The short answer
Line the quotes up on the same trip and check ten things: the aircraft and its age band, the crew, what the price includes, landing and handling, positioning, catering, taxes, how long the quote is valid, the deposit and the cancellation terms. A cheaper quote is only cheaper if it covers the same things. The most useful quote is the one that puts everything in writing as one inclusive figure.
Key facts
- Compare the same route, dates, passenger numbers and luggage across every quote.
- An inclusive quote covers the aircraft, crew, fuel, landing and handling and standard catering.
- The costs most often left out of a headline price: positioning, landing and handling, overnight costs, fuel surcharges and de-icing.
- Every quote should carry a validity date, because prices follow availability.
- Deposit, balance date and cancellation terms should be written before you sign.
- Ask which Air Operator Certificate will fly you.
Why can two quotes for the same flight look so different?
Because a charter price is built from several parts, and each company may include a different set of them. The aircraft itself is priced by the flying hour. Around it sit positioning (bringing the aircraft to you), landing and handling fees, crew costs on a long stay, catering and taxes. If one quote includes all of these and another quotes only the flying time, the second will look cheaper and be nothing of the kind.
The aircraft also differs. Two jets in the same class can have different cabins, baggage holds and ranges, and one may sit at an airport that is cheaper to use. Before you compare prices, make sure you are comparing the same trip.
Step one: are you comparing the same trip?
Send the same request to every company: the same route, the same dates and times, the same number of passengers and the same luggage. If one quote assumes a morning departure and another an afternoon one, or one uses a different airport, the price difference may come from the trip rather than the company. Where an airport differs, ask why, because a smaller nearby airport can lower fees and save time, which is a reason to prefer it, not a flaw.
The ten-point checklist
| Check | What to look for | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| 1. The aircraft | The type, its class and an age band (for example, a recent or older build) rather than just "a midsize jet" | Cabin, range and baggage space follow the type; a type is a promise a vague description is not |
| 2. The crew | Two pilots, both type-rated on the aircraft; cabin crew where the aircraft carries them | Part of the safety case, and a question a clear quote answers without being asked |
| 3. What is included | Aircraft, crew, fuel, landing, handling, standard catering, operations support | Anything not listed may arrive later as an extra |
| 4. Landing and handling | Whether fees at every airport on the route are in the price | Fees vary by airport, and busy hubs charge the most |
| 5. Positioning | Whether the cost of bringing the aircraft to you, and returning it, is in the price | A common omission, and a large part of the cost of a one-way flight |
| 6. Catering | What is standard, and what is ordered and charged at cost | Special menus and drinks are usually extra |
| 7. Taxes | Whether VAT applies to this flight and, if so, whether it is in the figure | The VAT position depends on the flight and should be stated |
| 8. Validity | A date after which the price can change | Prices move with availability |
| 9. Deposit and balance | How much, when, and by what method | It affects your cash flow and your commitment |
| 10. Cancellation terms | What happens if you cancel or change, written in the booking terms | This is where companies differ most, and where you least want a surprise |
The cancellation terms of any company are in its booking terms, not in this article; read them before you sign.
What does an inclusive quote mean?
It means one figure that covers everything needed to fly the trip, so that the price you approve is the price you pay. With Charter-A the figure includes the aircraft and crew, fuel, landing fees, the handling agents’ services, overnight parking and crew costs if the aircraft waits for you, standard catering and 24-hour operations support. A few items can be extra, and they are named in writing before you sign: de-icing if winter conditions require it, catering beyond the standard, cars and other ground arrangements, a change of destination and some airport fees for pets.
The existing guide to what is included in a private jet charter price lists each item. The question to ask any company is simple: if I approve this figure, is there anything I could be asked to pay on top, other than what you name now?
How do I check the aircraft?
Ask for the type, not just the class. The fleet pages show the passengers, range, cabin height and baggage space for each type, so you can check that the aircraft offered carries your party and its luggage the distance without a stop. If the quote gives only a class, ask which aircraft is proposed. Photographs of the aircraft actually offered should come with the quote. For a guide to sizes, see which size of private jet you need.
Age band matters because it tells you something about the cabin and the avionics, though not about safety: an older aircraft that is well maintained and operated under an AOC is not unsafe. It is simply a different product, and it may suit your budget.
Why are positioning and landing fees the usual gaps?
Because they are invisible to the customer and easy to leave out of a headline figure. If the aircraft is not based where you start, it flies in empty, and if it is not needed afterwards, it flies home empty. That positioning is a real cost. Landing, handling and parking fees at each airport are real costs too, and they differ from airport to airport. A quote that does not mention either has either included them without saying so, or left them out. Ask which.
How should taxes show up in a quote?
Clearly, and flight by flight. A flight between the UK and another country is generally zero-rated, which means VAT is charged at 0 per cent. A flight within the UK may carry 20 per cent VAT. Each journey on a trip is judged on its own facts, so a trip with one international leg and one domestic leg should show the VAT position of each leg. Zero-rated is not the same as exempt, so be wary of any quote that simply says a flight is "VAT free" without saying why. Every Charter-A quote states the VAT position for the flight, so the figure you see is the figure you pay.
Airport and government charges are a separate matter: ask whether landing, handling and any passenger or airport taxes at each end are in the figure, because they differ from place to place.
What should I ask about catering and ground arrangements?
Standard catering is light snacks and a bar on board, suited to the aircraft, the route and the time of day. Ask what the quote assumes, and what it would cost to move up to a hot meal, a particular drink or food for a special diet, which are ordered in advance and charged at cost. If you want a car at either end, ask whether it is priced in the quote or separately. Chauffeur-driven cars can be arranged with your flight, at cost, and are timed to your aircraft, so that if the flight moves, the car moves with it.
What do validity and deposit tell you?
A validity date shows that the company is quoting against actual availability. A quote with no date, or one that says only that the price is "subject to availability", leaves open the possibility that the aircraft is gone when you reply. A deposit is normal in charter, because it secures the aircraft, crew and slots. With Charter-A it is 50 per cent on signing and the balance is due 15 days before the flight. Compare the amount, the timing and the way to pay, and be cautious of any company that asks you to pay in full immediately, by a method you cannot trace.
How do cancellation terms differ?
They differ a great deal, and in general terms they depend on how close to departure you cancel and on whether the aircraft can be used by someone else. Some companies set out a fixed schedule; others decide case by case. Either way, they should be written down before you pay anything. Read what happens if you change the date, if you change the destination and if the flight is cancelled for reasons outside your control. If the flight is cancelled because of the weather, you pay nothing.
What are the red flags?
- A price far below the rest. Ask what is missing. A price that is low because it leaves out costs is not a saving, and a price that is low because the flight is not on an AOC is a risk. See what an illegal charter is.
- No operator or AOC named. You should be able to find out which licensed operator will fly you before you commit.
- A vague aircraft. "A midsize jet" with no type, no photographs and no seat count is not a quote.
- An open-ended list of extras. Extras should be named, not left as "plus fees".
- Pressure to pay at once. A genuine quote has a validity date and a clear payment schedule.
- Terms you cannot see. If the cancellation terms are not available before you pay, ask for them first.
How do I weigh price against everything else?
Price matters, but so does fit. The quote that matches your party, your luggage and your timing, from a company that answers the telephone on the day, is worth more than a marginally lower figure that does not. If two quotes are close, choose on the points that are hard to change later: the terms, the aircraft and who looks after you on the day. If you are weighing a broker against an operator, see broker or operator.
What does a side-by-side comparison look like?
Put each quote into the same grid. The figures will be your own; the point is to see the gaps. This example is illustrative and uses no real prices.
| Point | Quote A | Quote B |
|---|---|---|
| Aircraft | Named type, seat count, photographs | "A midsize jet", no photographs |
| Operator and AOC | Stated, on request in writing | Not stated |
| Price | One figure, extras named | A lower figure, "plus fees" |
| Positioning | Included | Not mentioned |
| Landing and handling | Included at both airports | Not mentioned |
| Validity | A stated date | "Subject to availability" |
| Cancellation terms | Written, sent before signing | Available "on request" |
An illustration of the gaps to look for, not real quotes. Quote B may well be the same price once it is completed, but until it is, you cannot compare.
In an example like this, the lower headline figure may or may not be the cheaper flight. Ask Quote B to fill in every row, and only then compare the totals. Often the gap closes, and sometimes it reverses.
Should I compare the hourly rate or the whole trip?
The whole trip. An hourly rate is a useful guide to the size of the aircraft, and the existing cost guide gives guide rates, but a trip carries more than the flying time: positioning, airport fees and time on the ground all add to it. Two quotes at the same hourly rate can differ substantially once those are counted. Ask for the total for your route, dates and passengers, and compare the totals.
What if the quotes are in different currencies?
Ask each company to state the currency and what it assumes about exchange rates, because a quote in one currency compared with a quote in another is easy to misread. Convert both to the same currency using the same rate on the same day, and ask whether the price is fixed once you sign or can move with the exchange rate. A quote that states the currency and the position on exchange clearly is easier to trust than one that leaves it open.
How should I ask for a quote that can be compared?
- Give the same trip to each company: route, dates, times, passengers and luggage.
- Ask for the aircraft type, seat count and photographs of the aircraft actually offered.
- Ask which operator and which AOC will fly you.
- Ask for one inclusive figure, with every possible extra named.
- Ask for the validity date, the deposit, the balance date and the cancellation terms in writing.
- Ask who you can telephone on the day, at any hour.
A company that answers all six clearly has given you something you can compare. A company that cannot has told you something too.
Is a flexible date a way to compare better?
It can be. If your dates are not fixed, ask each company what moving by a day changes. Availability and positioning differ from day to day, and an aircraft already due to fly your way without passengers may be offered at a reduced price as an empty leg. The reduction is often 25 to 75 per cent, but the route and timing are fixed by the original booking, so it works only if your plans can match. See how much it costs to charter a private jet.
More questions
Why is one private jet quote much cheaper than another?
Often because it covers less: positioning, landing and handling, crew overnight costs or taxes may be left out, or the aircraft may be smaller or older. Ask each company to confirm what its figure includes and which operator and AOC will fly you.
What should an inclusive quote include?
The aircraft and crew, fuel, landing and handling fees, standard catering and operations support, as one figure. Possible extras, such as de-icing or special catering, should be named in writing before you sign.
How long is a private jet quote valid?
A quote carries a validity date, because prices follow availability and aircraft can be booked by someone else. Check the date on every quote, and ask for it in writing if it is not stated.
Is a deposit normal when chartering a private jet?
Yes. A deposit secures the aircraft, crew and slots. With Charter-A it is 50 per cent on signing and the balance is due 15 days before the flight. Read the deposit, the balance date and the cancellation terms before you sign.
What is a red flag in a charter quote?
A price far below the rest, no named operator or AOC, a vague aircraft description, an open list of extras, pressure to pay at once, or cancellation terms you cannot see before paying.
Do I need to know the exact aircraft before I compare?
It helps. Ask for the aircraft type, its seat count and photographs of the actual aircraft, so that you can check space, range and baggage against your party. A class alone is not enough to compare two quotes.
Related articles
What is included in the price of a private jet charter?
A Charter-A private jet quote is one inclusive figure.
How much does it cost to charter a private jet?
Chartering a private jet typically costs from around £2,000 to £3,000 per flying hour for a small jet, rising to £6,000 to £8,000 per hour and more for a large or long-range jet.
Should I book a private jet through a broker or direct with an operator?
It depends on what you need.
On this site
More from Charter-A.com
- Hidden fees to expect when chartering a private jet
- How to estimate private jet hire cost for your trip
What a Charter-A quote includes, the deposit and balance timing and the empty leg range are taken from Charter-A’s booking documents and the existing articles on this site; the checklist is general guidance. Charter-A Ltd acts as agent for the passenger; details are confirmed for each flight at booking.