How Much Does It Really Cost to Fly Private?

127 founders (net worth: ~$1M–$100M+) opened up their personal books. Want to see how your finances stack up? https://www.joinhampton.com/wealth-report

Is flying private a waste of money, or the ultimate time hack for the ultra-wealthy? In this episode, we break down what it really costs, who it makes sense for, and why even billionaires think twice.

Here’s what we talk about:

• Private aviation expert Preston Holland explains the true cost of flying private, from charter to full ownership.
• When does it make financial sense? Around $2M in income and $20M net worth.
• Why fractional ownership is trending, even for people who can afford full planes.
• Guests like Andrew Wilkinson, Josh Payne, and Nick Huber share how and why they fly.
• The real costs: pilots, insurance, hangars, maintenance, and depreciation.
• Who flies private most: rural founders, franchise owners, post-monetary entrepreneurs.
• Flying yourself? FinTech founders and control freaks, take note.
• A PSA: Jets don’t make money, don’t fall for “fly for free” scams.
• Jackie reflects on patience vs. buying back time.
  
  

Cool Links:

• Hampton https://www.joinhampton.com/
• Lower Street https://www.lowerstreet.co/
• Preston’s Twitter https://x.com/prestonholland6
• Preston’s Newsletter: https://prestonholland.com/bio

Chapters:

• (00:00) Introduction and Andrew Wilkinson's Private Flying Experience
• (00:48) Exploring the Costs and Benefits of Flying Private
• (01:51) Types of Private Jet Ownership
• (03:12) Chartering vs. Owning: Financial Considerations
• (05:06) Fractional Ownership and Co-Ownership
• (07:52) Full Ownership: Pros, Cons, and Costs
• (12:28) The Realities of Owning a Private Jet
• (15:16) Entrepreneurs and Private Flying
• (32:20) The Environmental and Financial Costs of Private Jets
• (34:41) Conclusion and Final Thoughts

This podcast is a ridiculous concept: high-net-worth people reveal their personal finances. Inspired by real conversations happening in the Hampton community.

You Host - Jackie Lamport

• Not really the host, but the producer.
• Wrote this sentence.

What is Moneywise?

This is Moneywise, a podcast where hosts Sam Parr and Harry Morton are joined by high-net-worth guests to explore exclusive insights into personal finance and lifestyle tailored for other high-net-worth people, or those on their way. They'll get radically transparent about the numbers, revealing things like their burn rates, portfolios, and spending habits. This podcast was made for the Hampton community, a private, highly-vetted, peer membership community for founders and CEOs of fast-growing, tech-enabled startups. Check it out at https://joinhampton.com/.