Prices for Chartering a Private Jet or Turboprop
Flying in a private jet is the most luxurious, comfortable way to travel around the world. However, purchasing your own private jet can be very cost prohibitive
Sure, you could save your next few paychecks and start shopping for a private plane, but you better have a six or seven-figure budget, and be prepared to cover the cost of maintenance & upkeep. That makes chartering a much better option for both you and your retirement fund.
Chartering a private flight offers all the benefits of owning a one, without the heavy costs of maintenance. Additionally, chartering allows you to choose from a variety of aircraft categories, using the appropriately sized plane and finding the best deal for every flight.
Private planes come in a wide range of sizes, ranging from small turboprops and light jets, to midsize and super midsize jets, all the way to wide-cabin, long range jets and luxury airliners with VIP and executive configurations. The size aircraft needed is determined by a variety of factors, including passenger totals, luggage amount, and the range of the plane without needing a fuel stop.
Private Jet Charter Rates
Whether you’re making your escape from New York for some R&R in the Hamptons, Marta's Vineyard, or Nantucket; flying the family across the country for vacations and re-locations; or taking your executive team overseas for meetings in global financial centers, the most cost-effective aircraft for each flight will be different.
The cost to charter a private jet will vary depending on several factors, including aircraft size, scheduling, and range; passenger and luggage totals; fuel prices, operational fees, and a variety of other details.
How much does it cost to charter a turboprop or light jet?
Turboprops are the most cost-effective options for shorter flights. Going on a weekend getaway? You may want to consider a piston or turboprop. The Piper Aztec (Piper PA-23) is a 4-6 seat twin-engine piston plane that can bring you from Fort Lauderdale to Nassau for around $3,000. Or, you can opt for the 5-6 passenger Piper Seneca (PA-34), which can bring you from New York to Montauk for as low as $2,750.
If you’re flying with friends or family, you can move up into a light jet such as the Cessna Citation CJ3, which can complete these flights in under 30 minutes with a cost of around $4,000. Light jets are the next most commonly chartered plane, and is the most frequently flown aircraft type for the route between Los Angeles to Las Vegas, one of the most popular private jet routes in the world. The LA to Vegas flight takes around 1 hour, with an average price to rent a light jet coming in around $4,200, including the Cessna Citation Mustang with seating for up to 4 passengers.
Take a look at some popular light jets and turboprops, and their hourly charter cost:
Beechcraft King Air 200
Flight Range: 1,818 mi / 2,926 KM
Seating Capacity: 6 Passengers
Cruise Speed: 320 mph (515 km/h)
Average Hourly Rate: $4,000
Max Flight Time: 3 Hours 30 Minute
Cessna Citation Mustang
Flight Range: 1,343 mi / 2,161 KM
Seating Capacity: 4 Passengers
Cruise Speed: 391 mph (630 km/h)
Average Hourly Rate: $4,000
Max Flight Time: 2 Hours 30 Minutes
Cessna Citation CJ3
Flight Range: 2,157 mi / 3472 KM
Seating Capacity: 6 Passengers
Cruise Speed: 480 mph (773 km/h)
Average Hourly Rate: $5,500
Max Flight Time: 3 Hours
How much does it cost to charter a midsize or super midsize jet?
The cost of your charter flight will increase when moving up to the additional space and range offered by midsize jets. Flying in a midsize jet allows you to fly farther and reach higher speeds, able to travel across the country non-stop.
The flight from Los Angeles to Washington D.C. costs around $30,000 in Learjet 40/40XR with seating for up to 6 passengers, and around $38,000 in a Hawker 900XP with room for up to 9. The cost per hour for these flights average out to around $5,500 and $7,000, respectively.
If you're flying from Atlanta to San Francisco, the cost starts at around $41,500 in a Falcon 20, or $8,300 per hour. Other popular midsize jets include the Learjet 60XR ($7,000 an hour), and the Gulfstream G280 ($9,500 an hour).
Thinking about trying to save on jet charter costs by using a smaller plane? This can backfire cause your flight to become more expensive. Smaller planes can't cover the same distances without making fuel stops, which drives up the cost with landing fees, refueling charges, and the additional time which is billed hourly.
Take a look at some popular midsize and super midsize jets, and their hourly charter cost:
Bombardier Learjet 40/40XR
Flight Range: 1,961 mi / 3,156 KM
Seating Capacity: 6 Passengers
Cruise Speed: 534 mph (860 km/h)
Average Hourly Rate: $5,500
Max Flight Time: 3 Hours
Bombardier Learjet 60XR
Flight Range: 2,782 mi / 4,478 KM
Seating Capacity: 7 Passengers
Cruise Speed: 483 mph (778 km/h)
Average Hourly Rate: $7,000
Max Flight Time: 4 Hours
Hawker Beechcraft 900XP
Flight Range: 3,242 mi / 5,217 KM
Seating Capacity: 9 Passengers
Cruise Speed: 535 mph (861 km/h)
Average Hourly Rate: $7,000
Max Flight Time: 5 Hours
Dassault Falcon 20
Flight Range: 2,080 mi / 3,350 KM
Seating Capacity: 8 Passengers
Cruise Speed: 508 mph (819 km/h)
Average Hourly Rate: $7,000
Max Flight Time: 4 Hours
Embraer Legacy 500
Flight Range: 3,452 mi / 5 556 KM
Seating Capacity: 9 Passengers
Cruise Speed: 621 mph (1000 km/h)
Average Hourly Rate: $9,500
Max Flight Time: 5 Hours
Bombardier Challenger 300
Flight Range: 3,567 mi / 5,741 KM
Seating Capacity: 9 Passengers
Cruise Speed: 540 mph (870 km/h)
Average Hourly Rate: $9,500
Max Flight Time: 6 Hours
Cessna Citation X
Flight Range: 3,700 mi /5,956 KM
Seating Capacity: 8 Passengers
Cruise Speed: 603 mph (972 km/h)
Average Hourly Rate: $9,500
Max Flight Time: 5 Hours
Gulfstream G200 / G280
Flight Range: 4,142 mi / 6,667 KM
Seating Capacity: 9 Passengers
Cruise Speed: 494 mph (796 km/h)
Average Hourly Rate: $9,500
Max Flight Time: 7 Hours
Hawker 700
Flight Range: 2,417 mi / 3,890 KM
Seating Capacity: 8 Passengers
Cruise Speed: 449 mph (723 km/h)
Average Hourly Rate: $7,000
Max Flight Time: 4 Hours 30 Minutes
How much does it cost to charter a long range jet?
Longer flights across the country and overseas are best handled by heavy jets and ultra long range jets, and the price to charter them can reach over six figures. In addition to carrying more passengers and baggage while offering longer range, long range jets offer larger cabins and luxurious amenities for you to enjoy during your flight.
Depending on your passenger count, a flight from New York to London may require a heavy jet such as a Gulfstream G550, which can cost right around $100k. The flight from Boston to Dubai takes around 13-hours, and costs around $147,000 in a in a Challenger 850 with room for 16 passengers. Flights from White Plains to Shanghai take 13.5 hours, and costs a little over $176,000 in a Gulfstream G300 with maximum seating for of 12 passengers. These average out to around $13,000 per hour.
Need more room for business meetings during your flight? You can go bigger by chartering an airliner including an Airbus A319 or Boeing BBJ. Of course, executive and VIP airliners are the top of the line, with a price to match.
Take a look at some popular long range jets and airliners, and their hourly charter cost:
Bombardier Challenger 850
Flight Range: 3,234 mi / 5,206 km
Seating Capacity: 16 Passengers
Cruise Speed: 528 mph (850 km/h)
Average Hourly Rate: $11,500
Max Flight Time: 5 Hours
Gulfstream G300
Flight Range: 3,486 mi / 5,610 km
Seating Capacity: 14 Passengers
Cruise Speed: 508 mph (819 km/h)
Average Hourly Rate: $13,500
Max Flight Time: 6 Hours
Gulfstream G550
Flight Range: 7,767 mi / 12,501 km
Seating Capacity: 16 Passengers
Cruise Speed: 528 mph (850 km/h)
Average Hourly Rate: $14,000
Max Flight Time: 14 Hours
Airbus A319
Flight Range: 4,287 mi / 6900 km
Seating Capacity: 19 Passengers
Cruise Speed: 528 mph (850 km/h)
Average Hourly Rate: $20,000
Max Flight Time: 8 Hours
Boeing BBJ
Flight Range: 10,932 mi / 17,594 km
Seating Capacity: 25 - 50 Passengers
Cruise Speed: 541 mph (870 km/h)
Average Hourly Rate: $20,000
Max Flight Time: 12 Hours
Empty Legs
Private jet charters can be very expensive, but they don't have to be. There’s another option for traveling in a private plane at a fraction of the price: empty leg flights.
When someone charters a one-way flight, the plane often flies empty when returning to its home airport or to pick up its next group of passengers. These “empty leg” flights are also known as "deadheads", and are perfect for last-minute flights or savvy business travelers, saving up to 75% on the cost of your aircraft charter.
TL;DR. So how much does it cost to charter a private jet?
You can expect to pay an average of $1,500 to $3,000 per hour in turboprops or light jets; $4,000 to $8,000 per hour in midsize and super midsize jets; and $8,500 to $13,000 an hour for long range jets.
What, were you looking for a private jet charter cost estimator for your next flight? Well, just take an aircraft's hourly rate, and multiply it by flight hours. Then, add anywhere from 15% to 30% for fuel, taxes, pilots, fees, and other costs, and voila!
The total cost of chartering a private jet is always subject to change; for a full quote on a small, midsize or heavy private jet charter, simply contact your preferred charter broker.
