Story ID: 
U.S. Leads Global Business Jet Activity Growth
By: Charles Alcock
Caption: Late Thanksgiving drives higher departure numbers than same week in 2023
Word Count: 230
Worldwide business jet departures in the week ending on November 24 were 13% higher than the same seven-day period in 2023 at 74,156, according to the latest WingX Global Market Tracker. Releasing the data on November 28, the company attributed the higher traffic to the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday falling later in the month.
According to WingX, the flight activity trend for the latest four-week period tracked is 3% higher than last year. However, its year-to-date statistics through November 24 were 1% lower than the same period in 2023.
In North America, Las Vegas-area airports experienced the biggest spike in arrivals, driven largely by the Formula 1 Grand Prix race held there. However, the event drew significantly lower volumes of business jets than in 2023—533 versus 928.
Across the U.S., business jet activity increased by 19% in the latest tracker data, with the strongest growth seen in Texas (+33%) and California (+16%). Since the recent U.S. general election, WingX has recorded business jet activity as being 7% ahead of November 2023.
In Europe, WingX data showed flight activity as being 5% higher than the same week last year and with a 3% gain over a four-week period. While traffic fell in Switzerland, Germany, and Sweden, there were significant increases in the UK, Italy and Spain.
In the Middle East, business jet departures climbed by 8%, with declines recorded in Africa, Mexico, and Australia.