How much does it Cost to Rent a Private Jet in Los Angeles, CA?
The cost to book a private flight in Los Angeles is determined by the type of aircraft, the length of the flight, scheduling, fuel prices, operational fees, and variety of additional factors ranging from taxes and de-icing to catering and Wi-Fi charges.
The hourly rates to charter a private jet can change from day-to-day or even hour by hour, but on average you can expect a rate of $1,500 to $3,000 per hour to rent a turboprop; $3,000 to $6,000 to charter a light jet; $5,000 to $8,000 per hour for private flights on midsize and super midsize jets; and $8,000 to $15,000 an hour ore more to fly in a long range jet.
Whether you’re chartering a private flight for a weekend in Vegas, international business conferences, or relocating from to California from overseas, the most cost-effective plane for every flight will be different, and rarely are two flights the same cost, even using the same charter aircraft.
How do Hourly Charter Rates factor into Renting a Private Jet?
The cost to charter a private flight is determined multiplying the hourly rate of the aircraft by the total flight hours, as well the fuel costs, taxes, operational fees and other charges that make up a complete charter quote.
For example, a light jet with an hourly rate of $4,000 to charter and a 2 hour flight time from LA to Seattle, the price to rent that plane would start at $8,000 – and that’s only to reserve the aircraft on the schedule.
The total charter cost will come out closer to $15,000, which includes the cost of fuel, with the amount required based on passenger and baggage totals; taxes, operational fees such as pilots, landing fees, ground handling and FBO; as well as any additional services such as catering or internet.
Charter Costs in Southern California
Private planes are available for charter in a range of sizes, with the type of aircraft required for your trip based on your destination, passenger amounts, and the range of the aircraft. The types of planes available for charter range from light aircraft such as pistons and executive turboprops, to light jets, mid and super midsize jets, heavy jets, long range jets, and luxury VIP airliners.
| Hourly Charter Rates by Aircraft Type* | |
|---|---|
| Turboprops $1,800 – $3,000/hour |
Very Light Jets $2,200 – $3,000/hour |
| Light Jets $2,200 – $4,000/hour |
Super Light Jets $2,500 – $4,500/hour |
| Midsize Jets $2,750 – $5,000/hour |
Super Midsize Jets $4,000 – $6,000/hour |
| Heavy Jets $5,000 – $8,500/hour |
Long Range Jets $8,000 – $12,000/hour |
| VIP Airliners $9,000 – $15,000/hr |
Helicopters $1,000 – $6,000/hour |
* The hourly rates shown above and below only depict the aircraft rental cost, and do not include fuel, taxes, and operational fees. Request a free quote for to-the-dollar charter costs.
Cost to Rent a Light Aircraft
Single and twin-engine piston aircraft are ideal for short flights around California and the Southwest. Pistons offer the most cost-effective rates in exchange for slower speeds and fewer amenities.
Although their passenger totals are often limited to 4-6 passengers, they’re able to utilize shorter runways at airports such as Catalina Airport or Santa Paula Airport. The cost to charter a single or twin-engine piston starts at around $1,500 an hour.
Executive turboprops come in single or twin-engine configurations with the main difference being the engine – turboprops are powered by a jet engine, offering increased levels of performance, reliability, and efficiency.
They’re faster than their piston counterparts, offer more room inside the cabin, and offer a range of between 1,000 and 2,500 miles. They also carry slightly higher rates, with the cost to rent a turboprop typically ranging from $2,000 to $3,000 per hour.
Cost to Rent a Light Jet
Light jets are perfect for small groups and individuals booking a private flight from LA to destinations such as Las Vegas, Seattle, San Diego, and San Francisco.
The light jet category is broken into 3 segments: entry levels, light, and super light. Entry-level jets are also known as Very Light Jets (VLJ), and are the smallest private jets available, with seating for up to 4.
Super light jets offer slightly more room and range, such as the Phenom 300 with seating for 6 passengers and a flight range of 1,800 nautical miles, able fly non-stop from LA to Chicago, Dallas, or Mexico City with an hourly rate between $3,000 and $5,000 per hour.
The average rate to charter a light jet ranges between $2,500 and $5,000 an hour.
Cost to Rent a Midsize Jet
The price of a charter flight increases as you move into the mid and super midsize category.
Midsize jets offer cross-country range in addition to larger cabins for a more comfortable flight, with several models in this category offering standing room. Popular models include the Beechcraft Hawker 800XP ($4,500/hour); Cessna Citation Excel ($4,000/hour); Bombardier Challenger 300 ($8,000/hour); and Gulfstream G280 ($7,500/hour).
They’re also some of the fastest planes available for charter – the Citation X is one of the fastest private jets in the world, able to fly from Los Angeles to New York in just 4 hours, cutting around 45-60 minutes off the flight compared to many competing business jets. The cost for a one-way flight from LA to NY on a Citation 10 starts at $32,000 with room for 8 passengers.
The average hourly rental rate for midsize and super midsize jets range between $4,500 and $7,500 per hour.
Cost to Rent a Large or Long Range Jet
If you’re looking to travel overseas or across the country with several friends family or colleagues, large cabin, long range jets offer transoceanic range and seating for up to 18 passengers, although higher passenger totals in some models may reduce the potential range.
Heavy jets and long range jets offer the height of luxury, comfort, and performance. The cabins are much wider and taller, with 6-feet of standing room or more. They feature more luxurious interiors with a variety of seating arrangements including captains chairs, divans, and seating that coverts into beds for overnight travel. Many offer conference rooms for executives to conduct their business with all of the necessary tools mid-flight.
Planes in this category include heavy jets such as the Challenger 604 and Gulfstream G4 ($8,000-$10,000/hour), and long range jets such as the Global Express, Gulfstream G5 and G6, and Falcon 7x ($10,000-$15,000/hour).
The cost to charter a private flight on newer, larger jets in this category can quickly climb into the 6 figures, with rates starting at around $8,000-$15,000 an hour and some models as high as $20,000 or more per hour.
What are the Benefits of Private Jet Airports?
Smaller airports such as regional and executive airports serve as hubs for business and luxury aviation, often with more competitive fuel prices, lower landing fees, and more access to destinations.
These operation advantages often result in these airports serving as a base for the majority of the private jets and charter planes near you, meaning you won’t have to pay to re-position an aircraft; if a plane needs to relocate from another airport, the re-positioning fees may be included in the charter cost.
For example, if you’re arranging a private flight from LA, you wouldn’t want to fly out of LAX. Instead, you can depart from Van Nuys Airport (KVNY), the main private jet airport in Los Angeles, CA located just northwest of Hollywood and Burbank.
Airports like Van Nuys, Bob hope, John Wayne and more offer less traffic and congestion than international hubs, and passengers only need to arrive at the private terminals 15 minutes before their flight – no long lines for security and baggage checks or lengthy boarding procedures.
Learn more about Private Jet Airports in Southern California
How does an Empty Leg affect the price?
The cost to rent a private jet can be very expensive, but it doesn’t always have to be. There’s another way for travelers with flexible schedules to pay a fraction of the price: empty leg flights.
One-way flights to Southern California are very common. Once they drop off their passengers, they need to return to their home airport or pick up another group of passengers, and they complete these flights without any passengers on board. These are known as an “empty leg flight” or “deadhead”. Since the plane has to fly without passengers, they’re offered withy substantial disacouts.
Finding an empty leg to/from Los Angeles is the best way for savvy travelers to save up to 50% or more on the cost of private jet charters.
Find an Empty Leg in Southern California
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