Chartering A Private Jet isnt Just for Ego

Does the bling around your neck blind oncoming vehicles? Is bathing in money your preferred means of relaxing after a tough day? Do you have trouble deciding between luxury cars when you leave your house in the morning? Life has been good, eh, and you're not the least bit ashamed. Well, instead of bragging, how about proving it by traveling a step above the masses in a chartered jet?

All joking aside, there are often very good reasons to charter a private jet rather than fly commercial; scheduling, convenience, security, high-power business, entertainment, corporate enticement and celebrity privacy being just a few. Those of you who don't fit into those categories yet but who aspire to them or who have suddenly found yourselves the beneficiaries of a financial windfall might be wondering what all the excitement is about. Isn't flying on a chartered jet pretty much the same as flying first class? No. No it isn't.

If living in the lap of luxury is your game, private jet charters are the crowning jewel in your treasure trove. The only step up from there might be owning your own jet and, let's face it, owning your own is likely more hassle than it's worth. Much like owning a boat, your happiest days are probably the day you buy it and the day you sell it. But let's stick to the point here which is that private charter jets serve as a pretty solid indicator that you've made it.

Unlike travel on a commercial airline, the pampering often begins before you've even boarded the plane. Chauffeured service directly to the tarmac or comfortable relaxation in a private business-friendly airport lounge are just some of the TLC you can expect. But the royal treatment on the planes is often what travelers rave about. The food is exceptional (and often tailored to your specific request). The service is equivalent to that in a fine restaurant with dedicated stewards focused on your comfort and every need. While important, those comforts aren’t the motivating factor for most who fly private chartered flights.

When you consider the time lost flying commercial in relation to the convenience of flying private chartered flights, the option begins to seem less a pampered luxury and more a legitimate, well conceived alternative. High profile executives or celebrities, whose billable hours would shock your average person, will often find it far more economic to travel by private charter than by commercial carrier.

Private charters eliminate the need to arrive at an airport hours in advance of a flight. The check-in procedure is limited to little more than loading your baggage, confirming you are who you say you are and ensuring you are comfortably in your seat before take-off. Additionally, you are not bound to the schedules of commercial carriers. Private charters can be booked to fit your schedule and your requirements. Those two elements alone can represent 3-5 hours of productive time not wasted.

In addition to the savings realized in booking, arriving and boarding a flight, your time will remain productive by the elimination of security and boarding lines getting to the plane and by the convenience of in-flight accommodations that are free of many of the regulations that make commercial flying an occasional hassle. Not to mention, the absence of screaming babies, talkative passengers and seat-kicking-kids implies to me that, if you have the means, you'd be daft to travel any other way.

Finally, private chartered flights never lose luggage and are far less likely to be delayed (excepting in cases of weather) than commercial flights. If you've ever spent hours sitting in a plane only to arrive at your destination to find your luggage has been sent to another city, you completely understand the up-side here.

Ok, so you're sold on the idea, now let's crunch some numbers. All of this has to come at a premium price, right? Well, I'd be lying if I told you otherwise. For most of us, flying on a private chartered jet would be a less-than-prudent way to spend our money. But for those to whom time very much is money, the prices are actually reasonable.

Let's look at a commercial flight as an example (and remember that fares will vary from carrier to carrier). I've decided I want to book a round-trip, non-stop, first class flight from Washington IAD to Miami MIA leaving at 12:00PM September 4^th and returning September 11^th. I've immediately run into two problems. First, I really don't want to fly into Miami but it's the closest airport to my destination that will accept larger aircraft. There is a smaller airport just 15 minutes from my destination I'd rather go to. Instead, I'll have to accept an hour or two drive in Friday rush hour traffic.

Second, there are no 12PM departures. I'm either going to have to miss important meetings I have scheduled before my planned departure time or arrive late in Miami and miss important meetings I had planned at my destination. Either way, I get to miss important meetings. For that "convenience" I get to pay about $900. I'll also have to arrive at the airport 2-3 hours early. I won't get any work done because I'll spend most of that time in line. And, let's face it, first class on anything other than an international flight is barely more than economy with slightly better food. There are still crying babies, annoying seatmates and a slew of other inconveniences to deal with.

Compare that with a private chartered flight. If I elect to charter a private jet, my flight will be scheduled to depart when I request it. That means I don't have to miss any of my meetings. I will work on my laptop as my limo drives me to the airport or within a few yards of my plane. I will board my plane and continue to work during pre-flight. I will continue to work as the plane takes off. I will continue to work as we travel (except when I pause to eat a delicious lunch). I will not wait in any lines, I will not worry about lost luggage, I will not be inconvenienced by annoying passengers. Best of all, my private charter jet CAN land at that smaller airport! For that I will pay anywhere from $1,800.00 to $3,100 for a 5-7 seat light jet.

Before you put on your "oh my gawd" face, let's throw one more thing in the mix. I am billable at $500 per hour. In choosing to fly private, I have saved myself 2-3 hours of early airport arrival, 1-2 hours recovering luggage at the airport and 2 hours in commuting. In addition, I have remained billable for virtually every portion of my trip including the 2-3 hour flight. That means, flying a private charter jet has saved me anywhere from $3500 to $5000 of my time at a cost of $1800-3100. Even at the most expensive flight option, I've potentially saved myself or my company $400-$1900. That doesn't even include the potential cost of lost opportunities we might have faced for having missed those morning or afternoon meetings.

So the next time you hear private charter jet, don't be so quick to discount it as a silly indulgence of the rich and famous who do it only to have their egos stroked. There are actually very practical reasons to elect to fly a private charter jet. While most of us will never enjoy the luxury, it's also fair to say that most of us are also in no position to pass judgment. For many, private charters aren't only the most comfortable way to fly, they are the most practical.