Sarah Oberman at the NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA-BACE) last year in Las Vegas. Courtesy photo.
CAMARILLO — If you’re looking to charter a private jet for your next vacation or business trip, now might be the time to do it.
After soaring to record pricing during the COVID-19 pandemic, rates for private jet charters are dropping to prepandemic levels, according to Sarah Oberman, founder of TruNorth Jets, a jet charter broker based out of Camarillo.
Private jets were viewed as “sanitary time capsules” that allowed people to travel with far less health risks during the pandemic than crowded airline terminals and passenger jets. A shortage of pilots together with soaring demand for private flights during the pandemic drove pricing to unprecedented levels.
“We’re seeing a significant drop in charter rates across all size categories of private jets, and that’s really benefiting our customers,” Oberman said. “We’ve been able to secure bookings for our clients at rates that, only a year ago, would have been unrealistic.”
The reason for the price drop is two-fold. On the one hand, consumer demand has subsided forcing competition again among operators. At the same time, operators have sought to grow their fleets to meet the increased demand for private flights, resulting in more planes available in the charter market.
Greater supply of aircraft for charter and less overall demand has created healthy competition in the marketplace, making it easier for brokers, such as TruNorth Jets to shop around for the best price for clients. Unlike during the pandemic, when brokers struggled to get replies or call backs from operators for pricing, aircraft operators are now actively following up on quotes sent and seeking out business. Even better for consumers, operators are more willing to negotiate on pricing, Oberman said.
The pilot shortage continues to pose a challenge for many private jet operators nationwide, however, which may keep prices from falling further. The shortage is spurred by a wave of pilot retirements, a shrinking pool of new recruits, training bottlenecks, and an insufficient workforce to meet growing demand.
Nevertheless, TruNorth Jets charter clients have been largely unaffected by the pilot shortage facing operators and aircraft owners because clients are insulated from the problem. We purchase flights on aircraft that come with qualified pilots often ten to fourteen days from the date of travel. And if an operator were to have to cancel a flight due to lack of a pilot, finding a replacement these days is easier than in years prior due to the shift in supply and demand.
Headquartered in Camarillo with a satellite office in Santa Fe, TruNorth Jets serves clients’ travel needs within the United States to Europe, Mexico, the Bahamas and beyond, providing the efficiencies of smaller airports and the exclusive benefits of private aviation. Oberman has decades of experience in the aviation industry and can arrange the best aircraft for the mission, from light jets for regional flights to ultra-long-range jets that provide the ultimate luxury experience for a flight to Europe. The company’s aircraft operator network is strong and yields good pricing, safe aircraft and reliable crews. TruNorth Jets does not require upfront fees or deposits.
— For more information about TruNorth Jets and its pricing or to reserve a private jet, call 310-862-JETS or visit www.trunorthjets.com.