How to travel to New York - private jet style
Everybody wants to be in the city that never sleeps. No matter what season it is, New York City remains as one of the top travel destinations in the United States or even in the world.
New York is popular for many things - Times Square, Broadway, Central Park, museums, art, shopping or fashion, the culinary and drinking scenes - you name it. Tourists and locals alike love being in this exhilarating city. They will never run out of things to do and places to see. You can choose between a day out in Manhattan to see the attractions of the big apple, a quiet day in Long Island, or take the ferry to another borough and see Staten Island instead.
Typically one can easily land in any of the New York airports. They offer national and international flights with commercial airlines. However, private jet travel has become increasingly popular in the past few years. What used to be an exclusive luxury is now accessible thanks to a lot of notable progress within the aviation industry. Charter brokers, fractional aircraft programs, and private jet card memberships have all contributed to making a private jet experience attainable and without breaking your bank account.
What is a private charter flight?
You may have heard of the term charter flights. Technically, this term refers to either commercial flights or private charter flights. So what's the difference?
Well, commercial charters refer to the usual flights we know of that take us from our point of origin to our destination. You are simply purchasing a seat on the plane - whether economy or first class - and taking off on a scheduled flight. Simple as that.
A private charter flight, however, is entirely different. When you charter a private flight, you would have to rent the entire aircraft. Renting it means that you are paying for the whole thing. This is where the hefty costs come in because you are essentially paying for all the seats, crew fees, services, fuel, and most importantly, the air time to travel on a specific route.
Charter flights or private jet charter is actually different from other private aviation services. Private jets are for urgent and instant on-the-go travels. Usually, all it takes is contacting a broker to book a flight with your ideal departure time and destination. Meanwhile, fractional aircraft ownership and jet cards entail a longer commitment to private jet flights, with more strings (and deposits) attached. Fractional aircraft ownership will come in handy for investors who want to make a business out of those select few who want to take private charter flights. Jet cards, on the other hand, are an elite membership program for those who need to go on private travels 25 hours or more in a year.
Where do private jets land in NYC?
If you look at the destinations where private jets tend to go and land, you will notice that they often fly into expensive cities. This is definitely a no brainer as it takes a lot of money to get your hands on a private jet charter in the first place. With that, taking a jet charter to New York is nothing new. As one of the most popular cities in the world, NYC welcomes a big number of private planes in any key airport.
Within New York and New Jersey, there are three major commercial airports - John F Kennedy International Airport (JFK), La Guardia, and Newark International Airport. But for those on a private jet charter to New York, there are four main private jet airports that are within driving distance from Manhattan. For private flyers, these four are the go-to choices to land.
Of course, the location is the most important factor because this dictates the flight time for private jet passengers. Making the best and smartest choice can be crucial and save you a lot of time and money.
We will give you the rundown of which airport in New York welcomes private jets and any pros and cons it may have.
- Teterboro Airport (KTEB) in Hwy 1, New Jersey
This is pretty much the most sought after in terms of private airports surrounding New York City. Conveniently enough, Teterboro Airport has no commercial airlines at all so it caters to most of the private jet passengers that live in Manhattan. KTEB is just across the George Washington Bridge so this is the closest airport you can get if you are headed downtown. There are two large runways at TEB which are known to support jet traffic, but is still not inevitable to flight delays, so keep that in mind.
You might be surprised that this airport pretty much takes up the entire borough of Teterboro city. Since it is close to residential areas, there are some rules in place. These include noise abatement procedures, a weight limit of 100,000 lbs., and a curfew that is strictly followed unless emergencies arise.
- Westchester County Airport or White Plains (KHPN) in Northern Westchester County
White Plains is the top choice for West Chester residents and allows passengers in and out of NYC through the very convenient Hutchinson Parkway. While KHPN holds several airways and a commercial terminal, the majority of private hangars actually have the upper hand here, making it a top choice for private jet flyers who are going in and out of New York.
This might be a better option because delays are rare here given its lower popularity and its placement away from major commercial traffic. Booking aircrafts based in KHPN are most convenient for those who live north of the city, in Greenwich, or even Stafford Connecticut.
- Farmingdale Republic Airport (FRG) in Highway 111, Long Island
Farmingdale Airport is an executive airport which allows faster take-off and landing time - definitely a plus for private jet flyers who are looking to save time. There are two jet length runways, modern FBOs (fixed base operators), and they have a number of excellent charter operators. Having popular charter operators in your airport is a plus because private jet flyers will gravitate to that.
FRG is a great alternative to the first two airports we mentioned because of the light traffic and good facilities they offer to private jet passengers who are simply looking to land within New York.
- Islip-McArthur Airport (ISP) on the I 495 corridor, Long Island
This is another excellent alternative to the larger airports of New York City and works best for those who live on Long Island or even in the other eastern boroughs. ISP is located a few miles further east compared to FRG. However, Islip-McArthur Airport is a commercial airport. Private flights could get delayed especially when there is air traffic and congestion.
The facilities are likewise impressive with four runways (three of which are the jet length and one for turboprop jets), reputable charter operators, and newer Legacy 600 aircraft which cost lower than your typical Gulfstream.
How much does it cost to charter a New York private jet?
While the costs for private jet vary among many factors, we can show you the ballpark figures so you have a good idea about the how many dollars it usually takes to charter a private jet into New York City.
For local travel within the United States, their hourly rate is about 8,000 to 10,000 USD for light jets. This can go up to 15,000 to 30,000 USD for larger jets that can either hold more passengers or have more comfortable amenities. More luxurious jets are definitely appealing to VIP travelers like celebrities, politicians, ambassadors, and the like.
As for those on international charter flights that wish to enter New York, the private jet charter costs are obviously much bigger. Typically the trip will cost 100,000 to 150,000 USD if you are coming from another top city such as Dubai or London. The whopping costs obviously come from the fuel surcharge for long-range jets for such an exclusive intercontinental flight experience. But this can be a small price to pay for the wealthy few that fly on private jets as a part of their regular lifestyle.