The Unwritten Rules for Flying Private—Including Where to Sit and What to Drink

It turns out, once you fly private, it's hard to go back. The pandemic marked a major shift in the private aviation industry: A whole new customer base—fliers who may have flown business or first-class before—crossed over and entered into the luxurious and exclusive world of private jets. While safety and efficiency might have been the initial lure, these new PJ patrons have found it hard to return to their old ways of travel. And in fact, the private aviation industry is at an all-time high, with more people flying private than ever before.

“If you look at our book (the number of people we fly) over five years, from pre-pandemic to today, we’re almost at 65 percent year-over-year growth,” Michael Silvestro of luxury private jet company Flexjet, tells Travel + Leisure. “And those new entrants have been retained at a 90 percent rate over the last several years.”

Another big industry trend is a shift in demographics. “We’re seeing younger [owners] by a good 10 years,” says Silvestro. “We see a lot of private fliers in their low to mid-40s now, where typically beforehand [they would be] mid-50s.”

Related: How to Get a Deal on a Private or Semi-private Jet Flight, According to Aviation Experts

With all these new owners (and consequently new guests), there are many newcomers in the skies. For those lucky enough to find themselves among them, Silvestro has a few quick tips on how to look and feel at home on a private jet.

“There are really two hard and fast rules,” says Silvestro. “One is never be late.” Unlike flying commercial, private fliers don’t need to show up to the airport two hours in advance (arriving 30 minutes before scheduled departure is usually fine), but don’t keep anyone waiting. “You always want to ensure you're waiting for your host and not the other way around,” he advises. Many private terminals (also called FBOs, an acronym for fixed-base operators) are a step up from public commercial terminals. However, you’ll want to prepare for security checks. “You still need valid identification and to clear customs [when flying internationally],” says Silvestro. “Though it might be a smaller, more intimate experience with a border patrol agent, a little less for the masses.”

The other firm rule: “Don’t sit in the owner's chair,” says Silvestro. “The forward-facing club chair on the right side of the aircraft is typically the owner's chair.” Most hosts prefer to sit close to the cockpit to best communicate with the crew and captain. Of course, it’s fine to ask where to sit. “It’s like if you're invited over to somebody's house for dinner. I always ask, 'Where would you like me to sit?' It's just social decorum.”

In terms of drinks, Champagne is always a solid choice (it’s easily stocked and served on an aircraft), but rethink any complicated coffee orders. Some aircraft have coffee machines on board (for example, Flexjet’s fleet has Nespresso machines), but anything fancier than that might be better on terra firma.

Visions of feasting on Nobu in the clouds? Sure, that can be arranged, but there are some things to consider before making a request. “Remember where you’re departing from,” says Silvestro. “If you like sushi, and you're coming out of Miami, L.A., or New York, that’s probably a great idea, but maybe not if you're coming out of a small Midwestern town.” Silvestro also recommends using a food order as a means to dive into the local culture. “I would tell international travelers to embrace the local specialties. Why order a turkey sandwich if you're coming out of Venice, Italy? You might as well have some fun and enjoy something unique and fantastic from the location you're departing from.”

Other tips for the best experience and to avoid looking like a newbie: Try not to overpack (holds are limited on space, and soft-sided bags are preferred); don’t post images of the tail wing number in real-time (as it’s trackable); and don’t splash the cash. “Tipping is not something that needs to be worried about,” says Silvestro. Instead, he suggests fliers express gratitude to the crew and host with overall “politeness and appropriateness.”

“Just don’t be a jerk,” he adds. It’s a good rule for private jet travel—and travel in general.

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