Aircraft
Eight classes, one scale
Charter aircraft are grouped into classes rather than sold by model, because what decides your trip is range, cabin height and runway length rather than the badge on the tail. These are the eight, drawn to a single scale from real airframe dimensions.
Turboprops
6–9 pax · 58 ft span
Very light jets
4–6 pax · 40 ft span
Light jets
6–8 pax · 52 ft span
Midsize jets
7–9 pax · 56 ft span
Super-midsize jets
8–10 pax · 69 ft span
Heavy jets
10–14 pax · 64 ft span
Ultra-long-range jets
12–16 pax · 100 ft span
VIP airliners
18–50 pax · 118 ft span
How to choose without knowing aircraft
Start with the leg, not the party. Range is the hard constraint: an aircraft that cannot reach your destination with a full cabin is not an option at any price, and the usable range after passengers, baggage and reserves is roughly 85% of the book figure rather than the number in the brochure.
Then the runway at the smaller of the two airports. A heavy jet needs around 5,200 feet and a turboprop around 3,000, which is why the class that suits the distance sometimes cannot use the field you wanted.
Only then passengers and luggage — and luggage more often than passengers. Six sets of skis or a film crew’s cases will move you up a class with four people aboard, while eight passengers on a one-hour hop will not.
The line that matters most
Cabin height. Below roughly six feet you are seated for the whole flight; at or above it an average adult stands upright. That single difference changes a long sector more than speed, more than baggage volume, and more than anything else on a specification sheet.
It falls between the midsize and super-midsize classes, which is also where the hourly rate steps up sharply. On a two-hour leg the seated cabin is entirely fine and paying for headroom is money spent on a room you barely use. On a six-hour one it is the difference between arriving ready to work and arriving needing a day.
Turboprops
4.8 ft high · 4.5 ft wide
Seated headroom
Very light jets
4.8 ft high · 4.9 ft wide
Seated headroom
Light jets
4.9 ft high · 5.1 ft wide
Seated headroom
Midsize jets
5.7 ft high · 5.5 ft wide
Seated headroom
Super-midsize jets
6 ft high · 7.2 ft wide
Stand upright
Heavy jets
6.1 ft high · 8.2 ft wide
Stand upright
Ultra-long-range jets
6.2 ft high · 8.2 ft wide
Stand upright
VIP airliners
7.2 ft high · 12.1 ft wide
Stand upright
Every class, side by side
| Class | Passengers | Range | Cabin height | Min runway | Per hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Turboprops | 6–9 | 1,400 nm | 4.8 ft | 3,000 ft | From $2,000 |
| Very light jets | 4–6 | 1,150 nm | 4.8 ft | 3,200 ft | From $2,600 |
| Light jets | 6–8 | 1,800 nm | 4.9 ft | 3,500 ft | From $3,200 |
| Midsize jets | 7–9 | 2,400 nm | 5.7 ft | 4,200 ft | From $4,500 |
| Super-midsize jets | 8–10 | 3,300 nm | 6 ft | 4,800 ft | From $6,000 |
| Heavy jets | 10–14 | 4,000 nm | 6.1 ft | 5,200 ft | From $8,000 |
| Ultra-long-range jets | 12–16 | 6,600 nm | 6.2 ft | 5,800 ft | From $11,500 |
| VIP airliners | 18–50 | 4,000 nm | 7.2 ft | 6,500 ft | From $18,000 |
Rates are all-in wet bands — crew, fuel, maintenance reserve and operator margin — excluding ground handling, which is charged per airport. Range is the typical figure for the class; usable range with a full cabin is around 85% of it.
Class names are conventions rather than certifications: what one operator calls a super-midsize another calls a large-cabin midsize, and neither is wrong. The figures are what matter, which is why they are printed here rather than left to the badge.
Questions about choosing
- How much does it cost to charter a private jet?
- There is no fixed price. As indicative starting points, light jets from about $3,200 per flight hour, super-midsize jets from about $6,000 per flight hour, heavy jets from about $8,000 per flight hour and ultra-long-range aircraft from about $11,500 per flight hour, plus positioning and ground handling at both ends. Each route page shows an indicative starting price for that trip. Those figures are starting prices, not quotes: the price of your flight is calculated individually and depends on aircraft availability, where the aircraft is positioned, the date, the operating company and airport charges.
- How much luggage can I take?
- Baggage is limited by volume, not by piece count — around 50 cubic feet on a light jet and 115 on a heavy jet. Skis, golf bags and oversized cases are fine but must be declared when you request the quote, because they can change which aircraft works. Weight matters on long legs: a full cabin plus heavy baggage can shorten range enough to add a fuel stop.
- How far in advance do I need to book?
- Four to six hours is usually enough for a domestic or intra-European leg if an aircraft is already positioned nearby. Intercontinental flights need longer for crew duty time, overflight and landing permits. The genuine constraints are seasonal: Nice and Ibiza in July, Geneva in ski season, and Riyadh at any time because of permit lead times.
- Can you move a large group — a team, a crew, a wedding party?
- Yes. Above roughly 16 passengers the aircraft moves from a business jet to a VIP airliner such as an ACJ319 or a BBJ, which carry 18 to 50 people in a private configuration. For a sports team or a film crew the deciding factor is usually baggage and equipment volume rather than seat count, so send the equipment list with the request.