If you love to travel, you know the pain of the airport experience: the security lines, the delays, the crowds. Flying private is a great option to avoid these issues, but has historically been prohibitively expensive.
Insider has published a list of 6 options for flying private that could be less expensive than you might imagine.
You can find the full original article here: https://www.insider.com/guides/travel/cheap-private-and-semi-private-jet-companies
Flying private is cheaper than you think — here are 6 airlines to consider for your next flight
Alesandra Dubin/Insider
I’m a travel writer, but it’s not always as glamorous as it sounds. When I fly, I often book commercial in coach for the best price to get my family of four where we need to go.
However, there are posher options that are affordable on a case-by-case and route-by-route basis, and I’m not talking about first class.
Rather, it’s entirely possible to fly private or semi-private. In some cases, it can even be cheaper than flying economy and removes the long waits and crowded lines associated with busy airports. And with boarding taking place in private hangars and planes allowing a much lower passenger count, private jets lend more naturally to social distancing.
Considering that June had more private flights in the U.S. than any month since October 2007, and after my own positive experiences flying semi-private, I rounded up some of the best carriers, from chartering your own flight to booking a publicly available seat on a semi-private jet flight. The best part? They offer prices that the average person can afford.
Here are the best private jet companies with affordable prices:
Best overall: JSX
Starting price: $119. For example, a recent search identified many $119 options between Los Angeles and Las Vegas, or $179 between Oakland and Orange County at off-peak times. Those same flights might range into the $400s during high-peak dates.
Notable inclusions: Checked bags, pets, snacks, drinks including alcohol
Cities served: Year round: Reno-Tahoe, Concordia-Napa, Oakland, Monterey, Burbank, LAX, Orange County, San Diego, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Dallas, Houston, Destin, Miami, NY Westchester County. Seasonally: Lajitas/Big Bend, Horseshoe Bay,
Pros: JSX is hassle-free (arrive just 20 minutes before your flight), crowd-free (30 seats max per plane and no commercial airport terminals), and an excellent value starting at $119. On ordinary or off-peak dates, the airfare is quite competitive, even lower than some budget carriers’ for certain legs with a far superior experience.
Cons: Routes are limited for now, without the option for connections to other places. Also, peak date prices can spike to pricey levels.
JSX is a private regional airline that feels like a posh private-flying experience, except the public can purchase tickets. JSX caps flights at just 30 people and operates out of private terminals and hangars (technically known as “fixed-base operators,” or FBOs), which are adjacent to many major airports.
JSX saw a 55% increase in new leisure-market customers from February 2020 to February 2021, according to a statistic provided by the brand’s internal analytics team. I’ve flown it multiple times and always choose it when rates are cheaper or equivalent to flying commercial, which they often are.
With JSX, you’ll bypass the traditional airport altogether and travel through a private jet terminal. You also won’t encounter crowds and TSA lines, but can still feel secure since JSX uses TSA Secure Flight, the same TSA-provided background-check processes that major airlines use.
On ordinary or off-peak dates, the airfare is quite competitive (even lower than some budget carriers’ for certain legs) and the experience is far superior, including snacks, drinks (alcoholic and non), checked bags, and pet fees.
Interested in learning more?
Visit https://www.insider.com/guides/travel/cheap-private-and-semi-private-jet-companies#best-for-design-enthusiasts-2 to read the rest of the article. Hopefully you can find a few options that might work for you.
