Winter is here again! And that means a familiar spike in private jet travel as well. Every December, January and early February the jet charter market will see requests grow from 30% – 60% higher than the rest of the year. Demand is greatest for those traveling to popular destinations in both snowy and sunny places. The wintery outdoors and slopes of Aspen and Vail, Salt Lake City, Wyoming and others will compete with the beaches of the Virgin Islands, St. Martin, the Bahamas and Aruba.

Of course, with such high demand during this time of the year, the supply of available aircraft is pretty much identical to any other time. So how do you ensure that the perfect aircraft to meet your needs is available, and at the right price? Here are a few tips that make booking your winter travel as easy as possible.

First, if possible you should try to plan ahead. At Stratos Jet Charters, we pride ourselves in always finding an available aircraft for our clients with as little as four hours notice. And sometimes you can find deep discounts for booking last minute flights. But this does not work during the holidays! And you run the risk of missing out on the most appropriate aircraft for your trip, since many planes have already been booked in advance.

You also may have to pay higher reposition costs to have the jet come to your point of origin to pick you up. This is because when you wait until the last minute, many of the available aircraft are already sitting in those popular destinations we just mentioned. Thus it becomes more likely they will need to fly empty to meet you. You can save yourself some hassles and money by proactively scheduling and securing your aircraft.

Winter travel can also result in bringing along more baggage than usual, such as skis and other bulky winter gear, multiple sets of golf clubs, even large holiday presents. Be sure to alert your jet charter coordinator when you have these types of items to bring with you, as this can absolutely have an effect on the type of aircraft that is suitable for your travel needs. There is nothing worse than sitting on the tarmac, realizing right before takeoff that your luggage will not fit in the plane! The average luggage capacity for a mid-size jet is about 60-70 cubic feet of luggage. For families and larger groups of friends, having excess luggage can mean the difference between using a mid-sized plane or moving up to a large cabin aircraft, obviously increasing your costs too. By working with your jet charter representative in advance, you may be able to take advantage of other options, such as shipping your additional cargo to your destination separately.

There are other factors that are in play during the winter season too, things like more inclement weather and the significant travel delays it can cause. Working with the right provider is very important during this peak travel period. Many long-planned, special winter trips have been ruined over the years by inexperienced jet charter brokers who don’t have the capacity or expertise to get the job done during this hectic time of year.

Your charter flight coordinator here at Stratos Jets is your single point of contact for arranging all aspects of your travel. They can expertly manage your whole itinerary, down to hotel reservations, luxury ground or rental car transportation, you name it. We look forward to the privilege of assisting you with your next holiday trip, and are always available to you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by making one call.