Travel is a crucial element for any business, with international travel forming the basis for growth opportunities whether acquisition, partnership or simply securing a new client or supplier. The methods by which business executives travel are designed with expediency, privacy, and comfort in mind, allowing for the continuation of work or for quality rest before the dealings of the trip itself. There are two main methods of international travel that suit the needs of the corporate traveller: business class seats on commercial airlines, and private jet travel. Choosing between the two for a given trip can be difficult, though. Here we examine each using the below criteria, to make the decision-making process easier when it comes to booking business travel.
Cost
Cost is usually the first consideration made when it comes to booking flights, especially for smaller businesses. Business-class tickets are the more cost-effective solution, being subsidised by the volume of passengers of all classes on a given flight. Repeat custom may also create bespoke discounts for your business, depending on the amount you travel. Private jet prices are higher but come with added benefits that simply cannot be replicated in a commercial flight – which will be expounded upon below.
Journey Time
The duration of a trip is not as simple as the distance travelled; there are a number of factors that might affect the length of the journey, creating different results for business class travel and private jet travel. With business class, you have to contend with checking in at the relevant terminal, passing through security checks, and waiting to board your flight – to say nothing of arrival at your destination airport. Private jet travel avoids these barriers near-entirely, making for a shorter trip by a matter of hours. Not only that, but some private jets may travel faster than commercial airlines, shortening journey time yet further.
Safety and Security
Commercial travel is an incredibly safe venture, owing to the high levels of security present in airport terminals – but nonetheless, risks are greater owing to the larger volume of people on your flight. Risks of losing or having stolen important business documents are present, as is the pertinent – albeit slim – the risk of catching a coronavirus strain from a fellow passenger. Private travel, in these terms, is much safer and more secure; many CEOs travel privately to ensure the security of business information and even family members.
Comfort
Comfort is a crucial consideration to make for those making a business trip. Those taking it may require an adequate level of comfort in order to continue work while travelling, or a space in which they can rest meaningfully before landing. Both business class and private travel can offer comfortable spaces, but private jets can include more personalised touches in the form of service and customisable working spaces.
