How Much Does It Cost To Fly A Private Jet From New York To California?

Private jet travel has boomed in popularity since the pandemic as more people found out how flexible and convenient it was. The time saved at airports is considerable, with all the processes streamlined, efficient, and personalized. Private jets are luxurious and very comfortable as well as saving precious time. So, for high-flying business executives, celebrities, or ultra-high-net-worth individuals, flying privately offers the best experience, especially in the United States, where business jets are a firm feature.

However, private jet travel can be expensive. Let’s find out how much it costs to travel from New York to California. One of the most popular destinations for private jets is Los Angeles. So let’s use that as a guideline and look at some different options. Is there a cheaper way to fly private? Is it cheaper to consider private ownership or charter with an operator on a regular basis? One of the best things about using private jets is that they can use smaller, local, convenient airports, and you can arrive just 30 minutes before departure. The formalities are processed quickly before directly boarding your private jet on the ramp.

A Look At Costings

In this case, Teterboro Airport (KTEB) in New Jersey is an ideal airport for New York as it is dedicated to business jets and is just 12 miles away from Manhattan. The airport is well-supported with five FBOs available. Van Nuys Airport (KVNY) is the airport of choice for Los Angeles. It is 20 minutes from downtown. The airport sees more than 260,000 movements per year and is one of the busiest private aviation airports in the world.

According to Air Charter Advisors, chartering a private jet from New York to Los Angeles can start at around $40,000 for a one-way flight on a Cessna Citation Longitude or $50,000 for a heavy jet such as the Bombardier Challenger 604 or Dassault Falcon 2000LXS. Stratos Jets recommends the Bombardier Challenger 300, for this particular trip and estimates a cost of between $34,000 and $41,000 for a one-way flight.

Clay Lacy suggests that a round trip from New York to Los Angeles on a Gulfstream G450 may cost $102,000 and prices include the aircraft, crew, and fuel. Not included in the price are positioning flight time, landing fees, federal excise taxes, or overnight fees. A trip on a light jet between the two cities could cost $56,000 and on a mid-size jet $79,000.

Rates By The Hour

The larger and more luxurious the jet and its range can certainly command much higher hourly rates than something like a Pilatus PC-12. Of course, the longer the flight, the more fuel is used and the crew will accrue more hours, adding more to the overall cost. The flight time between New York and Los Angeles is typically between five and a half and six and a half hours, depending on the aircraft type.

Private jets are chartered by the hour and can range from $3,500 up to $18,000 per hour. The price varies depending on the type of private jet and its size as well as many other factors. According to Evojets, these are ‘ballpark’ prices for chartering a private jet and their hourly rate:

Traveling at peak times or during the holidays can also influence the cost of chartering a private jet. If the aircraft needs to be repositioned to pick up the passengers or to return to base, this can result in additional costs. There may also be costs for landing fees or permits and fuel costs can fluctuate, leading to surcharges. Other extra costs may include crew salary and per diem, accommodation and ground transport costs, and catering.

New York to Los Angeles (on a super-mid-size jet):

New York to Los Angeles (long-range jet):

Private Ownership

Looking at private ownership and operating costs, a pre-owned Gulfstream IV, for example, can be bought for around $3.2 million for an early 1990s model (production ceased in 1992) according to Liberty Jet. The budget needed per year for 200 hours would be $1,668,667. Taking into account the cost of fuel and the aircraft’s speed, it equates to an average cost per mile of $19.12.

If the shortest distance in the air between New York and Los Angeles is 2,446 miles (via distance calculator) in this case, the flight (one way) would cost $46,767.52 to operate on a Gulfstream IV that flies 200 hours a year. This does not include the initial aircraft cost, just the operating costs, fixed and variable. Furthermore, Guardian Jet figures are based on 300 operating hours per year, annual fixed costs of $1,070,534, and variable hourly costs of $6,870.20 per hour, meaning that the flight could cost around $62,630.

Of course, with private ownership, there are many variables in the equation and these figures are only estimated on the given information and should not be considered as fully accurate. There are other alternatives to both private ownership and charter, it all depends on the individual and how much they fly.

Alternatives To Private Ownership

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One option is fractional ownership, where you can buy shares in an aircraft. There are usually 16 shares in an aircraft and they are based on 800 flying hours a year. Therefore, you can buy 1/16th of an aircraft and acquire 50 flying hours or 2/16th for 100 hours and so on. The cost will vary depending on the aircraft type. On top of that, there are usually monthly management fees and an occupied hourly fee. All fees are fixed in advance.

A jet card or membership plan is another option. It works like a pre-paid card, where your flying hours are bought in advance and then used when needed. These are fixed hourly rates that are agreed upon in advance with a broker or operator. Of course, with these and fractional ownership, you have an aircraft at your disposal, without all the costs and hassles of ownership and paying for crew, insurance, hangar, and everything else.

Empty legs can offer another cheaper alternative to charter. These are when an aircraft is repositioned to return to base without passengers or flying empty to meet passengers somewhere else. Some charter companies will sell these at a highly discounted rate, as much as 50%, 75%, or even 90%, in order to recoup some of the costs.

A search on Fly Victor showed that empty legs between New York and Los Angeles within a week’s time frame could be found for:

Advantages Of Private Jet Travel

Chartering a private jet offers many advantages and benefits, from flexibility and traveling in comfort and luxury to privacy and time saved, but this does all come at a hefty price. Smaller local airports can be used, therefore avoiding the hassle of large international airports. In this case, Teterboro Airport in New York and Van Nuys Airport in Los Angeles are viable options due to specializing in private jets and being close to the city.

To get an accurate quote for a trip between New York and Los Angeles, a client should contact a few different charter operators or brokers to compare. It is important to have specific dates in mind, the number of passengers traveling, and any special requirements. This can include catering, special amenities or celebrating a special occasion. The more details, the better.

Checklist:

• Date and time of travel
• Number of passengers onboard
• Aircraft type, if a preference
• Any special items: catering, amenities, Wi-Fi
• Departing and arrival airports, in this case, Teterboro Airport and Van Nuys Airport

A charter operator or broker will use this information to calculate the cost, which can vary based on factors like aircraft availability, fuel costs, airport fees, and the duration of your trip. Each quote will be tailored to the client’s exacting needs, based on the aircraft that are available and the current market conditions.

If the client travels frequently by private jet, then private ownership is a possibility, but fractional ownership and jet cards and memberships are also useful, to avoid the extra costs and hassles of ownership. Empty legs are a more affordable alternative, for a simple one-way charter at a discounted price.

When flying regularly between New York and Los Angeles, there are lots of options and varying prices, so it is important to check and compare for the most competitive price. It is always a good idea to get a few quotes from different brokers and not settle on the first price, unless the client is traveling in an emergency at the last minute.