How Many Private Jets Are There in the World? Key Industry Statistics
At the height of the pandemic, more and more travelers were looking to rent a private jet for health and safety reasons. However, as those first-time flyers discovered even more benefits to flying privately, they’ve since become loyal private flyers. This demand has affected not just the number of private jets for sale, but also private jet statistics as a whole.
Our experts at Stratos Jetscompiled some of the most interesting private jet statistics to provide some insight into this growing industry.
1. Overview
In this section, you will find general information about the number of private jets in the world, including market size, fleet size, fleet growth, busiest airports, luxury private jets for sale, and more.
Number of Business Aviation Aircraft by Region
How many private jets are there in the world today? In 2019, North America boasted a business aviation fleet size of 25,237, bigger than all other regions’ fleet sizes. Europe owned the second largest, with 4,159. Australia and Oceania, on the other hand, had 778, the lowest among all the regions.
In total, there are over 20,000 active private jets in the world.
Key Statistics:
- Data from 2019 shows that North America accounted for roughly 67% of business aircraft globally, with 15,547 jets, 9,584 turboprops, and 106 executive aircraft (1).
- Europe hosts about 11% of business aircraft worldwide, with 2,760 jets, 1,351 turboprops, and 48 executive aircraft (2).
- Australia and Oceania’s business aviation fleet size accounted for 2%, with 230 jets, 545 turboprops, and three executive aircraft (3).
Private jet growth worldwide per year (from fleet size)
Due to the high demand for private jet travel, this number is expected to rise steadily in a post-pandemic world. In fact, industry forecasts for the next ten years predict between 6,362 and 7,300 new jet deliveries, valued between $204.4 billion and $236 billion, as more luxury private jets for sale hit the market.
Key Statistics:
- Private jet statistics show a global fleet of 21,929 registered aircraft (8).
- Industry predictions estimate 6,362 new jets sales worth $217.5 billion between 2020 and 2029 (9).
- Even more optimistic predictions estimate 7,300 new private aircraft sales worth $235 billion between 2021 to 2030 (10).
How many jets are there in North America for private jet charter?
In 2019, North America had the biggest private jet fleet in the world, with 15,547 registered aircraft from various countries in the region. The US fleet holds roughly 89% of the total jets on the continent. Mexico comes second at 6%, while the third biggest fleet goes to Canada at 3%.
Key Statistics:
- In 2019, there were 15,547 registered private aircraft in North America, with the number of jet business aircraft from the US totaling 13,797, or almost 90% of the region’s fleet (11).
- Mexico had the second-biggest fleet at 974 jets (12).
- Canada had the third most private aircraft at 532 jets (13).
How many private jets are there in Europe?
Europe had a total of 2,760 business jets by the end of 2019. Germany was the highest contributor at 495 private aircraft, and the UK was the second-highest at 341. France comes at a fairly close third with 272 registered luxury business aircraft.
Key Statistics:
- Data from 2019 shows Europe hosted about 13% of all the business aircraft in the world (14).
- Germany had the highest registered business aircraft, which accounted for almost 18% of the continent’s fleet (15).
- The UK’s business aircraft came second at 12% (16).
- France’s private jet industry came third, at roughly 9% (17).
How many private jets are there in South America?
In 2019, the number of private jet aircraft in South America totaled 1,398. The Brazil fleet holds over half of the total jets on the continent. Venezuela is the second biggest contributor, accounting for about 23% of the South American fleet, and Argentina comes third at 13%.
Key Statistics:
- South America had 1,398 business aviation jets in 2019, which covered about 6% of the total worldwide fleet (18).
- Brazil is the region’s biggest contributor, with 739 business aviation jets (19).
- Venezuela had the second-biggest fleet at 316 (20).
- Argentina had the third most business aircraft at 186 (21).
How many private jets are there in Asia?
In 2019, Asia hosted the third-biggest business aviation fleet in the world, with 1,570 registered jets from various countries on the continent. China contributes the highest amount, making up about 18% of the region’s fleet. India ranks second at 9%, and Saudi Arabia comes in at a close third with 7.6%.
Key Statistics:
- Asia accounted for about 7% of the world’s private jet aircraft in 2019 (22).
- China had 287 business aviation jets by the end of 2019, the biggest fleet on the continent (23).
- India had the second-biggest fleet with 147 private aviation jets (24).
- Saudi Arabia had the third most business aviation jets at 119 (25).
How many private jets are there in Africa?
In 2019, the African region had 474 registered private jet aircraft, the second smallest fleet worldwide. South Africa contains about 30% of the business aircraft jets on the continent. Nigeria comes second at 19%, while the third-largest fleet belongs to Egypt at about 8%.
Key Statistics:
- Africa hosted 474 business aviation jets according to data from 2019, making up roughly 2% of the world total (26).
- South Africa accumulated the biggest fleet in the region, with 143 private aviation jets (27).
- Nigeria’s 91-count private jet travel fleet was the second largest (28).
- Egypt had the third most business aviation jets at 39 (29).
How many private jets are there in Australia & Oceania?
Australia and Oceania had 230 luxury private jet aircraft by the end of 2019, making up only 1% of the world’s total. Australia’s business aviation jets accounted for almost 88% of the continent’s fleet. The region’s second-highest contributor was New Zealand, at about 8%.
Key Statistics:
- Private jet statistics indicate that Australia and Oceania had the smallest fleets in the world region-wise (30).
- Australia had 202 business aviation jets, which was the biggest on the continent (31).
- New Zealand comes at a far second at 18 jets (32).
- Most countries in the area, including Fiji, Guam, and Tahiti, didn’t house business aircraft jets (33).
Business Aviation Fleet Sizes by Country
In 2019, the United States housed the largest business aviation fleet in the world, with 21,888 registered aircraft. This is more than every other country’s fleet combined! Brazil comes second at 1,566, and Mexico has the third biggest at 1,439.
Key Statistics:
- The United States fleet made up 58% of the world’s business aviation (34).
- Brazil had the second-largest fleet that contributed 4% of the worldwide total (35).
- Mexico was the third biggest, accounting for 3.8% (36).
How many private jets are there in the US?
In 2019, the United States had the biggest business aviation fleet of over 21,800 registered aircraft worldwide. The fleet comprised 13,700 private jet aircraft, 8,001 turboprops, and 90 executive aircraft. On top of its leading fleet size, the United States houses some of the world’s top private aviation manufacturers like Boeing, Gulfstream, Textron, Cessna, HondaJet, and Zunum Aero.
Key Statistics:
- Owing to the high demand, the United States accounts for almost 63% of the world’s private aviation jets (37) with few luxury private jets for sale on the market.
- Fleet reports show that private jet aircraft make up more than half of the country’s business aviation fleet (38).
- The United States houses seven out of the top 12 international jet market manufacturers (39).
1.2.1.2. What is the private jet market size worldwide?
The private jet aircraft industry was estimated at 27.54 billion USD in 2019, and the number dropped to 24.21 billion USD in 2020. This is likely due to the negative effect of the pandemic in private jet orders and deliveries. With increased demand, the number of luxury private jets for sale decreased. However, in general, charter services remain relatively unaffected and are expected to increase in operations in the coming years.
Key Statistics:
- The worldwide private jet market size decreased from 27.54 billion USD in 2019 to 24.21 billion USD the following year (43).
- The market size for private aviation jets and other charter flights in the United States reached $24.4 billion by the end of 2019 (40).
- Private aviation jet shipments between 2019 and 2020 decreased from 809 to 443 (44).
- Data shows that private charter services will continue to rise in the next few years despite the COVID-19 pandemic (45).
How many private jets are there in Brazil?
Brazil had the second-biggest business aviation fleet in the world in 2019. With 1,566 aircraft comprising 739 private flight jets, 825 turboprop units, and two executive models, this industry connects hundreds of municipalities across the country, allowing more versatility compared to a commercial flight plan. Brazil also houses Embraer SA, a leading private jet manufacturer in the business aircraft industry.
Key Statistics:
- Brazil’s fleet made up about 7% of the world’s business aviation (46).
- In Brazil, private aviation jets decreased by four, likely due to low demand and decommissioned units (47).
- Embraer SA, a company based in Brazil, is one of the world’s top 12 jet market manufacturers (48).
How many private jets are there in Mexico?
Mexico had a business aircraft fleet size of 1,439 in 2019, the third-largest in the world. The fleet comprised 974 private jet aircraft, 459 turboprops, and six executive aircraft. The number of private aviation jets the year before was 971.
Key Statistics:
- Roughly 67% of Mexico’s business fleet comprised private jet aircraft in 2019 (49).
- Private jet statistics show that Mexico’s fleet made up 4.4% of the world’s registered private aviation jets (50).
- The number of business jets in the country rose by three between 2018 and 2019 (51).
How many private jets are there in Canada?
By the end of 2019, Canada’s business aviation fleet was the fourth largest in the world and the third-largest in North America. With 532 private jet aircraft, 790 turboprops, and ten executive aircraft, the country had a total fleet size of 1,322. The number of jets the year before was 529.
Key Statistics:
- Private jet aircraft made up roughly 40% of Canada’s business aviation in 2019 (52).
- Canada’s 532 aircraft accounted for 2.4% of the world’s private aviation jets (53).
- The number of business jets in Canada rose by three between 2018 and 2019 (54).
How many private jets are there in Venezuela?
In 2019, Venezuela hosted 739 aircraft, ranking fifth among the world’s largest business aviation fleets. The country’s fleet comprised 316 jets, 422 turboprops, and one executive aircraft. The number of private aviation jets the year before was 329.
Key Statistics:
- In 2019, jet aircraft accounted for about 42% of Venezuela’s business aviation fleet (55).
- The country’s aircraft contributed roughly 1.4% to the worldwide private jet total (56).
- The number of active business jets in Venezuela lowered by 13, which was likely due to lower demand or the decommissioning of older models (57).
How many private jets are there in Germany?
Germany was the world’s fifth-biggest contributor to business aviation worldwide in 2019. The country’s fleet size of 783 comprised 495 jets, 280 turboprop aircraft, and eight executive models. The number of jets in Germany the year before was 480.
Key Statistics:
- Jet aircraft made up 63% of Germany’s private aviation fleet in 2019 (58).
- Germany’s fleet accounted for roughly 2.2% of the worldwide private jet total (59).
- The number of business jets in Germany rose by 15 between 2018 and 2019 (60).
How many private jets are there in Australia?
By the end of 2019, Australia’s 635 business aircraft became the world’s seventh-largest fleet. The country’s private aviation consisted of 202 jets, 431 turboprop models, and two executive aircraft. A year before, the number of registered jets in Australia was 200.
Key Statistics:
- Statistics show that jet-type aircraft comprised about 32% of Canada’s private aviation fleet in 2019 (61).
- The country’s 202 aircraft made up 0.9% of all private jet units worldwide (62).
- Between 2018 and 2019, the number of jets in Australia rose by 2 (63).
How many private jets are there in the United Kingdom?
In 2019, the United Kingdom’s aircraft became the world’s eighth-largest business aviation fleet and the second-largest in Europe. The country’s fleet size of 525 comprised 341 private jet units, 175 turboprop models, and nine executive aircraft. The number of jets the year before was 330.
Key Statistics:
- The UK’s business jets accounted for almost 65% of its private aviation (64).
- The country’s 341 units also made up about 1.5% of the worldwide private jet total (65).
- The number of business jets in the United Kingdom rose by 11 between 2018 and 2019 (66).
How many private jets are there in France?
By the end of 2019, France’s private aviation fleet was the world’s ninth-largest and Europe’s third-largest. The country’s 272 jets, 204 turboprop models, and six executive units added up to a total fleet size of 482. The year before, France had 248 business jets.
Key Statistics:
- Private aviation jets made up about 56% of France’s business aviation fleet in 2019 (67).
- France’s 272 aircraft accounted for 1.2% of the world’s registered business jets (68).
- The number of business jets in France saw a significant rise of 24 units between 2018 and 2019 (69).
How many private jets are there in China?
In 2019, China had 464 registered units in their business aircraft, making them the tenth largest business aviation fleet in the world and the largest in Asia. The country’s fleet comprised 287 jets, 173 turboprop models, and four executive units. In 2019, China had 299 jets.
Key Statistics:
- Private jet aircraft accounted for almost 62% of China’s business aviation in 2019 (70).
- Roughly 1.3% of the world’s business jets in 2019 came from China (71).
- Between 2018 and 2019, the country’s registered jets lowered by 12 (72).
Who are the top charter flight operators in the United States?
During the 2020 pandemic, Gama Aviation Signature became the top charter flight operator with 65,307 flight hours, XOJET placed second at 50,392 flight hours, while Executive Jet Management ranked third at 37,348.
By the end of the year, all 135 operators accumulated 1,329,729 flight hours, 15% lower than 2019’s total. Charter flight companies that used large-cabin aircraft were most affected due to pandemic travel restrictions, while flights on small cabin models were least affected.
Key Statistics:
- Gama Aviation Signature holds the title of top charter flight operator since 2016, but its flight hours were reduced by 37,789 between 2019 and 2020 due to the pandemic (73).
- XO JET rose from second to third place between 2019 and 2020, despite having its flight hours lowered by 8,845 during this period (74).
- Executive Jet Management held the second top spot in 2019 but lost it to XO JET after the 2020 pandemic, where they had 21,889 fewer flight hours (75).
- Data from Argus International’s TRAQPak list show that large-cabin aircraft flights dropped by 28.7%, while small cabin flights only saw a 10.3% decrease (76).
What are the busiest states for private jet flights?
Florida was the busiest state for private jet travel during the 2020 pandemic, accounting for 11.9% of all private jet flights in the country. Texas flights ranked second at 10%, while California came a close third at 9.8%. The state most affected by COVID flight and airport restrictions was New Jersey, dropping from the fourth spot the year before to ninth in 2020.
Key Statistics:
- Between 2019 and 2020, Florida went from third to first busiest state for private jet travel despite experiencing a 7% loss of total departures (77).
- Texas remained at the second spot from 2019 to 2020 but had 23% fewer departures due to pandemic travel restrictions (78).
- California switched with Florida from first to third place and suffered a negative 25% flight loss in 2020 (79).
- In order, the top four to ten busiest states for private jet travel in 2020 were Colorado, Georgia, North Carolina, New York, Arizona, New Jersey, and Illinois (80).
- While New Jersey remained in the top ten, it suffered the biggest loss of minus 45% compared to other states (81).
What are the busiest FAA regions for private jet flights?
In 2020, the Southern region remained the busiest area for private jet travel, accounting for 27% of all business aviation flights in the country. The Western Pacific also retains its second-place spot from the year before at 15%, while the Southwest moved its rank from fourth to third place at 13%, beating out the Great Lakes region.
Key Statistics:
- The South retained its top spot as the busiest region for private jet travel despite having 18% fewer flights in 2020 (82).
- The Western Pacific kept its second-place spot in 2020 while experiencing 22% fewer flights than the year before (83).
- The Southwest switched places with the Great Lakes region and ranked third, despite experiencing 24% fewer flights in 2020 (84).
What are the busiest private jet airports in the United States?
KTEB in Teterboro, New Jersey, was the busiest private jet airport in 2020, with 36,508 flights. KDAL airport in Dallas, Texas, came second at 29,809 flights, and KPBI in Palm Beach, Florida, ranked third at 27,781. Almost 90% of private jet airports in the United States experienced fewer departures than the year before due to the pandemic.
Key Statistics:
- The KTEB airports in Teterboro remained at the top spot in 2020 despite suffering from the biggest drop (50%) of departures (85).
- KDAL airports in Dallas retained their 2nd ranking with 15.4% fewer departures than the year before (86).
- KPBI airports in Palm Beach came third in 2020 and experienced a relatively low departure loss of 1.1% (87).
How many people own private jets?
There are over 20,000 ultra-high net worth individuals worldwide with private jets in their asset portfolio.
- North America holds the highest number of private jet owners, with a count of 13,392 ultra-wealthy individuals owning a jet.
- Following close behind is Europe, with 2,795 owners, and Latin America with 2,596 individuals owning private jets.
2. Flight Segments
In this section, you can find statistics about various flight segments worldwide.
How many private jet flights are there in the US each year?
In 2020, the number of private jet flights in the United States almost reached 2.15 million, lower by about 644,00 than 2019’s total. While private jet travel was greatly affected during the first half of 2020 when the pandemic restrictions began, the industry quickly recovered to almost pre-pandemic levels as the year progressed to the latter half.
Key Statistics:
- Since access to flying private was restricted in 2020, the number of flights was 23.9% less than 2019’s total flights (88).
- The first half of 2020, when the flight restrictions were tightest, had 30.8% fewer departures than the same period in 2019 (89).
- When restrictions loosed in the second half of 2020, private jet travel was only down by 17.2% compared to 2019 (90).
How many flight hours do Part 135 operators fly worldwide each year?
Between 2017 and 2019, the average travel hours of Part 135 operators per business aircraft lowered from 34.2 to 30. The number reduced to 23.5 in 2020 when pandemic restrictions were at an all-time high. Fortunately, by Q3, the average travel hours slowly started recovering.
Key Statistics:
- The average travel hours of Part 135 operators per business aircraft lowered by almost 12.3% between 2017 to 2019 (97).
- The yearly travel hours from Part 135 private jet pilots in the United States grew by 13% (91).
- In the past year, the average travel hours reduced by almost 22% (98).
- Travel hours rose by two between Q2 and Q3, likely due to the loosening of travel restrictions when flying private (99).
- In the past two years, Wheels Up Partners has established itself as the largest parent Part 135 charter operator, accumulating a total of 135,253 flight hours in 2020, which was 23.5% lower than 2019’s total (113).
How many flight hours do Part 91 operators fly worldwide each year?
Between 2018 and 2019, the average travel hours of Part 91 operators per business aircraft slightly rose from 18.4 to 18.6. It went down to 12.6 travel hours in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. By Q3, however, the number slowly began to recover.
Key Statistics:
- The average travel hours of Part 91 operators per business aircraft rose by about 1% between 2018 and 2019 (100).
- The number lowered by more than 32% in the past year due to private aviation travel restrictions (101).
- Since 2013, flight hours by part 91 operators in the United States slowly grew, peaking in 2019 at 2.32 million.
- The average travel hours increased by 0.2 between Q2 and Q3, when the restrictions began loosening (102).
3. Companies
In this section, you can learn about various statistics regarding private jet companies like leading manufacturers, popular jet cards, and more.
What are the largest private jet manufacturers?
The private jet industry began in the 1960s, and the demand has only grown since then. The world’s leading private jet providers include:
- Airbus SE
- Boeing
- Bombardier, Inc.
- Embraer SA
- Textron
- Gulfstream
- Dassault
- Cessna
- HondaJet
- Eviation Aircraft
- Joby
- Zunum.
In 2020, Textron, Gulfstream, and Bombardier Inc. delivered the highest number of business jets.
Key Statistics:
- Out of the top 12 global business jet manufacturers, seven are based in the United States (103).
- Data shows that Textron delivered the most business jets in 2020 at 132 units, followed by Gulfstream at 127 and Bombardier at 114 (104).
What are the most popular private jet companies?
NetJets Inc. was the leading private jet company in 2020, with 336,252 flight hours. Directional Aviation-Flexjet had the second-highest demand with 134,481 flight hours, while Wheels Up Partners came third at 107,592.
Key Statistics:
- NetJets, Inc. had the highest flight hours in 2020 despite a 27% reduction compared to the previous year (105).
- Flexjet ranked second in flight hours, with a 3% rise from 2019’s total (106).
- Wheels Up Partners thrived during the 2020 pandemic, with a 478% increase from the previous year’s total (107).
What are the most popular private jet models?
Gulfstream’s G500 & G600 series are considered the best-selling business jets in all of 2020. The second most popular was Cirrus’ Vision Jet, a very light model for customers who prefer to travel with smaller groups. Bombardier’s Global series had the third-highest demand overall range, especially the newer models with improved range and fuel efficiency.
Key Statistics:
- Gulfstream’s G500 & G600 private jets sold 105 units in 2020, the most out of every available business aviation model (108).
- Cirrus’ Vision Jet ranked second at 73 units, despite selling less than the previous year (109).
- The third most popular jet models in 2020 were Bombardier’s Global 5000-7000 series, selling a total of 59 units (110).
- The Embraer Phenom 300 series ranks fourth with 50 units sold, and it has impressively maintained a stable stream of deliveries over the years (111).
- The Bombardier Challenger series was the fifth best-selling in the previous year, with 44 units sold (112).
Who is the best private jet card provider?
At Stratos Jets, we are a leading private jet card provider. In the world of charter jet marketing, our name stands out for our commitment to customer satisfaction.
We offer single upfront payments, fixed-rate pricing, and no hidden additional fees. In other words, we put the customer first above all else. Our charter services have a large selection of aircraft models within each class, and we have access to over 5,000 private aviation options worldwide.
Key Statistics:
- Our private jet card membership provides light jets for $5,250/hr, including the Learjet 45XR, Beechjet 400A, and Hawker Beechcraft Premier.
- We provide midsize jets at ($6,975/hr) where you can choose from the Astra XPS/G100, Hawker 800 XP, and the Citation Exel/XLS, among many others.
- For those who need room for up to four passengers and ample baggage capacity, we offer various super-midsize jets at $9,450/hr, including the Citation Sovereign, Challenger 300, and Gulfstream G200.
- For the largest groups of up to 14 passengers, our heavy jet options at $11,400/hr offer exceptional space and comfort, including the Embraer Legacy, Global Express, and Falcon 2000/2000EX.
Experience the Luxury of Private Jet Travel
Who wouldn’t want to travel in their own private jet? From full-size bathrooms and bedrooms to upgraded technology and first-class service, nothing says convenient and luxurious like the prestige of flying private.
So how much is a private jet? Luxury private jets for sale typically begin around $3 million. The price is determined by size, manufacturer, range, customization, and other amenities. Our free private jet cost estimator can give you a personalized estimate based on your specific travel needs.
The average net worth of jet owners might be $1.5 billion, but that doesn’t mean you have to be a billionaire to fly on one. In recent years, it has become increasingly common to charter flights on private aviation. There are many persuasive reasons to fly private for business, from comfort and convenience to safety and security.
If you want to inquire about our charter flights, we encourage you to speak to our experts at Stratos Jetsby calling 888-593-9066!
References:
(1-8, 11-38, 46-47, 49-50, 52-53, 55-56, 58-59, 61-62, 64-65, 67-68, 70-71) Bart International 2019 Fleet Report; (51, 54, 57, 60, 63, 66, 69, 72) Bart International 2018 Fleet Report; (39, 43, 48, 103) Fortune Business Insights 2020 Business Jet Market Industry Report; (45) Mordor Intelligence Business Jet Market Report; (40-42) IBISWorld US Charter Flight Statistics; (44, 104, 107-112) GAMA 2020 Shipment Report; (10) Honeywell Business Jet Usage Forecasts; (9) JETNET IQ Business Jet Usage Forecasts; (73-76, 88-96, 113-117) Argus TRAQPak Top Part 135 Private Jet Operators in 2019 and Argus TRAQPak Top Part 135 Private Jet Operators in 2020; (77-84) Argus TRAQPak Private Jet Flights by State and Region in 2020; (85-87) Argus TRAQPak Busiest Private Jet Airports in 2020; (97-102) JSSI Business Aviation Index Q4 2020; (99, 102) JSSI Business Aviation Index Q3 2020; (105-107) Argus TRAQPak Biggest Private Jet Operators of 2020
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