7 Things You Should Check Before Booking a Private Jet for an Event

If you’re planning a trip to a major event, flying by private jet is the fastest, most convenient and stylish way. But to be sure your air charter is smooth, enjoyable and well-adjusted to the event you're planning to attend, it's worth asking yourself a few questions first.

If you want to charter a private jet to a major event like the Super Bowl or the Masters Tournament, make sure you're aware of the implications. Based on years of experience, we've compiled a list of 7 factors that will help you get ready.

1. Access to the Event

The first thing to do before you book your private aircraft is asking yourself if you can access the event.

For events like the NCAA Football Championships, you can buy tickets in advance without too much hassle. With very popular events such as the Super Bowl, premium seats will probably be a bit tougher but still obtainable.

The Oscars (Academy Awards)

For the Oscars, a few hundred members of the public might get lucky via a ticket lottery or as ‘seat fillers’, but tickets cannot openly be purchased.

However, certain events have a very exclusive entry policy. For example, a seat at the Academy Awards (Oscars) can’t be purchased. A few hundred members of the public might get lucky via a ticket lottery or as ‘seat fillers’, but tickets cannot openly be purchased.

In some instances, our concierge team may be able to help you secure tickets to major events. Contact us to discuss the details.

2. Most Popular Events for Private Jet Charter

Before you think about hiring a private jet, ask yourself if this is going to be one of the hottest events in the region. And if it is, will that affect your decision to go?

Super Bowl LII

Field being set-up for Super Bowl LII halftime show (credit: wikimedia)

You might want to travel to one of the year’s biggest events in supreme style. We receive many bookings e.g. for the Super Bowl which is a huge, mainstream event that attracts fans from all around the world. In the recent years, it has frequently reached or exceeded 100 million viewers on television.

Booking a private jet to the Super Bowl is bound to make your friends and colleagues envious. Or it’ll make you a hero if you bring them along!

For many, the popularity of a major event is enticing. But you may as well prefer a less mainstream event which attracts a more modest crowd. Something like the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, for instance.

Here’s a selection of the most popular events for private jet charter:

We've compiled an in-depth list of popular events in 2019/2020.

3. Airport Options at your Destination

Depending on the location of the event, your airport options will vary widely.

US Open Golf

US Open Golf Championship

Remember the golden rule: bigger cities equal to more airports.

For example, the 120th U.S. Open Championship is set to take place on June 15-21, 2020, at the Winged Foot Golf Club in Mamaroneck, New York. New York is a massive city with plenty of airports giving you easy access to the event.

Here are some New York airports where you can land your private jet:

John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)
Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR)
LaGuardia Airport (LGA)
Teterboro Airport (TEB)
Westchester County Airport (HPN)

However, if the event is taking place in a less populous area, you might find it harder to grab an airport slot. It’s important to take this into account when booking your private charter.

4. Air Traffic Congestion and Jet Availability

When driving to a sports event, festival or awards show, busy traffic may be one of your concerns. Similarly, when booking a private jet charter, it's worth taking the traffic congestion into consideration, too.

The Paramount Jet Cards

The Paramount Platinum Jet Card and Black Card Memberships

Air traffic can be increased before popular events. At Paramount Business Jets, you can usually have your private jet arranged four hours after making your request. Or even three hours if you’re a Paramount Private Jet Card Member.

But meeting such tight deadlines at major events can be tough. With a hugely popular event, it’s a better idea to book in advance; anywhere between one and three months should do the trick.

How does this help?

Booking in advance gives you a head start over the crowd. You’ll enjoy a wider choice of aircraft, and can snag a top slot at the airport.

Make sure you book in advance for the following:

Wider choice of aircraft
Premium airport slots
In-depth flight plan
Airport parking

5. Further Steps after Landing

Except from airport parking, in case of private jet charters you should also think about further transport after your plane lands.

If the event you’re attending is very crowded, you’re likely to hit heavy traffic which is surely the last thing you want after a VIP private jet experience.

The good news is, you can work around this. Speak to your Paramount Aviation Advisor and they can help you with aspects such as:

Airport transfers
Hotel bookings
Tickets

6. Transporting the Crew to the Event

There are legal restrictions in place on how long a flight crew can work. Knowing them might be helpful when planning your private air charter.

Crew members on board private jets are required to have a 10-hour rest period within each 24-hour cycle. The maximum duty day is 14 hours and must be followed by a 10-hour rest period at their hotel.

Pilot boarding private jet

Crew members are required to have a 10-hour rest period within each 24-hour cycle.

When scheduling a flight, operators usually account for 12 hours of rest instead of 10. These extra two hours give the crew time to get to their hotel, rest for the required time, and return to the airport.

Let’s say you need to fly from Sydney to New York, which takes about 16 – 18 hours non-stop. This would not be possible with a single flight crew, as the flight time would exceed 14 hours.

If your flight is longer than 14 hours, you have two options:

Fly two flight crews

If you want to fly non-stop, you’ll need to bring two separate flight crews on board. In order for the second team to be ready to take over, there will need to be enough space for them to relax while the first team is working.

Make a brief stop

Many customers would rather avoid paying for a second flight crew on board the aircraft. If that’s the case, you can make a brief stop instead. The second crew will be waiting on your arrival and will quickly jump on board to keep your journey moving.