Charter: What You Need To Know in 2026

Post-pandemic demand continues to squeeze lift supply and challenge charter shoppers. Record-setting fractional and jet card activity bears part of the blame since those programs reserve and use large blocks of charter time to meet access guarantees during peak demand.  But other recent developments have expanded options, increased safety and transparency, and altered long-held charter policies and practices. Here are five changes to keep top of mind when looking for on-demand lift today.

Sourcing charter

Charter flights are booked through charter operators, companies that manage aircraft, or charter brokers—who arrange flights through operators on your behalf. In the past, the choice between them was often difficult. Brokers access multiple fleets and typically offer more options. But until recently the field was largely unregulated, and questionable sales tactics earned brokers a checkered reputation. In 2019, the Department of Transportation established rules mandating consumer protections and broker disclosures with the goal of eliminating unfair practices, though illegal charters unfortunately still happen.

Many charter companies have established brokerage arms of their own and forged preferred provider agreements with other operators to meet increasing demand, broadening their available fleets and reducing broker advantages in lift choice. 

Tips

Look for a responsive provider who understands your needs, offers good solutions, and has experience and references you can trust. Ask business aviation users you know for their unvarnished opinions. Consult online charter directories and aggregator sites like CharterHub and Aircharter, which have searchable data bases of providers and aircraft. The NBAA Products and Services Directory lists more than 350 member charter brokers and operators. Private Jet Card Comparisons is an excellent resource that allows you to easily compare providers based on your personal needs. Get customer references from prospective providers.

Accounting for costs

For obvious safety reasons, it’s important to not let cost drive your charter choice. 

Having said that, it’s important to pay close attention to the small details. The total bill will include more than just  hourly rates multiplied by flight time. Variable and pass-through charges—some mandatory and some discretionary—usually boost the total. Ask your provider for a list of all such charges. Know those that could affect your trip, because you won’t see the final bill until it’s over. 

Charter costs are widely tracked and reported. They’re dynamically adjusted by demand, and online calculators can estimate the base price of any charter. 

It’s important to note that charter proposals may use known or typical fees but contracts may reflect updated vendor charges, leading to differences between estimates and final costs.

Variable costs include airport- and weather-related charges. Landing, FBO, and other fees vary by airport and even time of day. Weather can trigger deicing, hangar, and crew hotel charges. The pass-through list is lengthy, with catering, positioning fees, cleaning, wi-fi, fuel surcharges when energy price spikes, and crew hotel and overtime expenses among them. Add 7.5 percent federal excise tax (FET) for all domestic U.S. flights. Segment fees – another Federal tax — are assessed on each leg per passenger. International travel incurs additional fees including overflight permits, and handling and customs charges.

Note that charter proposals may use known or typical fees, while contracts may reflect updated vendor charges, leading to differences between estimates and final costs

Variable costs include airport- and weather-related charges. Landing, FBO, and other fees vary by airport and even time of day. Weather can trigger deicing, hangar, and crew hotel charges. The pass-through list is lengthy, with catering, positioning fees, cleaning, wi-fi, fuel surcharges when energy price spikes, and crew hotel and overtime expenses among them. Add 7.5 percent federal excise tax (FET) for all domestic U.S. flights. Segment fees – another Federal tax — are assessed on each leg per passenger.

International travel incurs additional fees including overflight permits, and handling and customs charges.

Safety First

Business aviation has become more safety focused over the past decade. FAA Part 135 rules, which govern charter aircraft operations and crew certifications, aren’t good enough. Use operators and brokers that meet higher standards set by third party safety auditors such as Argus and Wyvern, and organizations including the International Business Aviation Council, Air Charter Association, and Air Safety Foundation. Consider flight-by-flight risk assessments from Argus (TripCHEQ) or Wyvern (PASS; Pilot & Aircraft Safety Survey). Become familiar with the safety ratings and ensure providers you work with, the aircraft you fly aboard, and the crew in the cockpit meet your selected benchmarks.

Additional safety questions: Major operators employ a full-time safety officer (audit standards and insurance companies often demand it), as do some large brokerages. Does your prospective provider? What’s the status of the operator’s Safety Management System? In 2024 the FAA ordered operators to implement such continuous safety improvement programs, which many top providers had already begun establishing. 

Does the operator use FOQA (Flight Quality Assurance) or FDM (Flight Data Monitoring), or QAR (Quick Access Recorder)-equipped aircraft? These tools enable anonymized flight data reporting, and though not common in the charter world, reflect a large investment in safety.

Cancellation and Recovery

Air charter is subject to a wide range of disruptions. A mechanical malfunction, bad weather, crew duty limits, or an owner’s sudden need for the aircraft could leave you grounded. Conversely, a family or business emergency might force you to reschedule, the type of change charter is supposed to accommodate. But cancellation polices have become more restrictive in the post-Pandemic era. Should the operator cancel a trip for any variety of reasons, including those cited above, many contracts place no obligation on providers to offer backup lift, or pay any cost difference if recovery is provided. 

Full cost mechanical recovery guarantees a replacement aircraft at no additional cost. Some providers include recovery in their basic contracts and others provide the coverage for an added fee. Note that recovery provides no time guarantees regarding replacement aircraft. 

Meanwhile, the time window for customers to cancel a trip without penalty – 48 hours used to be common — may now extend to five days or more, and in some contracts any cancellation could involve significant non-refundable charges. Check the cancellation schedule for the deposit forfeiture structure, and make sure refunds are in cash rather than flight credit.. Point-to-point and peak day charters typically face the steepest potential penalties.

A well-managed charter can minimize potential disruptions by ensuring aircraft and crews are properly positioned for the upcoming flight, but that could also escalate non-refundable costs should the customer cancel.

The Charter Contract

Your provider will present detailed charter options for your trip. Per the 2019 DOT regulations, each will identify the itinerary, aircraft make and model, the operator, costs and payments, insurance coverage, and other essential details. (The proposals should closely match any final contract, though aircraft are often quoted “subject to availability” and confirmed only upon signing, at which time full payment is usually due.) But much important information has to be disclosed only if requested. This includes pilot qualifications; the operator’s performance history and certificate of insurance; the aircraft’s maintenance records and dispatch reliability; variable or pass through charges; onboard navigational equipment; and the departure and destination FBOs. Ask for them.

The tail number, if not in the contract, must be disclosed before the flight; if it’s not guaranteed, get the pricing policy on aircraft substitutions. Your crew’s duty limits could also come into play due to trip length, weather, or other factors, impacting the trip. Ask for their duty schedule.

When booking through a broker, check the contract against the underlying broker-operator agreement. Brokers often cede substitution, recovery, refund, and other policies to the operator, so ascertain their commitments and guarantees to you, and the operator’s match.

For more information about how to charter safely, please see our recent presentation.