There is no substitute for watching live sports at an arena or stadium. The atmosphere, the camaraderie, the sounds, the smells... nothing beats game day.

Sports travel is a multi-billion-dollar industry. In fact, the World Tourism Organization notes that “sports tourism is one of the fastest-growing sectors in tourism.” Sports travel is an incredibly important economic boom for cities that see fans pack hotels, restaurants and retail stores on game days.

Sports travel: When and where to see your team play

Sports seasons overlap. There is a college or professional team playing somewhere every day of the year. That gives sports fans ample opportunities to see their favorite team in person.

Elite Jets specializes in creating memories for travelers, including sports fans like Chris Fraga. The Naples resident and college football fan chartered a flight on Elite Jets to see his godson play in the 2021 Citrus Bowl. Read about his experience: Getting there is half the fun.

Flying privately allowed Fraga and his traveling party to fly to the game and back in one day. Flying commercially could have taken two, or possibly three, days based on flight schedules and potential delays. Elite Jets flies nonstop to destinations across the country, oftentimes landing at smaller, more convenient regional airports.

Below are 11 major sporting events in 2022 ideal for private travel:

NHL All-Star Game (hockey)

Destination: Las Vegas, Nevada

Airport: Harry Reid International Airport or Henderson Executive Airport

Date: Feb. 5, 2022

Link: All-Star Game

Super Bowl LVI (football)

Destination city: Los Angeles, California

Airport: Los Angeles International Airport or Hawthorne Municipal Airport

Date: Feb. 13, 2022

Link: Super Bowl

Daytona 500 (car racing)

Destination city: Daytona Beach, Florida

Airport: Daytona Beach International Airport

Date: Feb. 20, 2022

Link: Daytona 500

NBA All-Star Game (men’s basketball)

Destination city: Cleveland, Ohio

Airport: Cleveland Burke Lakefront Airport or Cleveland Hopkins International Airport

Date: Feb. 20, 2022

Link: All-Star Game

NCAA Women’s Basketball Final Four (women’s college basketball)

Destination city: Minneapolis, Minnesota

Airport: Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport or St. Paul Downtown Airport

Dates: April 1, 2022 (semifinals) and April 3, 2022 (championship)

Link: Women’s Final Four

NCAA Men’s Basketball Final Four (men’s college basketball)

Destination city: New Orleans, Louisiana

Airport: Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport or New Orleans Lakefront Airport

Dates: April 2, 2022 (semifinals) and April 4, 2022 (championship)

Link: Men’s Final Four

The Masters (men’s golf)

Destination city: Augusta, Georgia

Airport: Augusta Regional Airport

Dates: April 4-10, 2022

Link: The Master’s

Kentucky Derby (horse racing)

Destination city: Louisville, Kentucky

Airport: Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport or Bowman Field

Date: May 7, 2022

Link: Kentucky Derby

U.S. Women’s Open (women’s golf)

Destination city: Southern Pines, North Carolina

Airport: Moore County Airport

Dates: June 2-5, 2022

Link: Women's Open

MLB All-Star Game (baseball)

Destination city: Los Angeles, California

Airport: Hollywood Burbank Airport or San Gabriel Valley Airport

Date: July 19, 2022

Link: All-Star Game

U.S. Open (men’s and women’s tennis)

Destination city: New York City/Flushing, New York

Airport: John F. Kennedy International Airport or LaGuardia Airport

Dates: Aug. 29-Sept. 11, 2022

Link: U.S. Open

Additionally, three major international sporting events are on many sports fans’ bucket lists:

Winter Olympics (multiple sports): Feb. 4-20, 2022 in China

Wimbledon (men’s and women’s tennis): June 27-July 10, 2022 in England

FIFA World Cup (men’s soccer): Nov. 21-Dec. 18, 2022, in Qatar

How to book a sports travel flight

Elite Jets offers multiple options to book a sports travel flight. The charter service has four Embraer Phenom 300 jets that accommodate up to nine passengers and have a 2,000-mile range. The Embraer Legacy 500 can carry 10 passengers and has a 3,100-mile range. Additionally, Elite Jets manages Gulfstream G550 and Hawker 850XP jets.

There are two ways to reserve an aircraft:

Standard booking: If you know where and when you want to travel, simply complete the “Request a Quote” form. Our team responds via telephone or email to all inquiries.

Empty leg flights: Passengers with flexible travel plans can see where our jets are already flying to book an Empty Leg Flight. Travelers enjoy the same luxury amenities and concierge service at a discounted rate.

READ MORE: Business travel: Why executives are flying privately

Need assistance planning a sports travel flight? Please give us a call at 239-900-9000 or send an email to Charter@EliteJets.com.