How charter works
How to Read a Private Jet Charter Quote
Most people see their first charter quote with no way to judge it. It is one number, it is large, and there is nothing to compare it against. Here is the structure a quote should have, what each part means, and what its absence tells you.
Altessair · August 20, 2026 · 2 min read
The three lines
A complete quote separates three things: what the operator charges for the flight, what the broker adds for arranging it, and the taxes and statutory fees that apply regardless. On our quotes those are literally three lines — operator price, our fee at its disclosed percentage, and taxes copied from the operator's invoice.
The separation is not cosmetic. The operator's price is the part that varies with the market and is worth shopping. The broker's fee is the part you are choosing when you choose a broker. The tax is the part nobody controls. Blend them into one number and you can no longer tell whether a cheaper quote found a better aircraft or just a broker taking less — or more — than you think.
The validity window
Every serious quote expires, usually within 24 to 72 hours. This is not pressure-selling: the underlying aircraft is real inventory that other people are also trying to book, and the operator will not hold it indefinitely. A quote with no expiry stated is a quote for an aircraft nobody has actually reserved.
The practical consequence: when you are genuinely deciding, ask how long the number holds and decide inside that window. The most expensive habit in charter is treating quotes as stable while the aircraft underneath them gets sold.
What should already be included
Fuel, crew, standard catering and normal landing fees should be inside the quoted figure. Things that legitimately appear later are the ones nobody can know in advance: de-icing on the day, international handling, ground transport you add, catering you upgrade. A broker should be able to tell you exactly which category any charge falls into.
- One blended number with no breakdown, and resistance when you ask for one
- No stated expiry on the quote
- A price that assumes an aircraft category rather than naming the aircraft type
- Taxes 'to be confirmed later' on a purely domestic trip
- A deposit demanded before an operator is identified
The question that sorts brokers fastest
Ask: 'What is your fee on this trip, and is it in this number?' A disclosed-fee broker answers in one sentence, because the answer is printed on the quote. Everyone else gives you a paragraph. The paragraph is the answer.