As the inconvenience of commercial airline travel increases owing to post-COVID-19 pilot shortages and other challenges facing the airlines, more and more travelers are choosing to fly via a charter jet service. As the number of jet charter services increase and more flexible membership and jet card options become available, flying private charter in lieu of via commercial airlines is becoming more affordable too. Check out these charter jet services for your next flight.
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Quicklook: Best Charter Jet Services
- Best for Availability: NetJets
- Best for Flexibility and Consumer Satisfaction: Magellan Jets
- Best for Short Advance Notice: Trilogy Aviation Group
- Best for Empty-Leg Flights: Wheels Up
- Best for Membership Perks Without Upfront Costs: Silver Air
- Best for International Travel and Sustainability: VistaJet
What Is a Charter Jet?
Charter jet services differ from commercial flights operated by airlines in that they are unscheduled. Charter jet flights are booked and reserved directly by an individual or business that is essentially renting the entire aircraft and its pilot(s) for their travel.
Best Charter Jet Services
The best charter jet services offer a suite of amenities, newer aircrafts, are conveniently located at an FBO near you, and will fly you to wherever you want to go while providing a top-of-the-line reservation and cabin experience. Following are several top charter jet services to consider when booking your next charter jet flight.
NetJets
NetJets, the world’s first private jet charter company and aircraft management system, claims to own and operate the largest and most diverse fleet of private jets in the world. Travelers can choose from long-range jets that seat up to 14 passengers and can accommodate overseas flights of up to 16 hours to light jets that seat up to six passengers and can fly up to four hours—and everything in between.
Headquarters: Columbus, Ohio
Service Areas: U.S. and international
Year Founded: 1964
Fleet: Roughly 50 percent of the fleet is less than five years old; by 2023, the fleet will be 25 percent larger than it is today and include 175 new aircraft
Pricing Information: Varies based on aircraft type, destination, travel dates, times, and membership program. Membership is required.
Magellan Jets
With more than 12 years of experience and a flawless safety record during that time, Magellan has hundreds of aircraft options to choose from in its Magellan Jets Preferred Network. In 2021, The Robb Report named Magellan Jets “Best of the Best,” stating it was “one of the most innovative and consumer friendly jet programs.”
Headquarters: Quincy, Massachusetts
Service Areas: United States and international
Year Founded: 2008
Fleet: Owns none of its aircraft but has access to light, mid-size, super mid-size, and heavy cabin aircraft that are a part of its Magellan Jets Preferred Network. Network operators are monitored and reviewed to ensure the top levels of safety and operational excellence are upheld.
Pricing Information: Pricing varies based on aircraft type, destination, and travel dates and times. On-demand charter flights, jet memberships, and jet cards are available.
Trilogy Aviation Group
Offering round-the-clock services to more than 6,000 airports, you can schedule a flight with Trilogy Aviation Group with less than four hours advance notice.
Headquarters: Offices in Fort Worth, Texas
Service Areas: United States
Year Founded: 2018
Fleet: Owns none of its aircraft but has access to more than 6,000 turboprops, executive jets and long range jets from the TBM 960 to the Citation X that are operated by properly certificated U.S. and/or foreign direct air carriers.
Pricing Information: Varies based on aircraft type, destination, travel dates/times, and program. Choose from fixed route options to empty legs. Membership is not required. Instant flight quotes can be obtained here.
Argus Certified?: Yes
Wheels Up
With more than 1,500 aircraft and over 5,000 airports to choose from, Wheels Up provides charter flight services to fit your travel needs, and it has a handy app that provides on-the-go flight price estimates. Its empty-leg pricing is particularly attractive (for members only).
Headquarters: New York, New York
Service Areas: Point to point in North America and Europe; and international flights that begin or end in the U.S.
Year Founded: 2013
Fleet: The Wheels Up Exclusive fleet consists of 93 aircraft that include King Air 350i, Citation Excel/XLS and Citation X. Additionally, more than 1,250 other partner aircraft are available in the light, midsize, super-mid and large-cabin categories.
Pricing Information: Varies based on aircraft type, destination, travel dates, and times. Membership is not required; however, membership includes perks such as booking empty leg flights ($320); shared flights with other members (minimum 50 percent savings), and members-only exclusive events. Membership initiation fees start at $2,995.
Silver Air
A private aircraft management and charter company, Silver Air offers membership options as well as direct charter flights. Its Flight Club jet card program offers fixed one-way pricing within the Continental U.S. and for flights to Mexico, Canada, the Caribbean, and Hawaii.
Headquarters: Santa Barbara, California
Service Areas: United States and international
Year Founded: 2008
Fleet: A large, diverse range of aircraft, from light jets, mid-cabins and super-midsized jets all the way up to Boeing Business Jet with a heads-of-state configuration for 16 passengers.
Pricing Information: Varies based on aircraft type, destination, travel dates, times, and program. Three different Flight Club membership options are available. None of the memberships require an initiation fee.
VistaJet
With its fleet of 80-VistaJet-branded aircraft and additional approved air carrier partner aircraft, VistaJet can arrange flights to 1,900 airports in 96 percent of the world’s countries. If reducing the global carbon footprint is important to you, VistaJet is your charter jet service. The company has committed to being carbon-neutral by 2025.
Headquarters: Luqa, Malta, with offices in London, New York, Los Angeles, Hong Kong, and Dubai
Service Areas: United States and international
Year Founded: 2004
Fleet: 80 mid- to large-cabin, ultralong-range business jets consisting of Bombardier Global and Challenger aircraft that can seat up to 14 passengers.
Pricing Information: Varies based on aircraft type, destination, travel dates, times, and program. Direct charter flights start at $15,000; memberships with various perks are available for frequent flyers.
How To Charter a Jet
It’s relatively easy to arrange for a charter flight. Simply choose the charter jet service you’d like to contract and visit the company’s website. Most of the charter jet services listed above offer direct charter flight (non-membership) options. From the website or an associated app, you can enter your departure and destination details, along with the times/dates of your desired travel to get an estimated cost for your flight. Charter flights can also be booked over the phone. Charter jet memberships offer additional perks, such as 24-hour concierge services and discounted pricing, as well as access to empty or “hot” legs (where an aircraft is being relocated, allowing you to fly at a drastically reduced price). It’s important to first try flying directly with a charter jet service before becoming a member, so you can sample the company’s quality of service and reliability.
Step 1: Visit the Website or App
Go to the website of the charter jet service of your choice and click on “book a flight.”
Step 2: Select the Type of Aircraft and Airport
Enter your departure and destination airports and select your aircraft of choice. Some additional details may also be required (e.g., your name/contact information), in order for you to receive an estimated cost for the flight.
Step 3: Receive an Estimate and Follow Up for Additional Details
Once you get an estimate for the cost of your flight, be sure to follow up with a representative over the phone or via email to ensure you have information regarding baggage allowance, parking, etc.
Try Chartering a Flight Today
With the hassles of delayed flights and lost luggage increasing by the day due to workforce shortages at the commercial airlines—especially around peak times, such as holidays—it’s never been a better time to try a charter jet service. Learn more about jet charter companies and all things aviation with a subscription to FLYING Magazine.
FAQ
The cost of flying to Las Vegas depends upon your departure airport, the type of aircraft you want to travel in, the jet charter service, and the day/time you wish to travel. If you’re flying with VistaJet and booking a flight directly (no membership), a flight to Las Vegas will start at $15,000.
Typically up to 14 passengers can travel on a charter jet. Some jets allow up to 16 passengers.
Charter jets typically travel from 400 to 700 mph.
