Where did we fly this summer?
Autumn is fast approaching and, while some clients are still enjoying the final rays of sunshine in Europe, we’re now flying out the other side of the summer peak.
With business aviation boosted by extra leisure demand, summer is Europe’s busiest time for private jet travel (in the US there’s a more even year-round demand).
And while clients can fly into any one of over 3,000 airports (such flexibility is one of the key benefits of of private jet travel), some destinations shine through – and move up and down our clients’ wishlists each summer – reflecting wider luxury travel trends.
Our quarterly Private Jet Charter Trends report for Q3 (July – September) will be out in a few weeks, to give a definitive look at summer stats. But in the meantime these are some of the key European trends our Flight Team noticed this year.
1) Mykonos makes a move on Ibiza
When it comes to A-list party hotspots, Ibiza has been the island of choice for many years, but Mykonos has been making some major moves on its rival in the last couple of years. And this summer, we saw more demand for flights to the island, than ever before.
At peak times this summer (Fridays in particular) Mykonos Airport was so busy that no more aircraft could land there. We had to fly some clients into Athens, and then transfer them to a helicopter for the final part of the journey.
2) Italian destinations heat up
Italy is perenially popular in the summer with our clients, including the Italian-owned island of Sardinia.
But this year we saw even more demand than usual for certain destinations, particularly Naples and Catania in Sicily. Another popular region this year was the Cinque Terre, with clients flying into Pisa or Genoa, then transferring to a helicopter into Manarola.
3) Croatia moves into the spotlight
It’s been our busiest summer yet for flights to Croatia, with Split in particular hitting our clients’ travel radars.
Its combination of beaches, history, and fantastic sailing opportunities seemed to strike a particularly sweet spot with luxury travellers in 2017.
4) Greek islands back in the frame
Mykonos wasn’t the only Greek destination hotting up this summer. The country’s economic challenges may have seen it drop down travellers’ wishlists a few years’ ago. But it was most definitely back up this year. Industry statistics for August show an 18% year-on-year rise for private jet activity in the country overall.
Thessaloniki, Zante, Santorini and Kefalonia were some of the Greek destinations that have kept our Flight Team particularly busy this year.
5) More helicopters in the South of France
The French Riviera is always at the epicenter of private jets in Europe over the summer months, and this year was no exception, with Nice seeing more flights than any other airport.
This year we did see a noticeable rise in helicopter demand in the area. With ever-increasing traffic on the roads, more and more clients are booking helicopter transfers, to move between Nice, Cannes, Monaco and St Tropez.
Wherever you want to fly, search for prices online or contact our expert Flight Team (24/7) on +44 (0)20 7100 6960.
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