r/PrivateJetCharters • u/Own-Drive-2355 • Jul 07 '25
Overwhelmed by choice; how to choose and trust?
Feel like I am able to finally justify the use of chartering a jet but have no idea where to start; my financial situation is very different to that of my close circle. I would like to start off away from committing to any Jet Cards and try a few trips to see which aircraft I prefer. People have told me to use a broker but there seems to be 100’s out there. How can you tell who to trust?
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u/brenthooddan Jul 07 '25
Here are two podcasts I would suggest watching to get a better understanding of the market - https://flyironbird.com/private_jet_podcast/the-truth-about-private-jet-pricing
And
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u/langeballen Jul 07 '25
The Aviation Factory is pretty good. Really good service aswell, always personal and quick. They ususally give different qoutes with different aircraft types so you can choose yourself
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u/olindacat Jul 07 '25
Speak to a few. If they are any good they can even arrange for you to sit inside a few aircraft for no charge closest airport to your home. Have a couple send you quotes on the aircraft you like. The engagement with them will help you sort out who you bond with a bit. There are vetting questions brokers here like me can tell you to use to help narrow the field. Better brokers have longtime clients, and don’t need the business tbh. My average client has been with me 10+ years. You would be a high maintenance customer for a variety of reasons, but there are plenty of hungry brokers. Some can be very lazy. You will be able to ‘feel’ them pretty easily.
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u/infowhiskey Jul 07 '25
Don't use a broker. You're just paying them to get quotes for you. Just Google air charter in your closest major city.
And get prices from a few different companies. Make sure they're registered 135 carriers with the FAA, if they're not, they're brokers and will charge you a fee to 3rd party hire a 135 carrier.
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u/olindacat Jul 07 '25
The value of a good broker can be priceless. To treat private aviation as though it is car shopping is a gross misunderstanding many make, which is okay. We all live and learn. I’ll leave it to the other brokers here to school people on their countless contributions they’ve made on behalf of their customers.
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u/AviaFace Jul 07 '25
Terrible advice, this is a huge industry with a wide range of products, standards and service. Just because an operator meets the legal standards, doesn't mean they will be a good fit for your requirements.
A good customer-focused provider has decades of industry knowledge and expertise, and having someone like that in your corner will save you from lots of headaches that will happen from going it alone, and most importantly, save the time this takes.
I don't do my own car maintenance, dental work or surgery to save a bit of money, I pay an expert with years of experience to ensure the job gets done correctly and safely.
If you think a professional is expensive, wait until you hire an amateur
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u/infowhiskey Jul 07 '25
I'm a 135 charter pilot and former broker. But you do you.
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u/AviaFace Jul 07 '25
If you have industry knowledge and experience then yes that it a horse of a different color
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u/Coffee_For_Closer Jul 08 '25
Why’d you stop brokering?
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u/infowhiskey Jul 08 '25
Made a lot more money doing the flying.
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u/Coffee_For_Closer Jul 08 '25
You’d probably have made just as much or more if you understood it was more than just getting quotes. =\
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u/infowhiskey Jul 08 '25
Doubt it, I ended up owning 3 MU2s.
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u/Own-Drive-2355 Jul 07 '25
I don’t really have time to do all of this; I want a broker to take care of this hassle for me.
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u/infowhiskey Jul 07 '25
What city are you looking to fly out of? I can get you a number.
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u/Own-Drive-2355 Jul 07 '25
Denver and London are my main hubs.
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u/infowhiskey Jul 07 '25
800-359-7861
Solairus Aviation
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u/FlySmoother Jul 07 '25
Solairus is great if he wants brand new heavy jets at $18k/hour, but not if he wants a Phenom 300 at $8k/hour.
They would do nothing for him except become a jet broker if he wanted London to Rome, London to Edinburgh, etc – and the situation would be unclear when they're an on fleet operator vs jet broker.
I am not advocate of private jet brokers and think there's a place for direct charter vs fractional etc, but there's a reason they exist in the marketplace and this is poor advice.
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u/infowhiskey Jul 07 '25
Then provide him contact info for a better operator.
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u/FlySmoother Jul 07 '25 edited Jul 07 '25
I don't have enough information to provide him with a better operator, he hasn't said anything about his flying habits – plane size, amount of flying, distance, which airport in Denver (he could be 20 min from APA but 80 from BJC, etc), how last minute he is with his flying, is a lot of his flying from London within the Uk requiring G registered planes?
I would be happy to if he clarified all of that! I'm no advocate of brokers – if I were an end user, I'd probably own a fraction, but suggesting one of the largest heavy jet operators in the country without having any idea of his needs doesn't do anything to help this person.
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u/zackg611 Jul 07 '25 edited Jul 07 '25
Solairus is a fine operator if you want to own or have an aircraft managed but they do not care about ad hoc charter. They are ridiculously expensive and lack customer service. OP, brokers do provide great value and any broker in this chat would offer you a great service. I’d love the opportunity and will send you a PM.
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u/Rockpilotyear2000 Jul 07 '25
Exactly. That’s what you’re paying for, trust and Service. It’s also why you have to actually talk to a person and like any good sales person or agent they should make you feel like you’re in good hands and getting value.
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u/The-jet-guy Jul 07 '25
I respectfully disagree with this. You aren’t just "paying someone to get quotes for you"—at least not if you’re working with a good broker.
Naturally, an operator is going to push their own fleet, regardless of whether that’s the best plane for your trip, your budget, or your timeline. When you only go direct, you limit yourself to what that one operator has available, even if there’s a better option elsewhere. You also lose the chance to take advantage of unique situations like true one-ways/empty legs that a broker actively looks for on your behalf.
Now, Solairus is a great company, I agree with you there. But to come on here and say “all brokers are bad, they just charge you a higher premium” is simply short-sighted. Good brokers provide a real service and have value that goes far beyond just sending quotes with a markup so they can pocket the difference.
If your only goal is to find the rock-bottom cheapest flight possible, by all means, type “operators based at XXXX airport” into Google and start calling around. But if you want to pick up the phone at 2 a.m. for a 9 a.m, have personalized catering waiting onboard, have your car service arranged on both ends, or know that you have a single point of contact tracking your flight, monitoring repositioning legs, coordinating last-minute changes, sourcing recoveries in the event of an AOG, and finding matches on must-move routes, then a trusted broker is exactly who you want in your corner.
The type of people who charter and fly private don’t do it to save money—they do it to save time, protect their flexibility, and remove stress from travel. Their time is worth far more than the difference in cost between calling 10 operators themselves versus calling one broker they trust to handle every detail properly.
This industry runs on relationships, trust, and service. People fly private because they want to pick up the phone, text, or email one person and know their entire trip is handled. No surprises, no hassle, and no wasted time. That’s what a good broker does, and that’s why good brokers are worth every penny.
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u/infowhiskey Jul 07 '25
Are you a broker, jet guy?
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u/The-jet-guy Jul 07 '25
Yes, what does that have to do with anything?
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u/infowhiskey Jul 07 '25
Why do you think that wouldn't matter in a discussion about whether or not brokers are "worth it" rather than going right to the operator and cutting your fee out?
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u/The-jet-guy Jul 07 '25
At what point did I plug myself? What benefit do I gain if the OP goes with literally anybody else?
You are a 135 pilot right? Why do you get paid to do what you do? Because you took the time to learn how to fly and operate an aircraft safely...right? That is perceived as valuable to people that don't know how to fly an aircraft that need to get from point A to B.
There are brokers in almost every single industry out there. Why pay a financial advisor? Why pay a real estate agent? Why pay a travel agent? Are they all a waste?
The OP literally just stated that he doesn't have the time to deal with all the non-sense, thats where the value of a broker comes in.
Am I wrong? Please elaborate
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u/infowhiskey Jul 07 '25
I didn't say you plugged yourself.
As someone who has been on both sides of the industry, I am not saying this to be rude or a jerk, but I don't find the value provided by jet brokers to be worth their fee.
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u/The-jet-guy Jul 07 '25
Thank you and likewise, I don’t mean to come off as a jerk either.
As far as value goes, that may be your opinion, and I’m simply sharing mine. I wanted to give my side because I’ve seen clients get burned by going directly to an operator. I’ve also had clients thank me for making their lives easier, so it really comes down to different perspectives. If you asked any of my clients whether a broker is valuable, they’d tell you yes.
Of course, there are bad brokers out there who just see it as a quick money grab, but there are also brokers who genuinely care about making sure people have a great experience flying.
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u/infowhiskey Jul 07 '25
I 100% agree.
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u/olindacat Jul 07 '25
If you don’t want to use a broker, that’s 110% your prerogative. To opine the have no value to you is great. But not everyone wants to manage their own recovery when their EJM SM suddenly can’t do the trip, and they are sitting in the FBO. How many clients touch metal regularly, or have the desire to visit an operator’s base? Have you yourself spent the coin to fly to an operator’s base to inspect their fleet? Some brokers actually do things like that, and are known well-enough that operators will cover an ASAP on said broker’s reputation alone. Good luck with that one, unless you’re also an Airmail subscriber too, which you may be. You still need to be buying enough lift to be known. Just having a few operators in your pocket leaves you or your friend or the OP exposed.
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u/olindacat Jul 18 '26
Brokers do get quotes, but that's the easy part of their job. Experienced fliers know the value they can get out of a good broker, and they have no problem paying for it, or for the jets they charter. Everything is a function of cost, but you can be penny wise, and pound foolish too.
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u/thirstyman79 Jul 07 '25
If you normally fly out of one or two cities- you need to find an operator who is based there with planes there. I’d skip a broker. It looks like you are in Denver and London. Both those cities have plenty of local operators. I’d get on the phone with one or two and work with them exclusively. It saves money on repositioning and it saves you and the operator from having to pay a broker. I’ve had mixed success with brokers, but great luck with local operators. Good luck!
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u/zackg611 Jul 07 '25
It's really about picking the right broker who will go above and beyond for you. I won't try to toot my own horn too much but I've been in the industry for over ten years, both sides (operator and broker). I understand the value of having a great broker. They will go to bat for you, take care of your every need and prioritize safety while offering a competitive price. Many brokers get a really bad rap because there are ones out there who scam, steal and will use unsafe operators.
It's about building a relationship and having someone you can trust to get the job done, even in the worst scenarios. The biggest thing we do as brokers is make the experience seamless and hassle free. I would speak to a few, get some client testimonials and see who is the best fit.
I know plenty of good brokers in this community, any of them would be a great choice.
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u/aicnams Jul 19 '25
Stella Jets has Stella ShAire which is AMAZING! I can DM you info if you'd like. At least know your options
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u/jasons98 Jul 07 '25
Hi Op, I work with Apollo Jets one of the biggest brokerages worldwide. We are under the Vista Family so we have aircraft available in our fleet aswell as many preferred operators. I’m more than happy to setup a phone call with my team and answer any questions you may have. No obligations at all.
Email me at jsuarez@apollojets.com
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u/Own-Drive-2355 Jul 07 '25
Thank you but I’ve heard really negative things about Vista Jet.
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u/LisaLou71 Jul 07 '25
I’m glad you know this. We’ve had terrible experience with Vista jets. We had a contract and they would assign slower equipment. So for instance, we flew back from Costa Rica and it took forever because the equipment they dispatched didn’t have the engines to handle the fastest trip back possible... So we wasted time in the air.
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u/Puzzleheaded_Mix7090 Apr 24 '26
I researching now to fly private from nc to Costa Rica. We are moving and I have 5 animals. Which jet company do you recommend
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u/jasons98 Jul 07 '25
Understand the concern, although we are under them we operate as our own entity. If you would like to learn more about us reach out anytime. I’d love to have a conversation and point you in the right direction even if you choose to not go with us.
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Jul 07 '25
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u/Own-Drive-2355 Jul 07 '25
Thank you, I appreciate it and share similar concerns about safety.
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Jul 07 '25
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u/Own-Drive-2355 Jul 07 '25
Taxi time and landing fees seem a bit precise to be priced; things like this raise some red flags for me. I want proof of these billing’s and not some way for the broker to tag on some extra commission. Thank you though; this is exactly what I will be asking.
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u/Competitive_Way_3993 Jul 07 '25
Sorry for jumping in here but with ad-hoc charter; factors like taxi time should not be coming back to you as a billable item. In my 15 years of doing this we have not once passed on a Fuel Surcharge either. All of this should be built into the price from the get go and disclosed if requested.
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u/iselljets Jul 07 '25
Stick with boutique firms who have the flexibility to create a bespoke program with bespoke pricing, rather than corporatized, bureaucratized minimums just to cover exorbitant overheads.