Private Jet Over the Holidays: Thanksgiving to New Year
What a charter costs on the routes that fill over Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year, which days sell out first, and where the empty legs turn up after.
By Biirdee Travel, Luxury Travel Concierge · Updated October 29, 2026
The Short Answer
A private jet for a holiday trip costs about $15,500 to $51,000 one way for the whole aircraft on the routes below, by our Jet Fare Index estimate: from $15,500 to $26,000 for Miami to Nassau on a midsize jet, up to $30,000 to $51,000 for New York to Aspen. The index is a year-round estimate; quotes for the busiest weeks land at the top of its ranges or above.
The holidays are the busiest weeks of the year for private flying in the US. Everyone wants to leave on the same few days and head the same way, south to Florida and the islands or west to the mountains, so aircraft on those routes sell out first and cost more. Booking early matters more than at any other time.
Key Takeaways
- About $15,500 to $51,000 one way for the whole aircraft on the routes below, before any peak-week premium.
- The Wednesday before Thanksgiving and the days around Christmas and New Year are the hardest to book; ask for quotes in early autumn.
- Southbound to Florida, the Bahamas and Mexico, and west to the ski towns, are the routes that fill first.
- Jets that flew south often fly back north empty, so empty legs turn up after each holiday.
- Flying a day either side of the peak, or from a less busy airport, widens the choice of aircraft.
Estimated Prices on the Busiest Routes
Estimated one-way prices for the whole aircraft, from our Jet Fare Index, calibrated against charters booked through our desk. They are year-round figures, not quotes; the aircraft guide shows what each size seats.
| Route | Distance | Likely aircraft | Time in the air | Estimated one way | One size up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York to Palm Beach | 1,038 mi | Midsize jet (e.g. Cessna Citation XLS+) | 3 hours | $23,000 to $40,000 | $26,000 to $44,000 (super-midsize jet) |
| New York to Miami | 1,092 mi | Midsize jet (e.g. Cessna Citation XLS+) | 3 hours | $24,000 to $41,000 | $26,000 to $45,000 (super-midsize jet) |
| Miami to Nassau | 185 mi | Midsize jet (e.g. Cessna Citation XLS+) | 1 hour | $15,500 to $26,000 | $17,500 to $30,000 (super-midsize jet) |
| Los Angeles to Los Cabos | 930 mi | Midsize jet (e.g. Cessna Citation XLS+) | 2.5 hours | $22,000 to $38,000 | $25,000 to $42,000 (super-midsize jet) |
| New York to Aspen | 1,728 mi | Midsize jet (e.g. Cessna Citation XLS+) | 4.5 hours | $30,000 to $51,000 | $33,000 to $56,000 (super-midsize jet) |
The Days That Sell Out
Thanksgiving week peaks on the Wednesday before and the Sunday after. Christmas and New Year run as one long peak from the days before Christmas into the first weekend of January. Presidents' Day weekend in February is the last big one of the winter.
On those days the fleet is booked one way: south and west on the way out, home on the way back. Jet card programs name peak days of their own, with surcharges or limits on booking them; on a charter, the same days simply cost more and sell out.
Where Everyone Goes
From the Northeast, Palm Beach and South Florida are the busiest holiday routes, with the Bahamas and the Caribbean next. From the West Coast it is Cabo and Hawaii. And from everywhere, the ski towns: Aspen, Vail, Jackson Hole and Sun Valley.
The Bahamas, Mexico and the Caribbean are international flights: everyone needs a passport, and you clear customs on arrival and again at the first US airport on the way home. The operator files the paperwork, so send the passenger details when you book.
How Far Ahead to Book
For Christmas and New Year, ask for quotes in early autumn; for Thanksgiving, by early October. Quotes are not held for long, so be ready to confirm when one suits. Holiday bookings can come with stricter cancellation terms than the rest of the year, so read them before paying.
If the dates are fixed but the time is not, say so. A departure that fits an aircraft already nearby can save its positioning flight, which matters most when every aircraft is in demand.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a private jet for a holiday trip cost?
About $15,500 to $51,000 one way for the whole aircraft on the busiest routes, by our Jet Fare Index estimate, from Miami to Nassau ($15,500 to $26,000) to New York to Aspen ($30,000 to $51,000). Peak weeks quote at the top of those ranges or above. The price is for the aircraft, so it is shared by everyone on board.
How far ahead should I book a private jet for Christmas?
In early autumn for the days around Christmas and New Year, when the fleet heading to Florida, the islands and the ski towns sells out first. Outside the holidays, a few days to a couple of weeks ahead usually finds an aircraft.
Are there empty legs over the holidays?
Fewer on the way out, more on the way back. Aircraft that flew families south or west often fly home empty after each holiday, so northbound and eastbound empty legs turn up in the days after Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year.
Do private jets cost more over the holidays?
Yes. The fare index is a year-round estimate, and holiday quotes tend to land at the top of its ranges or above, because demand on the busiest days outstrips the aircraft available.
How can I pay less for a private jet for a holiday trip?
Look for an empty leg, an aircraft repositioning on your route that sells for well under a full charter (our empty-leg database lists the companies that publish them, and empty-leg sellers in the United States lists the sellers whose legs fly there), fly a day either side of the peak, and compare a round trip with the aircraft waiting against two one-way flights. Our guide to what a private jet costs lists the fees a full quote should include.
What Biirdee Does
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Any jet, anywhere, on your schedule. Biirdee shops empty legs, unpublished legs and full charters for the best price, and stays with you until you land.
Tell us the trip
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We find the best price
Published empty legs, the unpublished ones operators share with brokers, and full charters, compared for you. You pick.
We have your back
One concierge from booking to landing. If a flight falls through, we get you on another jet.
Flying commercial on another leg? The same team books business and first class and luxury hotels.
Biirdee · Charter Desk
Get a quote for the holidays
Send the dates, the party and how firm the times are. Our charter desk quotes two or three aircraft side by side in one all-in price, usually within 2 to 4 hours, and checks empty legs home.
Questions?[email protected]
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