(NewsNation) — It’s been an ugly year for U.S. airlines, and this summer continues to highlight how chaotic the airline industry is right now. Some travelers are dealing with numerous frustrations, including lost luggage, delays and cancellations.
The issues have been enough for some to simply swear off commercial airlines, and for the uber rich, that’s easy. According to the Robb Report, Vistajet is reporting growth of 64 percent over 2021. But what about the rest of us?
For us, there are semi-private flights. It costs just a little more than a business class ticket for regular people to visit their favorite destinations in comfort.
Imagine showing up to the airport 20 minutes before your flight, breezing through check-in and hopping on a semi-private plane, all in less time than it takes to get through your standard airport security.
Randy McKinney is the chief operating officer of JSX, a jet service that operates a fleet of all first class, 30-seat, semi-private business jets.
“It’s all about simplicity. It’s all about execution. It’s all about saving your time,” McKinney said.
But how much does the first-class treatment cost and how does it compare? NewsNation picked random flights for next Monday, July 18.
On some routes, JSX is the most expensive but not by as much as some might think. From Miami to Dallas, a ticket with JSX would cost $549. On Delta in coach, it’s only about $100 less at $419. But travelers can go from Phoenix to Burbank onboard one of these planes for $269. A coach seat on Delta to the same destination would cost about $40 more.
Travel expert Sandra McLemore described JSX as “an Uber of the airlines.”
“Private air travel used to be reserved for the top 1% of society. The rich, the celebrities, not regular folk,” McLemore said.
She predicts private air travel is only going to get more popular as more people look to avoid messes at the airport.