Does flying really have to be so expensive? Well no, not really, and “it depends” seems to be one of the most common answers to this ageless question. “It depends” is going to be the concept with the most variables. It depends on what you want to accomplish from your flying. Where are you going & why? Do you just want to have fun? Can you take someone with you? Do you have a flexible schedule? What ís your budget?
The answers to these questions and many others will start guiding you in a particular direction and may wind up creating a situation that allows you to fly for much less than you think. Perhaps you want to fly just for fun. The cost of renting a plane and instructor can be fairly expensive. Consider exploring the “flying club” concept. Sharing the cost of owning and operating a particular plane can be lowered dramatically by sharing the cost with others. The club can easily upgrade and grow with the needs of its members.
Perhaps you need to travel on business. Chartering a plane will be much less expensive than buying, but can still be expensive on a “per trip” basis. Consider offering to share the cost of your trip with others that may need to travel to a nearby destination on a similar schedule. There ís no guarantee, but you might have some success in reducing your cost.
Consider setting appointments in a way that will maximize the value of that chartered plane. How? If several people from your company travel to the same place, perhaps they can adjust their schedules to travel at the same time.  This allows you to utilize the same resource while dividing the cost. You could easily visit many destinations in one trip over several days. Productivity could skyrocket while minimizing your overall travel expense.
There are many ways to minimize the cost of flying and we can help. “It depends” is just an easy way of starting the conversation.
Steve Wiley, VP Aviation Accounts