Today, people who fly on private jets have more choices than ever when it comes to jet charter brokers. Where there were once just a handful of us, now there are dozens. How do you know what makes a company the best in private jet charter services? How do you tell one apart from the other? We thought we’d take a minute to walk you through the three factors that determine how you can tell when a broker is offering the best in private jet charter services. Let’s start with the one that’s kind of a big deal—how they help keep us alive.

1. They’re obsessed with safety

Above all things, you want to know that when your broker is sourcing quotes, recommending aircraft, routes and airports, that they’re doing it all with your safety top of mind. Not just your price or their commission or a vendor they favour. At Stratos, we’re kind of obsessed with safety. Expanding clients’ margin of safety, as we like to say, is always number one. If we’ve made a recommendation, it’s driven by safety–the safety, most appropriate aircraft for each trip. We’ve got an entire post about jet marts and why you shouldn’t book on price alone.

2. They can prove they’re obsessed with safety

It’s actually really easy to tell how much of a priority safety is for a charter broker’s program, and often a sign of their commitment to the industry of private jet charter services as a whole. There are a number of aviation safety organizations a broker can align themselves with. What you’re looking for are the ones that offer certification with on-site third-party audits, and, even better, certification backed by their own vendor approval program. Some of the top air charter safety programs include: ACANA (Air Charter Association of North America). Only the industry’s most reputable brokers are members for adhering to the highest standards of integrity, ethics and professionalism. Wyvern and ARGUS (Aviation Research Group), leading third-party, independent safety auditors that specialize in conducting on-site safety audits. Stratos was actually one of the first jet charter brokers to be certified by the new ARGUS Registered and Certified Broker Programme.-photo courtesy ARGUS

3. They’ll say no to chartering flights that are too risky

We had a client once who wanted to fly last minute through the mountains during a heavy snowstorm. We advised him the safety risks were too great, and that we’d like him to wait, and gave him a quote for an alternate date. Another private jet charter was willing to arrange that flight.

4. They’ve got people beyond the agents to make your trip smooth

At most jet charter companies, the agent is juggling dozens of conversations as they reach out to various operators to check availability and quotes. Once the flight is booked, they’ve got another dozen tasks to handle, including planning your ground transportation, your catering, sending you the invoice, etc. Some brokers have what we call a trip support team that handles everything, and we mean everything, once the flight is booked. Car pick up. Catering. Hotels. And they give you updates in real-time. It’s a seemingly small difference that means in the end, you enjoy a seamless, easy flight, instead of one where some details might get lost in the shuffle.

5. They’ve got extra liability

Aircraft operators carry their own liability insurance policy, but some charter brokers will top that with an additional policy. At Stratos, for example, we’ve got an additional $10 million liability insurance policy for additional protection and peace of mind.

6. They’ve been around the block

Find out how long this company has been offering private jet charter services, as a whole and in the US. This is a complex industry with so many regulations to be mindful of and hundreds of types of aircraft, routes and airports to know in order to make sound recommendations. Plus, their longevity will speak to their ability to maintain long-term relationships with clients and operators alike. Yes, we’ll take this opportunity to mention we just celebrated 10 years in the business! Are you looking to book private jet charter flights with a broker who has the expertise and safety focus to ensure you’re in good hands? Reach out – we’d be glad to make recommendations for your upcoming trip. Call 888-593-9066!