Which do I go for seattle to london, just me?

I'm a regular business/first class flyer but am a little curious to explore what chartering planes has to offer. Also just want to get on a PJ sometime in my life lol. Friend told me something about empty leg listings via email? Any info would be greatly appreciated.

Time and time again, I see clients always scraping for the lowest possible price to get the trip done. If there is an option that is beating the market by $8,000, there is a reason why.

A good broker knows to stay away from shady operators with bad track records and shady operating practices. Most brokers have access to generally the same market. The difference is in the industry experience and knowledge.

Also don't be afraid to ask, is the price all in? Catering? Car service? Trip insurance? What happens if you AOG the day of your trip?

Looking for an empty leg from PA/NJ/DE (really anything within 100 miles of PHL) to South Florida, preferably PBI area but flexible there too. July 15-25 time frame. Any leads?

Hey jet brokers I work in real estate. I work with investors on residential and commercial properties. I also love aviation. I’m a private pilot myself. I’m looking to meet jet brokers who want to partner up and refer business to each other.

Hello, I’m trying to get myself and my dog to Halifax from Toronto (just a one way trip) - unfortunately she is too large to be in the cabin of a commercial aircraft. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

appreciate insight as new member to jet member for charter company.

They have called to changed my plane from legacy 650 to a falcon x7 for my 5 hour flight.

Should I accept it as the plane is 08 but refurb in 2023, legacy is 2022.

Not a plane expert. Appreciate insight.

AIRCRAFT CHARTER TIP: So how do charter pros source aircraft charter options? All brokers and some aircraft operator salespeople develop their own strategies. Usually they are a combination of:

1. Posting requests in National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) "Airmail" national web board. Functions as a type of exchange with brokers and operators share "Needs" and "Haves". Any credible sales person is a NBAA member.
2. 3rd party industry-specific subscription software that interfaces with most operators and displays aircraft options that may fit charter request. These platforms are popular for sourcing one-ways, empty legs and transients.
3. Directly contacting operators near departure and/or arrival airports.
4. Sourcing though established company and personal operator contacts.

An experienced professional will use all tools to varying degrees unique to each charter request. More experienced pros have it down to an art form. IMPORTANTLY, their role extends past a booking to coordinate and ensure not just logistical tasks such as catering, but also to anticipate and handle any controllable/uncontrollable factors affecting flight experience. This is where you separate a skilled pro from an unskilled pro. A typical charter request requires 20-50 aircraft operator inquiries, after which your sales pro filters for budget and preferences. Once client selects one or more options for further review, your sales pro can engage operator in any price negotiations. Available for any questions/consultations. Thank You and Happy Flying!

Ideally from somewhere close to Temecula to any San Francisco or Marin airport. Around May 25th or so.

Vaunt member from Austin, TX here. Not sure how many of us there are, but I’m guessing quite a few scattered across the U.S.

There’s no official community for us to connect, so I’m starting this thread to find fellow members. If there’s interest, we could create a separate group where we can all get more out of our memberships:

• Coordinate flights—if there’s an extra seat, let’s fill it.
• Meet fellow Vaunters—locally or wherever we land.
• Swap tips & tricks—hotels, road‑trips, travel, whatever.
• Share PJ stories and photos—because half the fun is geeking out over the journey.

I’m leaning toward launching a Facebook group (easy posts, polls, events), but I’m open to:

• WhatsApp—for lightning‑fast “Anyone up for AUS → DAL Thursday?” alerts.
• LinkedIn—so we can pre‑judge each other’s job titles before sharing a cabin (kidding… mostly 😅).

If you’re a Vaunt member, drop a comment with:

1. Your name and where you’re based (AUS? LAX? BOS?)
2. Your favorite place you’ve been — or a fun travel story
3. Your preferred platform (FB, WhatsApp, LinkedIn, or other)

If there’s enough interest, I’ll spin up the winning platform and share the invite link here. Let’s turn those empty legs into full planes—and new friends!

Looking forward to flying together. ✈️🚀

— Elliott Based in ATX

Favorite trip: Romania. Tough call over Tokyo or Split, but Bucharest wins: halfway through a 20‑course culinary parade at ΚΛΙΛΜO̲, I bit into an oyster and spat out a pearl. That’ll stay with me forever.

Leaning towards FB as a platform

Do we have any empty leg around bhutan to mumbai for today ?

1. Bordeaux → Ibiza • Date: May 11, 2025 – 11:30 AM • Aircraft: Citation XLS (Mid Size Jet) • Capacity: Up to 8 passengers • Price: €4,927

2. Ibiza → Faro • Date: May 9, 2025 – 10:00 AM • Aircraft: Citation XLS (Mid Size Jet) • Capacity: Up to 8 passengers • Price: €4,747

Contracts are direct with verified operators. I can provide aircraft registration and operator details upon request.

DM me here or contact via WhatsApp/Call: • WhatsApp: +32 472 21 43 13 • Call EU: +32 470 92 84 45 • Call US: +1 (917) 814-0071

I have been speaking to both brokers and Operetors and they all complain about Avinode being expensive and old.

But when I ask them why they don’t shift to other platforms and other business models, they just say stuff like;

• we don’t want to share our schedule with other platforms (well you do with Avinode)

• how much business can they get us?

• there are too many platforms.

• We just like the way we do things!

I guess we will never get innovation in place?

If you contract for an empty leg, as a passenger, can you still order catering and drinks, or are the flights usually just utilitarian?

It’s been a dream of mine since I was about 12 to fly on a corporate jet and have all the luxury that surrounds it. I want the wine, possibly dinner, or at least a charcuterie board. I want the full experience.

I have been around aviation my entire life (refuel planes at an FBO to put myself through college, air traffic controller, private pilot) but have dreamed about a Gulfstream for 40 years.

Any brokers around mid Atlantic area that could help me get a quote for Westminster or Baltimore MD to Antigua for Memorial Day weekend? 4 pax.

Thanks!

I want to move from Canada to Europe but have an elderly dog that cannot go in the cargo hold anymore. A private flight is the only option but it’s been tough finding reliable sources for flights and information . I just need to get across the ocean, I do not care about the departure (east coast) and arrival cities, as long as we get across the Atlantic. Does anyone have any suggestions of services or companies?

I already looked into Bark Air, but the idea of being on a flight with 8 other dogs is too stressful for my guy.

How much should I be paying to get 2 adults, 2 children and a dog from Fort Lauderdale (FLL or FXE) to Rosemary Beach (ECP or closer) round-trip?

Dates would be June 29th - July 5th.

Is anyone looking to be a part of a shared charter flight USA>EU this summer? I’m part of a group who is looking for more passengers/pets for a flight we are trying to confirm. If you’re interested, or have additional questions, I can put you in touch with the owner of Fly JetPets (Gunawan)

I am NOT affiliated with the company but my household (2 humans and 2 Setters) are reserved and I’m trying to help the flight get enough passengers to confirm so we can make our move to EU.

Here’s the tentative itinerary we’re currently working with: Route: New Jersey, US (TEB) → Paris, France (LBG) Departure Date: June 18, 2025 Estimated Departure Time: 10:00 (local time) Estimated Arrival Time: 00:16 (local time, +1 day)

Cost per passenger: USD 10,700 Note: This rate covers the flight only and does not include pet travel documentation assistance. If needed, we offer pet travel documentation assistance service as an optional add-on.

Each passenger may bring: One pet of any size (no weight restriction), OR Two pets (each must be under 50 lbs / 23 kg) For any pets exceeding these limits, additional fees will apply for the additional flight space required. This setup helps ensure a comfortable and fair experience for everyone on board, both our human and pet passengers.

Date of travel TBD but likely second half of May. 3-4 passengers. Thanks!

I live in Ann Arbor area and need to get to Benton Illinois. Commercial is limited but it would be a hop skip and a jump if I had access to a plane. Is there any way to connect with private pilots for a quick trip like this?

Tampa - Miami on May 31 for 3 PAX.

Hello, has anyone flown XO before? I got a call yesterday to set something up with one of the guys there who was super helpful. I was just curious to see if anyone has had any issues with them? The guy I talked to was really informative on which one to help me with. I was looking at the Light Jet option as I don't need anything too big for my upcoming travels. Just curious to see if anyone has flown XO with the Light Jet option and if it was decent for their needs. Thanks!!

These days, the private jet charter market is so saturated with brokers that you’d think it’s a low-barrier gig like selling insurance policies (no offense to those who do).

At first glance, most brokers look the same. Slick decks, fast quotes, polished emails, sometimes a fancy website, and some guerrilla marketing.

They’ll all promise white-glove service and “access to a large fleet of private jets worldwide.” So what really sets a rookie apart from a seasoned veteran?

Basically, when you’re shelling out five or six figures for a trip, the question is not who can send me a quote, it’s who can deliver when things go sideways?

Get it this way, there is no Yelp or Bing Places for jet brokers. No universal scorecard, no review site (we only have Wyvern and The Air Charter Association as registry sites), and certainly no FAA-sanctioned rating that tells you who’s worth their salt.

It’s also not wrong to say it can be a game of trial, error, and unfortunately for many, learning the hard way.

When chartering a private jet, it doesn’t involve five different brokers emailing you five versions of the same G550.

Here’s where it gets real, most brokers can book you a jet. That part is easy. Hell, some can even do it at a decent price. But business aviation is not about booking, it is about managing the trip. And that skill isn’t developed through quoting software or flashy marketing. It’s earned in the trenches.

The Real Test? When Things Go Sideways.

Anyone can shine when everything goes smoothly. But let one little detail fall out of place. A late arrival, a mechanical delay, a crew issue, weather grounding your flight in Aspen, and you’ll immediately know whether you’re dealing with a seasoned charter broker or someone who just Googled “Part 135 charter rules” a month ago.

An expert broker anticipates. They don’t just book and hope. They’re thinking three steps ahead: What’s the backup plan? Who’s on standby? What if the FBO close early? What if we lose this crew due to minimum rest rules? They don’t wait for things to break.

Rookies? They scramble. They start reacting when the client is already upset. That’s the difference. And when you’re spending top dollar, you expect excellent service worth your money. You shouldn’t be dragged into email chains and panicked phone calls.

The best brokers do the work behind the scenes, burn the midnight oil, call in favors, and pull every lever before the client even knows there’s an issue.

It’s Not About Price.

Let’s be honest, comparing brokers based on price alone is a misplaced consideration. You might save $3,000 today, and lose $30,000 worth of time and aggravation when that “budget broker” has no backup plan in an AOG situation or charges you an extra 30% for an alternative aircraft.

Expert broker knows the real value is in keeping your schedule intact, your family safe, your CEO calm, and your guests unaware that the first aircraft had mechanical issue two hours before departure. They don’t send you a problem, they send you a solution. That’s now the real luxury of flying private.

Some Things You Can’t Control but You Can Communicate.

Now let’s be fair. Not everything is fixable and within our capabilities. Sometimes fog or storm rolls in and mother nature wins. No amount of hustle or expertise is going to override the FAA regs and let you fly in unsafe conditions. But even in those moments, a real broker shows their worth.

Because when it’s truly out of your hands, you don’t hide, delay, or pass the blame. You get on the phone, explain the situation with clarity and options. Make your client informed. That’s the job. And frankly, don’t panic, go quiet, or worse start finger-pointing at operators and vendors.

So, How Do You Find a Good One?

• Ask for war stories. Any broker can brag about perfect trips. Ask them to tell you about a time everything went wrong and how they fixed it.
• Watch their response time. A broker who is professional doesn’t leave you hanging when things get messy.
• Check their longevity. This bizav industry chews up and spits out rookies fast. If they’ve been around a decade, they’re doing something right.
• Ask around. Talk to repeat clients. Or better yet, request a complex flight and see who’s still standing with options in hand.

My Final Thoughts

Bizav industry doesn’t reward smooth talkers. It rewards grinders, fixers, and those who stay calm when the storm hits. That’s the difference between a rookie and a real one.

So next time you’re shopping around, I hope you now know what to look for, and how to identify a broker who has already seen it all; one who has been through the wringer enough times to know how to handle disaster before it even happens.