Private Jet Charter vs. First-Class: What's the Difference?

Private Jet Charter vs. First-Class: An Overview

Private jet charters and first class are two different modes of air travel. Both require the traveler to pay a great deal of money for the privilege of boarding. While they may seem similar, these two types of air travel are distinctly different. Chartering a private jet allows you to maximize your time at your destination and minimize the number of hours you spend traveling while flying first-class means you are still at the mercy of taking the route of a commercial airline.

Private jets give you the luxury of flying on your own or with a group. However, going first-class means you still have to put up with crowds at airport security and other discomforts of commercial flights.

Some people may give you flack for asking the question, but if you have the disposable income to spend on air travel, it's worth considering either option. Keep reading to learn more about the differences between taking a private jet and flying first class.

Private Jet Charter

Private jets are for customers in the high-end travel industry. As the name implies, it involves hiring a private jet to travel to your destination. This allows the party making the reservation to control who boards the flight, whether that's friends, families, or colleagues in the case of corporate travel. Chartering a jet can be costly, but certain perks go along with it.

First, chartered flights offer passengers a great deal of luxury and convenience. This allows individuals to avoid the hassles of dealing with the crowds and security at the airport that people who fly commercial airlines must go through. It's also a time saver because travelers who charter flights can set up their own flight timetable, which means they set the departure time. These individuals also don't have to deal with layovers and flight changes.

The onboard experience on a chartered flight is also tailored to give flyers a more personal experience. This also includes the amenities that are on board. For instance, travelers can choose their own flight crew, may be given catered meals, and have access to technology and entertainment systems. And since there are far fewer passengers, travelers have more room to move freely throughout the flight.

Charters are fairly common for corporate and other business travelers, which allows them to conduct business while in the air or to accommodate their busy schedules. In some cases, private jets allow goods and services to be transported between companies and their customers. Other people who frequently charter private jets include celebrities and athletes.

First-Class

Just like charter flights, flying first-class costs more money than purchasing a flight in the economy section. But unlike private jets, first-class travelers have to go by the airline's schedule. This means they have to go through airport security and deal with crowds, layovers, delays, and long lines at the terminal.

True, first-class flying on a commercial aircraft comes with amenities. They benefit from priority boarding, which means they skip the line to get on board. They are seated in a reserved section at the front of the plane and are given certain perks, including free beverages and meals, larger seats, more legroom, and other benefits. In many cases, airlines customize their seating to provide passengers with the most comfort, including sleeper seats. The services that come with first-class flying, though, are generally not at the level or personalization of flying privately.

Long trips require a larger, more expensive plane with a bigger range. Although it is an expensive form of travel, it is considerably cheaper than hiring your own plane unless you took a very large group with you on the charter and would have otherwise bought everyone first-class seats.

Commercial aircraft only have access to the largest airports. If the traveler is flying to attend a meeting well outside the nearest metropolitan area, they need to add significant round-trip driving time to get from the metro airport to the meeting location.

Key Differences

While we've laid out some of the most obvious differences between flying on a private jet and flying first class on a commercial airline, there are very obvious distinctions between them. Here are some of the most obvious ones.

Cost

One of the main differences between these two forms of travel is the cost. Chartering a private jet can cost anywhere between $1,300 and $13,000 per hour. The cost can be higher, though, depending on a certain number of factors, including:

• The destination
• The amenities required
• Whether the plane and crew need to wait for the traveler
• The size of the plane, where smaller planes cost less to hire

For example, a light jet might cost $9,000 to $11,000 for a three-hour trip. However, popular destinations can sometimes cost more. A three-hour flight to Palm Beach, Florida, from New York City might cost as much as $20,000 for a light jet and up to $30,000 via a mid-size jet. The cost can vary, depending on the number of seats on the plane, the amenities, and how much staff is required.

First-class reservations on commercial flights can cost anywhere from $500 to more than $1,500 for domestic flights and higher for international destinations. The cost also depends on the airline itself—some charge more because they have more amenities available to those who are willing to shell out more money for air travel.

When traveling, consider travel insurance, particularly if the trip is expensive. On a commercial aircraft, you rent a seat. If you want to bring somebody with you, you rent two seats and pay double the cost. With charters, on the other hand, you rent the plane.

Accommodations

Customers who fly privately also have the luxury of bringing a lot more with them to their destination. This includes pets, sporting equipment, and other bulky items that don’t easily fit on commercial aircraft. They also avoid the risk of losing these items in checked baggage. First-class flyers, on the other hand, are limited in how many bags they can bring on board. But they may be given a more flexible weight allowance than those in other cabins. And while other passengers may have to pay to check in their bags, first-class passengers are normally exempt from paying.

Accommodations don't just mean the bag allowance. While commercial airlines do as much as they can to be more accessible, private planes may provide easier access for elderly, handicapped, or injured travelers, as well as better accommodating wheelchairs and other equipment.

Special Considerations

To the average onlooker, it’s easy to see private jet flying as excessive. What makes it more economical is when you factor in the value of a person’s time. Private jets are able to fly into smaller airports, often getting their clients to their location faster. In addition, flyers don't have to wait in long security lines at large airports, which can be time-consuming even for those with Trusted Traveler status.

Because companies don’t want to fly their jets without passengers, they are often happy to wait for passengers flying back the same day. This gives flyers more flexibility in their schedules and allows executives to conduct business meetings and work more easily, so flight time isn't wasted. This often makes them more economical than commercial aircraft.

There’s also the reliability factor. Not making it to an important meeting because a flight was canceled is a risk some people cannot and won't take. It's likely that most people who charter flights do so because they just don’t want the hassle of flying commercially, and money is no object.

The Bottom Line

Whether it makes sense to charter a private jet or fly commercial in first- or business class can depend on your individual needs and travel budget. While a chartered flight may cost more, it offers more benefits than typical commercial flights. If you do decide to fly first-class or business class, take time to compare the best airline rewards credit cards that can help you earn points or miles toward future flights.