Top 5 Myths About Private Jet Travel Busted

Often, the first thing people think of when they see a private jet taking off or landing is, “I wonder what famous person is on that?”

That is just one of the many misconceptions that most people have about flying privately. The truth is that jet you just saw is most likely on its way to a business trip, and it probably is not owned by a rock star or super athlete. In fact, it is probably not owned by the passengers on it at all, as most private jets are chartered.

Here are five more of the most common myths about flying on a private jet.

1. It is not as safe to fly private as commercial – There is a common misconception that because private planes are smaller and you do not have to go through standard TSA security procedures to board one, they are somehow less safe than commercial flights. Nothing could be further from the truth.  Statistically speaking, there have been more passenger fatalities on commercial flights than private flights, but realistically, both are very safe ways to travel. However, flying privately in some ways may even be safer than flying commercial because many aircraft are newer and better maintained, and operators engage in safety and security protocols that often go beyond the kind of screenings done for commercial flights.

2. The destinations private jets travel to are limited – This is another common myth that is very far removed from the reality of flying privately. Private jets actually have MORE travel options than commercial ones since the number of airports they can fly into is much greater. Private jets, of course, can fly in and out of any airport that commercial jets can, but also, they have access to fixed-base operators, more commonly known as FBOs, which are private jet terminals located at airports.  FBOs offer a number of services and provide access to destinations that commercial flights may not be able to fly to. Many times, private jets can actually get you closer to your ultimate destination!

3. Private jets are subject to the same weather delays as commercial flights – This is also not always true, and again, it has much to do with the ability to fly in and out of airports that commercial flights cannot. Since private jets have so many more options of where they can land, they often can fly around storms that ground commercial flights.

4. You still have to go through TSA when you fly private – No, you absolutely do not! And that is probably one of the biggest advantages of flying on a private jet. You completely avoid the hassles of long security lines, taking off your shoes, and embarrassing pat-downs. In fact, when flying private, you usually can arrive 15 to 20 minutes before your scheduled boarding time.

5. Commercial airplanes fly faster than private jets – This is another common mistake made by a lot of people; they think that since a large commercial airliner has much bigger engines, it can achieve higher speeds than private jets. That is simply not true. The fastest planes in the sky are private jets. Think of it as the difference between a Ferrari and a semi-truck, which is bigger, but which is faster? Also, because of the lack of security hassles, the less time it takes to board and deplane, and the ability to get you closer to your ultimate destination, overall, portal-to-portal, traveling to the exact same destination will probably be a lot shorter trip on a private jet, than on a commercial flight.

Taking All of the Mysteries Out of Private Air Travel

Now that you know a little bit more about the realities of flying privately, here is one more secret you need to know – XO is changing everything that even the most experienced traveler thinks they know about booking and flying on a private jet.

We are creating a better way to fly private, one that provides the private flyer with guaranteed availability of flights at market-friendly prices that are often less than any other way to book or fly privately, such as Private Charter, or Fractional Jet Ownership.

Over the past few years, many apps and business models have claimed to be the “Uber of private aviation,” but only XO has come anywhere close to Uber’s successful business model. Our on-demand solution has completely revolutionized the private aviation experience and provides guaranteed availability on anything from a full private charter to a single shared seat on an existing flight, all at competitive, market-favorable prices.

It is truly a revolution in private aviation.

If you would like more information about this post or any of our programs, please feel free to contact our team at +1-888-80-FLY-XO.

XO may offer a number of programs, including whole aircraft charter, for which XO will act solely as your agent in arranging the flight, and Public Charters, for which XO will act as principal in buying and reselling the air transportation. XO does not own or operate any aircraft. All flights are performed by FAA-licensed and DOT-registered air carriers.