Planning a Luxury Trip by Private Jet: The Flight Is the Easy Part

Booking the jet is the part most people focus on. But a great private trip depends on everything around the flight: the bags, the food on board, the car waiting at the airport and the villa that knows you have landed.

James Ison is the founder of The 0.1% Group, a London private aviation and luxury concierge business. He arranges private jet and helicopter charters, villas, hotels and event access. Here is what he has learned about planning the whole trip, not just the flight.

What clients usually forget

The three things that most often get missed are luggage, catering and the cabin layout.

Luggage. "Flying privately doesn't mean unlimited baggage, so we need to know what clients are bringing," James says. A light jet may fit four people but not four sets of golf clubs. Tell your broker early what you are packing, including skis, golf bags or extra cases.

Catering. If you want a particular meal on board, decide a few days before the flight. "It's best to decide a few days before the flight rather than the day before or that morning," he says. Special dishes need time to source and prepare.

Cabin layout. A night flight is different from a day flight. "An aircraft that suits a daytime trip may not be the best choice when you want to sleep," James says. If you plan to sleep, ask which seats turn into flat beds, or whether there is a bedroom. His team explains the options in their guide to private jet bedrooms and sleeping layouts.

How to match the jet to the trip

The right jet depends on the people, the bags and the airports. James starts with the client's own experience of flying privately. "Some feel more comfortable in a midsize or heavy jet," he says, even when a smaller aircraft could make the trip.

His team checks three things before it offers an aircraft:

• Luggage. They confirm with the operator that the bags will fit.
• Airports. They check that the jet suits the runways at both ends.
• Flight times. They check the airport is open when you plan to land.

That last point catches people out. "Details such as an airport closing earlier at weekends can affect the plan," James says. A smaller airport near your villa may close in the evening, so a late arrival could mean landing somewhere further away.

If you are comparing sizes and prices, our guide on how much it costs to rent a private jet explains what each class of jet costs per hour.

Lining up the car, the villa and the plans

The flight can be perfect and the trip can still go wrong on the ground. James's team works to a simple rule for transfers: the driver arrives 45 minutes before the client lands.

"That gives them time to meet the ground team, prepare refreshments and be ready to greet the client properly," he says.

The villa is part of the same plan. As soon as the jet lands, his team tells the villa, along with what the client wants on arrival. "Whether that's food and drinks or a massage after a long flight," James says. By the time you reach the door, everything is ready.

Where clients want to go right now

Two kinds of trips stand out this year:

• New York to Miami. "We're receiving a lot of requests for New York to Miami for winter sun," James says. It is one of the busiest private routes in the US every winter. His team has a page on the New York to Miami private jet route.
• Formula 1 races. This year has been especially busy for Formula 1 travel, with clients wanting to reach the races in comfort. Race weekends fill up fast, so jets, hotels and cars need booking early.

Flexible on dates? An empty leg flight can cut the cost of a one-way trip on popular routes.

What turns a good trip into a great one

For James, the answer is not the aircraft. It is the people on the ground.

"A good concierge or butler service," he says. "Having someone who knows the area and can organise restaurant bookings and cars makes a real difference. It's that local knowledge and help with the details, beyond the flight itself."

A quick checklist before you book

• Tell your broker exactly what luggage you are bringing.
• Choose your on-board meals a few days ahead.
• For a night flight, ask about flat beds or a bedroom.
• Check the arrival airport's opening hours, especially at weekends.
• Ask for the driver to be there before you land.
• Make sure the villa or hotel knows when you land and what you want on arrival.
• Book race weekends and peak holidays early.

Planning a trip like this? You can find private jet charter companies and concierge services in our aviation directory.

Photo: James Ison on board a private jet. Supplied by The 0.1% Group.