Global bizjet activity was flat in week 2, dropping back on the pace of growth in Week 1. Notably there was strong bizjet activity out of airports in the Los Angeles metro area due to the Wildfires catastrophe. There has also been strong growth in flights to/from Palm Beach, as Trump and his team prepare to take office.
Global
In Week 2 of 2025 (6th January – 12th January), 59,330 bizjet departures were recorded globally, which were flat compared to Week 2 of 2024. Part 91K and 135 bizjet activity recorded 30,536 global departures, which was a 5% increase vs W2 2024. In the last 4 weeks, global bizjet activity is 4% ahead of comparable last year, Part 91K and 135 performing even better in the last 4 weeks, departures 9% ahead of last year. Post-US election (Nov 6th 2024 – Jan 12th 2025), bizjet departures in the US are up 3.5% YOY, contrasting with 1.5% decline in the first 10 months of the year.
Chart 1: Global business jet departures by OEM, 6th– 12th January 2025
North America
In North America, bizjet activity was also flat W2 2025 when compared to W2 2024, although Part 91K and 135 activity was 6% ahead. Demand weakened in Texas, departures down by 5% compared to last year, while activity in Florida grew 11%. Focusing on the United States, the bizjet activity this month (Jan 1st – Jan 12th) is 2.2% behind last year.
A major point of emphasis the past 2 weeks in the US is the Los Angles wildfires. The metro area airports around LA have seen a 2% contraction in bizjet activity during this period, with most activity heading out of the LA area to the Las Vegas area (see Chart 2). The top airport pair departing a Los Angeles airport is KBUR to KLAS, these flights up 23% YOY. KLAX and KVNY have also seen YOY growth with the KLAS connection, both airports’ activity up 8% and 4% respectively.
Chart 2: US – Los Angeles bizjet activity, 1st– 12th January 2025 vs last year.
Another strong activity hub in the US bizjet market has been Palm Beach International Airport since Trump’s victory in November’s election. Until November 2024, KPBI bizjet activity had been slipping back, down 3% January – October YOY. The trend reversed in the last 2 months of the year, bizjet activity picking up 5% YOY. KPBI activity ended up finishing the year mostly flat, down 1.4%.
Chart 3: KPBI bizjet activity, FY 2024 vs FY 2023
Chart 4: Business jet departures by US State, November 6th 2024 – January 12th 2025.
Europe
In Europe, bizjet activity in Week 2 2025 fell 2% compared Week 2 2024, aircraft registered Part 91K and Part 135 also flew 2% fewer departures YOY. Activity in France bucked the trend, up 12% vs last year, contrast YOY large declines in bizjet flights from Germany and Switzerland. In contrast to its country’s overall decline, Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport in Spain saw 10% YOY more activity during Jan 6 – 12. In contrast Zurich Airport saw 23.7% less activity during this period. International flights in Europe during this period are in line with the overall region trend, down 7%. The domestic market in France was quite strong, 9% more bizjet flights compared to last year, with most of these French domestic flights are occurring between Nice and Paris.
Rest of World
Outside of Europe and the United States, bizjet activity was down 1.1% in Week 2 2025. The largest decline was in Africa where activity fell 11%. In Asia, activity fared better, gaining 3%, in the Middle East declines of 5% were recorded. Mexico was the busiest ROW market recording a 15% dip in bizjet departures. In China the active bizjet fleet has fallen 7% compared to January last year, while departures grew 1% compared to last year. Ultra long-range jets are flying the most in China this month, although departures behind last year, small bizjet segments are seeing growth compared to last year.