Business vs. Commercial Jets, How They Compare
Business jets are just a small segment of the overall global general aviation ecosystem, but what an important segment it is. However you classify business jets (light, very light, midsize, “bizliners,” etc.), models from Airbus, Boeing, Bombardier, Cessna, Dassault, Embraer, Gulfstream, and other manufacturers give large and small companies a key and sometimes vital alternative to using commercial jets for business-related travel.
Whether transporting board members, executives, employees, clients, supplies, or equipment across state or international borders via business jet, today’s models match and exceed commercial jets in terms of convenience, performance, efficiency, and safety. This is true for jet-owning companies, fleet operators, and charter companies alike. Continue reading to find out why.
It Makes Business Sense
Time-savings, particularly as it relates to non-flight hours, is arguably the primary reason companies choose business jet travel over commercial jets. Savings can relate to anything from a company CEO driving straight to a tarmac for immediate boarding vs. spending valuable work hours at an airport gate. And private jets are invaluable when there’s a need to immediately transport supplies, resources, and staff to, say, a client across the country.
Data strongly suggests that travelers spend hours longer on a typical business trip when they fly commercial. Factor in time spent on rental car duties, checking bags, clearing security, boarding, delays, cancellations, and more, and you can see why this is so. Conversely, the private, secure, and collaborative work environments that business jets often provide keep employees productive longer. A 2009 National Business Aviation Association study, in fact, indicates executives are productive 80% of the time when traveling via business jet vs. 30% traveling via commercial flight.
Schedules Will Change
Flexibility in scheduling and managing flights offers another nod in favor of company jets. Rather than bending your business travel plans to adapt to a commercial airline’s flight schedule, business jet services enable booking flights according to your own schedule. Thus, rather than being forced to take a commercial airline’s only flight to a certain destination, with connecting flights along the way, a business jet allows you to make faster direct flights. With business jets you can also quickly alter flights when unexpected scheduling changes occur.
More Airports, More Flexibility
Compared to the roughly 550 major U.S. airports used by commercial aircraft, business aircraft (including jets) can reach over 5,000 airports. This makes it much easier to take nonstop flights, reroute flight paths as needed, and reduce driving time between airports and remote cities. Similarly, access to business jet services at smaller airports enable companies in remote locations to stay competitive and agile. This last point is noteworthy considering one stat that claims 85% of companies using business aircraft are small or midsize, and many are located in areas that major airlines don’t serve.
A Matter Of Performance
There are generally four classes of business jets, ranging from very light models (the Cessna Citation, for example) that typically seat six or fewer passengers, to heavy or “bizliner” models (the Boeing Business Jet, for one) that can stretch 90-plus feet (27-plus meters) and seat about 20 or more (in some aircraft, more than 100) passengers. Across the classes, business jets generally match or surpass commercial jets in terms of their flight altitudes, ranges, speed, and safety.
Typically, commercial jets cruise between 30,000 and 40,000 feet (roughly 10,000 and 12,000 meters). Business jets, however, cruise below and above these altitudes where weather and air traffic is less problematic. In terms of flight range, large business jets on par with the roughly 6,000-mile (10,000-kilometer) range of commercial jets, while smaller business jets usually top out at about 1,200 miles (or 2,000 kilometers), which is suitable for the roughly two-hour trips that most business trips are said to take. Speed-wise, business jets can fly anywhere from 400 mph (650 km/h; light models) to more than 550 mph (885 km/h; heavy models), matching or surpassing comparable commercial jets.
Outclassed
Where business jets undeniably outclass commercial jets is in the work-related features, amenities, cabin interiors, communication tools, and customizations they make available. For example, business jets can include conference tables, reclining chairs, sofas, work desks, fast internet connections, cutting-edge entertainment systems, full bedrooms, showers, kitchens, air conditioning, and much more.
Safe Travels
Numerous experts tout business jets as being as safe or safer than commercial jets, but overall both aircraft types are considered extremely safe. In 2017, no deaths related to commercial jets were recorded in the United States for the eighth straight year. Experts point to the similarity in training and certification requirements among business jet and commercial jet pilots, and the fact that charter companies and fleet operators go out of their way to hire experienced pilots with stellar flight records, as factors that contribute to the safety of flying via business jet. When business jet accidents do occur, data indicates a large percentage involve runway-related accidents resulting in minor damage and few injuries.
Where To Find Business Jets
You’ll find a wide range of business jets available for sale on Controller.com. These include pre-owned aircraft from Airbus, Boeing, Bombardier, Cessna, Dassault, Embraer, Gulfstream, and Learjet.
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