Methodology
How we work, and where the numbers come from.
We are a charter broker that publishes its working: what the estimates mean, how a quote is built and what we expect of the operators who fly you.
What we are
How Much to Fly Private is an air charter broker. We do not own or operate aircraft. When you ask for a quote, we work out which aircraft suit the trip, ask FAA Part 135 operators (or their foreign equivalents abroad) that have them, compare what comes back and send you the options with one all-in price each. If you book, the operator that flies you holds operational control of the aircraft and is named in your charter agreement before you pay.
Where the estimates come from
The hourly ranges, flight times and examples on this site are approximate figures for the US charter market. They are there to help you think, and they are always labelled as estimates. Real prices move with the season, the day of the week, fuel, the age and position of the aircraft, and how busy the destination is. A quote for your dates replaces every estimate on this site.
Where we show annual figures, we multiply hours by the hourly range for the category, and each figure is labelled as before or after the 7.5% federal excise tax. We leave out repositioning, daily minimums and airport fees because they depend on the trip, and we say so next to the number.
How a quote is built
An operator's price starts with flight time at the aircraft's hourly rate. To that come repositioning if the aircraft has to fly empty to reach you or get home, daily minimums on days it waits with you, crew hotel and expenses for overnights, landing and handling fees, and seasonal costs such as de-icing. Domestic US trips carry 7.5% federal excise tax and a federal segment fee of about $5 per passenger per leg. International trips have their own fees.
When we say all-in, we mean the price you see includes all of that for the itinerary you gave us. Anything that depends on later choices, such as special catering, Wi-Fi or a change of route, is priced and agreed with you before it is added.
The standard we hold operators to
Every US flight we arrange is operated under an FAA Part 135 certificate. We look at the operator's audit history, including ARGUS, Wyvern and IS-BAO where they hold them, and you can ask for the certificate details and audit status of any operator we put forward. Crews fly within legal duty and rest limits, and the operator, not the broker, decides whether a flight can go.
What to expect from us
- One advisor from your first message to landing.
- Options by email with the aircraft, the operator on request and an all-in price.
- A plain answer when a different airport, an empty leg or a smaller aircraft would save money.
- No membership, deposit or sign-up to ask for a price.
What we will not do
We do not publish live prices or fake availability, call ourselves the cheapest, or quote an aircraft we have not confirmed with its operator. Our quotes are for on-demand charter; if a jet card or a fractional share looks like a better fit for how you fly, we will tell you and explain why.