Are you new to Aircraft Charter?
Learn how private plane hire works and common terminology associated with aircraft charter. We’ll also delve into how costs are calculated for private flights. Contact us now for your instant charter plane quote:
Chartering an Aircraft means that you are hiring the plane & pilot from the Operator to take you from A to B. Sometimes you will see this written as A-B Charter.
When you charter an aircraft you are hiring the whole plane for your exclusive use. No one else will be travelling on that plane. Likewise, the Operator cannot use that aircraft for any other purpose or flight whilst your charter is taking place.
The Charter Operator is the company that is accredited and licensed to provide the pilots and fly your private plane. They have stringent regulatory requirements to meet and are subject to review by CASA (Civil Aviation Safety Authority) at any time. By definition, Operators are professional organisations required to maintain high standards of professionalism in their staff, procedures and operations.
The charter Aircraft that is selected by your Charter Broker or Operator is matched to your Requirements. Factors such as number of passengers; distance to be flown; suitability of airstrips and desired class of travel are all important factors that get taken into consideration.
This is why you are asked so many questions when you make an enquiry about aircraft charter!
One of the key benefits of aircraft charter is that you get Exclusive Use of the Aircraft. This means that you have control over the itinerary and you are not sharing it with other passengers that you do not know.
However, this also means that the Operator cannot use your charter plane on other private flights whilst you have access to it. So, if there is waiting time between arrival and subsequent return trip departure then a waiting charge can sometimes be applied. This is something to keep in mind when you charter an aircraft.
Whether you are looking at short distance light air charter or luxury private jets, you will get the same 5 star service from our experienced team.
How is the Cost of Aircraft Charter calculated?
There are a number of variables that determine the cost of chartering an aircraft. If you make an enquiry these are the questions that you are going to be asked:
- How many passengers?
A 10 seater costs more than a 4 seater – so let’s try and match the right type to your needs. - Departure and Destination?
This will give us the distance of the flight which has a direct impact on the cost. - Any stops along the way?
One of the benefits of chartering is that you can go anywhere you please. Each landing & takeoff needs to be factored into the price. - When is the Return Trip?
Because the charter aircraft will always need to return to its home base, any waiting costs like parking and pilot accommodation need to be included. - It is always a Round Trip:
The charter aircraft will return to its home base and the cost of that trip is included in the price. Therefore, even if the passengers only travel one way the total cost is the same. There is no difference between a one way or return trip pricing with Charter Aircraft. - What Class of Travel do you want?
The VIP experience, best value or somewhere in the middle? The bigger and roomier the plane the more expensive it is for the same A-B distance. We refer to travel class as Economy, Business or VIP/Luxury.
Typical Aircraft Charter Costs:
Typical Costs of aircraft charter start at around $5.00 – $6.00 per km (measure a straight line between A and B) for small 4-7 seater aircraft. For example; measure on Google Maps the distance between A (departure) and B (destination) and times it by $5-$6 per km to get an idea of starting price point for your private plane.
Typical Distances:
– Sydney – Melbourne: 1420km round trip; from $1750 p.p. (4 pax)
– Sydney – Brisbane: 1500km round trip; from $1875 p.p. (4 pax)
– Adelaide – Perth: 4250km round trip; from from $3750 p.p (8 pax)
Total Cost / Passengers:
Here is the good news! The cost is for the whole aircraft and so you divide the charter cost by the number of passengers!
Aircraft Availability:
When you charter an aircraft, the availability is a very important factor to understand as a customer. Aircraft are expensive machines to own and operate. They cost the Operator money each day just sitting on the ground! This means that when they are in demand by customers it is first in, best dressed to secure the availability. Operators cannot afford the risk of “holding” a plane for someone who is still making their decision. If another booking comes along that is ready to confirm then they will take that on the spot.
