How to book a private jet, step by step

Most people who have never chartered assume there is a process to learn, a card to hold or a minimum to meet. There is none of that. Below is the whole thing, in order, with what to look for at each step.

Step 1 — Send the trip

Five facts: where from, where to, when, how many people, roughly how much luggage. A city is enough — we choose the airport with you. You can send it by form, WhatsApp, email or phone; the form is quickest because it asks the five things in order. If the trip is a return, say so, and say whether the aircraft should wait or come back.

What you do not need at this point: names, passports, a decision on the aircraft, or any commitment.

Step 2 — Read the quote properly

Within fifteen minutes you have one all-in figure per option, usually two or three options across classes. A quote worth accepting shows the aircraft type, the operator, the block times, and one price that includes positioning, fuel, landing and handling fees, crew and applicable taxes. If any of those is missing, ask; a figure that grows later was never the price.

Two things to check on it. First, the class: our aircraft comparison shows what each fits, and the cheapest option is not always the right one for eight people with skis. Second, where the aircraft is coming from. That is the positioning share of the price and the part your flexibility can move. Our cost guide explains every line.

Step 3 — Know who is flying you

The quote names an operator: the company that holds the air operator certificate and employs the crew. We are the broker; they fly the aircraft. Before you sign, it is reasonable to confirm the operator is licensed and, if you want a further check, whether it holds an ARGUS or Wyvern rating. The five questions to ask are in broker or operator. A good broker answers all five without being asked twice.

Step 4 — Sign and pay

The charter agreement is a short contract between you and the operator, arranged through us. Read three clauses: the cancellation schedule, the payment terms, and what happens if the aircraft becomes unavailable. Payment is typically a deposit on signature and the balance before departure; short-notice trips are often prepaid in full because the aircraft is being held for you. Once the deposit clears, the aircraft is yours for the trip.

Now the manifest: full names as they appear on passports, dates of birth, nationalities, document numbers. The operator files this with the airports. It is the one piece of paperwork that cannot wait until the day.

Step 5 — The day itself

You receive the terminal address — the FBO, not the main airport building — and an arrival time, usually fifteen to twenty minutes before departure. Bags go from the car to the aircraft. Identity is checked against the manifest; for flights leaving Schengen, passport control happens here. You walk to the aircraft with the crew. Catering, ground transport at the destination and anything else you asked for is already arranged, which is what the concierge side of the service is for.

Three mistakes first-timers make

• Choosing on hourly rate. The rate is not the price. Positioning, fees and taxes sit on top, and a cheap rate on an aircraft far away loses to a dearer one that is nearby. Compare all-in figures only.
• Holding out for a specific aircraft. Unless you have a reason — range, a large party, an animal — the right aircraft is the one that fits and is available. The class matters; the registration does not.
• Sending the manifest late. The airports need it in advance. A trip that is otherwise ready waits for a passport photo more often than for anything else.

How long the whole thing takes

Quote in fifteen minutes. Decision at your pace. Contract and deposit the same day if you want them to be. Manifest when you have the passports to hand. For a European trip booked a week or two ahead, the total effort on your side is a few messages and a signature. For a same-day departure the sequence is the same, only compressed — what is genuinely possible in that case has its own guide.

That is all of it. The industry has a reputation for complexity that the actual process does not earn. Start at step one and you will have a price before you have finished reading the next guide.