Chartering a private jet may seem like a luxury but for people whose time is as valuable as their money, it can be an economical and sensible choice. Choosing a chartered flight minimizes your travel time and offers you total freedom and control over your flight time, aircraft, in-flight services, your fellow passengers and your destination.
Obviously, these benefits come at a financial cost and this article will explain what factors influence the price of jet chartering and how to get the best value for your investment.
What Influences the Cost?
Chartering a private jet can be costly and the total amount will depend on a number of factors. Here are some of the things that will influence how much you pay for your flight.
Size and Category
Private jet price will primarily depend on the size of the aircraft you require. Jets can be divided into categories, such as light, midsize, and large jets, and the bigger the aircraft, the more substantial the chartering price. This is because the jet itself will have cost more to purchase in the first instance and will require increased maintenance and cleaning, as well as a larger storage space and bigger airport and runway. Larger crafts also consume more fuel, which affects the overall price. Within each size category, there will also be price differences that are dependent on the make, model, and the age of the jet.
Airtime and distance
An obvious factor that will influence the cost of your chartered flight is the distance you need to travel. A long-haul flight will require a more substantial supply of fuel via a larger aircraft as well as increased overhead costs for cabin crew.
Flight time is slightly different from travel distance, as the aircraft needs to get to you in the first instance, so unless your jet is already at a convenient location, you’ll need to pay for it to fly to a more suitable airport so you can begin your journey.
Crew and flight services
Another cost involved in chartering a flight is hiring the crew. You will be paying your crew members for their time and expertise and to keep you safe and comfortable during your flight. In addition to your crew, you may also wish to have a flight attendant on board.
Other services, such as onboard food, drinks and entertainment can increase costs. If your charter schedule requires your crew to stay overnight at your destination, then there may be extra fees associated with this to cover their expenses.
Extra Fees
When chartering a flight there can be additional fees involved. When landing, you will need to pay landing fees to the airport to help them maintain their facilities. Landing fees often increase with the size of aircraft and busier airports will usually charge more.
You may also need to pay cleaning fees following your chartered flight depending on the level of service required. Hangar fees may also be applied if your jet needs to be hangared before the flight to protect against freezing conditions. Hangar fees can soon add up; however, they are regarded as a more economical option than needing to have your aircraft de-iced prior to take-off. Other costs, such as a fuel surcharge and handling fees may also apply.
Getting a lower price for your flight
For a more economical way to fly privately, you could consider utilising what is known as empty leg flights. These are flight services that are scheduled without any passengers, which can happen for several reasons.
It may be that a client has ordered a one-way flight, in which case that aircraft will be returning empty, or a client may wish to fly from a certain airport, meaning that the jet needs to fly to that location. Sometimes, it’s simply a case of private jet companies needing to move their aircraft between locations for logistical reasons. In any of these cases, you can then hire the jet for the empty leg.
Unlike chartering a flight, with an empty leg, you will have a pre-set flight time and destination, however, the level of service remains the same as if you had chartered the flight yourself, offering you all the other benefits of private air travel at a reduced rate.
