Time flies; literally. And less time on the air is more time on the ground sealing deals. So picture this; you’re an entrepreneur on a three day schedule on the west coast to convince companies to do a commercial venture with your up-and-coming startup. More than three days away from your home base might mean chaos and a piling budget (hotels, taxis, meals), so there’s a need to be efficient. And truly, the only way to be efficient when you need to maximize your time is flying private.
Connecting commercial flights, especially with cities with no international airports, can be a handful. And even if you work out the connections beforehand, there’s a huge probability that you’ll have to wait hours between departures wasting precious time, time that could’ve been invested in meetings with clients or investors. Although it’s more expensive when compared flight to flight, private jet travel allows you to manage your schedule and not the other way around.
You can depart from almost any regional or domestic airport; your boarding times will average between five to ten minutes and you will always be carrying your luggage. And if a meeting lasts more than expected you won’t miss your flight and endure the associated consequences (booking a new one, waiting, pushing the following meeting until who knows when, etcetera.) Now that’s time efficiency at its best.
Regarding the price of flying private, it’s undeniably more expensive than flying business and first class, when comparing one all-around ticket. But you won’t be in need of just one all-around ticket, but rather plenty one-way flights to complete a successful business tour. And what if you need to fly with some of your partners? Well, that $1,500 standard first class ticket from L.A. to Vegas will now push your budget to $4,500, the same price for a private jet on the same route, while also seating up to 8 passengers for the same fee.
You will also be saving money in ground transportation, because you will be able to land at the airport that’s closest to your final destination. And finally, you and your partners will be evading the chaotic international airports in your path, saving hours (literally) by not having to go through that grueling check-in process. Monarch Air Group, a jet charter operator based in Fort Lauderdale, estimates that whereas flying private allows holding six meetings in three days, commercial flight, if no setbacks occur, will allow you to arrange only four in the same time span.
Private jet checklist:
1. You manage your time.
2. You determine the departure and arrival location.
3. You will control with whom you will be travelling.
4. You choose the inflight service.
5. The privacy of your flight flight really allows you to work.
6. You can fly to places that don’t have commercial connections.
7. The plane waits for you and not the other way around.
Felipe Reisch is a communications professional with experience in the South America and U.S. aviation industry, specifically in the BizAv market. He holds a Master’s Degree in Corporate Communications and Reputation Management from The University of Manchester, and works as a Public Relations Manager for Monarch Air Group in Fort Lauderdale, U.S.A. He'll respond to questions or comments at [email protected].
