Texas, California and Florida are seeing trends of close to 10% in terms of year-on-year growth in bizjet departures in the last 4 weeks, testament to solid improvements in consumer and business confidence in the wake of Trump´s win. More than usual numbers of US tourists have flown to Europe in the last week, notably more to the UK and Italy than to France and Germany. The Middle East saw a strong bump in YOY bizjet flights coinciding with the MEBAA show in Dubai.
Global
In Week 50 of 2024 (9th – 15th December), 72,682 bizjet departures were recorded globally, 2% more than W50 last year, inflating the four-week trend to +5% growth compared to 2023. Global Part135 &91K activity was up 1% ahead vs last year, the last four-week trend at an impressive +7%. Globally, year-to-date there have been just over 3.5 million bizjet departures, 1% fewer than last year.
Chart 1: Global business jet departures by week, 2024 vs 2023
North America
Bizjet activity in North America rose 3% compared to Week 50 in 2023, the four-week trend up to +7% compared to last year. Part 135 & 91K activity in the US grew 3% compared to last year, the four-week trend stretching out to +9%.
Florida and Texas saw 6% and 5% gains compared to last year in W50, California on par with last year. In Texas the usual hotspots of activity, Dallas, Houston and Fort Worth were ahead of W50 last year, small declines in San Antonio. Part 91 operators accounted for 58% of bizjet departures in Texas in W50, Florida the top out-of-State destination across all the bizjet operator types.
Chart 2: Top business jet routes from Texas, W50 2024
Post US-election, bizjet activity is now trending 3% ahead of comparable last year. Post-election, NetJets and Flexjet have been big winners. Since early November Trans-Atlantic flying is up 5% compared to last year, with US – United Kingdom the busiest route, accounting for 41% of all bizjet trans-Atlantic flights since the election. Connections from US to France are down vs comparable last year, but there´s strong growth in flights to Italy and Ireland.
Chart 3: Post US-election Trans-Atlantic business jet departures by US State (6th November – 15th December).
Europe
In Europe, bizjet activity in W50 fell 3% compared to W50 in 2023, the overall pattern being weakness in Central and Northern Europe, strong demand in Mediterranean regions. For example, the UK recorded 2% growth in departures compared to last year, Italy 8% growth, in contrast, Germany recorded 1% decline, Switzerland 11% decline. The Ultra Long Range Jet traffic is stand-out strong, particularly on US (N) and Malta (9H) registered aircraft.
Chart 4: Bizjet activity in Europe in December, by aircraft segment.
Rest of World
Outside of Europe and the United States, bizjet activity in W50 was 4% higher than W50 in 2023. Most of the growth came from the Middle East, bizjet departures 18% higher than last year, the busiest routes and airport pairs in the region seeing year on year gains, highlighted in chart 5. Asia also had a strong week, bizjet activity up 15% YOY. In Africa activity was 22% behind last year, South America 2% below last year.
The Middle East region benefitted from the afterglow of hosting the 16th Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Dubai also saw a significant surge in activity, linked to the 2024 edition of the MEBAA show held 10-12 December. Bizjet arrivals into Dubai airports in W50 peaked on the 13th of December, coinciding with the Geminids meteor shower event which reportedly drew in many visitors.
Chart 5: Bizjet activity in the Middle East, W50 2024.
