As travel by private jet is gaining huge popularity all over the world, there are many interesting facts about this luxurious way of traveling that many people don't know.

Some may debunk myths floating around, others are genuinely interesting facts that will elevate your appreciation for this very important class of service.

Below are 12 facts about private jets that may surprise you!

Private jets could fly out of 10 times as many airports as those that commercial airlines can access. For example, private jets serve over 5,000 airports in the US, as compared to around 500 for commercial jets (Source: NBAA).

In Europe, business aviation can bring passengers in and out of some 1,400 airports, compared to the 500 airports airlines can travel to.

In the entire world, the number of airports accessible to private jets is many times higher than those accessible to commercial flights. And this not even includes all the places accessible by a private helicopter flight!

This factor becomes even more relevant in the case of hostile or very remote areas, a trend that holds true all over the world.

Not only are private jets set up with either HEPA filters or a completely open-air exchange (no filter needed), their cleanliness outperforms commercial airlines on multiple grounds. 

They carry fewer people, have longer downtime between trips (which means they get disinfected more carefully) and will often keep their air exchanges on full blast as soon as passengers get on board – even while the plane is sitting idle or taxiing.

You can read more about the air quality onboard private jets in our detailed article here.

Private jets contribute only 2% of the total carbon emissions from aviation and about 0.04% of the total global emissions. There’s not much more to say – some cast aspersions on wasteful emissions, but it could not be further from the truth.

Both manufacturers and operators are making a conscious decision to further reduce carbon emissions. For example, Gulfstream has been testing sustainable aviation fuels for over 10 years now.

Numerous studies point out the huge economic impact that the private aviation industry has on the economies where private jets operate. Let’s review the numbers for the US, courtesy Forbes magazine:

• Business aviation adds $200+ billion to the economy and adds 1.1 million jobs;
• Over 100,000 workers are involved in private jet manufacturing and maintenance;
• A single airport, Teterboro in New Jersey, supports 15,000 jobs and adds $2 billion through private jet operations and charters;
• Private aviation produces an even more pronounced effect in small towns. Per Forbes, a single business aircraft can add $2.5 million in economic benefits to a town and its airport.
  
  

In Europe, the facts and figures are equally as impressive:

• Business aviation, directly and indirectly, employs some 374,000 people in Europe and generates over 87 billion euros in annual economic output.
• The private/business aviation industry represents 8% of all European air traffic.
• Business aviation connects 1,400 European airports, of which 900 are connected by business aviation operators only.
  
  

(Source: EBAA)

If private jets were just being used by celebrities and C-level executives, the economic impact could never be as large. Interestingly, studies find that over 85% of business travel involves middle managers, staff, marketing and sales personnel, so on and so forth.

The price for those traveling as part of a group of 5-10 people gets pretty affordable, and many companies are aggressive in taking advantage of those synergies. 

A whopping 98% of the US Fortune 500’s most admired companies use private jets. And it goes far beyond the top tier – almost 45% of the companies that use private jets employ less than 500 employees.

Even more interesting is that S&P-listed companies that use business aviation outperform those that don’t by 70%. Those that use private jets produce 23% more sales than those that do not. (US figures by Forbes)

Maybe this is not surprising, but did you know that private jets are the first responders to disaster scenes, from the Australian Outback to the Bahamas and everywhere else on earth?

Life-saving air transportation is provided by private aircraft in the event of public need, such as fire and rescue and medical evacuation services.

Not only do these missions deliver relief and lead rescue missions, there are other humanitarian missions that private jet leasers operate in. For example, the Corporate Angel Network has been working with over 500 companies that use private jets, flying cancer patients whenever empty seats are available. Over 60,000 patients have flown over 40 years of the program.

From ski resorts to beautiful remote beaches, from islands to rain forests and mountains, there are many places that are only accessible via private jets. A few examples include:

Telluride, Colorado, USA  – Conde Nest’s #1 rated US ski resort for many years can be reached through a private jet flight into Telluride Regional Airport (TEX).

La Môle airport in Saint-Tropez, France  – The most beautiful beaches in Saint-Tropez are best accessible via private jet to La Môle airport, instead of the larger commercial airports in Toulouse and Nice.

Courchevel altiport, France  – A mountain airport located in the French Alps right next to the Courchevel ski resort. It provides quick access to some of the world’s best skiing slopes.

London Biggin Hill, UK  – Biggin Hill Airport is located in the London area and provides quick access to some of the most beautiful areas, such as Windsor and Oxford.

Explora Patagonia, Chile – Deep within the Torres del Paine National Park, this fantastic resort can be reached by taking a private jet to the Teniente Julio Gallardo Airport (PNT) in Chile.

Nimmo Bay, Canada  – A pristine paradise in the heart of the Great Bear Rainforest of British Columbia, the easiest way to get there is via Port Hardy and then a 25-minute flight into Nimmo Bay. 

According to a report from Forbes, six percent of the private jet flights around the globe are reserved exclusively for pets – along with their owners of course. These flights are chartered by those owners who are concerned about the mental and physical trauma that a beloved pet could feel when traveling crated on a commercial flight.

Your trusty dog, cat or other pet is always welcome on board.

Sometimes, people express concern that private jets are more “flimsy”, and therefore less safe, than commercial airliners.

This is, of course, nothing but a myth. The average private aviation aircraft is newer (6 years or less in age), kept in much better shape and faces much less stress in terms of not being subjected to continuous travel with short turnarounds. Perish the thought.

Surprisingly, red wine is a no-go on many private jet flights. The interiors of private jets are plush and maintained to a high standard. The conventional thought is that the chances of red wine spilling during a bumpy flight would create stains that are hard to fully remove and would spoil the look and feel of luxury that their clients are accustomed to.

After all the facts and figures, here’s something that could be a trivia answer. The highest use of private jets in the world is during the Super Bowl in the US. Makes sense – it’s a single event that many of the rich and famous try to attend. 

The most recent Super Bowls have seen between 1,000 and 1,500 private jets fly into the host city.

Interestingly, during the 2018 Super Bowl, Avinode (an air charter marketplace) reported 3,800 requested arrivals between the start and end dates of the popular event.

As the facts above show, there are a lot of misconceptions about flying private jets. The fact of the matter is simple – they are the most efficient, stress-free and comfortable way to travel. They deliver enormous value and make both business and leisure travel enjoyable and more convenient than ever.

If you're looking for some more interesting facts about private jets, we recommend checking out our other article with 11 reasons why flying private is worth it!

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