Mr Alexiuc, who founded bitcoin bill payment platform Living Room of Satoshi, said he had been overwhelmed by “crazy expensive” flight prices but now would also consider flying private if it was close to the price of a commercial fare. “It was so seamless, the plane goes when you’re ready, not the other way around … I’m going to ask for it every time,” he said.

Private jet arrivals have jumped 23 per cent on pre-pandemic levels. Sydney Airport recorded 478 private jet movements in October 2022 compared to 386 in October 2019.

Private jet operators are also reporting demand has soared 40 per cent on pre-pandemic levels as holiday-makers and corporates travelling in groups pay a premium for the reliability and flexibility of a private jet. Passengers want to skirt long check-in queues, terminal traffic snarls and the virus risk of flying on a packed plane as the threat of COVID-19 resurfaces.

Avmin chief executive Paul O’Brien, who runs a broking service putting wealthy business people, bands and Hollywood superstars on private jets, said he was running “upwards of 80” flights per week for clients. This time in 2019, he was putting on about 30 or 40 flights per week.

“Trunk routes” such as Sydney-to-Melbourne, Brisbane and Melbourne to the Gold Coast are the most popular, he said.

Companies make up about 60 per cent of Avmin’s clientele, with bands and other travelling acts making up a growing part of the business. Country star Keith Urban’s crew and…