Guide
What a private jet weekend really costs in 2026
Live market rates by category, the three things that move the price, and how to read a round-trip quote.
Charter is sold by the flight hour, and a weekend is a round trip plus the question of what the aircraft does in between. Here is how the number is built, using the market rates our brokerage desk prices from today.
| Category | Seats | Range | All-in per flight hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| Super-midsize Challenger 350, Citation Longitude, Praetor 600, Gulfstream G280 | 8–9 | 3,200 NM | $8,625 |
| Heavy Challenger 605/650, Falcon 2000, Gulfstream G450, Legacy 650 | 10–14 | 4,500 NM | $12,075 |
| Ultra-long-range Gulfstream G550/G650, Global 6000/7500, Falcon 7X/8X | 12–16 | 7,000 NM | $16,675 |
Round trip, aircraft waits
The classic weekend. You pay the flying hours both ways plus a daily minimum (typically two hours a day) and crew overnights for the days the aircraft sits. For a Friday-to-Sunday trip that usually adds one or two hours of billing and a hotel for two pilots.
Round trip, aircraft releases
The aircraft drops you and goes home or to its next trip, and the same or a different aircraft collects you. You pay for the empty legs back and forth instead of the daily minimum. Cheaper for longer stays, sometimes cheaper for a weekend when the operator has another trip nearby. We price both ways and show you.
What moves the price
- Positioning: where the aircraft lives before your trip. The main thing a good broker shops.
- The weekend itself: marquee events run 15–30% above normal because every aircraft is spoken for.
- Headcount: the jump from super-midsize to heavy is the biggest step in the price ladder; nine passengers versus ten is worth a conversation.
Taxes
Within the United States, 7.5% federal excise tax plus a small per-passenger segment fee applies to the air transportation price for retail buyers. Mexico and other international trips pay a per-passenger head tax and US customs, immigration and APHIS fees instead. Catering, cars and de-icing are passed through at cost and shown separately.