Private Jet Card Comparisons has released the results of a new survey that reveals 90 per cent of new and existing private aviation users are expecting to travel by private jet this autumn. According to the survey, 51 per cent of respondents are planning to increase their use of private aviation, with 31 per cent reporting their companies are expanding their usage of private aviation services. The survey analysed individuals' upcoming plans to fly private between September and the festive period, with 36 per cent of respondents identifying as new or returning users and 64 per cent representing existing users who were flying private prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Fundamentally, it looks like a combination of new users to private aviation and steady, continued usage from existing users will offset an overall drop in business travel between now and the Christmas holiday season,” says Doug Gollan, founder and editor-in-chief of Private Jet Card Comparisons. “What's more, at least half of new users are planning to continue using private aviation after the COVID-19 pandemic is over.”

One respondent noted that private travel ‘was always more a curiosity than a reality until COVID-19, but now flying private is the only way we travel’, while another commented, ‘I never used private aviation before COVID... now I will not fly commercial’. One newcomer added, ‘The convenience and efficiency has caused me to consider purchasing a jet of my own for regular use’.

The survey indicated that 51 per cent of respondents are planning to increase their use of private aviation, while 28 per cent expect to make the same number of flights and 21 per cent anticipate decreasing their private flight usage. Among respondents who are either new or returning users of private aviation services, 89 per cent are planning to fly privately. Of those who were already existing private aviation users prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, 38 per cent expect to make the same number of flights while 30 per cent are planning to increase their private travel usage during this timeframe and 32 per cent plan to decrease their use of private aviation. Up to 72 per cent of all respondents are flying privately to reduce possible exposure to COVID-19, including 87 per cent of new or returning private aviation users and 63 per cent of existing users.

The majority of respondents (69 per cent) cited second homes as their primary accommodations for leisure trips as well as resort hotels (31 per cent), city hotels (20 per cent), rental villas (17 per cent), owned/charter yachts (10 per cent) and Airbnb (six per cent).

The survey was conducted online from 18-22 September to subscribers of Private Jet Card Comparisons, a buyer's guide that enables users to compare over 250 private aviation membership options in order to identify the programmes that best fit their needs.