Private Jetting the Holidays - What to expect and how to make the most of jet charters this 2025 season

From St. Maarten to Jackson Hole and Praetor 500 to Falcon 7X, a look at private jet charter trends and the outlook for the holiday season, 2025.

Private Jet Travel – Holidays 2025; Pricing, Destinations, Aircraft, Strategies

With the holidays fast approaching, and in light of up-trending demand this year, we are expecting possibly the busiest season ever for private jet charter in the US. Booking early and securing reliable operators and aircraft are among the strategies.

When To Book

In the jet charter industry overall, most flights are typically booked less than two weeks prior to the trip, often inside one week. The holidays are different however because of the significantly increased demand. Some trip requests are made as early as late October, and requests really pick up by late November, about one month before the trip. We suggest if you have holiday travel plans in place, to begin looking at options early, in November, for best aircraft availability and pricing options. As time gets closer availability and pricing options will be less. Short notice flights are available also even up to a day or two notice, but aircraft and therefore pricing options will be limited… but still available.

Pricing To Expect

After a somewhat softer Jet charter industry demand last year 2024, demand has been on the slow but steady increase this year, and September started a more active trend. October private jet flight activity was strong, the second busiest month ever according to ARGUS. Flight activity was 7.4% higher than September.

Jet Charter Demand

Pricing, with demand and activity strong, is expected to be firm for the 2025 holiday period. The industry is seeing pricing overall this year slightly up and is forecasting an stronger uptick in pricing 10-15% over the same period last year.

Jet Charter Pricing

Pricing is normally higher during the higher demand holiday time each year. For 2025 holidays our forecast for the industry is 25% higher pricing vs. the total year on average.

For example, a super-midsize jet charter from Southern California to Jackson Hole, Wyoming normally quoting around $20K we would expect to be in the $25K area in December 18 and January 6 time frame.

What Is Different

Charter Aircraft Availability

Historically, ‘most-charter-jets-fly-most-days’ during the peak holiday time frame the last week of December and first week of January. Aircraft availability for short notice or last-minute flights is greatly reduced. Many charter jets get contracted by fractional, jet card and membership programs for this time period to help their increased customer demand needs.

The best options for short notice or ASAP flights will be with good charter brokers who have access to the entire industry and a good history and reputation.

Charter Booking Lead Times

In preparation for the holidays, it is suggested to start early for best options and costs, and peace of mind. For example, at New Flight Charters, clients in October are already booking holiday trips while aircraft availability and pricing is good. By contrast, other times of year the majority of charters are booked one to two weeks before a trip.

Private Jet Holiday Destinations 2025

Private jet holiday destinations tend to be ‘evergreen’ each year, a double entendre meaning there’s not much change one year to the next, and also alluding to the mountains as a top destination.

In summary the most common destinations are in two categories;

(1) Mountain ski towns in the west, i.e. Aspen, Jackson Hole, Vail/Eagle, Sun Valley, Steamboat Springs, Telluride, Park City/Heber, Bozeman/Big Sky, and others.

(2) Islands & beaches in the tropics, i.e. Key West, Bahamas, Turks & Caicos, Virgin Islands, St. Martin, Cayman Islands, Key West, the Bahamas, and others.