Published on
November 12, 2025
A surprising trend is occurring within the aviation industry as the US government shutdown continues. Private jets are becoming more and more popular. Flexjet, WheelsUp, Sentient Jet, and FXAIR are at the forefront. Cancellations and delays caused by the government shutdown are pushing more affluent customers to buy private jets. As commercial travel moves more slowly and more expensively, the demand for private jets is rising. Knowing that TSA agents and air traffic controllers work unpaid and under stress is making more people choose private jets. Flexjet, WheelsUp, and Sentient Jet are predicting a continual increase in demand for private jets. Will this be the end of commercial air travel as we currently know it? The government shutdown is just a rude reminder of how commercial travel is moving more slowly, and the demand is endlessly rising for identifiable jets.
Private Jet Demand Soars as U.S. Government Shutdown Shakes the Commercial Aviation Sector
The U.S. government shutdown has led to a sudden and significant increase in the demand for private jets. With government workers, including TSA officers and air traffic controllers, on unpaid furloughs, the air travel system has felt the impact. Cancellations and substantial delays have made travel during the shutdown particularly frustrating. With the FAA reducing the number of flights during the shutdown, travelers have become increasingly willing to pay for private jets that avoid the hassles of the shutdown.
The shutdown is likely to fuel changes in the demand for private aviation services. While a private jet was long considered a status symbol, services are becoming more available. The three private aviation providers, Flexjet, Wheels Up, and Sentient Jet, have all reported significant expansion. This shows how the government shutdown is changing the aviation industry and dramatically expanding the possibilities of private air travel.
The Government Shutdown and Its Effects on Commercial Flights
The history of the longest Government Shutdown in the U.S has had negative effects on commercial airlines. The air traffic controllers are complaining that almost 13,000 controllers are calling in sick. The essential workers are also sick or call in. With airlines having fewer and less staff, flights are also having more and more delays. With a sick or missing staff, Americans are having their flights delayed or cancelled.
America’s busiest airports, Newark Liberty International, have had to cancel 120 flights and had to put a ground stop. Smaller airports like Hollywood Burbank have had delays of hours or more. With airlines operating in chaos, the travel experience is negative and frustrating.
Private airlines have seen a surge in demand because flying commercially is more stressful due to the operational delays and lack of staff. Wealthy people are choosing to travel via private jet to avoid travel chaos.
The Rise of Private Jets: Flexjet Leads the Charge
With a decline in commercial aviation, the demand for private jet services continues to grow. Flexjet is one of the companies spearheading this growth. In the private aviation industry, Flexjet holds the highest market share in fractional ownership and private jet charters. In the first week of November 2025, Flexjet’s CEO, Andrew Collins, claimed a 42% increase in jet bookings compared to the first week of November 2024. This significant increase is yet another indicator of the growing market demand for private jets amid the shutdown.
Flexjet’s charter division, FXAIR, showed a 56% increase in revenue-generating flight hours in October 2025 relative to October 2024. Regarding the remainder of November 2025, Flexjet’s Sentient Jet division, which provides jet cards, reported a 24% increase in bookings, further validating the increasing demand for private jet services. The rapid growth of private jet services has shifted to a nearly mainstream offering to travelers, avoiding the congested commercial aviation market.
WheelsUp and Sentient Jet Meet the Increase in Demand for Private Jets
WheelsUp and Sentient Jet, two other main brands in the private jet industry, are witnessing the same growth. With the increase in bookings for private jets, especially for last-minute bookings, last-minute private jet bookings are increasing. With more commercial air travelers becoming more frustrated with the hassles of air travel, more travelers are turning to private jets for more seamless and luxurious options, as private jets allow travelers to avoid the crowded airports, security checks, and long, uncertain delays.
Sentient Jet, which also refers to the jet card memberships, increase in bookings of flight hours by 24% for the rest of November relative to the previous year. Less Predictable commercial aviation stigma is causing more travelers to use the private jet industry for their air travel. The private jets provide more speed, comfort, and certainty for travelers using the jets.
As the US Government shutdown continues, the difference between the commercial private jet air travel industry becomes more and more visible. With the delays, cancellations, and employee shortages affecting commercial airlines, private air travel becomes a more appealing option. Private aviation is more appealing to a certain audience because of the advantages of faster boarding, more luxurious aircraft, and less travel time.
At a time when there is a government shutdown and delays abound, people are willing to pay a premium for a private jet. This option is a great way to bypass commercial air travel and spend a peaceful few hours on a private jet. There is no need to deal with busy airports or lost luggage.
The Future of Air Travel
The private jet market is likely to expand, and for good reason. During this time of a government shutdown, there are longer-term changes in the way air travel is handled. Airline travel is the air travel mode of choice for people on a budget. In order to cater to the increased demand, the industry may make structural changes in the way air travel is handled in the United States. There are a lot of negative aspects surrounding commercial flying, and for many people, the time saved on air travel is worth the premium to pay for a private jet. The industry is likely to see private air travel picked as a mode of travel that is convenient and time-saving.
The private jet market is no longer only for the ultra-rich. These private jets are a necessity for people who want to avoid the chaos created during commercial air travel. The private jet industry, specifically, is expected to see significant growth due to the increased demand for private air travel that occurs during a government shutdown.
The Outlook for US Aviation Amid the Shutdown
The future of US commercial aviation is uncertain due to the government shutdown. Air traffic controllers and TSA agents are still unpaid. The FAA is cutting flights at major airports. Airlines, which are already dealing with staffing shortages and high flight volumes, are expected to face even greater challenges.
For now, the chaos at airports is pushing some travelers to consider private jets. Aviation subscription companies like Flexjet, WheelsUp, and Sentient Jet are seeing an increase in business because more travelers prefer commercial flights, and the government shutdown is expected to increase the number of travelers willing to fly privately.
Conclusion: The Future of Air Travel Is Private
The U.S. government shutdown has been a wake-up call to the aviation industry, and travelers, too. As commercial airlines fall behind in meeting the growing challenges of delays and cancellations, the demand for private jet services is becoming the answer. Even during inflationary periods, private aviation is affordable for only a small portion of the population. Flexjet, WheelsUp, and Sentient Jet, private jet service firms, are trending remarkably well, and private aviation demand is becoming a permanent fixture in the expanding range of services and options in the U.S. air travel sector.
As shutdowns of other services continue, private jets are meeting the unmet demand for air travel. As a combination of socioeconomic shifts and helicopter travel becomes permanent, the air travel industry will use the last 70 years of jet travel and private commercial services to assert that the era of commercial jet aviation is the 20th-century equivalent of the horse and carriage.
