How much does Air Charter Cost?
How much does Private Air Charter Cost?
This is the most common question we get asked when discussing private aviation. “There are 6 of us going to Scottsdale, Arizona for a golfing trip. How much does that cost?”
The dream for many air travelers is to fly private jets and skip the general terminal. With no security lines to pass through and a plane all to yourself, what’s not to like?
Depending on your budget, a private charter might be the best solution. Chartering offers all the benefits of owning a private jet without the costs and hassle of maintenance, insurance, and a hanger.
Additionally, chartering allows you to select the aircraft that is perfect for your mission every time you fly.
Calculating the Cost of Private Air flights
You don’t have to be a millionaire to charter a private jet, however, private air charter costs are significantly different from what you may have expected when flying first class on a commercial airline. This article is to help you understand the value and what to expect.
Another key pricing element is the return flight plan. If you just need the plane to take you one way, the airplane must return to it’s home base and in some cases, you may end up covering the cost of that empty flight. If you plan to stay in one location for several days or weeks, the airplane may need to return to base as well so it can fly other trips during that time period. This can equal two round trips for the aircraft, one to take you and return to base and the other to pick you up and fly you home.
What are some things to consider when booking a private charter?
It pays to book your trip in advance. Most private jet customers have very busy lives and tend to book very late, sometimes within hours of a departure. During peak travel days such as holidays or special events, there is less availability in the market which means an aircraft may need to come from an airport further away. We call this a reposition leg, which adds to the cost.
Booking late may necessitate the charter a larger aircraft than actually needed because the smaller aircraft is booked and unavailable. It is extremely rare when we cannot charter someone due to aircraft availability, but the costs will be altered by aircraft or crew availability or the location of the aircraft.
Typical Hourly Rate Examples
Midsize Jets
- Citation X $5,897
- Hawker 800 $4,783
- Learjet 60 $4,506
Heavy Jets
- Falcon 900 $7,085
- Gulfstream IV $7,936
- Challenger 604 $7,323
Examples of Private Air Charter Flight Costs
Having said all the above, we have provided some examples of typical flight costs in the range of light, mid and heavy jets. These prices are all inclusive for one-way flights. Please note that these are examples, note quotes, and that the cost of fuel, plane availability, and all the other things we’ve told you about on this page, can change prices. But we hope this gives you a guide as to what to expect to pay when chartering flights through us.
- Miami (MIA) to Los Angeles (VNY) flight time 5.2 hours, light jet $21k, mid jet $25k and heavy jet $40k
- Los Angles (VNY) to New York (TEB) flight time 5 hours, mid jet $25k heavy jet $40k
- New York (TEB) to London (EGLF) flight time 6.5 hours, heavy jet $60-85K
- Chicago (MDW) to New York (TEB) 2-hour flight, light jet $9k, mid jet$ 12k, heavy jet $18k
- St. Maartin (TNCM) to Miami (KOPF) 3-hour flight, light jet $15k, mid jet, $18k heavy $23-25k
- Chicago (MDW) to Los Angeles (VNY) 4-hour flight, light jet $16k, mid jet $21k, heavy jet $30-32k
Those who chose to fly private air charter, do so because the cost of the flight is considerably less than the challenges and costs associated with commercial air travel. For example, if you need to visit multiple destinations to accomplish your travel needs, private air charter may be considerably more valuable to you than trying to organize multiple flights and harmonizing the schedules of commercial airlines (if they fly to the places you need to go at all!) The people who choose private air charter do so primarily because their time, their mission needs, and their desire to maximize time on the ground takes precedence. While private air charter costs are substantial, when compared against productivity costs in business, the time savings, and costs of jet ownership – it can be a savings over your options to buy an aircraft or to try and fly commercial first class. In some cases, chartering a plane is the only way to accomplish your travel goals (short of plane ownership).
As always, your final trip costs depend on a range of factors: when you fly, where you fly and if your flight is one way or return, plus landing fees, ramp fees and any re-positioning can all add to the costs. If not using us to book your flights, always ask for a fully inclusive quote from your broker or operator.