Private Jet Flights To Attractive Airports Around The World

One of the perks of private jet flights is that travelers can usually avoid the main airport terminal. Many Stratos Jet Charter flights arrive and depart from Fixed-Base Operators (FBOs), which feature comfortable waiting lounges with upscale amenities. However, an FBO may not always be an option, and travelers will have to use the main airport terminal.

Whether you’re traveling on a commercial airline or by private jet flight, your travels are so much better when you spend time in a comfortable, well-designed airport. Airport aesthetics have evolved to meet the expectations of sophisticated global travelers. Here is a quick look at five airports that are both attractive and efficient.

North American Airports

Our list of attractive airports for private jet flights is very similar to the first time Stratos Jet Charters visited this topic in 2015. (You’ll find that blog entry here.) The challenge with ranking airports is that, unlike the Superbowl or the Academy Awards, there isn’t a new group of competitors every year. But elegant new airports are being built, and existing airports are being improved, so it’s time to revisit our list of North American favorites.

Denver International, Denver, Colorado

A perennial winner, the white fiberglass peaks of Denver International echo the snow-capped beauty of the nearby Rocky Mountains. The interior concourses are devoted to commissioned artworks, creating an art-gallery vibe. Denver International is also a solar power pioneer, with four solar arrays that provide 6% of the airport’s energy.

O’Hare International, Chicago, Illinois

Brilliant neon illuminates the underground moving walkway at Chicago’s O’Hare in an eye-catching display called “Sky’s the Limit”.  Above-ground, the terminal is lit with skylights placed in high ceilings, creating a sense of spaciousness. Despite being one of the busiest hubs in the US, O’Hare strives to be roomy, clean, comfortable and functional.

Vancouver International, British Columbia, Canada

Prior to hosting the 2010 Winter Olympics, Vancouver’s airport was substantially renovated to show off a uniquely west-coast design aesthetic. Featuring totem poles and west coast aboriginal art, the design reflects a calming blend of cedar, water, stone, and light. Vancouver is also regarded as one of the most accessible airports in the world, with facilities and amenities to improve travel for disabled persons.

International Airports

Incheon International, Seoul South Korea, Every year since 2005, Incheon has been rated one of the best airports in the world for attractiveness and efficiency. Incheon features high glass ceilings for natural light, plus a spa, golf course, gardens, a museum, and even a skating rink.

Amazingly, despite these fascinating attractions, the airport is also top-ranked for customs and boarding efficiency. It’s the best of both worlds – efficiency when you are in a rush, and calm if you have time to wait.

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, Mumbai, India

It’s the second-busiest airport in India after Delhi, but also an architectural wonder. The interiors feature elegant white columns and canopy inspired by peacock feathers. It’s a bright, airy space in one of the busiest cities in the world. But it’s not all show. The airport has also won numerous awards for Green Infrastructure initiatives, for guided museum art tours within the airport, and for dedication to customer service.

A hundred years before the jet age, Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote, “It’s not the destination, it’s the journey.” But for modern travelers on private jet flights, it can be both.  Spending time in a beautiful airport can enrich your journeys.

Why do people buy Private Jet Cards?

They buy Jet Cards because they want a fixed hourly price. There are a few major Private Jet Card companies. The two biggest currently are Marquis Jet and Sentient Jet. Marquis Jet was started in 2001 to allow you to purchase 25 hour Cards off the NetJets fleet. Sentient Jet does not own or operate any aircraft. Back in the day they claimed they did and they got in trouble for doing it.

Typical Jet companies allow you to purchase 12.5 hours, 25 hours, 50 hours, 75 hours and over 100 hours. As you go higher they usually discount the rates. The most expensive Jet Card company is Marquis Jet. Their hourly prices start at $6,000 an hour on a 400XP which includes fuel and tax.

Now the most common thing that NetJets/Marquis Jet is good at telling people is that if they switch to another Private Jet Card company they could have serious problems. If you are looking at Card programs, do research and investigate all the different ones.

Because they claim they have the highest safety rating. But NetJets is not a Part 135 operator, they are a Part 91 operator. A Part 135 operator maintains the highest safety ratings today. There are some downsides to Marquis Jet and Sentient Jet. Marquis Jet hours expire after 18 months.

Before NetJets purchased Marquis Jet back in 2011 they never expired. Sentient’s hours expire in two years. Below are pluses and minuses to owning a Private Jet Card.

Marquis – Pluses – 1) Fixed hourly pricing, 2) Guaranteed availability, 3) 10 hour call out, 4) No dead head or empty leg fees, 5) Charged only on actual flight time rounded up to the nearest 10th Marquis – Minuses – 1) Fuel surcharges, 2) Hours expire after 18 months, 3) Charge too much per hour, 4) Basically paying for a roundtrip flight every time, 5) Same hourly cost if you buy 25 or 100 hrs Sentient – Pluses – 1) Fixed hourly pricing, 2) Guaranteed availability, 3) No dead head or empty leg fees, 4) Preferred (newer aircraft) or Select (older aircraft), 5) Charged only on actual flight time Sentient

Minuses – 1) Fuel surcharges, 2) Hours expire after 2 years, 3) They are a charter broker and not an operator, 4) Double the cost of a charter operator or broker Charter Broker Cards – Pluses – 1) No fuel surcharges, 2) Hours never expire, 3) Fixed hourly price, 4) Typically 30-40% lower than Sentient and Marquis Jet Cards, 5) Tailor it to your specific trips, 6) New Aircraft Charter Broker Cards – Minuses – 1) A 3% Administrative fee if you choose to cancel after 30 days

Private Jet Charter Services: What Is De-Icing?

One of the perks of booking Stratos private jet charter services is the ability to create your own itinerary. However, during the winter months, even the most-detailed travel plan must be flexible enough to accommodate aircraft de-icing. For safety and legal reasons, a private jet cannot take off until properly de-iced. (We covered these safety and regulatory topics in a previous blog article.) Here is a quick summary of aircraft de-icing and how it impacts private jet charter services travelers.

Why De-Ice?

During cold months, ice can form on the surface of an aircraft. The ice is a serious threat, reducing the jet’s lift, which can lead to the pilots losing control. De-icing is done prior to a private jet charter services flight, with an anti-freeze mixture of propylene glycol.

The mixture is colored, so personnel can see which parts of the aircraft have been sprayed. Because the procedure is so time-sensitive, it is usually performed immediately before take-off, ideally with passengers on board the aircraft, or waiting in the terminal ready to board.

How It Impacts Travelers

Though de-icing is factored into the pre-flight checklist, it can affect your departure time.  It’s about airport resource management. If your jet was in a heated hangar overnight and the airport has ample de-icing resources, the de-icing time will have no impact on your schedule. However, if there is a high demand for de-icing, your group may have to wait until your aircraft is ready for safe flight.

The second factor is cost. De-icing a jet depends on the size of the aircraft and the severity of the weather.  Passenger safety is paramount, but it incurs additional costs. Proper de-icing can add anywhere from a few hundred to several thousand dollars to your private jet charter services costs.

What You Can Do

Stratos Jet Charter passengers can reduce the impact of de-icing delays in several ways. The first way is to be early and be flexible. As noted, the de-icing mixture loses its effectiveness within fifteen minutes after application. If your group isn’t ready to go, you may miss your departure time, and have to wait for the aircraft to go through the de-icing queue again.

The second way travelers can reduce de-icing delays is by being pro-active and informed when talking to our expert private jet charter services booking agents. Our agents can reserve a heated hangar for your private jet, and find a suitable alternate airport if your first choice is impacted by severe weather.  We have a lot of experience with winter travel conditions and can help ensure your flight is safe and on-time.

At Stratos Jet Charters, your safety will always be our priority. Although winter travel requires additional preparation, with some planning and flexibility, you will love your next winter getaway.

Tom Cruise

As the ultimate status symbol of a Private Jet becomes more and more popular among the celebrity society, there have been many strange examples of what you can use your plane for. Let us take a look at the two sides of celebrity life, where some lose all sense of reality, and others seem to re-visit their human side.

Tom Cruise has owned his own Private Jet for many years, although as his lifestyle becomes ever more secretive, and detached from the real world, we recently saw a novel use for his Jet. He sent his assistants to pick up his groceries!!
It’s true, it was confirmed that earlier this year Cruise and his fiancee Katie Holmes developed a raging thirst for Cherry Soda.

However, rather than raiding the fridge to see what chilled drinks were left Tom Cruise ordered his assistants to use his Private Jet to fly to town, from their secluded Colorado Ranch. The Jet was forced to park on the runway for two hours, while his loyal assistants went into town for the most expensive drinks run the world has ever seen. This certainly caused quite a stir at the local airport!!

John Travolta

Actor John Travolta is perhaps the best know celebrity with his own Private Jet, well in fact he has more that one Private Jet and is a qualified Pilot!!

While we hear about the excess of many celebrities in their star-studded lifestyle, well away from reality, and seemingly untouched by disaster, some of them seem to put their “power” to good use. In the aftermath of the Louisiana Hurricane, John Travolta boarded his Private Jet with only one thing in mind, to bring a little bit of sunshine into the life of the hard hit Louisiana residents. He did just that…..

Together with fellow celebrities Oprah Winfrey and Sean Penn, Travolta and wife Kelly Preston distributed priceless food and medical supplies to the desperate residents of the hard hit area. The delight on their faces to see such thoughtfulness from the “untouchable” stars, was a joy to behold.

While money can’t buy you love, it can bring a little happiness into the world……..