Charter or First Class? Three Entrepreneurs' Real Bills — and an Unexpected Answer
Some call chartering a jet "showing off." We asked three entrepreneurs who each fly 10+ times a year. Their answers were not what you'd expect.
A Question We Hear Constantly
"First class is comfortable enough. Why charter?"
It is one of the questions iFlyPlus advisors receive most often. Today we break down the real travel bills of three members — no hype, no hit piece, just the numbers.
Case 1: Beijing → Tokyo, Business Travel
Who: Mr. Chen, CEO of a technology company, 38 Frequency: 12 flights a year, 60% of them on China-Japan routes
The First Class Option (Air China CA925, Business Class)
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Fare | ¥38,000 (one-way) |
| Departure | Capital Airport T2, arrive 2 hours early |
| Flight | 3.5 hours (Beijing → Tokyo Haneda) |
| Airport time | 1 hour in the premium lounge |
| Ground | Narita/Haneda → Ginza, about 1 hour by train |
| Total journey | About 7 hours (door to door) |
| Workable time | About 2 hours (on board) |
⚠️ Pricing note: prices shown here are historical reference cases for specific routes and aircraft; your advisor's live quotation prevails. Standard empty-leg charters start from ¥100,000.
The Gulfstream G650 Charter Option
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Price | ¥120,000 (one-way, iFlyPlus member-exclusive pricing) |
| Departure | Business aviation terminal, arrive 30 minutes early |
| Flight | 3 hours (direct to Tokyo) |
| Ground | Business terminal → Ginza, 40-minute private transfer |
| Total journey | About 5 hours (door to door) |
| Workable time | About 3 hours (video conferences work on board) |
Mr. Chen's Choice
"On paper, chartering costs ¥82,000 more. But I ran the math: two fewer hours on the road plus one extra hour of high-quality work — my time is worth more than ¥50,000 an hour. And on board, my team and I aligned every detail of the Tokyo meeting in advance — that M&A negotiation ultimately closed on terms ¥20 million better. Which option do you think was worth more?"
Case 2: Shanghai → Paris, Family Holiday
Who: Ms. Lin, private equity partner, 42 Party: the couple plus two children (ages 8 and 5)
The First Class Option (Air France AF111, 4 Business Class Seats)
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| In-flight experience | 4 seats scattered across the cabin; standardized crew service |
| Children | No special arrangements; when the 5-year-old cries, you simply cope |
| Total cost | ¥152,000 |
The Bombardier Global 7500 Charter Option
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Ground | Le Bourget → hotel, private transfer |
| Total cost | About ¥200,000 (V2 member-exclusive pricing — narrowing the gap by roughly ¥80,000-100,000 per trip) |
Ms. Lin's Choice
"Long-haul business class with children is, for me, a kind of ordeal. When a five-year-old cries, the whole cabin's eyes are on you. On a charter it is different — the children have their own space, and meals are prepared to their tastes in advance. More importantly, I handled email in the lounge area while she slept in the bedroom; we didn't disturb each other. The price difference under member pricing buys the whole family its dignity and good humor."
The multiplier: through iFlyPlus one-stop private jet + hotel booking, Ms. Lin simultaneously reserved three nights in a suite at Four Seasons George V, Paris, plus a private dinner at the Eiffel Tower. Her V2 deposit of ¥288,888 is fully deductible against all spending.
Case 3: Shenzhen → Bali, Anniversary Trip
Who: Mr. Zhou and his wife, cross-border e-commerce founders, 32 Occasion: a wedding anniversary
The First Class Option (Singapore Airlines Business Class)
Scheduled service with standard connections and ground handling.
The Gulfstream G550 Charter Option (Empty Leg)
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| On board | Champagne + bespoke florals + an anniversary card |
| Ground | Bali private pickup + a sunset ceremony arranged at the hotel |
| Total cost | About ¥88,000 + hotel ¥20,000 (points privileges) |
Mr. Zhou's Choice
"The biggest surprise was the empty leg. My iFlyPlus advisor told me there was an empty leg routing Shanghai → Shenzhen → Bali — the aircraft had finished its previous mission and was repositioning to Bali. We happened to be on the way, and the pricing was significantly optimized (member-exclusive pricing). A Gulfstream G550, 4.5 hours direct, champagne and flowers waiting on board — my wife's post about 'the most special anniversary ever' passed 500 likes."
Key concept: an Empty Leg is a sector a business jet flies without passengers after completing a mission — returning to base or repositioning to its next pickup. Charter rates for these sectors typically run 40-60% below standard charter. iFlyPlus curates Empty Leg inventory daily, and member-exclusive pricing makes high-value private charter genuinely attainable.
Three Data Sets, Side by Side
| Dimension | First Class | Charter (Standard Rate) | Charter (iFlyPlus Member Rate) | Charter (Empty Leg) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Privacy | Low (200+ fellow passengers) | Extremely high (your circle only) | Extremely high | Extremely high |
| Customization | None | Fully bespoke | Fully bespoke | Fully bespoke |
| Child-friendly | Average | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent |
The Core Insight: Not "Which Is Better" — "Which Fits"
First class fits when:
- You travel solo, on fixed routes, with time flexibility
- Budget is limited but comfort matters
- You fly no more than three times a year
Charter fits when:
- You travel in a group (family/team) — the more people, the clearer charter's value
- Time is critical — every hour saved on the road is ¥10,000-50,000 of opportunity cost for an entrepreneur
- Privacy matters — discuss confidential deals, sleep properly, even cry if you need to
- Customization matters — catering, routing and timing built entirely around you
Empty legs fit when:
- Your schedule is flexible, the destination matches, and you appreciate a sharp decision
- iFlyPlus members receive timely Empty Leg notifications
iFlyPlus Membership
Core principle: member pricing is never discounted · deposits are fully deductible against spending · added privileges in place of price negotiation
What Members Say
"I used to think first class was enough. After joining iFlyPlus I found charter operates on a completely different dimension. It is not 'how comfortable is the seat' but 'what can this journey create.' I have signed contracts on board, held board meetings on board, spent an anniversary with my wife on board — first class cannot give you scenes like that." — Mr. Chen, technology company founder, 12 flights a year, V1 Golden Diamond member
Begin Your Journey
Enquiries:
- Website: www.iflyplus.com/membership
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