain of the uber rich, movie stars and presidents, the (not so) humble private jet is making its way to a runway near you.

And just who is booking these private charter flights?

Groups of families and friends.

While the luxury market (along with almost every other industry) took a huge hit due to Covid-19, the luxury space is predicted to grow exponentially post-pandemic. So, along with luxury cars, clothes and goods, now comes family-friendly travel with a hefty price tag.

Just as you may pool your money to book a bumper long weekend away with your family and friends, people are now joining together to book charter flights and in doing so, spread the costs.

Because after all, which mere mortals among us can afford to charter a private jet for two?

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More Aussies are pooling their money to travel in the comfort of private planes.Source:istock

Why are charter flights and private jets trending?

Private jet travel for families has been on the rise for some time in Australia, and with the appearance of covid, the sentiment for some people is that this type of private jet travel is not only more comfortable, efficient and stylish, but also safer.

Speaking to UK’s The Telegraph, Giles Vickers-Jones, the chairman and founder of SHY Aviation said: “When you travel through a terminal in a commercial airport like Gatwick there are maybe 500 touchpoints.

“When you travel via charter through a private terminal there are around 50. You can go wherever you want when you want from whatever airport you want. You don’t have to wait for an air route to open up. You don’t lose hours in the airport.”

Initially when the pandemic took hold, families were pooling resources to pay for private jets to flee countries experiencing dramatic surges of the virus. But as more and more of the world comes back online and borders start to reopen, families are looking to make up for lost holiday time.

While still very much the domain of high-net worth individuals and families, The Telegraph reports that private jet companies are noticing a broader range of clientele since the pandemic.

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Private jets are no longer solely the domain of the uber-rich.Source:istock

So, how much does it actually cost to charter a private jet?

Charter flight costs are worked out using a number of factors including fuel costs, the number of pilots and crew required, the number of passengers, the distance flown, the size of the plane and aircraft availability.

And unlike a commercial flight, you’ll be paying for the entire aircraft, regardless of whether or not all the seats are filled.

According to Flight Charter, a Melbourne-Sydney trip (or a trip where the distance from origin to destination is 1000km one way) costs around $11,000 for five to 10 passengers in an economy-style cabin. But if you really want to splurge, a first-class aircraft seating 16 people will set up you back $25,000.

With international airline prices tipped to skyrocket after the pandemic, it seems travel by private jet is the future.

It’s not cheap, but boy, can we see the appeal.

This article originally appeared on Delicious Travel and was reproduced with permission

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