You’ve got an important meeting to attend in a nearby city, but you know the traffic is going to be bumper-to-bumper all the way. Normally, you’d either have to drive the night before, or wake up extra early to beat the rush. But what if we told you there was a more convenient way to travel: chartering an air taxi.
Air taxis provide short-haul flights between two destinations aboard a smaller aircraft, such as:
- Helicopter
- Turboprop
- Light Jet
To learn more about aircraft selection for air taxi flights, read our post: When Are Turboprop Charter Planes Preferable to Light Jets.
Similar to booking a cab ride, arranging a charter flight is an on-demand service, albeit a little more complex than simply waving your arm from a sidewalk curb. Another similarity is that you get the whole plane, rather than just a seat. That’s why the cost of an air taxi is calculated by flight time, rather than per seat.
While an air taxi will likely be more expensive than flying commercial, it can be a cost-effective option for business travellers to whom the mantra ‘time is money’ is gospel.
It is also a worthwhile option for people heading away on holiday who feel the added convenience and time savings warrant the extra expense. For instance, if you’re facing an eight-hour drive to visit relatives, or to reach your summer vacation rental, renting a private jet will alleviate much of the hardship.
Greater Travel Flexibility
One of the primary benefits of private aviation is that you enjoy access to a greater range of airports than you would when flying commercially. This is even more evident when chartering an air taxi, as smaller aircraft invariably have better runway
performance compared to larger planes such as heavy jets and airliners.
This opens up a range flight planning advantages:
- Access smaller airports with less infrastructure
- Fly into remote areas
- Access airports underserviced by commercial airlines
Having more points of departure and arrival means you’ll be less likely to experience a delay or cancellation. If there’s an issue at one airport, you can usually reroute your aircraft to land at one nearby.
No Road, No Problem
In some cases, there might not even be a road where you’re heading, in which case,
flying might be your only option. A good example of this would be a family that wants to do some island hopping in Hawaii or the Bahamas (you could take a boat, but it would significantly add to your transportation time).
Furthermore, many industrial companies rely on air taxis to transfer personnel to and from remote worksites, such as mines and oil fields, as the roadways are either inefficient or nonexistent.
Eliminate Other Travel Costs
Flying on an air taxi can reduce other travel expenses. With the ability to fly in and out for a one-day business meeting, you won’t need to stay at a hotel. In many cases you won’t even require a rental car.
If you’re looking to reduce travel time while increasing convenience and comfort, talk to a Stratos Jets charter associate about booking an air taxi. We can help you select the most suitable aircraft and airports for your unique travel needs.
Private Jet Charters Aren’t Just for the Super-Rich
A look at who is using private aviation these days
Let’s not kid ourselves: flying on private jet charters is a luxury travel experience. But it’s not reserved solely for the upper echelons of society. The prevailing notion that you have to be a Hollywood A-lister, business magnate or a trust-fund baby to fly on one simply isn’t true.
So who, exactly, is renting a private jet these days? Some of the answers might surprise you.
Promotional Tours
Whether it’s a New York Timesbestseller an indie film that’s garnering critical acclaim, or a politician trying to sway voters, you can bet there’ll be a promotional tour to maximize exposure. To help authors, actors and politicians make the rounds for their book signings, talk show appearances and political rallies, private jet charters are the go-to mode of travel for several reasons:
- Choose the type and size of aircraft based on your needs
- Flexible scheduling options
- Reduces travel time and stress
- Avoid busier airports
- More discreet
Similarly, many touring performers rely on group air charters to transport crewmembers, as well as their equipment. By choosing this method of air travel, you’re no longer at the mercy of an airline’s schedule.
Corporate Travel
There’s a common misconception that business travel is exclusively for CEOs and 
other top-level executives. While they represent a significant portion of this segment, other key personnel also use corporate jet travel.
For instance, let’s say a company is working on a specific project that requires travel between office branches. By using private jet charters, team members can remain productive while they travel. Some larger business jets are configured to have meeting rooms, as well as many of the technologies you’d find in a standard office, such as phone service and wireless Internet.
For business that need to transport lower-end personnel between industrial jobsites—such as oil and gasoperations—group charters are an ideal solution.
Sports
LeBron, Tiger and Tom Brady aren’t the onlystar athletes who use private jets. Entire teams will often charter a jet to attend a game. Charter airliners are a popular choice, as they allow you to take all of your equipment, support staff and personal items in one aircraft.
Additionally, sports fans will use private jet charters to fly to marquee sporting events around the world. For instance, the Super Bowl is the single busiest day for jet charter travel in the United States. Whichever city hosts the event invariably experiences a major surge in traffic at local airports.
Families
To take the stress out of travel, many families are turning to private jet charters to 
coordinate holidays. It is a far more relaxed approach to aviation, which is ideal for families with small children. You can even bring pets on some aircraft. Other advantages include:
- Kid-friendly catering and entertainment
- Less restrictive cabin environment
- Easier to enjoy family time while flying
- Reduces wait times at the airport
- Door-to-door ground transportation available
From promotional tours to corporate travel to family vacations, Stratos Jet Charters arranges private jet charters that are tailored to your unique travel requirements. Call us to discuss your next trip—888-593-9066—or start a quote online.
5 Indicators a Private Jet Charter Might Be Right for You
Answering 'yes' to any of the following questions might mean private aviation is right for you
If you’ve never flown on a private jet charter, it would be easy to dismiss this mode of air travel as over-the-top or unnecessary. However, there are many real-world applications where flying private is the most logical choice.
Whether you have unique scheduling requirements, or you simply want to make the most of your time while travelling, a private jet rental offers many advantages. Following is a series of questions; if you find yourself answering ‘yes’ to more than one of them, a private jet charter might be your ideal air travel solution.
1. Do You Frequently Travel on Short Notice?
While it’s possible to find last-minute commercial flights, you’ll often experience any combination of the following:
- Multiple connections
- Lengthy layovers
- Inconvenient departure times
Last minute charter flights, on the other hand, allow you to fly when you want,
where you want, with as little as several hours’ notice.
2. Do You Work in Areas Underserviced by Commercial Airlines?
Many remote areas and smaller centers aren’t adequately serviced by the airlines, even regional operators. If you’re forced to land a long distance from your chosen destination, you can lose a lot of time and productivity to ground transportation.
Many business travellers overcome this by hiring a private jet charter capable of landing at smaller regional or executive airports that larger airlines simply can’t access. Not only can this get you closer to your destination, it also presents more options for flight planning.
3. Do You Have Vacation Properties in Remote Places?
To escape the hubbub of our hectic lives, we sometimes like to spend our downtime in hard-to-reach places. It could be a chalet in the mountains or a beach villa on a quiet tropical island.
In either situation, every minute you spend getting to your holiday retreat is a minute you don’t get to enjoy it. Choosing a private jet rental to whisk you and your family to the nearest available airport ensures you all enjoy your holiday to its fullest.
4. Do You Have Security or Privacy Concerns?
If you’re a prominent public figure, you probably appreciate the ability to travel in anonymity. This applies to:
- Celebrities
- Politicians
- Professional athletes
- Corporate elites
A private jet charter lets you avoid the masses at the airport by flying in and out of private terminals, and in the privacy of your own aircraft cabin.
For added reassurance, it is also possible to have a security guard assigned to your charter flight.
5. Do You Prefer to Remain Productive While Flying?
If your schedule requires you to be operating at maximum capacity during business hours—whether you’re on the ground or in the air—a private jet charter is designed to do exactly that. They are particularly useful for groups of business travellers, as they permit you to work uninterrupted in the comfort of your private cabin. Many modern private jets come equipped with key business technologies and amenities, such as:
- Wireless Internet
- Satellite phones
- Meeting spaces
- Audio-visual equipment
For the leisure traveller, the luxury of a private aircraft cabin lets you enjoy more quality family time during your trip. For more on this, read about other benefits of Family Jet Travel.
Plan your next business trip around your schedule by calling Stratos Jet Charters. Our expert charter agents will coordinate the details of your flight to meet your precise travel needs—888-593-9066or start a quote online.
4 Tips for Chartering a Private Jet Rental
Follow these helpful hints to make your next charter flight experience more enjoyable
Flying on a private jet rental is a becoming an increasingly popular choice for discerning air travellers that demand the utmost in comfort, convenience and safety. Private aviation consumers save time and stress, while enjoying greater flexibility in planning charter flights that work around their schedules.
Whether you fly for business or leisure, domestically or internationally, there are ways to streamline the planning process and tailor your overall travel experience to suit your specific needs. Here are some tips to keep in mind the next time you want to take to the skies aboard a private jet.
1. Work with a Reputable Charter Broker
While it is possible for an aviation consumer to arrange his or her own private jet rental, it is a fairly complex and tedious process, especially for the first-timer. Without a proper understanding of the regulations that govern the charter industry, it would be difficult to coordinate a jet rental.
By choosing an established charter broker, not only do you gain access to their expertise in FAA regulations, you’ll also benefit from their extensive contacts with charter operators. This helps ensure you receive the best possible price, and that every detail of your charter flight is planned thoroughly for a hassle-free experience.
2. Choose the Most Suitable Aircraft
Choose the aircraft type that best suits your specific travel needs.
The type of aircraft you rent will depend on several factors, the most important of which are:
- Distance you intend to travel
- Number of passengers you’re travelling with
- Amount of baggage you want to bring
If you’re heading off for a quick weekend getaway with a few friends, you might only need a light jet. Or, if you’re heading to Aspen for a winter holiday, you might want something with enough cargo space for your skis and snowboards.
For international journeys, you’d likely need a private jet rental with the range to cross an ocean. Super-midsize and heavy jets are the obvious choices for these missions.
3. Book Early
Booking early gives you the best possible choice of aircraft during peak travel periods.
While it is possible to book a private jet rental with just several hours’ notice, you’ll be better off arranging your travel plans well in advance. This will ensure you can select from the broadest range of aircraft available. It can also save a considerable amount of money, as aircraft repositioning is often required to accommodate last-minute charter flights.
Additionally, demand for private jet rentals can be extremely high during peak travel periods. Booking at least several weeks in advance ensures you secure the type of aircraft that best suits your needs.
4. Utilize Smaller Airports
If you’re used to flying commercial, you’re probably familiar with the major airport hubs that service larger centers. Once you start to fly privately, you’ll quickly realize there is a far greater range of airport options to choose from.
In particular, smaller airports are better equipped to handle private jet traffic and offer many other desirable advantages for travellers:
- Less congested
Smaller airports let you avoid passenger congestion.
- Minimal security screening
- Closer to your departure/arrival location
- More airport options for smaller, remote areas
- Lower fees
For example, a passenger flying out of Dallas on a commercial airline would like use Dallas/Forth Worth International Airport (DFW). Someone arranging a private jet rental, on the other hand, would have the choice of other airports, including:
- Dallas Love Field (DAL)
- Dallas Executive (RBD)
- Meacham International (FTW)
For more on this, read: Top Private Jet Airports in the United States.
For a simple, stress-free private jet rental experience, talk to one of our agents at Stratos Jet Charters. We have more than a decade of expertise in arranging charter flights for our clients.
