Perhaps the largest appeal of private aviation is that it’s not commercial aviation; it avoids the drudgery, rigidity, inefficiency, inconvenience and even humiliation of modern commercial carriers and airports. Benefits are plentiful and substantive, though some not easily quantified.

On a raw numbers basis, it may be difficult to justify private aviation. If you use your plan allotment judiciously, and fill the plane for every flight, you may approach a per-seat equivalent of full-fare first-class commercial travel. To make the numbers more supportive, you’ll need to quantify some of the intangibles below. Private aviation providers and industry associations have created their own spreadsheets to incorporate productivity and other gains. Not surprisingly, these formulae show private aviation as a major cost savings for companies and an obvious choice for individuals.

Helium Report agrees directionally with that conclusion, but suggests that you make your own assessment based on your wealth and the value of your time, energy, productivity and peace-of-mind. Even if you have sufficient cash to preserve these without much thought, it’s worth enumerating the benefits for your spouse, CFO, financial advisor and even yourself.

Top Ten Benefits of Flying Private

1. Flexibility in destinations
2. Avoid Crowded Commercial Terminals
3. Flexibility in scheduling and flying
4. Streamlined airport process
5. Time savings & in-flight productivity
6. Business Entertaining
7. Special Cargo Handling
8. Security
9. Five-star Service
10. Ego