When it comes to luxury aviation, private jets and first class tend to come to mind. However, there comes a time when celebrities, multibillion dollar corporations and billionaires ask themselves which is better- Private jet or first class?
All three types of people use both types of luxury aviation, however, there is rarely a general consensus. Today, we will find out!
Private Jet vs First Class: Price
Both private jets and first class seem unobtainable to most people. However, price is always a factor when discussing which is better between private jets and first class.
Private Jet
The cost of a private jet is very dependent on a multitude of factors.
Obviously, there is always the opportunity for celebrities, businessmen and billion dollar corporations to buy a private jet. Naturally this will entail higher costs that go beyond the initial price of the jet.
Costs such as storage, pilot’s salaries and maintenance are all major costs of owning a private jet. This also doesn’t account for the fuel needed to fly the jet to and from destinations.
There is also the opportunity to charter a private jet. A quick Google search for the term “private jet charter” yields millions of results in just a few seconds.
Chartering a private jet can either be vastly more expensive or vastly cheaper depending on the charter company and operator. However, there is something definitive.
On most shorter routes (London to Paris, Boston to New York etc.), chartering a private jet, is far cheaper than it is in first class on most airlines.
However, the opposite is also true. On longer flights (London to New York, London to Perth etc.) chartering a private jet is slightly more expensive.
First Class
The cost of a first class ticket often depends on a multitude of factors as well.
First of all, the price of a first class ticket depends on the airline you’re flying with. That is to say, the larger the airline usually correlates to a better experience, but also a higher ticket cost.
After all, you can’t expect to pay the same ticket price for a first class ticket on MIAT Mongolian Airlines as you would Emirates, British Airways or Delta.
The second factor is distance. The shorter distance you’re traveling, the less you’ll pay. However, as we said earlier, the longer the flight, the cheaper it is per seat to fly first class.
Perhaps a factor you hadn’t thought about is the time of year. In “low” months, such as March or October, ticket prices will be lower, however, in “high” months, such as August or December, ticket prices will be higher.
As said before however, the longer the flight is, the cheaper it tends to be when compared to chartering a private jet. However, the shorter the flight tends to be, the opposite is similarly true as well.
Private Jet vs First Class: Comfort
Both private jet and first class flights are renowned for their comfort, however, which is truly the comfiest?
Private Jet
When it comes to comfort levels on private jets, it usually comes down to which jet you are on.
A business jet like the G650, which is designed for long haul routes by business jet-making titan Gulfstream is going to be much comfier than a short-haul oriented HondaJet made by car manufacturer Honda.
However, seats on private jets are as roomy if not more so than they are in first class. More often than not (unless you specify otherwise when you are buying or redesigning your jet) your seats are authentic leather that are at the height of comfort technology.
Most private jets also have a pantry, where there is refrigerator and minor cooking amenities. As such, you could have ice cream, wine or coke in the refrigerator to have on your trip!
First Class
When you book a first class ticket on an airline, you are paying for “the best seat in the house” so to say. As such, you are given special treatment by the crew.
For starters, the seats are massive, and are far comfier than anything in business or economy classes. These seats also have far better entertainment systems, not to mention that they also fold into a bed!
You also get the best choice of meals made during the flight by Michelin star chefs. You also get the best choice of drinks which are given to you almost excessively during flight.
Private Jet vs First Class: Safety
Safety is a big deal whenever you fly, however, one type of luxury aviation is actually far safer than the other!
Private Jets
Despite the long-held belief that private jets are more dangerous than commercial aircraft, this is not entirely true.
First of all, the stereotype mainly comes from the media. Most of the people who use private jets tend to be public figures, whether they are businessmen, celebrities, film stars or the like.
As such, when they crash, the media plays more attention to them than they would if it was a commercial aircraft.
There’s also the fact that private jets aren’t regularly scheduled. This means that they are often void of IATA rules and regulations, however are still subject to FAA, EASA or similar regulator’s rules.
Obviously, some charter companies have a better safety record than others. Some charter companies, most commonly those who only offer limited services (although not always) have safety issues.
However, those charter companies that offer global services tend to (although not always) have better safety records.
First Class
First class is aboard regularly scheduled passenger flights. As such, they fall under certain regulations set out not only by the FAA or EASA (or a similar regulator) but also the IATA.
The IATA have rules about almost every aspect of the flight. All of this is done in the name of safety, not only for the passengers but also for the aircraft itself.
As such, those flights are considerably safer than those aboard other types of transport, including by car and by boat. However, both private jet sand commercial jets are about as safe as each other.
Perhaps the best way to minimize the chances that you’ll be involved in a fatal crash is to go on one of the safest aircraft from one of the safest airlines in the world.
Private Jet vs First Class: Experience
Flying on a private jet or by first class is as much about comfort as it is experience. For many people, flying on a private jet or in first class in a once in a lifetime opportunity!
Private Jet
The private jet experience is something extraordinary!
If you charter your private jet flight, you will often get your own personal flight attendant. They will do what an ordinary flight attendant would- get you a drink, help you strap in and so on.
If you charter your own private jet, you will often get the chance to talk to your pilot(s) as well.
Not only will you be able to do this before and after the flight as you would on a normal flight, but also during flight- most regulators don’t require private jet cockpits to be sealed as you would for a commercial flight.
There’s also the fact that most charter flights are taken from solely private-jet airports, rather than airports like Heathrow or JFK. That’s got to look and feel quite special indeed!
First Class
First class is also about making the passenger feel good too. First class is full of flight attendants who are “at your beck and call” so to speak.
Passengers in first class are the first to board the aircraft. This allows them to be seated first and for all of the first class-oriented demonstrations to be gone through, most importantly the seat transformation into a bed.
First class are similarly the first to disembark from the aircraft.
Passengers in first class are also able to get more than enough free amenities, far too many to be used on the flight even! They are also given free WiFi and enough complimentary beverages throughout the flight.
There’s also the fact that passengers in first class often get to interact with the Captain and First Officer during flight (although not in the cockpit as is common in private jet charter flights).
Private Jet vs First Class: Practicality
No article comparing private jets and first class is complete without talking about practicality.
Private Jet
Private jets are perhaps more practical for both celebrities and businessmen for several reasons.
First of all, there’s the press. The press love to try to interview famous people, just imagine what would happen if Michael O’Leary told everyone where he’d be on a specific day- the press would certainly be there!
As such, many celebrities and businessmen try to avoid that. The best way to do that is by turning up to a much smaller airport with fewer people and getting on their aircraft.
There’s also the fact that you can turn up as your private jet is about to leave. There’s no waiting in the airport as there would be for a first class flight.
As for the flight itself, you control who is allowed on the aircraft. Obviously, the charter company (or your company) will have to send their pilot(s) to pilot the aircraft, however, as for passengers, you can have as many as you like! (assuming there’s enough seats).
This means that if you don’t like a certain person you’re flying with, you can seat them far away from you. You can also seat your close friends or spouse next to you as well. Plus, you haven’t got to worry about disruptive passengers either!
First Class
Despite all of this, first class does also have its practical benefits, perhaps better ones than private jets.
The most pressing benefit is the use of airport lounges. Unlike economy class, business and first class travelers get the opportunity to enjoy their airline’s airport lounge at that airport (sometimes it’s the airline alliance’s lounge).
This minimizes the issues that surround celebrities and famous businessmen- there may be fans in the lounge, but not nearly as much in the main terminal.
Flying first class also has practical benefits such as a bed. On long-haul flights, most first class seats are equipped to turn into a bed, which can be slept on. These are especially useful on night flights.
Just as with a private jet, first class allows you to work whilst you travel. However, it’s arguably easier to work in first class than it is in a private jet, although that’s a matter of opinion.
Private Jet vs First Class: Opinions
As usual, I asked several different groups of people what their opinions were on the question of “private jet vs first class?”.
Pilots
Corporate and commercial pilots have a special kind of relationship. They have a very love-hate relationship, a sort of rivalry between commercial and corporate pilots.
Of the pilots I interviewed, the majority of the were commercial pilots, in fact, I was only able to interview two corporate pilots. Both of whom work for a major US corporation.
As such, most of the pilots were understandably pro-first class however, one was actually pro-private jet. Both of the private jet pilots, were understandably pro-private jet.
Passengers
I was able to interview four passengers who’d flown on both private jets and in first class. I asked them the question of “Private jet vs first class? Which do you prefer?”
Unsurprisingly (for me anyway), three of the four passengers were pro-private jet. They said that private jets provided much easier forms of transport.
They said that the private jet flew much faster, allowed them to work much more efficiently and was a much smoother experience than their first class journeys.
However, one passenger said he preferred the first class flights claiming that the first class flights were more efficient and smoother than the private jet flight.
I guess it is really just a matter of perspective.
Avgeeks
I also decided to ask a group of avgeeks about their opinions on this. As usual, this was fairly divisive. Most of the avgeeks had very strong opinions one way or the other on this topic.
Some of the avgeeks had strong opinions involving both private jets and first class.
Many of the avgeeks told stories about how when they were children, and how they used to dream of jet setting on their own private jet. Many of them also talked about how first class also had that same appeal too.
All in all, neither side truly came to a consensus. Both sides were steeped in their own beliefs and there were surprisingly no “stragglers”- avgeeks with no opinion on either.
The Public
I don’t usually add the public to aircraft comparisons. With that being said, this question has been asked several times in recent memory.
Naturally, the general public has strong opinions on it. There have been many high profile instances of flight shaming in recent years. Perhaps the most notable of all these instances have involved the infamous Greta Thunberg.
And many in the general public agree with her beliefs. They believe that private jets and other types of aircraft that only fly a handful of people to and from a destination, aren’t environmentally friendly enough.
As such, many members of the public dislike the use of private jets, with many calling for them to be taxed higher or even made illegal. However, some members of the public are pro-private jet.
They also see the use of first class as wasteful, seeing business models used by Southwest and Ryanair to be more economically friendly. However, they are more economical per seat than private jets.
Summary
The question of “Private jet vs first class?” is truly a matter of perspective. There is truly no right or wrong answer. And for better or for worse, they are here to stay, whether we like it or not.
Personally, I would say that private jets are better. I believe that their speed and ability to allow you to work and travel is far superior to the lounges and free amenities that are provided on first class flights.
However, many people will disagree with me. When I told the passenger who preferred first class flights my own opinion, he vehemently disagreed with me. In fact, it was a debate like this that drove me to write this article!
Private jet vs first class: Which is better? Tell me in the comments!
Featured image courtesy of Peter Gronemann.