While most people understand the importance of deciphering their restaurant bill or auditing charges on a hotel room, few people are familiar with examining an air charter invoice. The process isn’t easy, and the resulting charges often aren’t transparent. Read more timeflys.co
The complexity of charter pricing is a major reason why multiple quotes are required to ensure an accurate understanding of what’s included. Each individual charter flight is unique, with differences in aircraft size, trip duration and even concierge services. In some cases, charter prices vary by the season and market demand (flying into New York City for Superbowl weekend will be more expensive than a mid-week short-haul flight to a West Coast destination).
A Private Jet Charter Quote is Only as Good as its Content
Moreover, each private aircraft on the charter market is managed by an operator who may have different policies for bookings. For example, some operators are picky about whom they rent to (they don’t want kids or rock bands) and will require a passenger list for each flight. Other providers have minimum flight times or daily minimums, and these requirements can impact flight costs as well.
Other important elements of a charter quote include flight charges, which are the most significant portion of the total occupied hourly cost and depend on the type of aircraft and estimated flight time. These are typically listed as per-hour figures in a flight plan. Many airports also charge landing fees, which can be several hundred dollars or more. And finally, fuel is always a factor and is typically listed as a projected cost in the quote with an estimated fuel surcharge added on top.