How Much Does a Private Jet Cost? Here’s What to Know

Recently, my family took an Adriatic cruise. It was an extended family affair to celebrate my dad’s 80th birthday. There were 10 of us in our travel party, which involved months of planning to get everyone from point A to point B.

We were booked on the same non-stop commercial flight to Venice. Arriving one day before our cruise departure to allow wiggle room for delays. We booked a luxurious hotel on the Grand Canal and had a few excursions planned, including a gondola tour. Unfortunately, our commercial flight was delayed twice and eventually canceled.

Our party of 10 was automatically rebooked on separate flights with different arrival times and air itineraries. My elderly parents had the longest flight, with two stopovers. My family’s flight was pushed to the following morning, causing us to miss all our excursions, and only just got there in time to board the cruise.

I have traveled enough to know that commercial flight delays and cancelations happen. Heck, you probably have too, or at least you are aware of how common and how bad delays can be. But as I sat waiting at the gate for my rebooked flight to arrive, I thought there must be a better way…

So I started researching commercial flight alternatives. The top search result was private aviation. Interestingly, private flights are increasing in popularity. The options range from owning a private jet to private pay-as-you-fly charters.

So, after doing a bit of research, I figured I’d write this all down so you can have a starting point if you’ure considering flying private. Below, I’ve detailed different options for private jet flights, discussed the ins and outs of owning a private plane, shared some popular private jet models and prices, reviewed the pros and cons of private air travel, and suggested affordable alternatives for flying private.

What is a Private Flight?

First, let’s define what a private flight is. There are two options for air travel: commercial airlines and private flights. When flying commercially, you book individual seats on a commercial airline, like British Airways, Delta, Emirates, or Ryanair.

When flying private, you book the entire aircraft and, in most cases, have the entire plane to yourself. You control the schedule, including departure dates, times, airports, and passengers.

While owning an entire private jet is one option for flying private, it is not the only one. There are various…