Oprah Winfrey bought herself a private jet to avoid flight delays and overzealous fans but, celebrity or not, flying commercial has its benefits too – here’s why

Nov 23 , 2020

If you can afford it, flying by private jet is a no-brainer, right? Photo: Luxurylaunches

We’re already dreaming of that post-pandemic holiday to Italy, but when it comes to luxury travel, should you fly by public or private jet?

At one point or another, most people will have dreamt about globetrotting in a private jet. And while for some that dream is already a reality, others continue to strive to make such an ambition happen.

Even Oprah Winfrey flew by commercial jet most of her life, until the day a female fan asked her for a hug at the airport …

“I stood up and I gave her a hug and then I went to the phone and called my lawyer,” she told The Hollywood Reporter, “And I said, ‘I’m going to do it, I’m going to get the [private] plane. This is going to be my last time waiting four hours in the Chicago O’Hare Airport.’”

We don’t all have Oprah Winfrey’s millions at our disposal, of course, but what if you’re the kind of person that actually has a choice about how to fly? A model, say, in a hurry to get to the beach in Spain; or a wealthy entrepreneur toying between a seat in first class and an entire plane to yourself to get to that business meeting? Either one is going to cost you a pretty penny, so it’s worth weighing up the pros and cons before you fly.

Here’s why you may consider a standard airline

For luxury seekers like George and Amal Clooney, there are numerous high-end cities throughout Europe to enjoy, like Florence or Istanbul. And, given their location, each is easily accessible via a standard airline or the comfort of a private jet.

However, when it comes to mishaps out of your control, for example bad weather, public travel in this case actually has an advantage. The fact that the above destinations are European ensures that prospective air passengers are entitled to compensation if a flight is delayed.

Think you’d be one of the unlucky ones unable to claim that compensation? Think again. In the last 10 years, Flightright has repeatedly helped travellers enforce their flight delay rights through EU Regulation No.261/2004 to claim EU flight delay compensation. In that time, the company has had a 98 per cent case success rate, proving travellers can have peace of mind when flying between European airports, along with the prospect of a flight delay refund.

How to claim flight delay compensation

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Oprah Winfrey bought herself a private jet to avoid flight delays and overzealous fans but, celebrity or not, flying commercial has its benefits too – here’s why

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}We’re already dreaming of that post-pandemic holiday to Italy, but when it comes to luxury travel, should you fly by public or private jet?

We’re already dreaming of that post-pandemic holiday to Italy, but when it comes to luxury travel, should you fly by public or private jet?