No transport matches a chartered flight for flexibility and convenience, which is why it’s a popular way to meet the demands of spur-of-the-moment travel. We look at why last minute travel is happening more often, and how a private plane charter can work for your pocket and schedule.
Private Jet Charter Makes Last-Minute Global Flights Possible
Chartering a private aircraft is meeting the demand for last-minute travel around the world, making spur-of-the-moment air travel more accessible and affordable than ever. No other transportation is as fast and flexible as a charter flight.
Stats for charter planes show that this is an increasingly popular way to fulfill last-minute travel arrangements. Research by the Swedish Avinode Group shows that demand for private flights to all leading North American destinations increased significantly from August 2017 until January 2020, when global restrictions impacted the aviation industry. However, demand for Canadian charter flights is on the rise with the focus on trips to the Caribbean in the summer months, before pivoting back to US and domestic travel.
In April 2022, the number of Canadian online searches for domestic flights was 62% higher than searches for international flights. One of the main reasons why domestic travel is dominating is that it’s much easier to plan a last-minute domestic trip than travel abroad.
So what’s the rush?
Most last-minute travel happens for all the reasons you’d expect. A business crisis that must be averted, a deal pulled off at short notice, or a handful of factories that have to be visited in the space of a week or two.
Leisure and personal reasons usually include weddings, births, deaths, family reunions, competitive league sports or perhaps a discounted weekend break.
Slightly more surprising are last-minute flights to haunted houses, rushing to the latest UFO sighting or hurrying to the location of a favourite celebrity’s next appearance. For whatever reason it’s for, more travellers are now choosing to skip the queues and the crowds by renting a private jet.
Here’s how private jet charter makes last-minute travel a possibility:
How private jet charter expedites last-minute flights around the world
It used to be easy to buy a cheap plane ticket days – or even hours – before departure time. Now the price of a flight is at its lowest on the day it’s made available, and begins to climb as the day of departure approaches. Added to this, many fleets have been grounded since early 2020, and a majority of scheduled flights are being postponed and regular routes cancelled. But life goes on, and schedules can be unpredictable.
Just because you have to purchase a ticket at a few moments’ notice doesn’t mean you have to pay sky-high prices for your seat. There are instances when buying a seat at the last minute is actually cheaper than booking months ahead, or the only way to fly when you need to, wherever you need to go, is with a private jet charter. This is what you need to know before grabbing that last-minute ticket.
Empty legs
Empty leg flights are a great way to save on private air charter. This is an aviation term to describe journeys when a charter plane is flying without passengers.
This happens when passengers are dropped off at their destination and the aircraft returns to its home base empty, or flies empty to another location.
Since every empty seat equals a loss of revenue for air charter operators, empty-leg specials can be an inexpensive way to charter a plane at the last minute. It’s an option that puts private jet hire within reach of people who wouldn’t normally be able to afford this luxury and convenience. It’s deals like these that are making private flight possible, not just for corporate CEOs but for families and individuals who thought jet travel was out of their reach.
Empty-leg specials can shave up to 75% off the cost of a regular charter for last-minute trips. And you could save even more if you are booking for a group. On an empty leg, you’ll be charged for the full flight if you’re the only passenger on board. If the jet can accommodate 12 people, for example, the price of the discounted flight will be divided 12 ways for the group, making cheap, last-minute flights a reality.
A number of aircraft charter operators have followed the lead of hotels and hotel websites by offering last-minute deals and empty legs on private flights. At Air Charter Service, you can either subscribe to an email, sign up for a newsletter, or speak to an empty-legs specialist about your preferred routes and the dates you’re most likely to travel.
The ‘F.A.P.’ flying experience
F is for Fast. If you need to book a last-minute flight, a charter can have you in the air just four hours after booking and payment have been finalized. Bear in mind, though, that for impromptu international flights, certain government-issued permits may be needed, which may take just two hours to issue or as long as 30 days.
A is for Agile. A particularly attractive aspect of private jet travel is the scheduling flexibility and freedom that it allows you. According to a General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) and National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) report, 52% of passengers using this form of travel said the flights they took allowed them to keep business schedules that could not be met efficiently using scheduled airlines or other types of transportation.
P is for Personalized. Renting a private plane means many of the frustrating issues around commercial air travel no longer apply. Private travellers enjoy easy airport parking and check-in, no long security lines, TSA pat-downs or jostling with dozens of other passengers. You won’t have the liquids in your toiletry bag confiscated, either, and if you’re a bit late, a private plane will wait for you. And you haven’t even boarded yet – wait until you see the level of privacy and luxury that can be enjoyed while airborne.
Unmatched accessibility, wherever you’re going
When you rent a private jet, you have access to more than 500 airports and several hundred heliports across Canada. Only about half of these airports service commercial airline flights, while the remainder are relatively small and provide services to 15-person planes.
In fact, the GAMA/NBAA report noted that private aviation pilots said, on average, more than 42% of their destinations were airports with infrequent or no scheduled airline service, and 31% of the flights they conducted in the past year were to destinations that have never had any commercial air service. The same report found that private pilots stopped in more than one place on 42% of their trips. When travelling to multiple destinations locally or overseas, being able to avoid stopovers, connecting flights and a race from one terminal to the other can save many hours – if not days – of travel (and a whole lot of stress besides).
For charities around the world, aircraft charter is a lifeline to communities when natural disasters ground commercial airlines. Private planes can get humanitarian aid and medicines or critical personnel to hard-to-reach places. It’s estimated that around 15,000 humanitarian missions are flown each year.
And let’s just go back to the growing trend of wellness tourism. According to the Global Wellness Institute, the number of wellness tourists is set to “rewrite vast industries”, including the travel industry. It’s expected that this reason for travelling will draw people away from the cities to less touristy locations. For example, many escapism-oriented retreats and nature experiences cannot be easily reached from commercial airports. The trend is likely to see a rising demand for light jets and chartered helicopters, which can easily access these remote places and set tourists down at nearby private airports or airfields.
You’ll arrive well-rested and ready for business or adventure
Flying privately means you can expect a positive pre-departure experience, loads of luggage and leg room, and the comfort of a plush private airplane seat. You can also take your animal companion along, and the food and drinks are something to look forward to. A good night’s sleep while airborne becomes a reality, plus you get to enjoy the latest in-flight entertainment. Although this may seem like a lot of indulgence, spending many uncomfortable hours on a commercial airline when you have business to attend to at your destination or when you’ve spent your hard-earned money on the vacation of your dreams is no joke. On the other hand, reaching your destination without having to sacrifice a single hour to jetlag is priceless.
How to make the most of private jet travel with ACS
When you choose to fly with ACS, you’ll be choosing a private charter with a number of years in the business, who has access to a large fleet so that you can choose the right aircraft for your flight, and who can provide a detailed breakdown of costs.
If you are travelling with a group, the size of your group will determine the type of aircraft you travel on. A larger group can spread the cost of a light to mid-size jet, with even more savings if you are travelling on an empty leg, whereas a smaller group allows you to book a very light and less expensive plane or even a helicopter.
Speak to us about your destination. We may be able to save you time by choosing an airport close by, or advise you to fly to an airport that allows you to travel part of the way using ground transportation.
The next time you need to take a last-minute flight, speak to our team at Air Charter Service (ACS) about the benefits of private plane charter for fast, agile and personalized travel that’s more affordable than you might think.
In a hurry? Get a private jet charter quote as a starting point. You can also talk to us about other options for flexible, cost-effective jet charter, such as our short-haul air-taxi service or our jet card, which offers you a range of benefits unsurpassed by any other product on the private aviation market.