Despite the reported decline in anticipated guests at this year’s Burning Man festival, hundreds of private and chartered planes descended on the Nevada desert this week, in anticipation of the annual counterculture event.

Each year a temporary airport is constructed in “Black Rock City” – the short term community that Burners come together to build in the southwest. In keeping with Burning Man tradition, the airstrip – named 88NV – is primarily run by volunteers and only exists for two weeks before being completely deconstructed.

“Burning Man hires a crew of five professional air traffic controllers who are the best in the world,” spokesperson for the Burning Man Project told Business Insider. “The airfield is rolled and watered every night by a small fleet of large trucks to make the surface acceptable for aircraft and reduce dust.”

In addition to chartering their own flights, Burners also have the option to book a ride on Burner Express Air. The charter plane service offers flights from major cities to Black Rock City – though booking a seat doesn’t come cheap.

A seat on a 10-passenger Burner Express flight out of Reno costs $776.31 for a 45-minute, one-way trip, while a round-trip ticket goes for $1,500. Meanwhile, charter plane companies are quoting $10,000 to $20,000 for Burners interested in booking 15-seat planes from Reno to Black Rock City, according to the Reno Gazette Journal.

It is estimated that 800 to 3,000 private charter planes arrive in Black Rock City each summer – though that number could decline this year. The 2024 festival marked the first time since 2011 that Burning Man tickets failed to sell out within moments of going live. Observers have attributed the decline to bad weather, increasing commercialization and a worsening reputation.