When you’re planning a flight, you have more options than you might think. Beyond simply choosing between tiered packages for commercial planes, you can also opt for private flights that offer an entirely different experience than what you’re used to.
However, there’s a time and place for everything, and today, we’re going to go over the various differences between chartering a jet and taking the more conventional route with a commercial airline.
The Pros and Cons of Commercial Airlines
You’re likely most familiar with commercial airlines. They’re the public buses of the sky, essentially. You buy a ticket, get to the terminal on time, and fly with people from all over the world to reach your destination.
This standard means of flying from location to location has its own pros and cons in comparison to private jet charters.
Let’s start with the pros.
Pros of Commercial Flights:
The primary benefit of a commercial flight is that you’ll spend a lot less regardless of the distance you’re traveling. It’s simply cheaper for a commercial airline to get many different people on one flight to the same place than it is for a private business to fly you or a small group by yourselves.
You can also consider the ease of access that comes with every state having multiple airports with plenty of commercial planes to serve the entire population of flyers as a pro. There are occasionally issues with booking high-demand flights at certain times of the year, but typically, you can find a flight to your target destination very easily at any commercial airline.
Cons of Commercial Flights:
Commercial flights might be the most common flights, but they also have the most obvious cons.
First, while you get a cheap flight, you also have to fly with a variety of other people you don’t know. This doesn’t just leave you in a cramped environment. If you’ve paid attention to the news cycle, you know that flyers on commercial airlines, regardless of class, frequently have to deal with obnoxious outbursts, inappropriate behaviors, selfishness, and various other problems that often occur when you cram a lot of strangers into a small space. So, your dream trip to an exotic location might start off or end with a 12-hour flight and screaming children, obnoxious adults, outbursts against staff, and any number of other things.
There’s also the lack of amenities.
A commercial airliner must carefully manage what it has onboard due to the large number of people onboard. Not only does that mean you have to pay extra to carry more than an allotted amount of weight on your trip, but it also means the airline has fewer resources to make your trip a good one.
Food is often subpar, drinks and snacks are not substantial, seating is limited to tiny spaces, and generally, you don’t get much in the way of commodities.
Finally, you’re not guaranteed to go from point A to point B. At any time, a passenger can act inappropriately and force a landing, your flight might be forced to stop and reroute due to acclimate weather or issues with the airline, and some flights require you to board one plane, fly part of the way, get on another, and finish the trip with long layovers. When you have something important to get to, you can’t afford to waste all that time on inefficient airline policies.
Pros and Cons of Jet Charters
For most, private jets seem like something only the top members of society get to enjoy. They buy their jet outright, pay to fuel it, hire a pilot, and spend millions of dollars operating it. That’s not the only way to enjoy a private flight.
You can actually charter a private jet just like you would a party bus, luxury limo, or similar luxury vehicle, and the joy of using such a high-end commodity becomes a lot more accessible.
Chartering a private jet can provide you with numerous benefits, and it’s an experience you won’t forget.
Pros of Jet Charters:
Chartering a jet comes with a lot of benefits over commercial airlines. Essentially, it’s the exact opposite of all the cons we listed for commercial flights.
With a jet charter, you’re renting a private plane for your trip. You, and the guests you invite along, are the only ones flying except for the staff aboard the plane.
This means that you enjoy more spacious seating, not having to deal with the drama and inconveniences associated with being around lots of random people, and of course, the jet company can provide a better experience in terms of what you have at your disposal.
The food on private jets is the best you’re going to get on a plane, you can enjoy fewer restrictions on items such as alcohol, and many jet charters even include special commodities that you would never find on a commercial airline such as elaborate entertainment system, proper tables to eat or entertain yourself at, and similar things.
Another pro of a jet charter is that you’re paying for the exact flight you want, and you don’t have to worry about avoidable issues ruining your flight. There are no other people that can cause the plane to land, the airline won’t suddenly call for a layover unless your immediate safety is at risk, and you don’t have to hop on different flights to reach where you’re going on long trips. This is the fastest and most luxurious way to get where you’re going.
Cons of Jet Charters:
There’s only one real con to a jet charter, and that is the price of booking a private jet. A charter is obviously far more accessible than owning your own jet, but it’s still not a cheap form of travel. The average person isn’t going to charter a jet every time they fly.
Which is Best for You?
Whether you’ll benefit the most from a commercial flight or jet charter depends on your situation. When compared, a jet charter is obviously the preferred travel method.
In general, unless you have the funds to enjoy a luxury flight all the time, commercial flights are more cost-effective for short flights or when you need to save your budget for your destination. However, jet charters can truly enhance special occasions such as flying to your honeymoon destination, going on a luxurious vacation, or getting to another country for an important business opportunity without risking flight issues.
If you’re ready to experience what a private jet charter can offer, book your flight with VOMOS today, or contact us if you have any additional questions.