Navigating the world of college football travel often presents a dilemma: endure a stressful, expensive, multi-day commercial trip or miss the game entirely. Game Day Private Jets was founded to eliminate this choice.
While our goal isn’t to compete with commercial airlines on every single flight, our innovative platform, which allows you to charter and share flights, makes a same-day game day experience a compelling and, in many cases, a surprisingly cost-effective alternative. Although many variables influence pricing, we’ve compiled real-world case studies that vividly illustrate how our members catch more games in a luxurious, safe, and time-efficient manner, proving that flying private doesn’t have to break the bank.
sample trip cost comparison #1
ohio state vs wisconsin Game leaving columbus
Ohio state vs. wisconsin
Ohio State
Wisconsin
Oct 18, 25
TBD
So you’re a Buckeye living in Columbus and want to travel to Madison to catch an OSU vs Wisconsin game for a father son birthday experience. You can either drive 7.5 hrs each way or fly commercial. Game starts 330pm. Regardless, it’s a 3 day trip fraught with travel stress and the potential for issues along the way.
Let’s compare flying commercial vs taking an 8 person private jet
Option A: The Painful Way ~ Flying Commercial
- Hotels: $2,000+ (2 nights- expensive football weekend)
- Airfare: $700+ per person with connections in Detroit and potential luggage loss or missed connection
- Columbus Airport Parking: $225
- Ubers in MSN to/from game and around town: $200
- Food & Beverage 3 days: $500
Estimated cost traveling commercial: $4,325 and 3 days of your time
Option B: The Amazing Way ~ Book a Game Day Private Jets charter and share your flight with other members in your Community!
travel cost comparison
commercial option
3 days of stressful travel & giving up your entire weekend
Cost for 2 people: $4,325
- $2,162 per person
- Approx 14 hours travel time
- Fri & Sun wasted in airports
- Exhausted on Monday
private jet option
Charter an 8 passenger jet with snacks, VIP shuttle, and service guarantees
Est Charter Cost: $17,500*
- $2,186 per person
- 2 hours total travel time
- Enjoy your full Fri & Sun
- Refreshed on Monday
- Incredible experience
sample same day itinerary
- 10:30am – Leave home to airport
- 11:00am – Arrive to private terminal with no TSA line
- 11:15am – Meet crew, fellow passengers, show pilots your IDs and board your jet ( 1 hr flight)
- 11:30am – Depart and land at 12:30pm
- 12:45pm – Depart to stadium, arrive 1:15pm
- Tailgate for a few hours (while bragging about how you flew in private to the game and sharing your referral code so others join & you earn $$)
- 3:30pm-~7:30pm – Experience the game
- 8:00pm – Meet at pick-up spot for VIP Sprinter
- 8:30pm – Arrive to private terminal with your group to meet the pilots and board your jet
- 8:45pm – Depart back to Columbus
- 9:45pm – Land, then 15 minutes later on your way home
- 10:15pm – Walk in the door and high five each other for flying like a champion
In this scenario, it may cost you about $50 more for your party of two people by going private on a Same Day Game Day roundtrip charter rather than going commercial and wasting an entire weekend.
#WINNING!
sample trip cost comparison #2
Texas A&M vs LSU Game leaving austin
texas a&m vs. lsu
Texas A&M
LSU
Oct 25, 25
TBD
So you’re an Aggie living in Austin and want to travel to the Texas A&M vs LSU game in Baton Rouge with your spouse. You can drive 7 hrs each way or fly commercial. Once again, it’s a 3 day trip with stress and challenges!
Let’s compare flying commercial vs booking an 8 passenger private jet
Option A: The Painful Way ~ Flying Commercial
- Hotels: $1,500 (2 nights with a potential 3 day minimum)
- Airfare: $650 per person with connections in DFW/IAH & potential luggage loss or missed connection
- Austin Airport Parking: $225
- Ubers in BTR to/from game and around town: $200
- Food & Beverage 3 days: $500
Estimated cost traveling commercial: $3,725 and 3 days of your time
Option B: The Amazing Way ~ Book a Game Day Private Jets charter and share your flight with other members in your Community!
travel cost comparison
commercial option
3 days of stressful travel & giving up your entire weekend
Cost for 2 people: $3,725
- $1,862 per person
- Approx 10 hours travel time
- Fri & Sun wasted in airports
- Exhausted on Monday
private jet option
Charter an 8 passenger jet with snacks, VIP shuttle, and service guarantees
Est Charter Cost: $21,000*
- $2,625 per person
- 1.5 hours total travel time
- Enjoy your full Fri & Sun
- Refreshed on Monday
sample same day itinerary
- 7:00am – Leave home to airport
- 7:30am- Arrive to private terminal; no TSA line
- 7:45am – Meet crew, fellow passengers, show pilots your IDs and board your jet ( 1 hr flight)
- 8:00am – Depart and land at 9:00am
- 9:15am – Head to stadium, arrive 10am
- Tailgate for a few hours (while bragging about how you flew in private and sharing your referral code so others will join & you earn $$)
- 12:00pm-~3:30pm – Experience the game
- 4:00pm – Meet at pick-up spot for VIP Sprinter
- 4:30pm – Arrive to private terminal with your group to meet the pilots and board your jet
- 4:45pm – Depart back to Austin
- 5:45pm – Land, then 15 minutes later on your way home
- 6:30pm – Walk in the door and high five each other for flying like champions and catch any remaining games on TV
In this example, you could have flown private and reclaimed your weekend for approx $800 more per person (party of two) by joining a member flight.
You’d also get your Saturday night back!
sample trip cost comparison #3
Tennesse vs florida Game leaving nashville
Now let’s compare flying commercial from Nashville to the UT vs Florida game in Gainesville, FL. The commercial travel economics are similar to the OSU game in Wisconsin. Here, you’ll likely have a stop in ATL wasting your Friday and Sunday. Hotels are already pushing $800+ a night and will only get more expensive as we get closer to the game.
Let’s assume this is a prime time 6:30pm game!
travel cost comparison
commercial option
3 days of stressful travel & giving up your entire weekend
Cost for 2 people: $4,325
- $2,162 per person
- Approx 12 hours travel time
- Fri & Sun wasted in airports
- Tired on Monday
private jet option
Charter an 8 passenger jet with snacks, VIP shuttle, and service guarantees
Est Charter Cost: $17,500*
- $2,186 per person
- 2 hours total travel time
- Enjoy your full Fri & Sun
- Refreshed on Monday
- Incredible experience
sample same day itinerary
- 1:30pm – Leave home to airport
- 2:00pm- Arrive to private terminal; no TSA line
- 2:15pm – Meet crew, fellow passengers, show pilots your IDs and board your jet ( 1 hr flight)
- 2:45pm – Depart and land at 3:45pm
- 4:00pm – Head to stadium, arrive 4:30pm
- Tailgate for 2 hours (bragging of course)
- 6:30pm-~10:00pm – Experience the game
- 10:30pm – Meet at pick-up spot for VIP Sprinter
- 11:00pm – Arrive to private terminal with your group to meet the pilots and board your jet
- 11:15pm – Depart back to Nashville
- 12:15am – Land, then 15 minutes later on your way home
- 12:45am – Walk in the door, slip into bed and wake up nice and refreshed the next day
If the cost of hotels or commercial airfare goes up slightly (which they probably will), it may cost less to fly private to Gainsville for the day with a group. This the power of a robust membership community and the value Game Day Private Jets provides.
sample trip cost comparison #4
indiana vs penn state game leaving from indy
indiana vs. penn state
Ohio State
Wisconsin
Oct 18, 25
TBD
Now here’s a classic example of just how challenging it is getting to places like Penn State in an efficient manner. From Indy, it would take 8 hours of driving or highly inconvenient travel times with the airlines either leaving at 6am or taking the entire travel day. You could fly to Pittsburgh but then it’s a 3 hour drive and you have to deal with the ‘rental car experience’ as well, further adding costs and hassle.
So let’s compare flying commercial vs taking an 8 seat Light Jet.
Option A: The Painful Way ~ Flying Commercial
- Hotels: $3,000+ (2 nights – options very limited here)
- Airfare: $700+ per person with connections and potential delays
- Indy Airport Parking: $225
- Ubers to/from game and around town (if even available): $250
- Food & Beverage 3 days: $500
Estimated cost traveling commercial: $5,375 and 3 days of your time
Option B: The Amazing Way ~ Book a Game Day Private Jets charter and share your flight with other members in your Community!
travel cost comparison
commercial option
3 days of stressful travel & giving up your entire weekend
Est Cost for 2 people ~$5,375
Breakdown
- $2,687 per person
- Approx 14 hours travel time
- Fri & Sun wasted in airports
- Exhausted on Monday
private jet option
Charter an 8 passenger Light Jet with snacks, VIP shuttle, and service guarantees
Est Charter Cost ~$20,000
Breakdown with 8 Passengers
- $2,500 per person
- 2.5 hours total travel time
- Enjoy your full Fri & Sun
- Refreshed on Monday
- Incredible experience
sample same day itinerary
- 8:45am – Leave home to airport
- 9:30am – Arrive to private terminal; no TSA line
- 10:00am – Meet crew, fellow passengers, show pilots your ID’s and board your jet ( 1 hr flight)
- 11:15am – Depart and land at 12:15pm
- 12:30pm – Ride to stadium, arrive 1pm
- Tailgate for a few hours (bragging of course)
- 03:00pm-~06:30pm – Experience the game
- 07:00pm – Meet at pick-up spot for VIP Sprinter
- 07:30pm – Arrive to private terminal with your group to meet the pilots and board your jet
- 08:00pm – Depart back to Indy
- 09:00pm – Land & 15 min later on your way home
- 09:45pm – Walk in the door and sleep in your bed
This scenario speaks for itself. The airline options here are terrible, no other way to say it. And the hotels are pushing $1,000+ a night already (and will only go up). Flying private here makes sense both logistically and financially.
sample trip cost comparison #5
miami vs florida state in tallahassee
miami vs florida state
Ohio State
Wisconsin
Oct 18, 25
TBD
So you’re a Miami Hurricanes fan living in Miami and want to travel to the Miami vs. Florida State football game in Tallahassee with your spouse. You can drive 7-8 hours each way or fly commercial. Once again, it’s a 3-day trip with stress and challenges! Let’s compare flying commercial vs. booking an 8-passenger private jet.
Option A: The Painful Way ~ Flying Commercial
- Hotels: $1,500 (2 nights with a potential 3-day minimum, highly inflated for a rivalry game)
- Airfare: $750 per person with potential connections in Orlando/Atlanta & potential luggage loss or missed connection (MIA to TLH)
- Miami Airport Parking: $225
- Ubers in Tallahassee to/from game and around town: $250 (surge pricing for game days)
- Food & Beverage 3 days: $500
Estimated cost traveling commercial: $3,975 and 3 days of your time
Option B: The Amazing Way ~ Book a Game Day Private Jets charter and share your flight with other members in your Community!
travel cost comparison
commercial option
3 days of stressful travel & giving up your entire weekend
Cost for 2 people ~$3,975
Breakdown
- $1,985 per person
- Approx 10 hours travel time
- Fri & Sun wasted in airports
- Exhausted on Monday
private jet option
Charter an 8 passenger jet with snacks, VIP shuttle, and service guarantees
Est Charter Cost ~$20,000*
Breakdown with 8 Passengers
- $2,500 per person
- 2.5 hours total travel time
- Enjoy your full Fri & Sun
- Refreshed on Monday
sample same day itinerary
10:00 AM – Leave your home in Miami
10:30 AM – Arrive at the private terminal. No TSA
10:45 AM – Meet your crew and fellow passengers
11:00 AM – Depart Miami (approx. 1-hour flight)
12:00 PM – Land at TLH, minutes from stadium
12:15 PM – Head to stadium area in a VIP Sprinter
12:45 PM-3:30 PM – Tailgate for a few hours
3:30 PM-~7:00 PM – Enjoy the game
8:00 PM – Meet at pick-up spot for your VIP Sprinter
8:30 PM – Arrive at the private terminal with group
9:00 PM – Depart TLH, skipping post-game traffic
9:30 PM – Land back in Miami
10:00 PM – En route to your home
10:30 PM – Walk in the door, high-five each other for flying like champions, and catch any remaining college football games on TV
Would you consider paying an additional $500 to have your entire Friday and Sunday instead of battling with the airlines and rental car facilities?
Fly Private. Share Flights. Save Big!
sample trip cost comparison #6
lsu vs oklahoma at norman
Trying to get to Norman, OK on a football weekend is notoriously challenging, turning what should be an exciting trip into a logistical nightmare for many. From the moment you consider your travel options, the complexities begin to pile up, often leading to frustration, lost time, and unexpected expenses. You could drive from Baton Rouge, about 9 hrs each way, or you can take your chances with connecting flights or get lucky with a non-stop from New Orleans. Either way, it’s another 3 day experience navigating the commercial airline system and expensive hotels with bumper to bumper traffic. No Thanks! This presents a great use case scenario as to why flying private to a game like this is worthwhile investment in your time and sanity.
Let’s assume this is a 03:30pm game!
cost comparison
commercial option
3 days of stressful travel & giving up your Fri & Sun
Cost for 2 people ~$4,200
Breakdown
- $2,100per person
- Approx 12 hours travel time
- Fri & Sun wasted in airports
- Tired on Monday
private jet option
Charter an 8 passenger jet with snacks, VIP shuttle, and service guarantees
Est Charter Cost ~$19,800
Breakdown with 8 Passengers
- $2,400 per person
- 3 hours total travel time
- Enjoy your full Fri & Sun
- Refreshed on Monday
- Incredible experience
sample same day itinerary*
7:00 AM – Leave your home in Baton Rouge,
7:30 AM – Arrive at the private terminal (BTR).
7:45 AM – Meet your crew & fellow passengers.
8:00 AM – Depart Baton Rouge (about 1.5 hrs)
9:30 AM – Land in Norman, just minutes away
9:45 AM – Head to the stadium in a VIP Sprinter.
10:00 AM-12:00 PM – Tailgate for two hours
12:00 PM – ~3:30 PM – Catch the game
4:00 PM – Meet at pick-up spot for VIP Sprinter.
4:30 PM – Arrive back at the private terminal
4:45 PM – Depart Norman
6:15 PM – Land back in Baton Rouge.
6:30 PM – En route to your home.
7:00 PM – Walk in the door, high-five each other for flying like champions, and enjoy the rest of your evening refreshed
So for approximately ~$300 or so more per person you can have your Fri and Sun back while traveling to this game private from Baton Rouge? While you’re at it, might as well grab some Cane’s Chicken Fingers along the way!
Fly Private. Share Flights. Save Big.
key takeaway
We can run a million different scenarios to showcase the immense value and time savings that Membership with Game Day Private Jets can provide.
But it’s up to you to make the ultimate decision:
Do you want to spend more time with family by flying private to games for about the same cost while making new connections and creating memories…
OR
Do you want to waste entire weekends and experience the stress that exists with commercial travel?