Private jet rentals skyrocketing as deep-pocketed travelers avoid airport madness

Once reserved for the rich and famous, private jets are now the vehicle of choice for savvy travelers looking for a stress-free and convenient way to fly.The Covid-19 pandemic fundamentally altered how people view public spaces, including commercial airports and airlines.It was a time for the private aviation industry to boom – and it did just that, with more people opting for a private charter to avoid crowded airports, to bypass long security lines and avoid delays and cancellations.It’s a trend that has well continued into 2025.Paul O’Brien, who is the founder of Avmin, a high-profile Brisbane-based air charter company, was putting on about 30 or 40 flights per week in 2019, just before the pandemic.In 2022, he was running around 80 charter flights per week and today across 30 to 40 flight sectors, he said it remains steady at around the same figure.“That’s with all different charter providers across Australia from smaller Mustang jets with four to six seats which are popular for business travellers between trunk routes like Sydney to Melbourne and Brisbane – to Phenom 100 to 300 range which carries four to eight people,” he explained.Mr O’Brien said despite commercial options returning to pre-pandemic levels, private jet users have remained strong.“I don’t envisage a down turn anytime soon by private jet users as they’ve experienced everything there is with the convenience and luxury of a private jet,” he told news.com.au.Australia’s Bureau of Infrastructure and Transport Research Economics’ Domestic Aviation Activity January 2023 report found private jet travel in Australia had increased by 28 percent since 2020.In April 2024, The Australian reported charter flights carried more passengers than the now embattled airline Rex, flying 13 per cent of all domestic air travellers around Australia, up from 8.6 per cent pre-Covid.Mr O’Brien said more Aussies opt for the private way of travel mainly because of convenience and the benefi...