Global business jet departures and flight hours last week were on par with that from a year ago, according to the latest weekly report from JetNet subsidiary WingX. Meanwhile, Part 135 and Part 91K activity climbed by 4%. Year-to-date global jet and turboprop activity is down 2% versus the same period in 2023 but remains 37% above pre-Covid levels.
For the Fourth of July weekend, 19,166 business jet departures were recorded in the U.S., 8% more than the holiday period last year. There were more than 4,600 fractional flights in that span, up by nearly 800 from a year ago. Florida was a hotspot with 4,176 business jet departures, followed by Texas and California.
Across the Atlantic, overall European business jet activity for the week dropped by 3% versus a year ago with the exception of Germany, which was up 6% as the UEFA Euro Tournament reaches a climax. The UK, which hosted major events such as Wimbledon and the UK F1 Grand Prix, also saw a 3% increase year over year.
“Week 27 almost exactly matched Week 27 in 2023, with variable geographic trends, the U.S. seeing a bump up, in contrast to declines in June, and was especially strong in Part 135 and 91K operations,” said WingX managing director Richard Koe, adding that Europe' slide was mainly in private and corporate activity.