With the National Football League nearing the end of the 2023-2024 season, thousands of miles have been traveled by 32 teams each week to be positioned for their respective games. Some teams, compared to others, have crossed more mileage due to their geographic location.

However, crossing the country in style creates an experience for the professional players that is utterly different than the general public. Most teams fly on widebody charter aircraft with more room, allowing them to stretch their legs and sleep after tossing the pigskin under bright lights in primetime.

Gameday ready

With all three US legacy carriers taking part in transporting the teams over the 18-week season, cargo and charter airline Atlas Air also operates flights. The carrier has a fleet of customized Boeing 767-300 and 747-400 aircraft providing 38 roundtrip flights throughout the season.

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The Miami Dolphins have flown on Atlas’ 747-400 VIP Plus throughout this season, which has only 189 seats. The first class is comprised of 10 suites for ultimate comfort and service, while the upper deck features 26 business class seats for maximum privacy and comfort. The remainder of the cabin is equipped with 143 business class seats, with inflight WiFi, entertainment, and in-seat power.

Teams with their own private jets

There are two NFL teams that have decided to explore a different route and purchase their own team jet. The New England Patriots have two Boeing 767-300ERs that formerly flew for American Airlines, according to Planespotters.net. N225NE is a 32-year-old 767 and is currently owned by Eastern Airlines but is leased from the Patriots. N36NE is also 32 years old. It is reportedly owned by the Patriots but is operated by Eastern. Both aircraft began flying for the team in 2017.

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The Arizona Cardinals have a much larger jet. The team acquired a former Delta Air Lines 777-200LR. When the plane began flying the team, it still wore its Delta registration of N867DA, but in October, the Cardinals appropriately changed it to N777AZ, according to Planespotters.net. The aircraft is based at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.

Week 19 charter flights

With Wild Card Weekend upon us, there are 14 scheduled charter flights carrying 12 teams onboard, according to JetTip. The flights, operated by Atlas, American, Delta, and United Airlines, are mainly on widebody aircraft. However, Delta scheduled the 737-900ER and 757-200 to carry the Green Bay Packers to face the Dallas Cowboys.

With the exception of Atlas, airlines pull these aircraft from normal operation to operate the NFL charter flights, which can sometimes cause challenges if they are short planes. Over the years, some carriers have formed partnerships with teams such as American Airlines being the Official Airline of the Los Angeles Rams.