How much does a private jet flight really cost?

For most people, flying on a private jet is still associated with expensive elite aircraft, exotic destinations, and luxurious cabin interiors designe

Despite the existence of a market for such flights, today the rental of private jets presents a different picture, and the range of passengers utilizing private jet rental services is constantly expanding.

The vast majority of charter flights on private jets are used for commercial purposes, where the flexibility and level of comfort offered by a private flight impact the cost, unlike commercial flights.

An obvious advantage of private flights is that there is no risk of missing your flight. A private jet can be scheduled for a specific time, and the crew will wait for you until you finish your business or meetings. While unexpected delays may occur, you need not worry; the aircraft will be waiting for you on the tarmac, ready to take off as soon as you arrive at the airport.

Upon first encountering business aviation, many passengers are surprised to see small 5-seat turboprop planes offered for rental by airlines. However, these types of aircraft can also meet passengers' needs. For example, such aircraft are well-suited for individual or group transportation over short distances, especially to regional airports that do not service larger planes, or certain mountain airports.

 

What will you learn from this article?

• We will introduce you to various classes and types of aircraft and explain how pricing is determined for each jet.
• We will outline the factors that influence the cost of charter transportation.
• We will familiarize you with external factors that may affect the cost of a flight.
• We will provide examples of the most popular routes globally on business jets (and their costs).
• You will learn how to save up to 75% on flight costs using the so-called Empty-Leg system.

And much more...

 

Getting to Know Types and Classes of Business Jets

 

As previously mentioned, not all private jets are luxurious airliners designed for famous artists and top executives of large corporations. JetVip can offer access to any type of aircraft that meets your specific needs. Our company's partner list includes hundreds of airlines worldwide with a fleet ranging from small turboprop planes to corporate airliners with cabin configurations accommodating over 100 passengers.

The business jet market offers aircraft of various sizes and configurations. Most business jets typically accommodate up to nineteen people, but often fewer. The most popular private jets seat 8-13 passengers, which usually meets the needs of 90% of clients.

Let’s take a closer look at the categories of private aircraft. Fortunately, there are only 6 groups.

 

1. Small Turboprop Aircraft

Notable representatives of this class include aircraft such as Piaggio Avanti, Beechcraft King Air 350, Cessna 340. These aircraft typically have seating arrangements from 3 to 8 seats and a maximum flight range of up to 2,500 km. Renting such planes usually costs from 1,500 EUR to 2,000 EUR per hour, making them ideal for short flights when a small group of passengers needs to travel between cities.

These planes are versatile and can land at almost any airport due to their size, including regional airports, which can be especially relevant for many airports in Russia.

Since these aircraft are not equipped with jet engines, this limits the maximum takeoff weight and, consequently, the amount of cargo they can carry. Turboprop planes have a lower cruising speed compared to jet aircraft, which can ultimately negatively impact flight costs compared to the small jet planes we will discuss next.

 

2. Light Jets

The most common aircraft in this class include: Cessna CitationJet CJ2+, Embraer Phenom 300, Hawker 400XP, Premier 1A. Typically, these aircraft have seating arrangements of 5 to 9 seats and a greater flight range compared to their turboprop counterparts. Light jets can comfortably cover distances from 2,500 to 4,000 km, providing passengers with a wide range of flight destination options, and the rental cost is usually between 2,000 EUR and 3,000 EUR. Many clients prefer this type of aircraft for flights within central Russia. The speed of these jets is significantly higher than that of turboprops. For example, the cruising speed of the Premier 1A is 835 km/h, allowing passengers to reach their destination quickly. Additionally, the maximum takeoff weight of these jets exceeds that of turboprop aircraft, giving an advantage when transporting a larger amount of luggage.

 

3. Midsize Jets

Among this class of aircraft, we can highlight models such as Gulfstream G150, Challenger 300, Hawker 850XP, and Cessna Citation XLS+. These jets typically accommodate 7 to 9 passengers but have a significantly greater flight range than light jets, reaching up to 6,500 km, with a cruising speed of 800-900 km/h.

Some representatives of this class can perform transatlantic flights. In Russia, this type of aircraft is quite popular, second only to "heavy jets," as these business jets allow for comfortable, non-stop domestic and international flights, particularly the Challenger 300, which can fly directly from Moscow to any European airport.

The rental costs for such aircraft range from 3,000 EUR to 4,500 EUR per flight hour.

Aircraft like Cessna XLS+, Hawker 850XP are quite popular among our clients due to the optimal price-to-comfort ratio.

 

 

4. Heavy Jets

The most popular class of aircraft. This group includes models such as Challenger (350, 604, 605, 650), Embraer Legacy (600, 650), Falcon (900, 2000), Gulfstream (G450, G280, G200, G300). This is the most in-demand group of aircraft in the business aviation market. Such jets can perform non-stop flights lasting up to 8-9 hours and accommodate 12-14 passengers (with some exceptions allowing for up to 18 passengers). These jets can offer a wider range of services, the main one being the availability of sleeping accommodations. Rental costs for this type of aircraft vary from 5,000 EUR to 8,000 EUR, often depending on passengers’ individual requests. These aircraft are preferred by show business representatives, entrepreneurs, top executives of large companies, and high-ranking individuals.

Inside these aircraft, you can stand fully upright without reaching the ceiling. Excellent trunk sizes, spacious cabins, speed, and flight range make this group the most popular. However, perfection has no limits, and we move on to even more luxurious aircraft in the next group.

 

5. VIP Airliners (up to 19 seats)

This category includes large business aircraft such as Airbus A318 Elite, Boeing BBJ, Embraer Lineage 1000, and Sukhoi Superjet 100 with VIP cabin configurations. These aircraft can seat 19 or more passengers and have a flight range of 8,000 km. The rental cost for such aircraft is typically around 10,000 EUR per hour, which can be justified by their large capacity. This type of aircraft is ideal for large groups traveling medium to long distances.

 

6. Large Airliners (over 19 seats)

For those needing to transport more than 50 people over long distances, large airliners can be rented. This includes well-known models such as Boeing 737, Boeing 737-500, Airbus A330. These aircraft have intercontinental flight ranges often exceeding 10,000 km.

Due to their size, flight range, and capacity, the hourly flight cost can exceed 10,000 EUR. However, a larger cabin configuration of 50-150 seats can justify such expenses. Renting these aircraft can be appealing to sports teams, corporate delegations, and large tourist groups.

 

Factors Affecting the Cost of Chartering a Business Jet

So far, all mentioned prices have been estimations; the actual cost of renting a private jet depends on numerous factors. To offer you the best price for a business jet flight, we will consider all necessary services for you, and to understand how the price for a private jet flight is formed, we will outline the main factors influencing the cost.

 

• Fuel Costs

Fuel prices vary at different airports worldwide, and different types of fuel are consumed differently depending on the type of aircraft. There are several types of aviation fuel. Each type of aircraft uses its specific fuel type, and generally, more powerful aircraft consume higher quality aviation fuel. The cost of aviation fuel ranges from 700 EUR to 900 EUR per ton. A private jet can consume over 1 ton of aviation fuel per hour, making this expense significant in the overall cost of an air flight.

 

• Type of Aircraft

Obviously, the larger the aircraft, the higher the associated operational costs. Without going into depth, it’s simpler to state that a larger aircraft will require more services, and maintaining a large jet will be significantly more expensive than that of a small jet. Hence, the rental price of a large jet must be much higher to cover the operational costs. Here is a list of expenses: leasing payments, aircraft maintenance (repairs, inspections, etc.), various software subscriptions for the aircraft, cleaning, anti-icing treatment, cabin cleaning, crew salaries and ongoing training, operator management fees, and much more.

The initial purchase price of a turboprop aircraft and a large business jet can differ by tens of millions of euros. Naturally, the cost of the aircraft must be amortized over each flight hour, which is reflected in the rental price of each hour.

 

• VIP-Lounge + VIP-Catering

These services are provided in nearly 100% of private jet flights, making it crucial to consider this factor when estimating flight costs. Generally, it is assumed that the cost of VIP lounge access and VIP catering for one passenger one way is 500 EUR, making it 1000 EUR for a round trip. Thus, the expense for VIP lounge access and VIP catering for a round trip from Moscow to Nice for 10 passengers would total 10,000 EUR, which will, of course, be included in the final flight cost.

 

• Airport Services

This factor can constitute a significant portion of the flight cost. Depending on the flight, carriers often have to pay substantial amounts for aircraft servicing, especially in large international airports.

 

• Parking the Aircraft at the Airport

If you rent a private jet for an extended period, such as 7 days, you will be responsible for covering the carrier's costs for parking the aircraft, which can reach several thousand EUR per day during winter months for hangar storage.

 

• Additional Airport Services

If desired, you can take advantage of additional services at the airport. For instance, in Moscow, many passengers utilize the "first parking" service, which means you won’t have to use a transfer to reach your aircraft, as the business jet will wait for you directly at the terminal. This category also includes conference rooms and even helicopters upon arrival that can take you to your final destination; JetVip will provide this service as professionally as it does with private jet rentals.

 

External Factors Influencing the Cost of Chartering a Business Jet

 

• Additional Stops

If your route includes more than one destination, or if the aircraft needs to refuel, expect an increase in flight costs. Airports charge for takeoffs and landings and other services, regardless of whether it is the final destination.

 

• De-icing

During the winter months, an additional cost may be incurred for de-icing the aircraft, which is borne by the passengers of the business jet.

 

• Need to Relocate the Aircraft When Parking is Unavailable

For long flights, some airports may not provide parking for aircraft due to high traffic. In such cases, the aircraft may need to fly to another airport and then return to pick up passengers, which incurs significant additional costs.

 

Estimating Flight Costs for the Most Popular Routes

 

1. New York – Los Angeles

Undoubtedly the most popular domestic route in the USA. Typically, the price for a one-way flight from Los Angeles to New York is just over 30,000 EUR. The cheapest aircraft capable of making this flight without refueling is the six-seat Learjet 40.

2. New York – Chicago

Another very important domestic route that can be serviced by either turboprop or small jet aircraft is New York – Chicago and vice versa. A one-way flight from New York to a small municipal airport near Chicago will cost around 7,000 EUR on a turboprop and 9,000 EUR on a small jet.

3. New York – London

One fact in business aviation is that the vast majority of all private flights begin and end in New York. Transatlantic flights are another very popular route requiring the rental of a long-haul aircraft capable of flying across the ocean without refueling. The cost of such a flight typically starts at $60,000 and can increase significantly if you wish to access luxurious additional services during the flight.

 

4. London – Moscow

Be prepared to pay at least 25,000 EUR for a charter flight from London to Moscow. The best aircraft for such a flight is a midsize business jet capable of carrying 8 passengers. Local airlines may offer a flight on such an aircraft for just over 33,000 EUR.

 

5. Moscow – Nice

One of the most frequent routes in business aviation worldwide runs from Russia to the south of France. Nice is also a popular destination from London and New York, but no city has as many business aviation passengers as Moscow. The cost of a flight on this route will be at least 25,000 EUR and will require the use of a midsize business jet for the non-stop flight.

 

6. Moscow – Sochi

One of the most popular domestic routes in Russia. For a group of 6 people, the best choice would be to select a jet like the Challenger 300. The rental cost for a business jet for a “weekend” will be around 25,000 EUR, which is associated with high airport service fees in Sochi and Moscow.

 

7. Moscow – St. Petersburg

The most popular route in the Russian business community. Frequent flights and the short distance on this route allow you to rent a business jet starting from 10,000 EUR, and in some cases even cheaper; here, your choice may fall on a light aircraft.

 

 

One-Way or Round-Trip Flights

Business aviation clients often make flights one way, leading to the system known as “empty leg” (empty-leg) that we will discuss next. Logically, a one-way flight is always cheaper than a round trip. This is because the aircraft needs to be returned to its home airport and is influenced by the factors we mentioned above. The difference usually involves the same VIP lounges and catering that are not utilized during the return empty leg flight.

 

What is an Empty-Leg Flight and How Does it Help Save up to 75%?

Renting a business jet may seem like a costly service; however, the method of empty flights (Empty-leg) is gaining popularity, allowing business aviation clients to save significant amounts, up to 75% of the total flight cost.

When clients book an empty leg flight, they are essentially covering the costs associated with returning the aircraft to its home airport, making this booking principle mutually beneficial for both client and operator.

An important principle of renting private jets in this manner requires clients to be ready to fly at a "last minute" notice. This is because such flights often arise the day before departure, and the flight schedule is always dependent on another client.

 To always receive up-to-date information with the best “empty leg” offers, visit our section displaying offers from our partners (empty-leg). If you know your route in advance, make a request in our section, and our professional team will find the best private jet that meets your requirements.

If you are interested in learning more about renting a private jet, JetVip specialists will be happy to explain the process of renting a business jet and help you make the best choice.

To find out more about the cost of renting a private jet and the type of aircraft that suits you, you can fill out the form in our section.