Aircraft Charter

Private jet and aircraft charter companies

Aircraft charter companies sell whole-aircraft flights on demand, priced per trip rather than per seat. The sector splits into operators, which own or manage aircraft and fly them under their own air operator certificate (AOC, or Part 135 in the United States), and brokers, which source aircraft from operators on the client's behalf. Corporate travel departments, high-net-worth individuals, sports teams, tour managers and cargo shippers are the usual buyers.

When comparing quotes, confirm who the operating carrier is and ask for its AOC. Third-party safety audits such as ARGUS and Wyvern, or IS-BAO registration, give an independent view of the operator. Check the aircraft type and age, crew experience and what the price includes, such as positioning legs, landing fees and catering.

Charter companies in the directory

We list 445 charter companies, most in the United States (134), the United Kingdom (26), Germany (15) and India (11).

• Chapman Freeborn: broker founded in 1973 arranging private jet, group, cargo and specialist charters, part of Avia Solutions Group.
• Elysium Jet: private jet charter broker with offices in New York and Dubai.
• 88WEST Aviation: fee-based aircraft brokerage since 2014.
• Aviation Broker: air charter provider headquartered in Frankfurt.
• ACASS: aircraft sales, aircraft management and flight crew staffing.

For one-way trips at lower prices, see empty leg flights. Frequent flyers often compare charter with a private jet card, and owners place their aircraft on a charter certificate through aircraft management companies. Our guides cover how to vet a charter broker and the cheapest ways to charter a private jet.