Business aviation has just had its busiest summer on record. According to WingX data, there were nearly 947,000 business jet departures worldwide between 1 June and 23 August 2026, 2.3% more than summer 2025. Year to date, global activity was running 3.5% ahead of last year.
A tale of two markets
North America continues to dominate, with more than 71% of all business jet departures and growth of almost 5%. Europe has been flatter, with year-to-date growth of around 1%, and most of that came from Italy and Spain, the Mediterranean’s summer hotspots. Africa and South America showed the strongest recent momentum, though from smaller bases.
What it means for the Mediterranean
The strength of Italy and Spain shows where European demand is heading: leisure and family travel to the sun, island-hopping and short-notice trips to the coast. Malta, with growing airline traffic and an easy connection to Sicily and southern Italy, sits right in that corridor.
Tips for booking in a busy market
- Book peak dates early. The most popular light and midsize jets get booked first in July and August.
- Be flexible on aircraft. A turboprop or light jet is often ideal for short Mediterranean hops such as Malta to Sicily.
- Look for one-way and empty-leg options at the start and end of the season, when aircraft reposition.
Planning a trip from Malta? Explore private jet charter to and from Malta or our helicopter transfers to Gozo and Sicily.
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Sources: WingX business jet activity data, reported by GlobalAir.com, August 2026.
