The short answer
As a guide, a light jet costs about £2,000 to £3,600 per flying hour and a midsize jet about £2,800 to £5,600, rising to £6,000 to £8,000 and more for large and long-range jets. A real trip costs more than hours multiplied by the rate, because landing, handling and positioning are added. Charter-A quotes one inclusive figure for the whole flight.
Key facts
- Guide rate for a light jet: about £2,000 to £3,600 per flying hour.
- Guide rate for a midsize jet: about £2,800 to £5,600 per flying hour.
- Large and long-range jets: £6,000 to £8,000 per flying hour and upwards.
- Flying time is not the same as the time you are away from the airport: taxiing and waiting are separate.
- Landing, handling and positioning make the trip total higher than hours times rate.
- A Charter-A quote is one inclusive figure, not an hourly meter.
What is the private jet price per hour in the UK?
Private jets are priced on the flying hour, and the rate rises with the size of the aircraft. The ranges below are market guides published by Charter-A. They are a starting point for working out what a trip might cost, not a quotation, because the real price depends on which aircraft are free on your dates.
| Class of jet | Passengers (fleet guides) | Guide rate per flying hour |
|---|---|---|
| Light jets | 5 to 9 | About £2,000 to £3,600 (€1,800 to €4,000) |
| Midsize jets | 6 to 9 | About £2,800 to £5,600 (€3,500 to €7,000) |
| Super-midsize and heavy jets | Up to 9, and 11 to 14 | £6,000 to £8,000 and upwards (€6,500 to €12,000) |
| Ultra-long-range jets and VIP airliners | 9 to 19 | €12,000 to €25,000 and more |
Pound and euro figures come from two Charter-A guides and are not converted from one another, so the ranges do not line up exactly. Treat them as guides: the price of your trip is the quote.
At the bottom of the scale, very light jets have the lowest hourly cost of any jet, and on a short sector a turboprop costs less again. The starting point for the whole subject is the overall cost of chartering a private jet; this article goes into the hour itself.
What counts as an hour: flying time or block time?
Flying time runs from the moment the aircraft leaves the ground to the moment it lands. Block time is longer: it runs from the moment the aircraft starts to move on the ground to the moment it stops at the other end, so it includes taxiing at both airports. At a quiet business airport the difference is small. At a busy hub, with a long taxi to a distant runway, it can add up.
This matters when you compare two quotes. One company may price on flying time and another on block time, and an hourly rate means little until you know which clock it uses. The hourly figures above are rates per flying hour, and the timings in Charter-A’s guide examples are estimated flight times. A Charter-A quote avoids the question by giving you one inclusive figure for the flight, so you are not watching a meter.
Why is the trip total more than hours times the rate?
Because the hourly rate pays for the aircraft in the air, and a trip has other costs around it. Charter-A’s guide works through four flights in a Citation CJ2 departing from Farnborough, at a guide rate of £2,500 an hour. The totals include landing and handling:
| Route from Farnborough | Distance | Estimated flight time | Hours times £2,500 | Guide total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paris | 210 miles | 0.8 hours | £2,000 | £5,000 |
| Newquay | 230 miles | 0.9 hours | £2,250 | £7,250 |
| Milan | 500 miles | 1.5 hours | £3,750 | £8,750 |
| Cannes | 600 miles | 1.8 hours | £4,500 | £8,500 |
Distances, flight times, the £2,500 rate and the totals are from Charter-A’s hourly cost guide; the "hours times £2,500" column is our own arithmetic. The gap between that column and the total is what landing, handling and the other trip costs add. Guide figures, not quotations.
Two things stand out. First, the shortest flight is far from the lowest price per mile: a flight of under an hour still carries airport charges, so the fixed costs of a trip weigh most on short sectors. Second, Cannes is further than Milan yet its guide total is lower. Distance is only one of the things that sets the price, and the airports at each end can move the total by more than the extra flying time.
What are positioning and return legs, and who pays for them?
A jet is not always standing at the airport you want to leave from. If it is based elsewhere it has to fly in empty to collect you, and if it is not wanted at your destination it has to fly out empty afterwards. These are positioning legs, and they are flown at the same cost per hour as a leg with passengers. In a one-way charter, the price has to carry that cost, because nobody else is paying for those hours.
A return trip with a short stay is often better value than two separate one-way flights. The aircraft waits for you, and there are no empty legs to cover at either end. The trade is that you pay for time on the ground: if the aircraft and crew stay overnight, their overnight costs are part of the price. Where a one-way flight suits an aircraft that is heading your way anyway, that is an empty leg, and it is often 25 to 75 per cent cheaper. How that works for a group of people sharing the cost is covered in a companion article.
What moves the price up or down?
- The aircraft type. A jet with a bigger cabin and longer range costs more for every hour it flies.
- The date. Summer weekends to the Mediterranean, the ski season and major events push prices up, and a request at short notice narrows the choice of aircraft.
- Where the aircraft starts. The nearer it is to your departure airport, the less positioning you pay for.
- The airports. Landing, handling and parking charges differ from airport to airport, and the busiest hubs charge the most. A nearby business airport is often cheaper; see which airports private jets can use.
- Time on the ground. A wait of a few hours is different from an overnight stay.
- The season and the weather. Winter flights may need de-icing, which is charged only if it is needed.
Does a faster or bigger jet make the hour better value?
Sometimes, but not by as much as people expect. Light jets in the Charter-A fleet cruise at around 380 to 450 knots, midsize jets at 440 to 460, and the ultra-long-range flagships at up to about 488. Over a two-hour flight that is a matter of minutes, so a bigger jet does not usually pay for itself in speed alone.
Where a larger class does earn its higher rate is range. A light jet reaches most of Europe from the UK without stopping, but on a longer route a smaller jet may need a fuel stop, which adds time and landing charges. A larger aircraft flying non-stop can cost more per hour and still be reasonable value for the whole trip. The rule that holds is the one in which size of private jet you need: choose the smallest aircraft that carries your party and its luggage the distance without stopping.
Is the lowest hourly rate always the lowest price?
No. A low hourly rate on a quote that leaves out landing, handling, positioning or the crew’s overnight costs can end up higher than a higher rate on an inclusive one. The costs most often left out of a headline figure are positioning, landing and handling fees, crew overnight costs, fuel surcharges and de-icing. Ask every company to confirm what the figure covers.
A Charter-A quote is one fully inclusive figure for the aircraft and crew, fuel, and standard landing and handling fees, so that the price you approve is the price you pay. The few things that can be extra are listed in what is included in the price of a private jet charter.
What does a rough budget look like for a typical trip?
Hourly rates are the building block, but most people want a figure for a trip. Charter-A’s cost guide for 2026 gives these as guides, in euros, for whole trips:
| Trip | Aircraft | Guide price |
|---|---|---|
| London to Paris, one way | Light jet | About €3,500 to €8,000 |
| London to Munich and back | Midsize jet | About €8,000 to €18,000, including handling and overnight fees |
| A short European flight of one to two hours | Depends on the size | €3,000 to €15,000 |
| London to Dubai, one way | Heavy or long-range jet | €45,000 to €120,000 |
Guide estimates for 2026 as published by Charter-A. The spread in each line reflects the aircraft, the airports, the season and where the aircraft starts. Your quote is the real figure.
The width of each range is the point. A light jet from London to Paris can be priced at the low end of its range on a quiet date from a nearby airport, and at the top of it on a peak date with a long positioning flight. That is why an hourly rate on its own is a weak guide, and why the only price that means anything is one built for your date.
How does the hour work out on a return flight?
On a return, the aircraft flies your route twice, so the flying hours double. For the Paris example above, 0.8 hours each way is 1.6 hours, and at £2,500 an hour that is £4,000 in flying time (our arithmetic, not a quote). What does not double is everything that happens once, such as the aircraft being brought to your departure airport.
Whether the aircraft waits for you or goes away and comes back is the other big choice. For a same-day return the aircraft usually waits, and the price carries parking and handling for the wait. For a longer stay the aircraft may fly home empty and return for you, which means two extra legs at the hourly rate. Ask for both options when the stay is a few days, because the cheaper one depends on the route and the aircraft.
What does an hour in each class actually buy you?
The rate rises because the aircraft gets bigger, faster or longer-legged, and the fleet guides show what the extra money buys. A very light jet seats four or five in a club cabin and suits sectors of up to around two hours. A light jet seats 5 to 9 and carries proper suitcases. From the midsize class up, you stand up in the cabin: the fleet guides give about 5 ft 8 in for midsize jets and around six feet for super-midsize and heavy jets. Heavy jets add three cabin zones and room for 11 to 14.
If your party fits a lower class, the hourly rate you pay is lower, and that is the most dependable saving on the list. The aircraft you do not need does not make the trip better, it only makes it dearer. The comparison guide in which size of private jet you need sets out how to make the choice.
Where do turboprops and very light jets fit?
They sit at the low end of the scale. Turboprops such as the Pilatus PC-12 and the King Air 200 cruise at around 270 to 290 knots in a pressurised cabin for six to eight passengers, and on a short sector they arrive only a little after a jet would, for less money. The Piaggio Avanti II is the exception, cruising at over 400 knots on turboprop running costs. Very light jets have the lowest hourly cost of any jet.
On a sector of an hour or two, ask for a turboprop or a very light jet as an option next to a light jet. The difference in the hourly rate can outweigh a few minutes of extra flying time, and you will see the two prices side by side.
How do I compare two quotes properly?
- Ask whether each price is for the whole trip, or only for the flying hours.
- Check that positioning, landing, handling and overnight costs are included in both.
- Look at the aircraft: the same hourly rate buys a different cabin in a light jet and a midsize jet.
- Check the VAT line on each. A flight within the UK and a flight abroad can be treated differently; see whether you pay VAT on a private jet charter.
- Note the validity date. Prices depend on which aircraft are free, so a quote has to be accepted within its stated period.
How do I get an exact price?
Send the route, the date and the number of passengers. A Charter-A specialist checks which aircraft are available and replies with options, each with one inclusive price. Quotes are free and without obligation, and the operations team answers on +44 (0)20 7781 8094.
More questions
How much is it to hire a private jet for an hour?
As a guide, a light jet is about £2,000 to £3,600 per flying hour and a midsize jet about £2,800 to £5,600. Large and long-range jets run from £6,000 to £8,000 and upwards. The cost of a real trip also includes landing, handling and positioning.
Is private jet rental cost charged per hour or per trip?
Hourly rates are the building block, but the price you pay is for the whole trip. A Charter-A quote is one inclusive figure for the flight, covering the aircraft, crew, fuel, and standard landing and handling fees.
Why does a short flight cost so much per mile?
Because some costs do not shrink with distance. A 0.8-hour flight still carries landing and handling charges, and the aircraft may have to be positioned. In Charter-A’s guide examples, a 210-mile Paris flight totals £5,000, which is more than twice the flying hours alone.
How can I keep the price of a private jet down?
Choose the smallest aircraft that suits your party, fly a return with a short stay or take an empty leg that matches your journey, and use a nearby business airport. Empty legs are often 25 to 75 per cent below a standard charter, but their route and timing are fixed.
Does the hourly cost include the pilots and fuel?
On a Charter-A quote, yes: the one inclusive figure covers the aircraft and its crew and the fuel. Check any other quote for the same, because crew costs and fuel are sometimes shown as separate lines.
Is there a minimum number of hours?
Charter-A arranges flights on demand with no membership and no fixed minimum spend. You pay for the flight you book, and the price is set by the route, the aircraft and the date rather than by a block of hours.
Related articles
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.
What is included in the price of a private jet charter?
A Charter-A private jet quote is one inclusive figure.
Which size of private jet do I need?
Compared by size, the rule is simple: choose the smallest aircraft that carries your party and its luggage the distance without stopping.
On this site
More from Charter-A.com
- Explore hourly jet cost: types of private jets explained
- How to estimate private jet hire cost for your trip
- Complete guide to private jet charter costs in 2026
Light and midsize hourly rates and the four Citation CJ2 examples are from Charter-A’s hourly jet cost guide; the euro ranges and the large-jet rates are as published in the existing cost article; passenger numbers are from the Charter-A fleet guides; the hours-times-rate column is arithmetic. Charter-A Ltd acts as agent for the passenger; details are confirmed for each flight at booking.