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 the trends in U.S. Business Aviation (BizAv) traffic from January 2020 to July 2024. In July 2024, business flight activities in the U.S. rebounded to the peak levels observed in 2021 but then declined back to 2023 levels. For most of July, the 7-day average surpassed the levels seen in 2023.
Figure 2: Comparison of the U.S. BizAv Flights This Month vs. Last Month
Figure 2 offers a comparative analysis of flight data for June and July 2024, revealing a 1.1% decrease in daily flight frequency. Additionally, daily flight hours declined by 3.83%, primarily due to a reduction in the average flight duration per departure. This decrease in average flight duration was driven by an increase in flights by Turboprop Aircraft, while other aircraft categories, such as Super Midsize Jets and Ultra Long Range Jets, experienced declines.
Figure 3: Comparison of the U.S. BizAv Flights by the Top 25 Origin States (This Month vs. Last Month)
In June and July 2024, business aviation activity varied across different U.S. states. California (CA) experienced a growth of 3.5%, while Florida (FL) and Texas (TX) saw declines of 10.6% and 6.1%, respectively. Several other states, including Massachusetts (MA), Colorado (CO), and Alaska (AK), achieved notable increases of 27.6%, 24.5%, and 32.8%, respectively.
Figure 4: Comparison of the U.S. BizAv Flights This Year vs. Last Year
In July 2024, there was a 5.21% increase in the number of flights and a 3.58% rise in daily flight hours compared to July 2023. This change is attributed to a 1.55% decrease in average flight hours per flight. Among aircraft categories, Very Light Jet flights declined by 28.9%, while all other categories, from Light Jets to Ultra Long Range Jets, saw increases in activity ranging from 1.1% to 9.6%.
Figure 5: Comparison of the U.S. BizAv Flights by the Top 25 Origin States (This Year vs. Last Year)
Comparing flight data from July 2023 to July 2024, most major states experienced an increase in total flight activity. Indiana (IN) was the exception, with a significant decline of 17.2% compared to last year.