Busy airports for private jets during back-to-school season

Data from Honeywell Aerospace shows that North America and Europe dominate global private aviation demand, with the two regions slated to receive roughly 84% of all new business jet deliveries over the next three years. 

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In the U.S. and Europe, the late August to early September (aka back-to-school season) marks a transition period. The end of summer vacation, the start of the school year, and the beginning of business travel season have people moving around, trying to catch a flight to their destinations. 

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For charter flight operators, this time of year brings a predictable surge that includes congestion at airports and scheduling of crews. Those who can prepare in advance for this increase in business will position themselves to improve customer satisfaction and pull in new flyers looking for comfort and flexibility, Jettly reports.

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What Really Fuels the Late-August Surge

The late-august surge might seem counterintuitive given that the heat of summer has died down and the holiday season hasn’t started yet, but there are three primary factors that fuel the rise in private jet usage.

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1. The End of Summer

The end of August is the mandatory hard stop for summer leisure travel. This means that families spending their summer in second-home destinations (Aspen, Nantucket, Martha’s Vineyard, the Hamptons, or in Europe) are returning to their main residence in big cities en masse.

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2. The Start of Business Travel Season

June, July, and parts of August tend to be slower for private business flying. But this doesn’t mean that private flight operators are left in the dust, planes grounded, and crew unemployed. It just means that the demand is headed elsewhere.

Digital marketplaces see a surge in charter requests from families and holidaymakers heading to summer destinations, making mid-summer one of the busiest times of the year for private jet activity.

Come late August/early September, the demand shifts back to business travel as C-suite executives and business owners hurry back into meetings and talks about mergers and acquisitions. 

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3. The Start of the School Year

The back-to-school season means that many students will head to school. When flyers have a lot of luggage to carry around (typical for the beginning of a new school year), they may not want to navigate airport crowds in addition to trying to find their way to their dorm or accommodation from a major air hub.

As a result, many students coming from wealthy families will take the private aviation route. Some may even be accompanied by family members who want to usher them into the new year. 

One major advantage operators can market to potential flyers (besides the added comfort and increased luggage allowance) is that a private aircraft can land directly at small regional fields. For instance, for a flyer going to Ohio University, operators can take flyers to the Gordon K. Bush Ohio University Airport (KUNI), located about 10–12 miles southwest of the main campus. 

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Busiest Airports During Back-to-School Season

As a general rule, the private jet airports that tend to get busy when there’s a spike in air traffic (like during holidays or at the start of summer) will also be crowded when the new school year starts. However, the ones located (and serving) one or more major universities will be the most troublesome. 

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Teterboro, KTEB, NJ

Consistently ranked as one of the busiest private jet airports in the U.S. and the world, KTEB is the primary private aviation hub for the New York tri-state area. As such, it serves as the primary hub for families returning from summer estates or moving students into Ivy League and Northeast universities.

Dallas Love Field, KDAL, Dallas, TX Handling over 77,000 annual operations, Dallas Love Field ranks as the second-busiest business aviation hub in the United States. Its central geographic location and dedicated private terminals make it a vital crossroads for corporate and regional charter flights.

Operators Must Plan Logistics Around Flyer Needs

Besides the annoyance of finding a convenient slot and strict landing and parking mandates, the busy season also brings higher prices. When planning for vacation, it’s always good practice to plan for the return as well. The back-to-school season is chaotic, and this extends to private air travel.

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This story was produced by Jettly and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.

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