The US BizAv (Business Aviation) market has been booming since March 2021. This series of articles track the traffic trend of this market. We define the BizAv market as part-135 on-demand for-hire private flying by business jets or certain turboprop planes. The numbers in the following charts exclude part-91 private flights. If you are interested in all flights by business jets, or detailed flights by route and operator, please get in touch with us.
Figure 1: Year over Year Trend of the U.S. BizAv Market
Figure 1 illustrates U.S. Business Aviation (BizAv) traffic trends from January 2022 to November 2024. Similar to commercial aviation, business flight activity experiences two peaks: before and after Thanksgiving. In 2024, Thanksgiving occurred several days later than in the previous two years, and the peaks this year are lower than 2023 levels.
Figure 2: Comparison of the U.S. BizAv Flights This Month vs. Last Month
Figure 2 presents a comparative analysis of flight data for October and November 2024, showing a 5.88% decline in daily flight frequency. Despite a 1.72% increase in average flight hours per flight, total daily flight hours dropped by 4.26% compared to October. All aircraft categories experienced declines except for Ultra Long Range Jets, with Very Light Jets showing the largest decrease at 13.8%.
Figure 3: Comparison of the U.S. BizAv Flights by the Top 25 Origin States (This Month vs. Last Month)
In October and November 2024, business aviation activity increased in a few states but declined across most of the U.S. Florida experienced significant growth, with a 16.8% increase, making it the leading state for business flights. In contrast, California and Texas saw declines of 8.5% and 6.8%, respectively, compared to the previous month.
Figure 4: Comparison of the U.S. BizAv Flights This Year vs. Last Year
In November 2024, flight activity declined, with the number of flights down by 1.47% and daily flight hours decreasing by 3.59% compared to November 2023. This was driven by a 2.16% reduction in average flight hours per flight. Very Light Jet activity dropped sharply by 35.0%, while Super Light Jets saw a 7.4% increase. Larger aircraft categories, from Midsize Jets to Ultra Long Range Jets, experienced relatively minor fluctuations.
Figure 5: Comparison of the U.S. BizAv Flights by the Top 25 Origin States (This Year vs. Last Year)
Comparing flight data from November 2023 to November 2024, several states, including South Carolina and Indiana, reported notable increases in total flight activity. Among the top three states, Florida and California experienced declines of 3.3% and 5.4%, respectively, while Texas saw a 3.0% increase.