Private Jet Charter Rates

If you want to fly in ultimate luxury and comfort without the hassles of crowded airports, long queues and lugging your luggage around, then flying in your own private jet is the perfect way to travel. However, purchasing your own private jet and maintaining it can be a very expensive proposition. Instead, simply chartering a private jet is ideal for high net worth individuals and corporations, making it a great option for you and your pocket.

Chartering a private jet offers all the advantages of owning one, but without the heavy maintenance costs. Also, chartering lets you choose from a range of different aircraft categories and finding the best jet charter rates for every flight.

You have private planes in varying sizes, from light jets, turboprops to midsize, super midsize to long range, wide cabin jets and luxury jets – the size of the plane you need depends on several factors such as the number of passengers, amount of luggage, travel distance and range of the aircraft without requiring to stop for fuel. All of these factors go into the overall private jet charter cost so you’ve got to have them in mind and know the essentials before diving in. Let’s read more about this below.

Private Jet Charter Rates for All Jet Types

Whether you’re traveling with your executive team for a business meeting or you’re off on an exotic vacation with your family and friends, the most cost-effective jet charter rates for every flight will be different. Jet charter rates are usually calculated by multiplying the per hour rate of the aircraft x the flight time. (For example, $2,000 per hour x flying time of 2 hours = $4,000).

Below, we have listed the hourly jet charter rates as a range of prices for aircraft within each of the major categories and the exact prices for specific aircraft in each class will vary.

Turboprops, Very Light Jets or Light Jets

If you’re looking for a short hop flight for a weekend getaway, then turboprops are the most cost-effective aircraft for shorter flights, especially if you’re traveling alone. The cost of a turboprop aircraft could cost in the range of $1,200 to $1,800 per hour (e.g. Pilatus P12, Piper Aztec, etc.).

If you’re flying with your family or friends (around 4 to 5 people), then you could opt for a very light jet (e.g. Phenom 100), the cost of which can range between $1,500 to $2,250 per hour. For a group of 6 to 8 people, you could look at hiring a light jet (e.g. Cessna Citation CJ3, Hawker 400XP, Cessna Citation Mustang, etc.), the cost of which can range between $2,200 to 3,000 per hour.

Midsize or Super Midsize Jets

If you move up to midsize or super midsize jets, the jet charter rates increase as these jets offer more range and space and these jets allow you to fly at higher speeds, fly farther and travel non-stop across the country.

Midsize jets like Learjet 40, Learjet 60, Falcon 20, Hawker 900XP, etc. with room for around 7 to 9 people can cost between $2,800 to $3,800 per hour. And, if you’re considering a super-midsize jet like a Citation Sovereign which can accommodate around 8 to 10 people, the cost would be between $3,800 to $5,000 per hour.

If you are thinking of saving on jet charter rates by using a smaller aircraft, this may not be a great idea and your flight cost could become more expensive, as smaller aircraft cannot cover large distances without stopping for fuel, which increases the cost because of landing fees, cost of refueling and additional time (billed per hour).

Long-Range Jets

If you’re traveling long distances then transoceanic flights and even across the country are best by heavy jets and ultra-long-range jets. Not only can these jets carry more passengers and baggage, but they can also cover longer distances and offer luxurious facilities that you can enjoy such as larger cabins, HDTV, mobile connectivity, Wi-Fi, etc. They also offer fully-enclosed bathrooms and may offer full showers, wardrobes and dressing rooms so that you are completely refreshed and relaxed during the long-haul flights. Heavy jets such as the Gulfstream G550, Gulfstream 300, Challenger 850, etc. can fit around 10 to 16 people and can cost around $5,000 to $12,000 per hour.

If you need more room for business meetings while you’re flying, then you can look at chartering an airliner such as a Boeing BBJ or Airbus A319, which could cost around $16,000 to $25,000 per hour.

Conclusion

So, how much will it cost for a private jet charter? As we discussed earlier, jet charter rates vary depending on the size of the plane, range and schedule, number of passengers and baggage. However, you must remember that the rate is only to rent the aircraft. Additional costs such as fuel, operational fees and taxes make up the full jet charter quote. Usually, things like catering, additional flight time, ground transportation, de-icing, and Wi-Fi usage are billed separately.