More and more people are looking to fly on private planes. There are a number of reasons to opt for a Gulfstream charter rather than fly on a public airline. It is easier, you can go when you want, you do not have to worry about checking your luggage, and it is a better experience. The good news about this kind of travel is becoming more and more accessible to more people and businesses. There are ways to charter a private jet that may put that within your budget.
- Timing is everything. When it comes to selling or buying a house, this is true. When it comes to booking any kind of flight, whether you are looking at a Gulfstream charter or commercial flight. The difference is that there are many more private chartered flights going around the earth than there are commercial flights so the timing is even more crucial. The other difference is that when you are flying commercial, you need to book far in advance. When you are looking for a Gulfstream charter, the best deals are often found at the last minute. If you know where you are going one to two weeks before your trip, that is also a good time to look at prices.
- Bargaining will not work. This is a tough spot if you are looking into Gulfstream charters. If you are working with a broker and the operators of planes. They catch on pretty quick to what you are doing. If they get calls from different people about what they will recognize as the same flight will just annoy the people you do not need to annoy.
- Not all bargain flights are. There has been a lot written in recent years about “empty leg flights.” This is when a jet is charted to go from spots A to B but not back from B to A. When this happens, that flight goes back to A totally empty. Companies do lose some money when that happens, and they do offer these flights at a discount. The problem is that you have to be in the exact right spot at the exact right time. These can also fall through.
- Be realistic when you are planning your trip. Yes, flights on private jets have dropped in price but they are still pretty pricey. The typical jet flight’s price tag usually starts at about $2,000 – $2,500 per hour. That is on a light plane. If you are looking for a Gulfstream charter, that amount goes up to anywhere between $6,000 to $8,000 per hour.
- The cheapest option is usually not the best. Chartering a private jet is one time when you really fo “get what you pay for.” This is not the time to look at the bottom line as being the price. When you are traveling like a baller, you are going to pay for the experience. The money you pay will also pay for your security and safety. The good news is that when you pay for this kind of luxury experience, you will have an amazing time.
- Skip the jet cards. This is a membership card that gives people access to private jet charters for a flat fee rather than a per hour fee (there is a set number of hours that you cannot exceed). People used to use these cards as status symbols but not today. It is more cost-effective to use the network of brokers and just pay for charted jets as you need them.
- Be careful when booking a plane to go one or both ways. People may think it makes sense to buy a round-trip charter flight, and it might, but you have to pay for the time when you are in a place and the plane is idle. If your trip has more than three overnight stops, it may be worth your while to buy the roundtrip flights but a lot of the time going one way (each way) makes more sense.
Few things say luxury like flying on a private jet. We see rock, rap, and movie stars do it. Famous athletes do commercials for them. They are wonderful ways to travel and now more people can experience them.