Air charters in high demand ahead of Daytona 500 showpiece

Chapman Freeborn’s US team is reporting high demand for air charters to Daytona Beach ahead of this month’s Daytona 500 race.

Held each February at Daytona International Speedway, an estimated 250,000 fans attend the showcase – presenting a busy few weeks for the travel industry in Florida.

Helen Hollis, Chapman Freeborn USA’s passenger charter manager, said:

“We always receive a large number of air charter requests from fans, corporate sponsors and media groups in the run-up to Daytona 500 and similar events of this kind.

“Daytona Beach International Airport obviously serves as the key gateway for charter flights – but at this time charter specialists also see a sharp rise in private jet demand to smaller airports in the surrounding area – including New Smyrna Beach Municipal Airport and Ormond Beach Municipal Airport.”

High-profile motorsport events like Daytona 500 always attract guests who like to travel in style. Typical features on super midsize and heavy private jet types include spacious stand-up cabins, a galley for hot gourmet food, optional flight attendants, onboard toilets and generous luggage space.

Smaller, more economical charter aircraft including turboprops and light jets also prove very popular for race fans looking for a weekend to remember.

However, it’s not only passengers that can place extra demands on road and air transport networks when sports events of this kind are held.

Road freight firms come to the fore for many domestic US motorsports series – but Chapman Freeborn’s team is regularly called into action for international motorsports tours requiring air cargo charter support.

In recent years this has involved moving time-critical Formula One and MotoGP equipment on behalf of clients, as well as chartering a cargo aircraft to transport FIA World Rallycross Championship vehicles from North America to Europe. Read more on that story here.