How to charter a private jet
Chartering a private jet is simpler than most people think. You pick your route, choose an aircraft type, and get quotes from one or more operators. The whole process can take under an hour for domestic flights.
But the part that trips people up is figuring out which company to book through. There are over 20 major private jet charter companies in the US alone, and they all work differently. Some own their own planes. Others act as middlemen between you and the operators. Some want you to buy hours upfront. Others let you pay per flight.
Jetlistr is a free private jet comparison directory that helps you sort through all of this. We list charter operators, brokers, jet card providers, membership programs, and fractional ownership companies so you can compare them side by side and find the right fit for how you fly.
The five types of private jet charter companies
Charter operators own and fly their own aircraft. When you book with an operator like NetJets, Clay Lacy Aviation, or Solairus Aviation, you're flying on their planes with their crews. You get consistency, but you're limited to whatever fleet they have available.
Brokers and aggregators don't own any aircraft. They search across networks of operators to find available jets for your trip. Jet Luxe, Air Charter Service, and PrivateFly work this way. The upside is price comparison: instead of calling 10 different operators, a broker does it for you and comes back with the best options.
Jet card programs sell you a block of flight hours upfront, usually 25 hours minimum, at a fixed hourly rate. Sentient Jet, Magellan Jets, and Jet Linx are the big names. This makes sense if you fly regularly and want predictable pricing without getting a new quote every time.
Membership programs charge a monthly or annual fee for access to aircraft at reduced rates. Wheels Up, XO, and Surf Air Mobility use this model. The economics work out if you're flying 3 or more times a year.
Fractional ownership means buying a share of an actual jet, typically a 1/16th or 1/8th share, and getting a set number of flight hours each year. NetJets, Flexjet, PlaneSense, and Airshare offer fractional programs. It starts making financial sense around 50+ hours per year.
Private jet comparison: what to look for
When doing a private jet comparison across companies, a few things matter more than others.
Safety certifications are non-negotiable. ARGUS Platinum or Gold ratings and Wyvern Wingman certification mean the operator has been independently audited. Most of the companies listed on Jetlistr carry at least one of these.
Coverage area determines where you can fly. Some companies only cover the continental US. Others have global networks spanning 170+ countries. If you fly internationally, this narrows your options fast.
Fleet variety matters because different trips need different planes. A weekend trip from LA to Vegas needs a light jet. New York to London needs a heavy or ultra long range jet. Make sure your company has the aircraft types you'll actually use.
Pricing structure varies a lot. Brokers tend to be the most transparent because they're comparison shopping on your behalf. Operators and jet card companies often require you to call for pricing. We try to include as much pricing info as possible in each listing on Jetlistr.
How much does it cost to charter a private jet?
Hourly rates in 2026 range from about $2,000 for a very light jet to $25,000+ for an ultra long range aircraft. Here's a rough breakdown:
- Very light jets (4 seats): $2,000 to $3,500 per hour
- Light jets (6-8 seats): $3,500 to $6,000 per hour
- Midsize jets (8-9 seats): $5,000 to $8,000 per hour
- Super midsize (9-12 seats): $6,500 to $10,000 per hour
- Heavy jets (12-16 seats): $8,000 to $15,000 per hour
- Ultra long range (14-19 seats): $10,000 to $25,000 per hour
A short domestic flight like LA to Vegas runs $5,000 to $12,000 total. A cross-country trip like New York to LA costs $25,000 to $55,000. Transatlantic flights start around $80,000.
These are base charter rates. Your final price also includes landing fees, fuel surcharges, crew overnight costs, and sometimes repositioning fees. For a full pricing breakdown with more route examples, check our private jet cost guide.
Empty leg flights: the cheapest way to fly private
Empty legs happen when a jet drops off passengers and needs to fly back empty, or reposition to another airport for its next trip. Instead of wasting fuel on an empty cabin, operators sell these flights at 50-75% off the regular charter rate.
A flight that normally costs $25,000 might go for $6,000 to $10,000 as an empty leg. The catch is that dates, times, and routes are fixed. You also risk cancellation if the original booking falls through.
The busiest empty leg corridors in the US are New York to Florida, LA to Las Vegas, and anything involving Aspen during ski season. Seasonal events and holidays create a lot of repositioning flights.
Browse our empty leg flights page for current deals, or submit your route through our booking page and mention you're interested in empty legs. Brokers like Jet Luxe often know about repositioning flights that aren't publicly listed.
How to choose the right charter company
It comes down to how often you fly and what you're willing to spend.
If you fly once or twice a year, on-demand charter through a broker is the simplest option. You pay per flight, no commitments. Submit your route to a broker like Jet Luxe and they'll find you quotes from multiple operators.
If you fly 3-5 times a year, a jet card or membership program starts to make sense. You'll get better per-flight rates and faster booking without the overhead of fractional ownership.
If you fly 50+ hours annually, fractional ownership gives you the lowest per-hour cost and guaranteed availability. But you're looking at a significant upfront investment, often $500,000 or more for a 1/16th share.
Not sure where to start? Browse our private jet charter company directory to compare all your options, or book a charter flight directly through our Jet Luxe booking widget to get quotes on any route worldwide.
