Private jet brokers
What a charter broker actually does.
A private jet charter broker arranges flights between you and air carriers certificated by the FAA under Part 135. The broker does not own the aircraft, employ the crew, or decide whether the flight goes — the operator does all three.
What a broker actually sells is sourcing and judgement: knowing which aircraft are genuinely free on your dates, which operators are worth putting you on, and what a fair price looks like for the trip. Done well that is valuable. Done badly it is an invisible markup on a phone call.
The uncomfortable part
How brokers get paid.
Brokers add a margin to the operator's price. That is the business, and there is nothing wrong with it. The problem is that most brokers fold that margin into a single number, so you cannot tell whether a quote is high because the aircraft is expensive or because the broker is.
Some also take payments from operators — volume incentives, or fees for steering work their way. That quietly changes the right aircraft for your trip into the aircraft that pays us most, and you would never see it happen.
We publish our fee, show it as a separate line on every quote, and take nothing from operators. That is the whole differentiator, and it is easy to verify: look at a quote.
The alternatives
Broker, operator, card or share.
A broker is not always the right answer. Here is an honest comparison, including where the other three win.
| Model | What it is | Upfront | Best for | Watch for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charter broker | Arranges flights across many operators | Nothing | Occasional flying, varied trip shapes and aircraft | Broker quality varies enormously; margin is often undisclosed |
| Operator direct | The certificate holder that flies the aircraft | Nothing | Repeat trips on a route their fleet is positioned for | They can only sell you their own aircraft, positioned or not |
| Jet card | Prepaid block of hours at a fixed hourly rate | Typically $100k+ | 25+ hours a year and valuing price certainty | Premium over market rate; your capital sits with the provider |
| Fractional | You buy a share of a specific aircraft | Mid six figures and up | 50+ hours a year, over a multi-year commitment | Monthly management fees, hourly rates and residual-value risk |
Above some number of hours a year, a card or a share genuinely serves you better than we can, and we would rather tell you that than sell you the wrong thing once. That number depends on the terms you are offered, so rather than assert one, work out your own crossing point.
Due diligence
Five questions to ask any broker.
Including us. If a broker cannot answer these quickly and directly, that is your answer.
- 01
Who is the operator, and what is their certificate number?
A broker who will not name the operator before you commit is hiding something. You are entitled to know which certificated carrier is flying you.
- 02
What is your fee, and is it in this number?
Most brokers bury margin inside a single total, so a high quote could be an expensive aircraft or an expensive broker. You cannot tell unless they separate it.
- 03
Do you take any payment from operators?
Volume incentives and placement fees quietly change which aircraft you get offered. Ask directly.
- 04
Can I see the insurance certificate?
It should take one email. If it is difficult, that tells you how carefully the operator was vetted.
- 05
What happens to my money if the flight does not happen?
Charter flights get cancelled. Understand the refund path before you pay, not after.
Our answers
How we answer them.
We name the operator
Certificate number and insurance certificate available on request for any trip we arrange.
We publish the fee
10% falling to 7%, shown as its own line on every quote — never folded into a total.
We take nothing from operators
No volume incentives, no placement payments. We are paid by you, so our advice answers to you.
We vet before we quote
Part 135 certificate, insurance currency and audit standing checked before an aircraft reaches you.
Questions
Brokers, answered
What is a private jet broker?
A private jet charter broker arranges flights between you and air carriers certificated by the FAA under Part 135. The broker does not own aircraft or employ crew — the operator does, and holds full operational control. The broker's job is sourcing: finding which aircraft are genuinely available for your trip, checking the operators are safe to fly with, and negotiating and managing the booking. Altessair is a broker, not a direct air carrier.
How do private jet brokers make money?
By adding a margin to the operator's price. The difference between brokers is whether they tell you. Most do not, which means you cannot separate the cost of the aircraft from the cost of the middleman. We publish ours: 10% on your first flight, 8% after that and 7% once you have flown 10 times, shown as its own line on every quote.
Is it cheaper to book direct with an operator?
Sometimes, if that operator happens to have the right aircraft already positioned near you. But you would need to call many operators to know, and each will only ever offer you their own fleet. A broker's value is comparing across the market — including operators you have never heard of who happen to have an aircraft sitting where you need it.
Are private jet brokers regulated?
Charter brokers are not certificated air carriers and are not licensed the way operators are, which is precisely why diligence matters. The US Department of Transportation does require brokers to disclose their role and, on request, the identity of the operator. Any broker reluctant to do either is one to avoid.
How do I know a broker is using safe operators?
Ask what they verify and ask to see it. We check the Part 135 certificate, confirm insurance is current with the expiry recorded, and note any ARGUS, WYVERN or IS-BAO standing — and we will send you the paperwork for your trip on request.
What is the difference between a broker and a jet card?
A jet card is a prepaid block of hours at a fixed rate, sold by a provider who then usually charters the flights anyway. You are paying a premium up front for price certainty and simplicity. A broker sources each trip at market rate with nothing paid in advance. If you fly a few times a year, the broker route is generally cheaper.