How to Charter a Private Jet Without Overpaying: A Broker's View

Two quotes for the same private jet trip can be thousands of dollars apart, and the cheaper one often costs more in the end. Christoph Lymbersky, Founder and CEO of Limitless Sky, an independent charter broker based in Switzerland, answers the five questions his clients ask most. His site is limitlesssky.com.

What first-time clients get wrong about price

"They compare the headline numbers and stop there," Christoph says. Two quotes for the same route can look far apart, but one may leave out de-icing, landing and handling fees, crew overnight costs or catering. The cheaper quote often ends up costing more.

Clients also forget that the aircraft has to get to them and back home. Those positioning hours are on the bill too.

And price is only part of what a broker is for. "A good broker looks after more than the flight. He handles your special wishes, takes care of you if a flight is cancelled at short notice, and is open with you about risks, costs and the quality standards he uses to choose an operator."

His advice: ask for an all-in quote in writing, and ask what is excluded.

Fixed fee or percentage?

Limitless Sky charges a fixed fee, whatever the operator and whatever the price. "With a percentage, we'd earn more by pushing the most expensive quote, and that's not how we work. We want to find the best option, and that isn't always the most expensive one."

On a short light-jet hop the two models come out close. On long-range, multi-leg or group trips, a percentage grows with the bill and a fixed fee does not. "Whoever you book with, ask how your broker is paid, and expect a straight answer."

Can an empty leg really work for a planned trip?

"Less often than the marketing suggests." An empty leg follows someone else's booking, so the time can move or the flight can disappear.

Limitless Sky first locks in a confirmed flight for the client. If an empty leg then turns up on the same route around the same date, the client hears about it and decides whether to switch. "You get the certainty of a booked charter, plus a chance at the saving."

Hunting for empty legs yourself? Be flexible on the day and ready to confirm quickly. Our own data shows when empty legs appear and why they rarely repeat a route.

What to check about the operator before booking

• A valid Air Operator Certificate, with the aircraft on it.
• Independent safety audits such as ARGUS, Wyvern or IS-BAO.
• Insurance cover, including liability limits, in writing.
• The pilots' experience on that aircraft type, whether there will be two of them, and duty time limits on long days.

"A good broker also knows the operators personally. In some ways jet charter is still an old-school business. For almost every trip we pick up the phone and talk to the people running the aircraft, so we know the management and the pilots."

Flying with a pet in the cabin across borders

"It's very realistic, and it's one of the nicest things about flying private. Your dog or cat sits with you instead of in a hold."

The aircraft is the easy part. The paperwork is where trips go wrong. Depending on the country you may need a microchip, a rabies vaccination with the right timing, a blood titre test, or a health certificate issued within a set number of days before travel. A few countries have quarantine rules that a private flight does not get around.

Confirm that the operator accepts pets on that specific aircraft, tell your broker early, and work backwards from your travel date.

Quick checklist

• Ask for an all-in quote in writing, and ask what is excluded.
• Ask how your broker is paid.
• Book a confirmed flight first, then switch to an empty leg if one appears.
• Check the AOC, safety audits, insurance and crew.
• Travelling with a pet? Start the paperwork from the travel date backwards.

Looking for a broker or operator? Browse private jet charter companies in our aviation directory, or send one request and let the companies come to you.