Private Jets Flock to the Masters, Bringing Luxury and Competition

The Masters Tournament is attracting a large number of private jets, with companies like NetJets, Flexjet, and Vista Global offering luxurious experiences for their clients. Thousands of private jets are expected to fly in and out of Augusta, Georgia, and nearby airports, making it one of the busiest events of the year for private jet companies.

NetJets, the industry leader, expects more than 775 flights into and out of Augusta, marking a 35% to 40% increase from last year. Flexjet is projecting about 350 to 400 flights, and Vista projects over 20 flights a day. "Demand is off the charts," said Mike Silvestro, CEO of Flexjet. "The Masters is like nothing else."

Competition for Clients

The competition among private jet companies for landing slots, parking spaces, and access to and from the terminal has grown fierce. Many companies have moved to nearby airports in Thomson, Georgia, or Aiken, South Carolina, to accommodate their clients. The real battle, however, begins after the jets land, with companies offering luxurious hospitality events and experiences.

Jet companies are renting out mansions to create branded pop-up clubs, hiring Michelin-star chefs and well-known mixologists, hosting nightly parties with big names in golf, and vying to attract top players and announcers as headliners. Many are even staging private concerts with Grammy-winning country stars.

Longtime Masters fans say the hottest ticket of the week outside the Augusta National Golf Club is the NetJets Friday night party. NetJets won't disclose any details on the location or entertainment for this year's bash, but past parties have been hosted by sports commentator Jim Nantz and featured musical guests like Noah Kahan, Chris Stapleton, and Zac Brown.

Luxury Experiences

Vista Global will be hosting clients at Vista House, a private home in Westlake, Georgia, that will be transformed into a branded hospitality venue. It will have nightly dinners, entertainment, and special appearances by Vista brand ambassadors Gary Player, Jon Rahm, Phil Mickelson, and Patrick Reed.

Wheels Up will open the "Wheels Down Club" in Augusta, just a 10-minute walk from the entrance to Augusta National. The club, a temporary structure built around an existing home, will offer 11,000 square feet of hospitality space. Guests can valet their cars, get snacks and drinks in between rounds, and check in their phones.

Flexjet is taking a different approach, focusing solely on its core business of getting clients to and from the event. With Augusta Regional Airport highly congested during Masters week, Flexjet decided to move its operations to the Thomson-McDuffie Regional Airport in Thomson, Georgia.