Private jet travel is having another active year.
In the first half of 2025, global business-jet departures were up ~3–4% year over year, led by gains in North America and rebounding demand in several long-haul leisure regions.
And in week-by-week tracking, worldwide segments jumped 12% year over year in mid-September — the strongest weekly growth of 2025.
On the supply side, manufacturers delivered 764 new business jets in 2024 (up 4.7% year over year), with billings rising to $26.4B — a healthy pipeline that supports charter and fractional fleets serving leisure itineraries from the Med to the Maldives.
Key Stats: Private Jet Tourism
- Private jet tourism / charter fleets are booming: the global private jet market is set to approach USD 40 billion in 2025, with charter services pulling in over USD 16-24 billion depending on forecast model.
- Activity remains well above pre-pandemic levels: in the U.S., private jet usage is ~10% above what it was in 2019; globally there is steady growth (~3%) in early to mid-2025.
- Fleet size is large: there are about 23,000 private jets currently flying worldwide, serving both business and leisure sectors.
- Summer & holiday destinations see massive surges: e.g. over 117,000 private jet flights to 45 European holiday airports in 2023 alone, accounting for large seasonal emissions.
- Many flights are short-haul: nearly half of private jet flights in some analyses cover less than ~310 miles, with a portion under 100 or 150 miles, suggesting some trips might be substitutable by other modes.
- Environmental impact is rising: the private jet sector contributed ~526,000 tonnes CO₂ from the flights to those European holiday destinations studied in 2023, averaging ~4.5 tonnes per flight.
- Convenience is a major draw: time savings, direct access to smaller airports, avoiding layovers, better flexibility—these are top reasons people choose private travel.
How big is private-jet travel right now?
After a plateau in late 2023–2024, 2025 has re-accelerated.
Multiple trackers show global bizjet departures up ~3–4% in H1 2025; North America is the engine, and summer weeklies show notable spikes.
For perspective, Week 37 (mid-September) printed +12% YoY worldwide — the best week of 2025 so far.
2025 flight activity snapshot (YoY)
| Region / Metric | H1 2025 vs. 2024 | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Worldwide bizjet departures | ~+3% to +3.8% | WingX & ARGUS tallies. |
| North America | ~+3.5% | Fractional strongest. |
| Weekly high (global) | +12% (Week 37) | 78,705 segments. |
Regional pulses: late-summer data flagged Africa (+26%), South America (+17%), and Asia (+15%) as fastest-growing pockets in a recent week, with the Middle East (+1%) flatter — a reminder that leisure-heavy regions are volatile but lively.
Where is demand coming from — business or leisure?
The answer is: both — and it depends on the lens.
A recent peer-reviewed analysis of 19 million private flights (2019–2023) found patterns consistent with extensive travel for leisure and major events (Cannes, World Cup, COP, Davos).
Nearly half of all private-jet flights were under 500 km, underscoring short-hop leisure and event shuttles.
Industry voices in Europe counter that the majority of flights remain business-driven, with 10–15% leisure in some markets, illustrating how mixes vary by country, airport, and season.
Use both perspectives when sizing “tourism” within private aviation.
How big is the private-jet charter market?
The charter services segment continues to scale: $21.24B (2024) to $24.12B (2025), a ~13.5% jump, helped by new leisure itineraries, flexible membership products, and aircraft availability as the OEMs deliver more jets.
Fractional programs are also expanding and drove H1 2025 growth (+10.3%).
Market & fleet indicators
| Indicator | Latest figure |
|---|---|
| Charter services market | $21.24B (2024) → $24.12B (2025) |
| Business-jet deliveries (OEMs) | 764 aircraft (2024); $26.4B billings |
| Weekly activity high (2025) | 78,705 flights; +12% YoY (Week 37) |
What’s new in the fleet and suppliers?
GAMA’s 2024 ledger shows rising deliveries despite supply-chain friction. OEMs like Embraer also guided higher 2025 output across executive jets, pointing to continued refresh in light- and super-midsize segments favored for leisure hops.
🌱 What about emissions and short-haul flights?
Two independent syntheses frame the footprint:
- Nature (Communications Earth & Environment, 2024): ≥15.6 Mt CO₂ in 2023, ~47% of flights <500 km, U.S. dominance in registrations and activity. Emissions +46% vs. 2019.
- ICCT (2025 report): Global private-jet emissions up to ~19.5 Mt (2023); 65% of emissions linked to U.S. operations; most-polluting airports concentrated in the U.S. Methodologies differ, but both show a steep post-2019 rise.
Within Europe, business aviation was ~0.8% of EU aviation emissions and 0.04% of total EU CO₂ in 2023 — a small share of the whole, but highly scrutinized due to per-passenger intensity and short hops.
Emissions & flight profile (latest research)
| Metric (2023 unless noted) | Figure |
|---|---|
| Direct CO₂ from private aviation | ≥15.6 Mt (Nature); up to ~19.5 Mt (ICCT) |
| Flights under 500 km | ~47% |
| EU share of aviation CO₂ (bizav) | ~0.8% of EU aviation; 0.04% of total EU CO₂ |
What does this mean for private-jet “tourism”?
- Tourism demand is sticky. Week-over-week spikes cluster around events and peak leisure seasons (Med summers, ski weeks, major festivals).
- Access keeps expanding. Charter and fractional broaden entry points beyond full ownership, supporting one-off luxury trips, family itineraries, and remote-destination hops.
- Scrutiny is rising. Short-haul prevalence and CO₂ intensity keep private jets in the climate spotlight — expect more policy debate (fees, SAF mandates, operational restrictions).
FAQ
Is private-jet flying still above 2019 levels?
Yes, multiple trackers show 2025 activity up vs. 2024, and still elevated vs. pre-pandemic baselines in key markets, with North America leading.
How much did manufacturers deliver last year?
764 business jets in 2024, with $26.4B in billings — a tailwind for charter and fractional capacity.
What portion of flights are “tourism”?
There isn’t a single global percentage. Academic analysis points to extensive leisure/event flying; some European industry sources say most flights are business. Mix varies by region/season.
What about emissions?
Latest studies estimate ≥15.6–~19.5 Mt CO₂ in 2023, with ~47% of flights <500 km. The EU industry’s share is ~0.8% of EU aviation CO₂, but per-passenger intensity is high.
Sources
- WINGX — Global Business Jets Grow 4% in Week 34 (Aug 28, 2025)
- Private Jet Card Comparisons — Flight Activity Analysis: Week 37, 2025 (+12% YoY)
- ARGUS/TraqPak via GlobalAir — August 2025 Global Flight Activity Summary
- SherpaReport — Private Jet Flight Numbers Robust in 2025 (H1 detail)
- GAMA — 2024 Annual Data (764 business-jet deliveries; $26.4B billings)
- Private Jet Charter Services — Global Market Report 2024–2025
- Nature (Communications Earth & Environment) — Private aviation emissions & flight patterns (2023)
- ICCT (2025) — Private Jet Emissions Hotspots & Totals (news coverage of ICCT report)
- EBAA / Oxford Economics — Socio-economic Benefits & EU emissions share (2023)
- Reuters — Embraer 2025 delivery guidance (executive jets)
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