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How to Charter a Private Plane: A Step-by-Step Guide for 2026

October 18, 2026

To charter a private plane, you pick your route and dates, get an all-in quote for the whole aircraft, confirm the operator holds a valid FAA Part 135 certificate, then pay and fly. The hard part is not booking. It is knowing which quote is real, who is actually operating the flight, and which size of aircraft fits your group. This guide walks through each step with the checks that matter.

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TL;DR

  • You rent the whole aircraft, not a seat. The price is the same for one passenger or a full cabin, so cost per person falls as the group grows.
  • Ask for the operator’s name and FAA certificate number, and confirm it on the FAA’s list of legal Part 135 holders before you pay.
  • Insist on an all-inclusive quote. Repositioning, fuel, landing and handling fees are where surprise invoices come from.
  • For trips of one to two hours between regional airports, a piston or single-engine turbine aircraft for up to five people often makes more sense than a big jet.
  • Business travelers: keep a flight-by-flight record. The IRS wants business purpose, time, place and who flew.

Table of Contents

What chartering a private plane actually means

When you charter, you buy transportation from a certificated operator. You do not rent the plane and you do not become the pilot’s boss. The operator supplies the aircraft, the crew, the insurance and the maintenance, and it is legally responsible for running the flight.

That distinction matters. Charter flights are booked either through an operator, a company that manages aircraft and flies them, or through a broker, who arranges flights with operators for you. Business Jet Traveler’s 2026 charter primer lays out both routes. Either can work. What you need in both cases is clarity about who the operator is.

Operator and broker charter booking routes

Charter is also billed per aircraft. Industry pricing data notes that a whole-airplane charter costs the same whether one person or a full group flies, which is why splitting it among friends, colleagues or family changes the math.

Step 1: Define the trip before you ask for quotes

A clear brief gets you a faster and more accurate price. Write down:

  1. Airports. Departure and arrival, plus any alternates. Private aircraft can use many smaller airports that airlines skip, so check which one is closest to where you really need to be.
  2. Dates and flexibility. A fixed departure time costs more to serve than a window.
  3. Passengers and bags. Headcount, rough bag size, and anything unusual such as golf clubs, skis, a pet or medical equipment. Luggage limits depend on the aircraft, which we cover in our guide to private jet luggage.
  4. Distance. Trips under about two hours are where smaller aircraft shine. Longer legs may need a larger jet.
  5. Special requests. Catering, ground transport, a car waiting at the arrival airport.

Step 2: Choose the right size of aircraft

Most first-time charterers default to a jet because that is what they picture. For a short regional hop with up to five people, that can mean paying for a cabin you do not use.

Step 2: Choose the right size of aircraft — overview diagram

Published industry figures show how wide the range is. According to 2025 data cited by Business Air News, all-inclusive hourly charter rates run from roughly $6,500 for turboprops to above $19,000 for ultra-long-haul jets. The same report puts the average jet card hourly rate at $11,273.

So the first lever on your bill is the aircraft category. A rough way to think about it:

Trip profile Sensible aircraft type Why
1 to 5 people, under about 2 hours, regional airports Single-engine piston or single-engine jet Lower operating cost, access to small fields
6 to 9 people, 2 to 4 hours Light or midsize jet, turboprop More cabin and range
Large group, coast to coast or international Large-cabin or long-range jet Range, baggage, standing room

If you are a group of three to five on a regional route, read our comparison of private jet versus commercial for 3 to 5 travelers before you assume a flagship jet is the only choice.

Step 3: Request an all-inclusive quote

Pricing is rarely just an hourly rate. According to Luxury Travel Report’s operator coverage, total quotes can include:

  • Repositioning fees, when the aircraft must fly empty to pick you up.
  • Fuel surcharges.
  • Landing fees at the airports you use.
  • FBO handling charges, the fixed-base operator’s fees for ramp and terminal services.
  • Extras such as catering or de-icing, which can appear on a post-flight invoice if they were not agreed in advance.

Ask for one total, in writing, with every line item. Ask what happens if you cancel, if weather cancels, or if the aircraft is swapped. For a worked example of how the pieces add up on a short route, see our breakdown of regional private jet pricing for 2-hour trips.

What a whole-aircraft price looks like

To make this concrete, these are the one-off whole-airplane prices published on our site as of 2 October 2026:

Route Whole-airplane price
Tampa to Miami $3,022
Austin to Dallas $1,417
Houston to New Orleans $10,121
Tampa to Austin $14,029
Austin to Denver $14,786

Each price covers the entire aircraft for up to five passengers. Split five ways, Austin to Dallas works out to a fraction of the total per person, though the exact figure depends on your group. Prices can change, so check the live quote for your date.

If your trip is the front end of a longer stay, remember the ground side of the budget too. For a multi-week assignment, a furnished rental can cost less than a hotel, and this Phoenix corporate housing price guide shows what monthly stays there tend to run.

Step 4: Verify the operator is legal

This is the step that separates a good charter from a dangerous one. Reputable charter in the United States is flown under FAA Part 135, which sets higher standards for pilot training, maintenance and oversight than private Part 91 flying. FAA charter guidance warns that illegal charter operations pose serious safety hazards and that the agency works to shut down rogue operators.

Do these checks every time:

  1. Ask for the operator’s name and FAA certificate number. NBAA’s charter guidance says a reliable broker will always disclose them, and that a refusal is a primary red flag.
  2. Look the operator up. The FAA publishes a searchable list of legal Part 135 holders, searchable by operator name or aircraft N-number. If it is not listed, call your local Flight Standards District Office.
  3. Check the specific aircraft. The operator may be certificated while the tail number you were promised is not authorized for charter.
  4. Watch for sham leases. Illegal operators sometimes use dry-lease arrangements to dodge Part 135 oversight, which can leave the customer holding operational control and liability, according to the same NBAA guidance.
  5. Ask about third-party safety audits. Certificate holders are audited only periodically, so Business Jet Traveler recommends asking brokers for a flight-specific report from an independent safety auditor such as TripCHEQ or PASS.

A price far below everyone else’s is a warning sign, not a bargain. The gap usually comes from skipping costs that Part 135 compliance requires. For a plain-language explanation of what changes, read our piece on Part 135 versus Part 91.

Step 5: Look at safety beyond the paperwork

Certification is the floor. Then ask:

  • Who are the pilots, and what training do they complete?
  • How does the operator decide to cancel or divert for weather?
  • What safety equipment does the aircraft carry?

On small aircraft, equipment varies a lot. Cirrus SR Series aircraft, which we fly, come with the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System (CAPS), a whole-airplane parachute. We go deeper on the questions to ask in small aircraft safety: pilot, weather and gear.

Step 6: Confirm, pay and prepare

Once you accept a quote, you will sign a charter agreement and pay by card, wire or at checkout, depending on the provider. Before the day:

  • Send passenger names exactly as they appear on government ID. Security screening is lighter than at an airline terminal, but the operator still needs accurate manifests.
  • Confirm the exact departure airport and FBO, since many metro areas have several.
  • Arrive when the operator tells you, often much closer to departure than for an airline.
  • Review crew expectations. Our private jet etiquette guide covers what first-timers usually get wrong.
  • If you want food on board, plan it in advance. See our notes on private jet catering.

Business flyers: tax and record-keeping

If you are chartering for work, keep records. The IRS’s Publication 463 covers travel and entertainment expenses and the substantiation rules under Section 274(d). Per our research, those rules call for documenting business purpose, time, place and the relationship of passengers on each trip. Tax advisers at PwC have noted heightened attention to aircraft deductions, so expect every flight leg to need support.

The rules for deducting charter costs depend on your business structure and facts. Talk to a CPA or tax attorney before you assume any flight is fully deductible, particularly if guests or family are aboard.

Our perspective: the case for the whole-airplane model

We built Littlebird around a simple observation. Most people who search for how to charter a private plane picture a jet, a broker and a hidden-fee quote. But the typical regional trip, two or three people going a few hundred miles, does not need any of that.

So we fly Cirrus aircraft between regional airports and show a fixed price for the whole airplane up front, online. Up to five people share the cost, and nobody has to guess what the total will be. You skip the hub connection and the security line, and you land closer to where you are going.

We also think safety should be the first question, not a footnote. Every aircraft in our fleet has the CAPS parachute, and our pilots follow standardized safety training and procedures. Whatever provider you choose, ask the same: who operates the flight, under which certificate, flown by whom, with what equipment. If the answer is vague, move on.

— Nick

Book a whole-airplane flight with Littlebird

If your route sits between regional airports, you can see a live whole-airplane price on our booking page and compare it to what you would pay for the same group on an airline. Browse state pages such as Florida or New York to see where we fly. Optional extras such as pets or catering may carry additional fees.

Common mistakes first-time charterers make

  • Comparing hourly rates to totals. One quote is an hourly figure, another is all-in. Compare the final number only.
  • Choosing the biggest aircraft. More cabin than you need is money wasted.
  • Skipping verification because the website looks polished. Polish is not a certificate.
  • Ignoring the airport choice. The closest airport to your destination can save more time than a faster airplane.
  • Leaving the cancellation terms unread. Weather and schedule changes happen. Know your rights before you pay.

FAQ

How much does it cost to fly privately?

It depends mostly on aircraft category and distance. Industry data shows all-inclusive hourly rates from about $6,500 for turboprops to over $19,000 for the largest jets. On short regional routes with a smaller aircraft, whole-airplane prices can be much lower, such as the $1,417 we publish for Austin to Dallas.

Can you write off 100% of a private jet?

Usually not. The IRS allows deductions only for the business portion of use, and it requires documentation for each flight. Entertainment and commuting travel are generally not deductible, so confirm your situation with a tax professional.

Can I charter a private plane just for myself or my family?

Yes. You charter the whole aircraft, so you can fly alone or with a few relatives. You do not rent the plane yourself unless you are a licensed pilot. The operator provides the crew.

How do I know a charter operator is legitimate?

Ask for the operator’s name and certificate number, then check it against the FAA’s list of Part 135 holders. If the operator or the aircraft is not listed, or the broker will not name the operator, do not book.

Sources

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