How Far Can Private Jets Fly And Can They Be Used For International Travel?

Air travel is a stressful endeavor, and that's not limited to stuffing yourself into an uncomfortable coach-class seat while the COVID-19 pandemic continues to rage across the globe. Navigating crowded airports and security checkpoints is a hassle, and the cost of an average Uber or Lyft trip to the airport exceeds $30 in many American cities. One way to avoid some of these pitfalls is to fly on a private jet, although buying and operating your own plane is a cost-prohibitive venture for most people. 

Many charter services offer the opportunity to commandeer a private plane or buy an unused seat on a private flight, but charter flights are still usually more expensive than commercial options. For example, Taylor Swift's Dassault 7X costs more than $6,000 per hour of flight time in operational expenses on top of its $54 million initial cost. Private jets offer obvious advantages in terms of comfort and convenience, but can they be used for long-haul international flights?

The Dassault 7X has a range of 5,950 nautical miles, which is about 1,300 miles more than the distance from New York to Cairo. Some wealthy individuals or government officials travel on private jets that were once commercial airliners and also have a range sufficient for international flights. Prince Al Waleed bin Talal of Saudi Arabia travels on a Boeing 737-400, which can make journeys of up to 2,800 nautical miles. That's far enough to get him and his entourage from Riyadh to London with almost 300 miles to spare.

Private flights aren't just for billionaire pop stars and Saudi Crown princes. Passengers flying with large or multiple pets who don't want to put their furry friends underneath the plane sometimes opt to fly on a private jet and take their pets in the cabin with them. While chartering a small jet like a Gulfstream V or Dassault 7X for an international flight can cost tens of thousands of dollars, there are other options available for transatlantic travelers who want to bring a dog in the cabin. Bark Air is a new service that exists in the unoccupied territory between private and commercial travel, with a maximum capacity of 14 canine and 14 human passengers. Bark Air currently offers service between New York or Los Angeles and London or Paris at a cost of about $9,000 per human/dog pair. 

That's a little less than the per-seat price we were quoted by private flight broker Jettly for an eight-seat charter from JFK to Gatwick on a Beechjet 400A. That estimate was $75,823, or just under $9,500 per seat. For most international travelers, commercial flights remain the most economical option. We were able to find a first-class seat on British Airways between those same airports for just over $5,000. That leaves you with enough extra cash to pay for several months' worth of tea and crumpets once you arrive.