Air charter: how to charter an aircraft, step by step

Air charter is the hire of a whole aircraft for a trip that you design. Instead of buying a seat on a scheduled airline, the charterer contracts the entire cabin of a jet, turboprop, helicopter or airliner, together with its crew, and decides the route, the departure time and the passenger list. Private jet charter, on-demand charter, ad hoc charter and, in Brazil, táxi aéreo (air taxi) are different names for the same basic product: commercial, non-scheduled air transport sold one trip at a time.

Air charter is commercial aviation, not private flying

The single most important idea for an air charter buyer is that a charter flight is a commercial operation. Because someone pays for the transport, the flight must be operated by a company that holds an air operator certificate issued by the aviation authority of its country. In the United States that means an FAA certificate for on-demand operations under 14 CFR Part 135, which covers airplanes with up to 30 passenger seats and 7,500 pounds of payload, plus every helicopter charter. In Brazil, ANAC certifies air taxi companies under RBAC 135, with a reference ceiling of 19 passenger seats. In the European Union, charter operators hold an AOC under the EASA Air Operations Regulation (EU) 965/2012. A privately registered aircraft flown under general operating rules, such as Part 91 in the US or RBAC 91 in Brazil, cannot legally be sold for hire, however polished it looks.

Air charter compared with other ways to fly private

Air charter sits at the flexible end of business aviation. Jet cards and memberships trade a deposit for fixed hourly rates and guaranteed availability. Fractional ownership buys a share of a specific aircraft. Full ownership gives total control in exchange for capital, crew, maintenance and hangar costs. Charter asks for no commitment at all: you pay per trip and can choose a different aircraft for each mission, from a light jet for two people to an airliner for a team. The page on private aviation options compares these models side by side, and companies weighing a flight department against charter can start with corporate aviation.

When chartering an aircraft is the right tool

• Thin or no airline service: resort islands, mining towns, farm regions and secondary cities often have no direct flights.
• Time-critical itineraries: three cities in one day, a site visit and back by dinner, or a departure at the exact minute a meeting ends.
• Groups that travel together: a family with luggage and pets, a board, a film crew, a sports team or an incentive group.
• Privacy and security: private terminals, no public queues and a passenger list that you control.
• Special missions: aeromedical transfers, urgent or high-value cargo, aerial filming and photography, and the transport of authorities with security, always with operators authorized for that work.

US DOT Part 295: the rules for air charter brokers

In the United States, the Department of Transportation regulates charter brokers under 14 CFR Part 295, published in September 2018 and in force since February 14, 2019. It was the first federal regulation of the air charter broker industry and followed safety recommendations from the NTSB after accidents involving brokered flights. Part 295 defines an air charter broker as anyone who holds out, sells or arranges single-entity charter air transportation using a direct air carrier. Its main rules are:

• Authorized carriers only (295.20): a broker may not arrange a flight with a carrier that lacks DOT economic authority and FAA (or foreign) safety authority, nor sell a service the carrier is not authorized to perform. Domestic US flights must be flown by US-citizen carriers.
• Advertising (295.23): ads and websites must state clearly that the company is a broker, not the direct carrier in operational control, and that a licensed carrier will operate the flight.
• Disclosures before contracting (295.24): the operator's corporate name, the capacity in which the broker is acting (as principal or as agent), and whether the broker holds liability insurance and its limits. On request, the broker must also disclose business relationships with the operator, the total cost including fees and taxes, and known third-party fees such as fuel or landing charges.
• Refund rights: if required information is not given in time, the charterer may cancel with a full refund. Cash and check refunds are due within 20 days of a complete request (295.26).
• Misrepresentation (295.50): claiming to be a carrier, or misrepresenting aircraft type, pilot qualifications, safety records, audit affiliations, insurance or fares, is an unfair or deceptive practice under 49 U.S.C. 41712, with civil penalties.

The same principle outside the United States

Part 295 is a US rule, but its logic is universal. The UK Civil Aviation Authority tells passengers that the seller must say who operates the flight, and that they should check that operator on the official AOC list. In Brazil, ANAC lets passengers check the air taxi company and the aircraft in its Voe Seguro app. Embarque Oficial works the same way: it does not own or operate aircraft, it organizes flights with operators certified by ANAC in Brazil and by the aviation authority of each country abroad, and the quote and the flight confirmation name the operator responsible. Charter brokers should not be confused with aircraft brokers, who represent buyers and sellers in transactions, a service covered on the aircraft brokerage page.

Government tools to verify an operator

On May 11, 2026, the FAA added a searchable database of certificated Part 135 operators and their aircraft to its Safe Air Charter website, so passengers and brokers can check whether both the company and the specific aircraft are cleared for charter. Asking the operator for a copy of its certificate and confirmation that the aircraft is on it remains good practice. In the UK, the CAA publishes the list of UK AOC holders. In Brazil, ANAC's Voe Seguro app shows whether an air taxi company and its aircraft are authorized. More on how Embarque Oficial reads these signals is in the global air mobility overview.

The shape of the itinerary changes the air charter price as much as the aircraft does, because the client usually pays for every hour the aircraft flies for the trip, including the hours without passengers.

Round trip, same day or with the aircraft waiting

On a same-day round trip, the aircraft and crew wait at the destination. The client pays the two legs plus any waiting charges, and the day must fit within the crew's legal duty time. For trips of a few days, the operator compares two options: keep the aircraft and crew at the destination, paying overnight costs such as crew hotel, per diem and sometimes a daily standby fee, or fly the aircraft home and send it back, paying four legs instead of two. A good quote shows both.

One-way

A one-way charter often includes the return of the aircraft to its base, because the operator has no paying passenger for that leg. In busy markets with many aircraft based at both ends, one-way pricing can be lower when an operator expects to fill the return. Asking for aircraft based near the destination, or for a return that the operator is already planning, can reduce the cost.

Multi-leg trips and roadshows

Multi-city tours, investor roadshows and site visits are where air charter saves the most time. The operator plans each leg against crew duty and rest rules, which may require a second crew on long days. Embarque Oficial organizes roadshows and corporate programs with this kind of routing, and the corporate aviation page explains how companies structure recurring travel.

Empty legs

An empty leg is a positioning flight that an operator sells at a discount because the aircraft would fly empty anyway. The price can be attractive, but the route and time are set by the original charter, and the flight can be cancelled or moved if that charter changes. Empty legs suit flexible travelers with a backup plan, not a fixed meeting. Current opportunities are listed on the empty legs page.

The charter agreement turns a quote into obligations. It should be short enough to read and precise enough to settle any disagreement. Whether the contract is signed with the operator directly or through a broker, the operator remains in operational control of the flight.

Essential clauses

• Parties: the operator's legal name, certificate and issuing authority, and the capacity in which any intermediary acts.
• Aircraft: model, registration and the rule for substitution with an equivalent or larger aircraft if the original is unavailable.
• Itinerary: airports, dates, scheduled times and how long the aircraft will wait for late passengers.
• Passengers and luggage: maximum number, weight and volume, pets, sports gear and items not allowed on board.
• Price: what is included and what is billed afterwards, the currency and the exchange rule.
• Payment: deposit, balance, due dates and how funds are handled before the flight.
• Changes and cancellation: the charges for each notice period and for changes of time, route or aircraft.
• Weather, safety and force majeure: the pilot in command's authority to delay or divert, and what happens to the money if the flight cannot be completed.
• Insurance and liability: the operator's coverage and limits.
• Law and jurisdiction.

How cancellation usually works

Most operators use a sliding scale: a small or no charge when the flight is cancelled well in advance, rising as departure approaches, up to the full price for a late cancellation or a no-show. The exact percentages and deadlines vary by operator, aircraft and season, and peak dates often carry stricter terms. Ask for the scale in writing before paying, and check what happens if the operator cancels for a technical reason: a replacement aircraft, a refund, or both options.

Refunds and liability

Under US Part 295, a charterer who does not receive required disclosures in time may cancel with a full refund, and brokers must refund cash or check payments within 20 days of a complete request. On international flights, the carrier's liability to passengers is generally governed by the Montreal Convention, whose limits are expressed in Special Drawing Rights and revised periodically, so the contract should state which regime applies. In Brazil, air taxi operators must carry RETA liability insurance under the rules of the national insurance regulator.

Red flags in a charter agreement

• No operator name, or only a brand name.
• Payment to a personal account or a company unrelated to the flight.
• Unlimited substitution rights with no equivalence rule.
• Vague language on extra charges such as handling or de-icing.

The aircraft brokerage page explains how contracts work when the goal is to buy an aircraft rather than charter one.

With offices in Monaco, Dubai, London, Paris and New York, Embarque Oficial plans these cross-border itineraries for clients worldwide. The global air mobility page shows how multi-country trips are coordinated, and executive travel covers the ground arrangements.

1. GovInfo: 14 CFR Part 295, Air Charter Brokers (full text, 2023 edition)
2. NBAA: New air charter broker rule takes effect (Feb 2019)
3. eCFR: 14 CFR 110.2, definitions of on-demand and supplemental operations
4. AVweb: FAA adds certified Part 135 operators to Safe Air Charter website (May 2026)
5. UK CAA: Making sure your flight is legal
6. ARGUS: The ARGUS audit ecosystem
7. AIN: ARGUS enhances and expands Gold audit standard (Oct 2025)
8. Wyvern: White Cloud Charter renews its Wyvern Wingman certification
9. Private Jet Card Comparisons: Jet Linx maintains Wyvern Wingman PRO certification (Jun 2026)
10. Schubach Aviation: What private jet flyers need to know about IS-BAO (Jun 2025)
11. ACSF: Industry Audit Standard
12. Private Jet Card Comparisons: Jet card prices fall 3.1% in Q3 2026 (Oct 2026)
13. Private Jet Card Comparisons: What you need to know about deicing before you get the bill (Nov 2024)
14. FAA: Current Aviation Excise Tax Structure and Rates 2026
15. OAG: What is wet leasing?
16. Universal Weather: US cabotage restrictions for non-US business aircraft
17. Agência Gov: ANAC's Voe Seguro app for checking air taxi companies (Jan 2024)
18. Melhores Destinos: foreign airlines and domestic flights in Brazil (Art. 216 of the Brazilian Aeronautical Code)
19. AIN: GACA opens Saudi domestic charter market to foreign operators (Feb 2025)
20. Jetex: Cabotage in Europe, the Middle East and Africa

Written by Régis Hahns, CEO of Embarque Oficial, with the company's editorial team, based on the sources above. Rules, prices and lead times change: always confirm with ANAC, the manufacturer or a specialist before deciding. Embarque Oficial serves clients worldwide, from Monaco, Dubai, Capri and Rome to every region of Brazil, and arranges each flight with operators certified by ANAC, Brazil's civil aviation authority, in Brazil and by the local aviation authority abroad.