No, Private Jet Charter Is Not for Everyone...

I am not in the business of making private aviation accessible to everyone. I know how that sounds and honestly, I'm okay with that.

I get calls constantly from people asking for an estimate and when I give them the real number, one of three things happens. They hang up. They curse me out. Or they tell me with full confidence that they fly private and that price is absolutely insane. Well, "Sharon" -- you probably don't actually fly private. You're a guest on someone else's plane, you're not footing the bill, or what you flew on was not a legitimate operation. A $44,000 quote is not a mistake. That is just what this costs.

I also get people calling asking for the lowest, cheapest option out there. It takes everything in me not to send them a Southwest Airlines link. I almost never do. Almost.

There is nothing cheap about flying private and there shouldn't be. Let me show you exactly why.

Here's a real trip. Real numbers.

I recently booked a client flying from Phoenix to Las Vegas. Eight people, a show for the weekend, a 30-minute flight. Because they weren't sure if more people were joining, I recommended an aircraft that seats 15. The total came out to $44,586.97 for the round trip which had them in the air for a total of about an hour.

Here is what went into that number and why it makes complete sense once you understand how this works.

Minimum flight time. Most operators charge a minimum of two hours per flying day regardless of how short your actual flight is. This trip had two flight days, Friday out and Sunday back. So even though they were airborne for roughly an hour total, we were billed for four hours of flight time. This is industry standard. It is not a scam. It is how aircraft ownership and operator costs work and if someone is quoting you without it, ask questions.

Fuel surcharges. Jet fuel is expensive and operators pass that cost along. Always. Non-negotiable.

Landing fees and parking fees. Airports charge to land and they charge to park the aircraft while your group is out having the time of their lives in Las Vegas. And Vegas on an event weekend does not give discounts to anyone.

Special event fees. Las Vegas during a major show is a completely different city than Las Vegas on a slow Tuesday and the special event fees can be insane! Just an example...during the Superbowl in Atlanta there were FBOs charging $30k to fly in!

FET. Federal Excise Tax. The government wants their cut of your good time. It applies to charter, it runs about 7.5%, and it shows up in every legitimate quote.

Mechanical recovery coverage. Most of my clients add this and I almost always recommend it. If the aircraft has a mechanical issue and can't fly, you need a backup plan that doesn't involve you sleeping in an FBO in Las Vegas. This covers that.

My margin. Yes, I get paid. Wild concept, I know. I build a commission into every trip because I do have bills and I am very fond of paying them...not to mention I have 20 years in the industry and build longterm relationships with my clients. That said, I have one rule with every single client: you can see the operator's invoice whenever you want...my commission is never a secret.

Why I can't just give you a per-hour rate?!

This is the question I get more than any other. Just give me a per-hour cost. I get why it sounds reasonable. It is also not how this works.

What you pay depends on where you're going and how long you're staying...the length of the flight and the stay is something the operator keeps in mind when figuring out if the airplane will stay with you or if it goes back home or picks up another trip in the meantime. It depends on how many people you have and what size jet that actually requires. It depends on what is available in your market that specific day. It depends on whether there is an event at your destination driving up every cost in the chain. It depends on positioning fees if there is no aircraft close enough to you to begin with. And it depends on taxes and fees that vary by airport and by operator....not to mention your luggage and many other details that can affect a price.

Private aviation is not like booking an Uber. Some companies love to say that because it sounds approachable and modern and it gets people to click. There is real infrastructure, real compliance, real liability, and a lot of moving pieces involved in putting people on a private aircraft safely and legally. The companies telling you it's simple are either hiding costs in the fine print or cutting corners in places you really do not want them cutting corners.

So who is private charter actually for?

It is for people who understand what they are buying. Clients who value their time, their privacy, and their safety and do not need me to justify the price of that. People who want a broker who will be straight with them, show them the numbers, and make sure they are on a safe and legitimate flight.

It is not for everyone. And I say that with complete respect for everyone, including Sharon.