Booking a charter is simpler than most people expect. You send a route, a date, a passenger count and a rough idea of luggage to two or three companies, and quotes come back within a day. Charter One says it returns a detailed quote within 24 hours and Airly says within one business day. You pay a deposit, settle the balance before departure, and turn up 12 to 30 minutes before the flight.
The part that catches people is who you are actually dealing with. CASA warns that the company that sells you a flight may not be the company that operates it, and only the operator needs the Air Operator's Certificate. Sorting that out takes one question.
Prices shown are published estimates only. Your final price will depend on the aircraft available, travel date, route, passenger numbers, luggage and any additional fees. Request a quote from the charter company for an exact price.
Work out what you are actually asking for
A charter quote is built from a handful of variables, and getting them right first time saves a round of revised quotes.
Passenger numbers decide the aircraft, and the jump from four passengers to five can mean a different aircraft and a different price rather than a small increase. Luggage matters more than on an airline: Navair says standard 23 kg suitcases are fine on business jets, but a twin-piston aircraft may allow only 7 kg of carry-on. Golf clubs, skis and pets all need declaring in advance, and Navair, Airly and Charter One all say pets travel in the cabin.
Say whether you want one way, a same-day return, or a return with a night away. They are three different prices. An overnight adds crew accommodation, which Air Charter Network puts at $305 to $917 per crew member per night.
If your dates can move, say so. Flexibility is what gets you access to empty legs, which are somebody else's repositioning flights sold cheap.
Which aircraft class fits the trip
| Sector | Usual class | Seats | Per flight hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| Short regional, unsealed strips, Sydney to Canberra | Turboprop | 6 to 12 | $2,500 to $4,500 (Charter One) |
| Interstate, such as Sydney to Melbourne or Brisbane | Light jet | 4 to 8 | $3,000 to $6,000 (FlightCharter, Charter One) |
| Longer domestic, larger groups | Midsize | 6 to 9 | $6,000 to $10,000 (FlightCharter, Charter One) |
| Transcontinental, international | Heavy or long range | 10 to 16 | $10,000 to $15,000+ (Charter One) |
A turboprop has propellers driven by a turbine engine. It is slower than a jet and costs less to run. On Sydney to Canberra, Charter One puts a turboprop at 45 minutes against 35 in a jet, for about 40 per cent less.
Air Charter Network notes that most operators bill a minimum of one and a half to two flight hours per trip, so a 40 minute sector is not charged as 40 minutes. That minimum is why very short flights look expensive per hour.
Operator or broker
An operator holds an Air Operator's Certificate, issued by CASA under CASR Part 119, and is the company that operates the flight. That certificate requires a safety management system, training and checking, drug and alcohol testing, stricter maintenance and routine CASA audits. Navair publishes its number, CASA.AOC.0056.
A broker does not need an AOC, because it does not operate the aircraft. It arranges a flight on an aircraft an operator flies, and takes a margin. The Jet Club states plainly on its site that it is a broker with no AOC, and that client funds sit in a ring-fenced Westpac account.
Both have a place. A broker earns its fee when you need an aircraft type no single operator has, when you are flying internationally, or when you want one company to handle a multi-leg trip across several fleets. Airly, a booking agent that competes with other brokers, claims brokers add 10 to 20 per cent in margin and 18 to 35 per cent in repositioning surcharges. That is a competitor describing its rivals rather than an independent finding, so weigh it accordingly.
In our reading, for a straightforward domestic trip on a light jet, quoting two operators directly and one broker gives you a real comparison and takes about the same effort as quoting three brokers.
Asking for a quote you can actually compare
Quotes are hard to compare because operators present them differently. Ask each company for the same five things.
- Whether the price is per aircraft or per person, and how many seats it assumes.
- Whether it is one way, a same-day return, or a return with an overnight.
- Whether GST is included. Domestic charter carries 10 per cent, and on a $50,000 charter that is $5,000.
- What positioning is included. Air Charter Network says a positioning fee can double the price you were expecting, while FlightCharter says it includes any return-to-base cost in its quote.
- What else is billed separately: airport and landing charges, catering, crew overnights, ground standby time, de-icing.
Charter One prices premium catering at $80 to $200 a head ordered at least 48 hours ahead, and Air Charter Network puts standard meals at $76 to $229 a head with a 20 to 50 per cent premium for last-minute orders. Airport charges vary enormously by field. Charter One puts Sydney to Melbourne airport fees at $1,500 to $3,000 against under $500 at a private airfield.
An instant quote tool on an operator's website gives you an estimate. The confirmed price comes after someone checks which aircraft is actually free on your date.
Checking the operator is legal
This is the step to take before you pay a deposit, and it is quick.
Ask the company you are booking with which entity will operate the flight, and whether that entity holds an AOC. CASA's own consumer advice makes the point directly: the company that sold you the flight may not be the company operating it, so contact the seller or read their website to find out who the legal operator is. If you cannot get a straight answer, that is your answer.
CASA publishes a list of air operators through its search centre, so you can confirm the certificate exists. The advice line is 131 757.
One thing that is not charter: cost-sharing flights arranged through flight-sharing platforms. Under CASA's rules those may only be advertised on dedicated flight-sharing platforms, the pilot and all passengers must share the direct costs, and the aircraft must not be configured with more than six seats. No AOC is required and they are not audited the way commercial operations are. They are legal, and they are a different product from what this page describes.
Notice, deposits and cancellation
Navair says a charter can be arranged within hours, subject to availability. Airly's Jet Card members need 48 hours on a Citation Mustang and up to 72 hours on a CJ2. MJet says flights on its jet card program, which is launching soon, are guaranteed with more than 24 hours' notice, and The Jet Club's Black tier promises 12 hour availability.
Booking late costs money. Charter One says a charter arranged inside 48 hours typically runs 20 to 30 per cent more than one booked further out, and that booking a month ahead usually gets a better rate. Melbourne Cup week, the Australian Grand Prix, Christmas and Easter are flagged as peak by both Charter One and FlightCharter.
Air Charter Network describes the normal payment pattern as a deposit at booking with the balance settled before departure. Charter One says cancellation policies vary but typically charge 50 per cent inside 48 hours and 100 per cent inside 24 hours. Read the terms before you transfer anything.
Your confirmation should name the operating company, the aircraft registration, the departure terminal and the reporting time. If it does not name the aircraft, ask.
On the day
You report to a private terminal rather than a passenger terminal. In Sydney that is ExecuJet at Kingsford Smith or Navair's facility at Bankstown. In Melbourne it is ExecuJet at Essendon. In Brisbane, Jet Aviation runs a private terminal at Brisbane Airport with customs on site.
Reporting times are short. Airly says 12 minutes from the kerb, Navair says 15 to 20 minutes, and Charter One and Air Charter Network say 15 to 30. Bring photo identification, and a passport for anything international.
Common questions
Can I book a private jet for tomorrow?
Often, if an aircraft is free. Navair says it can arrange a charter within hours subject to availability. Expect to pay for the short notice: Charter One puts the premium inside 48 hours at 20 to 30 per cent.
What happens to my money if the company collapses before the flight?
That depends entirely on the company and it is worth asking directly. The Jet Club is the only company in our source pack that publishes an answer, saying client funds are held in a ring-fenced Westpac account.
Do I get the same aircraft I was quoted?
Not necessarily. Ask what the substitution policy is, and whether a substitution changes the price, before you confirm.
Is a deposit refundable?
It depends on the operator and on how close to departure you cancel. Charter One says policies typically charge 50 per cent inside 48 hours and 100 per cent inside 24. Get the cancellation terms in writing with the quote.
Can I fly with a pet?
Navair, Airly and Charter One all say pets travel in the cabin. Tell the operator at quote stage, because it affects the aircraft and the crew briefing.
Send us your route and dates and we will put the same request to matched operators.
