experience with private or charter jets?
Jun 10, 2015, 1:21 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 5
experience with private or charter jets?
Does anyone have any experience with private or charter jets? Ive only ever flown major commercial lines and have been hearing more and more about private jets looking to fill an "empty leg". There are several apps for your phone where you can find a flight. However, I like to know what Im getting into before I leap into something like that.
What are the pros and cons of private or charter flights?
One con Ive noticed is that my local small airport only flies about 100 miles. Im in PA, so they fly to MD and western PA. (Looks like Im not going to get to FL from here..
)
Another that Ive read is that an empty leg flight can be a one way deal as they are just filling space.
What are the pros and cons of private or charter flights?
One con Ive noticed is that my local small airport only flies about 100 miles. Im in PA, so they fly to MD and western PA. (Looks like Im not going to get to FL from here..
)Another that Ive read is that an empty leg flight can be a one way deal as they are just filling space.
Jun 10, 2015, 3:03 pm
#3
Join Date: May 2012
Location: SNA, LAX, PHL, NYC
Programs: AA Executive Platinum, Marriott Bonvoy Titanium
Posts: 663
I haven't done an empty leg flight but have used Jetsuite and recommended it here.
Pros:
- Much more efficient use of time. You can use the airport which is the best option don't need to arrive early for security, etc. You get the time you want - not what revenue management thinks is a good idea.
- Private - one flight was used as a sort of a celebration. We could drink, etc. and get a little rowdy without disturbing others.
- It was a totally different level of experience.
The only major con is the price makes it something I can't do as frequently as I would like (even at Jetsuite's rates which are lower than a normal charter or owning a private plane). If I was independently wealthy I would do it all the time.
Pros:
- Much more efficient use of time. You can use the airport which is the best option don't need to arrive early for security, etc. You get the time you want - not what revenue management thinks is a good idea.
- Private - one flight was used as a sort of a celebration. We could drink, etc. and get a little rowdy without disturbing others.
- It was a totally different level of experience.
The only major con is the price makes it something I can't do as frequently as I would like (even at Jetsuite's rates which are lower than a normal charter or owning a private plane). If I was independently wealthy I would do it all the time.
Jun 10, 2015, 3:53 pm
#4
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: SMF
Posts: 1,251
Flying private can be an amazing opportunity if you can afford it. Living in PA, if you could get over to NY you could take advantage of Jetsuites frequent deals from that area. Since empty-legs are usually last-minute and always one-way, you could book a return flight from Florida for a couple weekends in a row using Southwest points and then if an opportunity comes up you can jump aboard.
Jun 10, 2015, 8:23 pm
#6
Used to be 'Travelergcp'
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: New Orleans
Programs: AA Plat, Marriott Gold, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 2,826
See SFO777's rather excellent trip reports on JetSmarter. And there's a few on Jetsuite as well. And there are many more empty legs on the market than just those two online apps- just at higher pricing.
I'm not sure I really care that much about a 4 seat light jet, other than just as a bucket list thing. But then, the only legs that have come up at MSY are routes already very well served commercially, like MSY-DAL.
I'm not sure I really care that much about a 4 seat light jet, other than just as a bucket list thing. But then, the only legs that have come up at MSY are routes already very well served commercially, like MSY-DAL.
Jun 10, 2015, 11:13 pm
#8
Suspended
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 3,445
They're nice, but I don't know how you'd book an entire itinerary.
Every time I've flown on one, it was because I was going on a business meeting that the CEO of my company was also attending. Our company owned (actually I think they were in a partial ownership program) where we had access to a Gulfstream V and a Canadair Challenger.
Every time I've flown on one, it was because I was going on a business meeting that the CEO of my company was also attending. Our company owned (actually I think they were in a partial ownership program) where we had access to a Gulfstream V and a Canadair Challenger.