Questions and Answers

It depends far more on where the aircraft is parked than on the aircraft itself. The same airframe on the same day can differ by half between two operators, because one has it sitting on your departure ramp and the other has to fly it in empty and fly it home again. That is why we run a sealed bid instead of publishing a rate. Operators price your specific trip against each other and you see every bid with all fees included.

Because an hourly rate ignores positioning, and positioning is usually the largest single cost on a charter. It also ignores daily minimums, overnight fees, ramp and handling, peak day surcharges, de-icing, international permits and federal excise tax. Any site quoting a clean hourly number is either burying those costs or is about to add them after your deposit.

Your brief goes out with the route, date, passenger count and cabin requirements only. No name, no company, no contact details. Operators bid against each other on the trip. The winning operator learns who is flying once you award the flight, because the manifest legally requires it. Every operator who did not win never finds out.

No. We are a charter broker. Every flight is operated by an independent air carrier holding the operating certificate required in its jurisdiction, which in the United States means FAR Part 135. We source and compare those operators. We do not own, lease, operate or control any aircraft, and we tell you which certificate holder is flying you before you commit.

Domestic legs can often be arranged same day if an aircraft is available nearby, though the closer to departure you get the thinner the choice becomes. International trips need more lead time because of customs notification, overflight and landing permits, and crew duty limits. Peak weekends and ski season at slot controlled mountain airports are the two cases where weeks of notice genuinely changes what you can get.

An empty leg is a repositioning flight an operator has to fly anyway, usually to collect a client or return home. They are sold at a discount because the alternative is flying empty. The catch is that they run on the operator schedule, not yours, and they get cancelled when the original trip changes. They suit flexible travel and they are a poor plan for a fixed meeting.

Over long sectors, yes, because it goes nonstop where a smaller aircraft needs a fuel stop, and it cruises higher and faster. Under roughly four hundred nautical miles the difference collapses, because most of the trip is climb and descent and neither aircraft spends long at cruise. Our route pages show block time by class for that exact reason.

The operator is responsible for providing a recovery aircraft or refunding the flight, and the terms sit in the charter agreement you sign with them. Because we hold the bids from every operator who quoted your trip, we already know who else had a suitable aircraft available that day, which usually shortens the recovery.

Mostly positioning. On a busy weekend the fleet is scattered across the country in the wrong places, so more of your quote is spent flying an empty aircraft to you. Peak day surcharges, daily minimums and crew duty stack on top.

It depends on the gap between them. A same day return usually favours a round trip because the aircraft waits rather than repositioning twice. A trip with several nights in between often favours two separate one ways, because you avoid paying daily minimums on an aircraft that is parked and idle.

Every broker earns something. The difference is whether you can see it. Some take a spread inside a single number you never get to decompose. We show our fee as a separate line against the operator price.

A flight with no passengers, flown to bring the aircraft to you or return it to base. It burns the same fuel and pays the same crew as a full flight, which is why it appears on your invoice.

The discount is real and can be substantial, but it varies with how badly the operator wants the leg filled and how close to departure you are. We will not publish a percentage because it would be invented. What we will do is show you the empty leg and the firm bids side by side so the trade is visible.

Rarely, and only within a narrow window. The aircraft is repositioning to meet a commitment at the other end, so the schedule belongs to that commitment rather than to you.

You are refunded, and if you want we re-source the trip as a normal charter at normal prices. That is the risk you accept for the discount, which is why an empty leg is a poor foundation for a fixed commitment.

No. It is the same aircraft, the same operator, the same crew and the same maintenance programme as any other flight that operator sells. Only the commercial arrangement differs.

Usually not on a per trip basis. You are paying a premium for guaranteed availability and a fixed rate. Whether that premium is worth it depends on how often you fly and how much you value not shopping.

It depends entirely on the provider. Some hold client funds in escrow, some treat deposits as working capital. Ask directly and get the answer in writing before you deposit, because this is the question that matters most if the company fails.

Fractional means buying a share of a specific aircraft with a management agreement and a monthly fee, plus an hourly rate. It is a larger commitment with a defined exit, and the economics only work at high annual usage.

Yes, and you should. Send the same trip through our quote form and compare the sealed operator bids against what your card would charge for it. It costs nothing and it is the only honest benchmark.

Typically fewer than the seat count on a long leg, because seats and fuel compete for the same weight allowance. On a short sector you will usually get the full published number. Give the operator real passenger and baggage figures early.

Over long sectors yes, because it goes nonstop where a smaller aircraft stops, and it cruises higher and faster. Under about four hundred miles the difference collapses to minutes.

No. Several light jets and most very light jets use a belted seat behind a curtain rather than an enclosed compartment. It is one of the few cabin details that reliably surprises people on the day, so specify it if it matters.

Usually, but it depends on the baggage door shape as much as the volume. Give the operator real dimensions rather than a count of bags, and do it before the quote rather than after.

The United States regulation governing commercial charter operations. It sets minimum standards for maintenance, crew training and duty, operational control and record keeping. Charter flown for money in the US must be under Part 135, not Part 91.

No, and any broker implying otherwise is overselling. An audit confirms an independent party has examined the operation against a published standard recently. That is valuable evidence, not a guarantee.

Not on age alone. The maintenance programme matters far more than the build year. Ask what programme the aircraft is on and whether it is manufacturer supported.

Yes. Every bid you see carries the operator name, certificate, tail number, year and audit status before you commit to anything. You are contracting with the certificate holder, so you should know who they are.

Usually yes, though many operators ask that the animal is on a blanket or pad. Some require a carrier for takeoff and landing. Policy is set by the operator and the aircraft owner, so confirm it when you book.

Often, in the form of a cleaning fee, and occasionally a refundable damage deposit. It varies by operator. Declaring the animal upfront means it appears in the bid rather than on the invoice afterwards.

No. Import requirements are set by the destination country and enforced on arrival however you travelled. Some requirements, particularly rabies titre tests, have waiting periods measured in months.

Generally yes, subject to operator policy and cabin size. Tell us the number, species and combined weight at quote stage so the right aircraft is offered.

Yes, at both ends, but at the private terminal rather than in a public arrivals hall. It typically takes minutes. The operator files the manifest in advance, so passport details are needed before departure.

More than domestic, because of permits, customs notification and crew duty planning. Some permits take several working days. Tell us the target date early and we will tell you what the routing requires.

Yes. Visa requirements are set by the destination and apply regardless of how you arrive. Flying privately changes the venue of the check, not the requirement.

No. International arrivals need an airport with customs facilities, and outside published hours an officer may have to be called out with notice and a fee. This sometimes changes which field you use.

Fifteen to thirty minutes before departure on a domestic leg is normal, and thirty to forty five for an international departure because outbound documents are checked before boarding.

Not in the same form. Domestic private flights in the United States do not go through TSA passenger screening. Identification is verified and the operator carries its own security programme. International departures involve documentation checks.

At most FBOs yes, if arranged in advance so the vehicle is authorised airside. It is the fastest arrival available, aircraft door to car door in under a minute.

Usually not by default beyond light refreshments. Catering is ordered in advance through the operator. If you want a specific meal, raise it at booking rather than on the day.