On the plus side, say goodbye to interminable check-in queues, inconvenient airline schedules, inconsiderate fellow passengers and piffling frequent flyer plans. On the minus side, bid farewell to US$1 million per year in running costs, and that's to say nothing of the purchase price of - for example - US$23 million for a 19-seater Challenger 604.
Such machines have obvious advantages, which for a select few offset the financial outlay. Passengers depart and arrive when they wish, eat when they want to eat, and, thanks to modern satellite communications, they can stay in touch with the office all day long.
A corporate jet however, goes far beyond being a high-profile runabout. Time, as they say, is money and a CEO who needs to visit, for example, Yangon, Singapore, Hong Kong and Seoul within the space of a few days doesn't want to sit twiddling his or her thumbs in the departure lounge.
Zooming in on the Asia market is Canadian company Bombardier Aerospace, the world's third-largest civil aircraft manufacturer which produces Learjets as well as Challengers and the ultra long-range Global Express. Bombardier's aircraft square up against the Falcon range from Dassault (US$32 million for the 900X) and the Gulfstream stable, whose model V comes with a US$38 million price tag.
Asia, despite the recent financial turmoil, is considered a growth market for executive jets, as much because land links are less developed than in, say, North America or Europe and crossing some international borders is only possible by air.
Added to this is the number of new airports opening. Major new hubs in Hong Kong and Kuala Lumpur mean these cities can now offer prime dedicated space for executive jets.
Incidentally, the alternative to actually owning your own jet, should cash flow be looking less than abundant, is to charter. Basic costs from a typical company like Hong Kong-based Metrojet start at US$2,700 per hour for its eight-seater Hawker 700, which can fly as far afield as Pakistan. The final cost will depend on landing and overflight fees, but it still works out cheaper than having your own aircraft all year round.
Finally, in the light of the Asian financial crisis it's interesting to note that Bombardier reports that it has sold 18 jets to the region in the past year, and claims to have a US$23 billion backlog of orders. Sure signs that the truly rich don't feel the ebb and flow of currency fluctuations like the rest of us.