The charter pricing guideChapter 1 of 5
How much does a private jet charter cost?
Understand the complete trip price, the factors that change it, and what to ask before you book.
By the JetNine dispatch desk · Updated August 2026 · Rates reviewed quarterly
01 / Understand the total
An hourly rate is only the starting point.
The total depends on how the aircraft serves your whole itinerary.
Some quotes bundle these costs. A JetNine quote includes all four — confirm what any quote includes.
The short answer
$3,200–3,600 to $10,400–11,200 per flight hour.
That’s the market range across the aircraft categories, and it’s the honest unit to think in: your trip’s price is the hourly rate for the category you need, times the hours the mission takes, plus tax — all of which is in the quote before you accept it. Most charter sites won’t print these numbers. Here’s our card:
| Category | Typical mission | Sample lane | Market hourly | Card locked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light | 3–4 passengers · 1,500 nm · regional hops | Los Angeles (VNY) → Aspen (ASE) | $3,200–3,600/hr | $2,950/hr |
| Midsize | 5–6 passengers · 2,500 nm · coast to coast | Los Angeles (VNY) → New York (TEB) | $4,200–4,600/hr | $3,950/hr |
| Super-mid | 6–8 passengers · 3,500 nm · coast to coast nonstop | San Francisco (SFO) → Miami (MIA) | $5,400–5,900/hr | $5,100/hr |
| Heavy | 8–12 passengers · 4,500 nm · transatlantic | New York (JFK) → London (LHR) | $7,800–8,400/hr | $7,400/hr |
| Ultra long range | 12–16 passengers · 6,500+ nm · transpacific | Los Angeles (LAX) → Tokyo (HND) | $10,400–11,200/hr | $9,850/hr |
Included: flight time, fuel, crew, landing, repositioning, 7.5% FET, standard catering, sedan transfer. Itemized separately: premium catering, de-icing, international handling. Rates reviewed quarterly · updated August 2026.
What shapes your charter price?
Aircraft choice
Cabin, luggage and mission requirements.
Route & flight time
Distance, routing and possible fuel stops.
Aircraft positioning
Where the available aircraft starts its trip.
Dates & availability
Your departure window and market demand.
Airports & handling
Airport choice and ground services.
Time away
Crew nights and minimum-use requirements.
Line-by-line detail is in what moves the price and charter fees and additional charges.
What $47,260 actually buys.
A midsize round trip, Los Angeles (Van Nuys) to New York and back — about ten hours of flight time. This is the same breakdown a JetNine quote itemizes before you accept.
Repositioning is $0 here because the aircraft was already based on the departure coast. The 7.5% Federal Excise Tax applies to every domestic charter; a quote without it isn’t cheaper, it’s incomplete.
Per passenger
You’re buying the aircraft, not a seat.
The quote is for the whole cabin — so the per-person math turns on how many seats you fill. Los Angeles to Aspen on a light jet prices at $6,000 – $8,000 all-in. With four aboard, that’s roughly $1,750 a seat — into a mountain airport the airlines serve badly, on your schedule, with the car on the ramp when you land.
Worked live · Los Angeles (VNY) → Aspen (ASE) · light jet
Computed by the same engine as the quote wizard, refreshed with the rate card. Your exact number depends on date and aircraft availability.
Better value starts with the right questions.
- Compare suitable aircraft by total trip price.
- Ask about nearby airports and flexible departure windows.
- Compare same-day and later-return options.
Know who operates your flight.
Verify the operating carrier and request clear inclusions, exclusions and terms.
How to pay less
Three honest discounts. No coupon codes.
Fly an empty leg.
Repositioning flights sell at 30–60% off, occasionally deeper — same aircraft, same crew, locked date and route. Our live board lists them and the SMS watchlist texts you when your lane shows up.
See the live board →Be flexible on routing.
Repositioning is the biggest avoidable line item. Shifting a departure day toward where aircraft already are — or accepting the region's secondary airport — regularly beats any negotiation.
The price drivers →Lock rates if you fly often.
The JetNine Card fixes hourly rates from $2,950/hr for 24 months with no peak surcharges — worth the math at roughly 25+ flight hours a year. Below that, stay on-demand; we'll tell you the same.
Compare programs →Common questions, clear answers.
How much does it cost to charter a private jet?
At market rates, $3,200–$11,200 per flight hour depending on aircraft category. A short light-jet hop like LA to Aspen runs about $6,000 – $8,000 all-in; a coast-to-coast midsize round trip runs about $47,000 including fuel, crew, FET, and ground transfer. JetNine publishes the full rate card and locks the number at acceptance.
What's the cheapest way to fly private?
An empty leg — a repositioning flight sold at 30–60% off, occasionally more. The trade is a locked date and route. Second cheapest: flexible dates on a light jet or turboprop, quoted on-demand with no membership.
Are there hidden fees on top of the quote?
Not on ours. A JetNine quote is the all-in number — flight time, fuel, crew, landing, repositioning, 7.5% FET, standard catering, sedan transfer — and it's locked at acceptance. Premium catering, de-icing, and international handling are itemized before you accept, never after.
Do I need a membership or jet card to charter?
No. On-demand charter is the default — pay per flight at market rates. The JetNine Card exists for frequent flyers who want rates locked from $2,950/hr for 24 months, but nothing on this page requires it.
Is chartering cheaper per person for a group?
It gets close to premium-cabin airline pricing faster than most people expect: the aircraft price is fixed, so six passengers on a $15,000 flight pay $2,500 a seat — with no security line, positioning to a closer airport, and the schedule you chose.
What can change after an estimate?
Dates, airports, passenger count, luggage and aircraft availability all move an estimate. Once you accept a quote for a specific aircraft, the price is locked under the agreement.
Start a quote
Numbers read. Now price yours.
Route, date, and passenger count — the same engine behind every figure in this guide, live on your trip.
Your itinerary. A clearer estimate.
Share your route, dates, passenger count and luggage requirements.