Where private jets land for the most requested destinations.
Europe
Africa and the Middle East
Asia
The Americas
The Indian Ocean and the Pacific
How private jet charter works.
On-demand charter is the simplest form of private flying. You give the dates, the airports and the number of travellers; a quote comes back for one or more aircraft able to fly the trip; you choose one and it is yours for the journey. You pay for the aircraft, not the seat, so the price is the same whether two people fly or the cabin is full.
The aircraft is flown by a licensed charter operator, the company that holds the certificate, employs the crew and is responsible for the flight. Many people who arrange charter, including brokers and travel advisors, do not own aircraft themselves: their work is to find the right aircraft and operator for the trip, compare them, and look after the details.
On the day, you arrive at a private terminal rather than the main airport building, usually a short while before departure rather than hours. Luggage goes straight to the aircraft, and on international flights passport and customs formalities are generally handled at the private terminal or planeside. When you land, a car can be waiting beside the aircraft.
Which jet for which journey.
The right aircraft depends on how far you are flying, how many people are travelling, how much luggage comes with them and how long the runway is at each end. A bigger aircraft is not always better: a smaller one can use airports a large jet cannot, and costs less to fly a short distance.
- Turboprops and light jets for short hops, small groups and short island runways
- Midsize and super-midsize jets for longer flights within a continent, with a cabin you can stand in
- Heavy jets for larger parties and more luggage, often with a separate lounge
- Ultra-long-range jets for intercontinental flights without a stop, with room to sleep
- Helicopters and seaplanes for the last stretch: to a villa, a mountain resort or an outer atoll
What does it cost to charter a private jet?
Charter is priced by the trip, and a fair quote depends on details a published rate cannot know. The size of the aircraft and the flying time are the largest parts. After them come the hours the aircraft flies empty to collect you and to return to its base, the crew’s costs if the aircraft waits for you over several nights, landing and handling fees at each airport, catering, taxes, and in winter the cost of de-icing.
Dates matter as much as distance. Around the holidays and the great events of the season, aircraft are in demand and prices rise; on quiet dates, an aircraft already positioned near you can make the same trip noticeably cheaper. A one-way flight is often priced close to a return, unless the aircraft has another trip to fly from where it drops you.
The way to know the cost of a particular trip is a firm quote for its dates and airports. An advisor can ask for several and set them side by side, so you compare aircraft, operators and what each price includes rather than a headline figure.
Charter, jet cards, fractional ownership and empty legs.
On-demand charter suits travellers who fly privately now and then: there is no commitment, and each trip is priced on its own. Those who fly often may prefer a jet card, which buys hours or a fund in advance at agreed rates and guarantees availability with a few days’ notice, or fractional ownership, a share in an aircraft with a set number of hours each year. Both trade flexibility for predictability and suit regular flyers rather than occasional journeys.
An empty leg is a flight an aircraft has to make without passengers, to collect someone or to return home. Operators sell these legs at a discount. They can be excellent value, but the date, time and airports are set by the other trip, and the leg can be cancelled or moved if that trip changes, so they suit flexible plans rather than a wedding or a connection that cannot be missed.
Safety: what to ask before you fly.
Commercial charter is regulated, and the operator, not the person selling the trip, is responsible for the flight. Before you book, it is reasonable to ask who the operating carrier is and the certificate it flies under, the experience of the crew who will fly you, whether the operator has passed independent safety audits, and what insurance covers the flight.
A good advisor or broker answers these questions without being asked, and will tell you plainly if a cheaper quote comes from an operator they would not choose for their own family.
Where private jets land: closer than you think.
Much of the value of private flying is the airport it lets you use. A jet can land at a small airport an hour closer to the villa than the international gateway, and a helicopter or seaplane can take you the last miles. Some destinations limit what can land: St Barts’ short runway takes only smaller aircraft, so travellers on larger jets connect at a neighbouring island; the Maldives’ outer atolls are reached by seaplane from the main airport; the Amalfi Coast is a short helicopter flight from Naples.
The destinations below are the most searched in Ultra’s guides, with where private jets arrive for each, from those guides.
Flying with a group, a principal or an entourage.
Private aviation is often arranged by someone who is not on the flight: an executive or personal assistant, a family office, or the travel manager of a band, a team or a production. Their questions are different: room for equipment and instruments, several aircraft arriving together, a security team, last-minute changes to the passenger list, and names kept off anything public.
An advisor who arranges private flights regularly handles all of this, and fits the aircraft into the rest of the journey: the cars on the tarmac, the hotel or villa that knows when you will arrive, and a plan for the return if the schedule moves.
Why arrange private aviation through an advisor.
A charter flight is one part of a journey, and its value depends on how it connects to everything else. An advisor arranges the flight with the same care as the stay it serves, so the timing of the aircraft, the transfer and the arrival at the hotel are one plan rather than three bookings.
They also compare aircraft and operators for you, explain what each quote includes, and handle the changes that private travellers make: a day later, a different airport, two more passengers. Asking Ultra for an advisor is free, with no obligation.
Your questions.
How much does it cost to charter a private jet?
It depends on the aircraft, the flying time, the dates and the airports. Larger jets and longer flights cost more; the empty flights to collect you and return the aircraft, crew costs on multi-day trips, airport fees, catering and taxes are added. A firm quote for your dates is the only reliable figure, and an advisor can compare several.
Is it cheaper to charter a private jet one way?
Not always. A one-way charter often costs close to a return because the aircraft has to fly back to its base. It is cheaper when the aircraft already has a trip from your destination, or when an empty leg matches your plans.
What is an empty leg flight?
A flight an aircraft makes without passengers, to collect someone or return home, sold at a discount. The schedule is set by the other trip and can change, so empty legs suit flexible plans.
How far ahead should I book a private jet?
Charter can often be arranged within days, and sometimes within hours. Around the holidays and major events, book earlier: the aircraft best suited to the trip are reserved first.
Is a jet card better than chartering?
For frequent flyers, a jet card or fractional share gives agreed rates and guaranteed availability. For occasional journeys, on-demand charter is usually simpler, with nothing paid in advance.
Can I bring my dog on a private jet?
Often yes, in the cabin, at the operator’s discretion. The destination’s own entry rules for pets still apply, and some countries require months of preparation, so tell your advisor early.
Tell us about the journey the flight is for.
Recommendations chosen for you, an itinerary crafted around them, and every booking managed by an independent Ultra Advisor.