Once reserved for the rich and famous, private planes are now the vehicle chosen for smart travelers looking for a stressless form and convenient to fly.

The COVID-19 pandemia altered fundamentally how people see public spaces, including commercial airports and airlines.

It was a time for the private aviation industry to be aware, and did exactly that, with more people who opt for a private letter to avoid airports full of people, to avoid long security lines and avoid delays and cancellations.

It is a trend that has continued well in 2025.

Paul O’Brien, who is the founder of Avmin, a high -profile airline based in Brisbane, was organizing about 30 or 40 flights per week in 2019, just before the pandemic.

In 2022, he was running around 80 charter flights per week and today in 30 to 40 flight sectors, he said it remains stable around the same figure.

“That is with all the different charter suppliers in Australia from smaller Mustang aircraft with four to six seats that are popular for business travelers between trunk routes such as Sydney to Melbourne and Brisbane, to the range of 100 to 300 that transports four to eight people,” he explained.

Mr. O’Brien said that despite the commercial options that return to pre-pondemic levels, users of private airplanes have remained strong.

“It does not provide a turn in the future soon by private aircraft users, since they have experienced everything there is with the comfort and luxury of a private jet,” he told News.com.au.

The Australian Research Research Research Research Office and the domestic aviation activity of the transport economy of January January 2023 found that private plane trips in Australia had increased by 28 percent since 2020.

In April 2024, The Australian The reported charter flights transported more passengers than the Rex airline that now stunned 13 percent of all national air travelers around Australia, compared to 8.6 percent prior to CO-COVID.

O’Brien said that more Australians opt for the private form of travel mainly due to the convenience and benefits of luxury.

“They want to avoid airports and travel while convincing them. There is also the luxury of the exit and arrival times and the benefits of cost savings when traveling with a group of people.

“Flying on an eight -seat plane from Sydney to Melbourne is approximately $ 2000 back per person. If we look at Qanta rates tomorrow at 6 in the morning in executive class, they are around $ 1300 per way, so $ 2600 returns.”

Falonair, a customary aviation leader, has also seen an increase in popularity and similar to AVMIN, particularly between golf groups and birthday parties.

“The golfers really enjoy being transferred directly to the most exclusive and remote golf courses in Australia and New Zealand, which normally take multiple airline trips and/ or long road trips to reach,” said Falconair executive director Laura Younes, to News.com.au.

“The birthday groups have been taking advantage of the great individual cabin of our Jet Falcon Dassault, which has an exceptional open plan that adapts to groups of 10 or more, allowing an animated and well -served experience for those on board.

“Birthday groups often travel interstate to the main cities for a fun weekend.”

Mrs. Younes said that when it comes to prices, especially once all the available seats are filled, “a private jet competes very well with the premium offers of the airlines, especially if the trip is planned at the last minute.”

“Once the direct flights takes into account, without the need for long waiting to connect flights, or even long road trips once they landed, the private plane makes a lot of financial sense for many travelers,” he said.

“For example, the Jet Cirrus with four adults and two children aboard Sydney to Melbourne (day trip) is $ 6,700 USD. This compares with a QF executive class ticket for the same trip to $ 1,500 – $ 1,750 per person.

“Our company recently took care of a group that was on board for three days while traveling to remote parts of Australia. The itinerary available in the airlines would have taken the group seven days, and the time and the saved money made the choice of flying with us a simple.”

The price also depends on the type of plane, passenger count, distance and seasonal demand.

In Australia, entry level cards start at approximately $ 1200 per hour, increasing at $ 12,000 per hour for long -distance premium routes, according to Air Charter Advisors.

“Small aircraft now compete with the Legacy propeller aircraft in price, but with the benefits of jet speed and jet comfort,” said Mrs. Younes.

She said that apart from flexibility and convenience, another driving factor in the popularity of the private jet is the increase in the types of available reaction aircraft.

“There are also new ways to get access to charter airplanes, through methods such as fractional property, memberships, subscriptions and empty legs. All these changes make it much easier and much more affordable to get a seat on a private plane.”

The “empty legs” is when a private letter leaves a guest, it still has to return the plane and crew to the operations base, and that flight is generally empty. To compensate for the cost, aviation companies offer this leg to passengers with a discount.

Last year, said Flyjets Jessica Fisher’s executive Business intern That people can fly private for cheaper reserving empty legs, a practice that is more profitable for customers, but allows operators to generate more income.

Mrs. Younes said that the reserve process of a letter was simple, starting with the client sharing its itinerary, specific needs and time.

“(We) then verify the availability of the aircraft and send a client quotation, and the last minute details are resolved. Once a contract is signed, the trip is confirmed and fails to make the necessary arrangements with airports, air traffic control, caters, refuels and all other states,” he said.

Then, the day, the client appears shortly before the planned item, the plane is addressed with the plane that suffers moments later.

“On board, the client will enjoy an excellent gastronomic experience with premium food and drinks offered, and our highly experienced hostesses are always available to see all customer needs,” Mrs. Younes explained.

“In the destination, the client can be exhausted at the time the engines are closed, and many enter directly into a car that waits and are beyond the airport only minutes after the landing.”

With around 317 private planes in the operation throughout the country, the private aviation sector of Australia is growing without a doubt and, from what it seems, it is not only CEO and celebrities, but also owners of small businesses, entrepreneurs and groups that seek privacy of convenience and a luxury experience without significantly breaking the bank.