As the world’s largest economy, the United States has become synonymous with
business aviation. With many of the aircraft manufacturers being based here, it does
not come as a surprise that the country has the most developed private aviation market
in the world. According to Flight Global, the business jets and turboprops fleet across
the country totals nearly 19,000 aircraft.
However, with an abundance of travel comes an abundance of airports that each have
their own rules and regulations. And if convenience is a priority, counting on flight
planning services can truly help those that are aiming to plan travel with minimal worry
about airport specifics.
A Large Variety of Airport Options Makes Up for Restrictions
While there may be a large number of airports across the country, the situation is
unique for specific geographies. New York’s metropolitan area, for example, has three
main airports by commercial traffic: JFK, La Guardia and Newark. Because these
airports face so many traffic restrictions, private aircraft often instead opt for
alternatives that are more convenient for the business passenger. Terminals such as
Teterboro, known as the city’s business aviation hub, are a welcomed area for those
looking to explore the “big apple.”
This same trend is seen in most metropolitan areas of the United States. While many of
the most important airports may be more convenient for the executive traveler in terms
of distance, slot restrictions disrupt the intended flexibility, making farther but less-
constrained airports a viable option.
A Much Developed FBO Network for an Added Convenience
While the largest airports have reduced flexibility due to the heavy commercial traffic,
the fixed-base operators (FBOs) network tends to focus on the secondary airports as
well. In this sense, the service quality of such companies at these terminals tends to be
higher.
A yearly survey conducted by the well-regarded Aviation International News outlet
states that of the top 10 FBO providers in the Americas in 2019, all are placed in United
States airports. And of these, only two, Memphis and Tampa, are located at the main
airports of the metro area they serve.
The best FBO provider as per the survey is Pentastar Aviation in Oakland County
International (KPTK/PTK), which serves the Detroit region. It is followed by American
Aero in Fort Worth Meacham International (KFTW/FTW), which serves the Dallas –
Fort Worth metroplex, and by Jet Aviation in Palm Beach International (KPBI/PBI),
which serves both Palm Beach and Miami.
Even in cities like Chicago where commercial operations at Chicago O’Hare
International Airport (KORD/ORD) are congested, alternatives exist in both Chicago
Executive Airport (KPWK/PWK) and Gary/Chicago International Airport (KGYY/GYY)
for those looking for quick access to “the loop” and other downtown areas.
By these standards, secondary airports often prove to be great options for travelers in
terms of capacity, slots flexibility and service level.
Bottom Line
All aspects considered, flying to the United States by business travel tends to be a very
smooth experience. While the main airports are severely impacted by slot restrictions,
the large number of secondary terminals, with high quality FBO services, may make up
for this disadvantage. Thankfully, leveraging partners like Flightworx’s personalized
24/7 service considers all your preferences to provide you the most efficient, high-
standard and affordable flight to wherever you go in the U.S.
