Tradewind Aviation, a major business aviation provider based in Oxford, Connecticut, is preparing for an increase in chartered flights around large sporting events. The company offers both scheduled services and chartered flights across the northeastern US, southeastern US, and the Caribbean. Co-Founder and Chief Commercial Officer David Zipkin discussed with Simple Flying how Tradewind Aviation is gearing up for this year’s influx of flights, particularly around the Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans.
Zipkin noted that “at Tradewind, we always see an uptick in flight requests around the holiday weekends and high-end events.” He added that the Super Bowl “has always been one of the most sought-after events in the private aviation space,” driving significant demand to its destination.
The trend of increased travel for sporting events is supported by data from Allianz Partners, indicating that nearly 25% of Americans plan to travel for major cultural events like sports games. Young travelers aged 18 to 34 are especially likely to participate. This growing interest is reflected in projections for the global sports tourism industry, which anticipates an annual growth rate exceeding 16% through 2030.
Tradewind Aviation benefits from these trends by offering clients flexible routes via their chartered flight segment. Scheduled operations also capitalize on popular events; last year’s Masters tournament prompted additional flights from South Florida. The company plans similar expansions this year.
Founded in 2001 by brothers David and Eric Zipkin with a single Cessna Caravan, Tradewind Aviation has expanded significantly. It now operates scheduled services throughout various destinations in the northeast and Caribbean. The airline uses Pilatus PC-12 aircraft for its efficiency on shorter routes while maintaining safety with two qualified pilots per flight.
