This article runs you through frequently asked air charter questions, covering all the basics along with costs and how to book a charter.
With a private jet charter an individual rents an entire aircraft. Private jet charters have the advantages of speed, flexibility and convenience. The renter can fly to a wider choice of airports, can make changes to their charter, and save time versus a commercial flight.
Charter flights involve chartering an entire aircraft for a flight. The charterer can dictate where the aircraft flies and when it takes off . This is different to a commercial flight, where a flyer books a ticket for a single seat on a specific, scheduled flight.
Read a complete guide to charter flights, including finding the best deals.
Essentially an individual can charter an aircraft from an operator registered under FAA Part 135. The operator cannot sell individual seats on the flight, but must lease the aircraft as a whole. The exact route and timings are flexible and will be negotiated between the operator and individual. Prices vary dependent on the aircraft and duration. Air charters can be booked through a variety of channels, including Airvel.com.
Read this guide to booking charter flights.
Charter flights are regulated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), just like all commercial flights. They are subject to stringent safety requirements. Over the last 15 years there have been more fatalities on commercial flights than on both charter and private jets. It is also statistically more likely to die in a car accident than on a chartered flight.
All operators wanting to lease their aircraft for charter must be certified under FAA Part 135. This is the basic regulation required for all air charter operators. It provides a strict set of safety and business regulations that keep passengers safe in the air.
See the complete guide to FAA Part 135 air charters.
The cost of chartering a private jet varies widely and is typically calculated as a cost per hour. This could be from USD 1000 to 10000 dependent on the size and speed of the aircraft.
See how much is a private jet flight.
Get expert tips and tricks for getting cheap private jet charter.
Smaller private jets are cheaper to charter in comparison to larger aircraft. While the Cirrus Vision Jet is considered the cheapest private jet on sale today, it is yet to be used for charters. When looking for a cheap jet to charter you can consider the seven most average private jets and their cost.
King air aircraft provide excellent value and are regularly considered some of the cheapest private jets to charter.
Hourly rates for private charters vary dependent on the size of the plane. Turboprops and executive jets cost from USD 1000 to 3000 per flying hour. Large private jets are in the range of USD 8000 to 13,000 per flying hour.
See how much is a private jet flight.
When a private aircraft is chartered for a one-way journey it must still return to its base. This return journey is known as an empty leg flight and can provide an excellent deal for air charter customers.
The price of an empty leg flight will depend on the route and aircraft. Customers can typically save 30 – 70% on the cost of a flight but must be willing to forgo some of the flexibility that air charters provide.
Executive jet charter is a term used to describe air charters for business. Essentially it’s the same as any air charter, with the ability to fly anywhere, anytime.
Everything you need to know about business jet charter.
See how to book exec jet charters for your boss.
Although jets such a turboprops can be chartered for just USD 1000 per flight hour, these smaller jets are not suitable for a transatlantic journey. Charter flights from the US to Europe will usually require a midsize jet, which will cost upwards of USD 2800 per flight hour.
Aircraft brokers do not require a registered qualification. Their minimum brokerage fees are typically USD 3000 to 5000 to the buyer, plus anywhere from 5 – 15% of the aircraft selling price. Air charter brokers will charge a 5 – 25% on every charter they arrange for a client.
Read how to get better deals by avoiding private jet brokers.
People flying on air charters typically use airport FBOs, essentially private terminals at airports. As these terminals are separate from commercial terminals they have the advantage of being faster and more convenient for passengers. Private aircraft are also stored and refueled at airport FBOs. There are also facilities for pilots and crew.
Read the complete guide to airport FBOs.
See 15 of the best airport FBOS in North America and beyond.
FBO stands for Fixed Based of Operations and refers to the origins of the air charter industry. After World War I there were very few rules on private charters. A Fixed Base of Operations required a pilot or operator to have a fixed base, helping to regulate the industry. Airport FBOs have evolved enormously since then yet the terminology has remained the same.
A private jet card is a prepaid membership scheme for private air charters. A customer buys a set number of hours on a specific type of plane that can be chartered from a single operator. The traditional advantage to this is that it makes chartering a plane easier for the customer. However, complaints about additional charges and inflexibility can make jet cards unnecessary expensive, especially given the number of blackout dates. Furthermore, the upfront costs mean private jet cards are unaffordable to most.
Read the complete guide to private jet cards along with the alternatives.
Private jet cards usually start at USD 100,000. This will provide 25 hours of flying time on a light jet. There are over 200 different jet card programs and some of these are in the USD 500,000 category.
The price of a private jet card will depend on the size of aircraft and the number of flying hours. Added to the base price are additional fees such as taxes, airport FBO fees, fuel and peak day surcharges.
Some jet cards allow for unused flight hours to be carried over to the next year. Others do not. The exact additional fees vary by operator.
The best jet card isn’t a private jet card. Air charters provide greater value and flexibility when they are booked on as flight by flight basis. This is made easy by a platform like Airvel, the world’s leading booking engine for private air charters.
Consider whether you still need a jet charter membership.
The easiest way to book a private air charter is through a booking engine such as Airvel. Just like booking a scheduled flight, Airvel’s booking engine allows individuals to search for different flight routes then compare the available options. Booking on a per flight basis provides better value for money versus private jet cards and fractional jet ownership schemes.
It's as simple as a commercial flight. Just search, compare the options, select what’s best for the flight, then make a booking by paying for the charter online.