Guidelines to Rent a Jet

If you are thinking that the cost for chartering a Private Jet is comparable or a little more expensive than flying First Class on the Airlines it is NOT. Some Private Jets can cost more than a Commercial Jet because they are equipped with the latest safety equipment, avionics equipment and amenities available today. Their cost can range from as little 4 to 6 million for a Small Jet to well over 100 million for a Large Jet depending on the aircraft. So be prepared for sticker shock, the saying that is popular among new customers is "I don't want to buy the Jet I just want to rent it".

First and foremost you should check the credentials of the operators. Whether they are regularly audited by independent auditing companies for their FAA maintenance compliance, safety records, FAA violations, pilot training, pilot experience, pilot recurrent training and aircraft comfort and amenities. Such an operator might be a little more expensive than the competitors but for a very good reason, your safety and comfort! So if your life or your person you are chartering this Jet for is important to you then you want to protect them with the best and safest charter company you can find.

Charter customers have to pay for the time the aircraft is actually in the air, along with charges for airport use, taxes, other fees and optional services such as Catering, Flight Phone and Ground Transportation. Most operators have a daily minimum usage requirement, with the standard at two hours of flight per day. For one-way trips or multi-city trips not returning to the same city, the operator incurs the cost of returning the aircraft to its base, so customers are charged for that return flight time. For trips with an overnight stay, the additional costs of the crew’s overnight expenses are included in the price of the trip. For trips longer than one night, the distance traveled will determine whether the plane will wait for you at your location or return to its base and then fly back to pick you up at the end of your trip.

When you are given a quote, you may want to determine which costs are included and verify that the quote is guaranteed. The price for a charter business jet trip may be quoted differently depending on what’s included, so be wary about comparing quotes from different sources. For accurate comparisons, ask if the quote includes landing fees, ramp fees, fuel surcharges, waiting time, overnight crew expenses, FET (7.5% Federal Excise Tax) SEG (Segment Fees $3.50 per passenger per Flight Leg) and state taxes if any.

Payment for a charter flight is similar to purchasing commercial airline tickets; you are expected to pay in full before the scheduled trip. Payment can be made by credit card, wire transfer or direct billing for qualified customers. Additional costs outlined above are billed after the trip. Because international fees vary by country, these also are billed after the trip.