December is the hardest month of the year to travel. Airports are full, flights are expensive and often delayed, and you spend hours in queues with your luggage and gifts. A private jet avoids all of that. When you share the charter with other travellers going the same way, the cost can be much closer to a premium airline ticket than you’d expect.
Flying this route? Browse shared flights on JetMatch
Why the holidays are the best time to share a jet
Over Christmas and New Year, a lot of people fly the same routes on the same few days. That makes it easy to find others to share with. Typical patterns:
- Cities to family homes: London, Paris, Zurich and Milan out to Spain, Italy, Malta, Greece and the rest of the Mediterranean.
- Cities to the Alps: Geneva, Sion, Chambéry and Innsbruck for Christmas week in the mountains.
- Winter sun: Marrakech, the Canary Islands and Dubai for people escaping the cold.
- New Year’s Eve trips: a short trip out on 30–31 December and back on 1–2 January.
Several groups on the same route, around the same dates: that’s when sharing works best.
How sharing a holiday charter works
JetMatch doesn’t sell seats. It connects travellers who want to split the cost of one private charter.
- Post your trip or browse existing ones: route, dates, how many people are in your group, and how flexible you are.
- Match with other travellers heading the same way.
- Agree the details together: aircraft, departure time, luggage.
- Book with a licensed operator and split the cost between the group.
What it can cost (an illustrative example)
Say a mid-size jet is quoted at €24,000 for a route. Flying alone, you’d pay all of it. Here’s how the split works:
| Travellers sharing | Cost each |
|---|---|
| 2 | €12,000 |
| 4 | €6,000 |
| 6 | €4,000 |
| 8 | €3,000 |
Real quotes depend on aircraft, distance and dates, and holiday weeks are peak season. Our guide How Much Does It Cost to Share a Private Jet? has more detail.
Book early: aircraft run out in December
The days around 20–23 December and 1–3 January are some of the busiest of the year for private aviation. If you want to fly then:
- Post your trip as early as possible. More time means more chances to match.
- Be flexible by a day. Flying on the 19th instead of the 21st can make it much easier to find a match and an aircraft.
- Think about secondary airports. Smaller airports are often quicker and less congested than the main hubs.
Extra comfort for the holidays
- Gifts and extra luggage. Agree luggage with your group up front so the right aircraft gets booked.
- Pets come too. Many operators allow dogs and cats in the cabin. See our guide to flying a private jet with your pet.
- Families and kids. No long security queues or long walks to the gate. You board a few minutes before take-off.
- Ski gear. Skis and boards fit on most mid-size and larger jets. Tell your group early.
Is sharing right for you?
Sharing suits you if you’re travelling as a couple, family or small group, you can be a little flexible on timing, and you’d like private travel without paying for the whole plane. If you need full control of the schedule, a whole-aircraft charter may suit you better.
Plan your holiday flight
Going home, heading to the mountains or chasing winter sun, someone may already be going your way. Browse shared flights on JetMatch or post your trip for the holidays today.
JetMatch is a technology platform that introduces travellers who want to share the cost of a private flight. We do not own, operate, charter, or sell air transportation. All flights are arranged with, and operated by, independent certified air carriers selected by the travellers themselves.