Track the private jet set: Here are the 9 most popular airports for PJs
Elon Musk and Taylor Swift were among the wealthy taking to the skies in their private jets. Business Insider tracked the most popular airports for PJs. Getty Images
- The wealthy often take to private jets instead of flying commercial.
- Elon Musk and Taylor Swift have been known for their jet-setting.
- Take a look at the nine most popular airport destinations in the US for private planes.
Since the start of 2023, business tycoons, pop stars, and Hollywood celebrities have had a busy year of jet-setting.
Whether it was billionaires chasing business deals at their annual Sun Valley, Idaho “summer camp” in October, or Taylor Swift flying to and from each of her Eras Tour concerts, the world’s elite spent tens of thousands of hours crisscrossing the globe on their multi-million dollar private planes.
And they fly most of the time into smaller airports, or smaller facilities attached to larger airports.
Private jet operators arrive and depart from aviation service stations called fixed-based operators, or FBOs, which are separate from commercial gates and handle everything including aircraft fueling, storage, and maintenance.
Here are the Top 9 airports for private jets so far in 2023, according to data from aircraft-tracking website JetSpy that was shared with Business Insider. The data was taken as of December 1.
9. Houston Hobby Airport
The control tower at Houston Hobby Airport, which is No. 9 on the list for private jets. Houston Chronicle/Hearst Newspapers via Getty Images
Total landings: 21,515
Houston’s Hobby Airport is the city’s secondary airport for commercial flights, but it’s also home to a large number of flights for Southwest Airlines and — at the other end of the spectrum, for private jets as part of its FBO operations.
Companies like Atlantic Aviation, Signature Flight Support, and Jet Aviation are popular FBOs used at many major airports across the US and are specialists in handling private planes.
8. Scottsdale Airport
Scottsdale, Arizona, saw a deluge of private jets ahead of the Super Bowl in 2023. Ross D. Franklin
Total landings: 22,066
The airport in the Phoenix metropolitan area is designed to primarily handle smaller aircraft. It was a destination for some private jets ahead of Super Bowl LVII which took place at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, in February. The airport is around 30 miles from the stadium.
Celebrities including Beyonce, Jay-Z, Bradley Cooper, Lebron James, and Elon Musk were spotted at the game.
7. Washington Dulles International Airport
Washington Dulles International Airport welcomed more than 24,000 private jets this year. Skyhobo
Total landings: 24,740
The airport is ideal for business trips in and out of Washington, D.C.
The airport, which is actually in Virginia, is located fewer than 30 miles outside of downtown D.C.
6. Harry Reid International Airport
President Joe Biden visited the Las Vegas airport in January. Susan Walsh
Total landings: 26,006
The airport is a popular landing spot for private jets headed into Las Vegas, like those owned by Floyd Mayweather and Taylor Swift.
President Joe Biden landed at the airport on Air Force One earlier this year. Biden and his wife, Jill Biden, were attending a memorial for former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, the airport’s namesake.
5. Westchester County Airport
The Million Air FBO at Westchester County Airport in New York. Taylor Rains/Insider
Total landings: 26,032
Westchester County Airport north of New York City topped Harry Reid International Airport by a narrow margin on the list.
The airport was initially built during World War II and used as a home base for the Air National Guard, according to the airport’s website.
4. Van Nuys Airport
Van Nuys Airport is No. 4 on the list of most popular airports for private jets in 2023. Damian Dovarganes
Total landings: 28,424
The Los Angeles airport is a popular thoroughfare for celebrities. It is used solely for non-commercial flights, though nearby residents have complained of jet fumes and noise.
Taylor Swift, as well as Beyonce and Jay-Z’s private jets, have flown through Van Nuys several times this year, according to JetSpy data.
3. Dallas Love Field
Private jets at Dallas Love Field in 2022. Boarding1Now/iStock
Total landings: 31,854
“Dallas Love Field’s high ranking as a premier airport for private jet usage underscores its economic significance and convenience for travelers,” a City of Dallas spokesperson told BI. “Proximity to downtown Dallas, just 7 miles away, enhances the airport’s accessibility, making it an ideal choice for private jet flyers seeking efficient and time-saving travel experiences.”
The airport is a common destination for Mark Cuban’s private jets. The “Shark Tank” star is based in Dallas; he recently announced he’s selling the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks.
2. Palm Beach International Airport
Donald Trump has taken his aircraft “Trump Force One” to Palm Beach International Airport in Florida. The Washington Post
Total landings: 33,803
The airport in Florida regularly hosts a number of VIPs, including former president Donald Trump, who has flown his Trump Force One in and out of the airport multiple times this year, according to JetSpy data.
1. Teterboro Airport
Bon Jovi’s private plane at Teterboro airport outside of New York City in 2003 during their “Bounce Tour.” Theo Wargo/WireImage via Getty Images
Total landings: 60,040
Only 12 miles from Manhattan, Teterboro is a hot spot for celebrity private jets, with VIPs like Bon Jovi, Miley Cyrus, Swift, Musk, Brad Pitt, and Angelina Jolie spotted there over the years.
It’s in New Jersey, just across the Hudson River from New York.
It is also where Jeffrey Epstein was infamously arrested in July 2019 on sex-trafficking charges.