How to Calculate the Private Jet Rental Cost?

If you are a frequent flier, or want to upgrade to a new standard of aviation, you should already know the first major barrier to entering into the field of private jets is the cost. Private jets are everywhere, pretty much any terminal in the world will have a few and a separate base which operates them. But what all goes into those high-class costs? It’s obviously the high class service and accommodations, the comfort that only private airlines are capable of providing, but is it really worth $40,000 for two hours in a slightly wider seat?

The Factors of Funding

How much a private jet rental costs is determined by a mix of factors that can be easily researched and clarified before a flight is booked. With this guideline you should be able to get a close estimate to the cost your planned trip will be before getting a quote directly.

First is the aircraft itself. There are several categories of aircraft, from the ultra-light to ultra-long, smallest to biggest. Private jet rentals charge per flight hour, for every moment that you are off the ground and in motion through the air, all the way up to landing at your destination. The costs per flight hour are:

Very Light Jets: $2,000 – $2,500

Light Jets: $2,500 – $3,000

Super Light Jets: $3,000 – $3,500

Midsize Jets: $3,200 – $4,300

Super Midsize Jets: $4,300 – $6,000

Large Jets: $5,500 – $8,000

Ultra Long Range Jets: $8,000 – $11,000

VIP Airliners: $16,000 – $23,000

Certain aircraft are only suitable for going certain distances. This is the range, the overall maximum or required minimum travel time that a private jet can take from one airfield to another. If you know how far you need to travel, it can help you determine what type of aircraft would work best and still be within your budget. The range in miles (converted from Knots) are:

Very Light Jets: 1,040mi – 1,386mi

Light Jets: 974mi – 3114mi

Super Light Jets: 1762mi – 2942mi

Midsize Jets: 1075mi – 4326mi

Super Midsize Jets: 2372mi – 4240mi

Large Jets: 1674mi – 7674mi

Ultra Long Range Jets: 4234mi – 10,094mi

VIP Airliners: 1079mi – 8930mi

One crucial factor to consider with billing for hours in flight is you’re not just paying for one-way trips each time. The jet you fly in has a base it must return to, if it’s not arriving at a fixed-base operator already owned by its own company. These are the private terminals that private jets use at public commercial terminals or from their own private airfield. If a jet reaches a destination but is not part of the FBO present, they will have to return, meaning extra flight time. Your one and a half hour trip will be billed for three hours so the plane can get back home.

Adding Up

The main cost of payment is what covers the acquisition of fuel, maintenance, and the salaries of the staff and crew on the plane. However, there are additional service-related costs which may be considered. These are usually flat rates added onto the per hour totals. This can include a cost differing to the age of the aircraft. Private jets aren’t easily replaced. Some have been in service with a fleet for many years and need regular maintenance to stay running. Older isn’t cheaper, every private jet is a classic, they are well worth the added maintenance to keep them going. These additional fees can be anywhere from $100 to $1,000 extra per flight hour.

Other fees are usually flat, added on when certain services are taken, or conditions met which require specific addendums. Many are pre-planned and included but some can come up as incidental charges.

First is a landing fee. Depending on the weight of your aircraft, the receiving airport will charge for every plane that touches down as part of the maintenance to keep the field safe for all planes. This comes between $150 and $500. Then the ramp and handling fees are for parking the aircraft and running the stairs up to it to bring people down. These go from $100 to $500 but may be waived if the the trip was very short or the plane has its own ramp attached.

Flights within the US are subject to taxation. All US domestic flight legs that take off and land within the states are subject to 7.5% tax charge and a $4.50 fee per passenger as a segment fee.

Here are some other additional charges which may occur:

Overnight Crew Fee: $200 – $400 per crew member for travel expenses.

Short Leg: Fees for larger aircraft making less than 2-hour flights/dependnent on carrier.

Aircraft Positioning: fees based on time to receive passengers and fly back to base.

Hangar Fees: $500 – $1,500 depending on size.

Wi-Fi Charges: $3 – $8.50 per megabyte. Most new aircraft have Wi-Fi on board as standard, no cost

Cleaning Fees: $250 – $500

Deicing Charges: $1,500 to $10,000

International Fees: $500 – $5,000

Fuel Surcharge: $600 – $900 per hour

International Head Tax: $19.70 per person

Alaska/Hawaii Head Tax: $9.90 per person

Custom In-Flight Catering: $600 – $1,000, or depending on charter’s concierge rates

Ground Transportation: $100 – $1,000

Extended Concierge: This includes spa services, celebrity chefs, special event bookings, hotels, resorts reservations; depends on the charter and the services booked.

Just as an example, a flight from Alma, Michigan to Louisville, Kentucky would take about 1.5 hours of flight time in a light jet aircraft. However, for the operator, it’s a round trip of 3 hours total. After the safety checks, taxiing, positioning and landing from one runway to another, the time will likely add up to 2-ish hours for the customer and between 4 and 5 for the operator. At a rate of $3,000 per hour, that leads to a basic cost of $12,000 to $15,000 for a one way trip. A round trip, with a day in between, would be worth double to $24,000 – $30,000.