We’re 35,000 feet over the French Riviera, watching the sea sparkle like it’s showing off. Below, yachts are anchored, and I’m sipping champagne, which feels a bit cliché, but here we are. Flying from London to St. Tropez on a private jet, you start to see why the wealthy are hooked, despite the price and environmental impact. But let’s cut through the luxury fluff.
Leona Qi from Vista US notes that not all private jet travelers are sipping bubbly en route to the Côte d’Azur. Many are headed to meetings in the Midwest for IPO deals. Here’s what this really means: For business travelers, it’s about efficiency, not luxury. Without commercial flight constraints, you can hit multiple cities in a day and still sleep in your own bed. Sure, it sounds great, but don’t forget the price tag that comes with it.
Post-Covid, private aviation saw a surge as leisure travelers ditched commercial flights. George Mattson from Wheels Up explains that once people go private, they don’t want to stop. This isn’t the first time we’ve seen this circus. The pandemic altered travel habits, but remote work kept business travel below pre-pandemic levels. That’s changing now with more companies demanding in-person attendance.
Private jet activity has been on the rise, according to WINGX data. VistaJet reports a threefold increase in corporate RFPs from the first half of 2024 to 2025. But it’s not just business travelers. Leisure travelers favor private jets for hard-to-reach destinations like Scotland’s Hebrides or Corsica. Private flights peaked during major events and holidays, setting records over the latest Memorial Day weekend.
The growth isn’t over. Despite the wealth in the US, most households that can afford to fly private don’t. The manual booking process is a hurdle. Whether it’s calling brokers or comparing fractional ownership, it’s often simpler to buy a $10,000 business class ticket. The industry’s addressing this with new tech. Start-ups want to be the “Uber of private jets,” offering real-time pricing without fees. Even Uber’s dabbling with helicopter bookings on the Amalfi Coast.
Delta Air Lines is now connecting business class passengers with Wheels Up charters in Europe. The line between commercial and private aviation is blurring. “Semi-private” carriers like JSX and Aero are selling seats on private aircraft, appealing to those who want a premium experience without buying the whole jet. Tradewind Aviation reports a 33% increase in scheduled service bookings, though private charters are seeing less growth this summer.
Routes are expanding as demand grows. Aero launched a Los Angeles to New York route, catering to business travelers. Wheels Up’s Mattson expects more shifts from business class to private jets. The appeal is simple: save time, save money. But don’t get starry-eyed. This market has seen bubbles before, and while private jets offer convenience, the costs—both financial and environmental—are far from trivial.
