Iowa State Fair Private Flights

Charter a private jet to the premier fair in the midwest Aug. 8-18, 2024.

Round Trip One Way Multi-City
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Experience Midwest Culture

Held annually in Des Moines, the Iowa State Fair is seen as a salute to the best of the best in the agriculture industry. This Midwest celebration has been an inspiration in many great works of art, including the original novel entitled State Fair by Phil Strong, a Broadway musical, and three films.

Do you love live music? The Grandstand at the Iowa State Fair will play host to some big, big names in the entertainment industry. From famed rockstars Foreigner gracing the stage on August 9 to country icon Jelly Roll on August 10 and Mötley Crüe on August 14 to many, many other talented performers, the Grandstand is where you’ll likely spend the majority of your time.

 

An aerial view of the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines.

Fun for the Whole Family

Whether you’re chartering a private jet for you and your staff or planning a family trip to the midwest, trust Stratos with your jet charter to Des Moines.

Those seeking cheap thrills will be pleasantly surprised by the attraction line-up.

Thrill Ville – This is where all the jaw-dropping, fast-paced attractions can be found.

Thrill Town – This set-up is perfect for the littlest State Fair attendees. With loads of stroller parking and tons of age-appropriate rides, the whole family will enjoy this little corner of the Fair.

Thrill Zone – For a heart-pumping, adrenaline-inducing experience, seek out the Thrill Zone.

Games Galore – Among the rides and food trucks are plenty of fun traditional fair-style games. Test your throwing arm, your accuracy with darts, and your strength while vying to win that coveted stuffed animal.

Fun Fair Fare

One of the best attractions to be found at the fair is the food, and the Iowa State Fair is no exception. Here you’ll find more than 200 vendors, 80 different food items served up on a stick, and hundreds of satisfying food options.

The skyline of Des Moines, Iowa at dusk.

Recommended private jets for your charter flight to Des Moines

Whether you're travelling from near or far, our network of luxury private jets has the right aircraft for your and your travel companions.

8

SEATS

357

MPH

1362

RANGE
$3,120 - $3,822

15

SEATS

548

MPH

7767

RANGE
$16,536 - $19,110

7

SEATS

514

MPH

3337

RANGE
$14,508 - $15,990

9

SEATS

540

MPH

3567

RANGE
$10,296 - $13,260

Private jet airports near Des Moines

The most commonly chosen arrival airport for a jet charter to the Iowa State Fair is the Des Moines International Airport (DSM). It’s located southwest of the city and just 12 minutes from the downtown core. For those hoping to avoid the traffic of a commercial airport, the Ankeny Regional Airport (IKV) is located just 10 miles north of the city and is perfect for those chartering a smaller aircraft.

Ground Services in Des Moines

Are you looking for a thrilling fair experience? Stratos Jets can help you arrange a jet charter to the Iowa State Fair. And, once you land, our Trip Support Team can have a pre-arranged car and driver ready to whisk you and your travel companions away to the fair.

 

A man leans against a limo in front of a private jet.

What Our Clients Are Saying

Every charter flight review on this page was submitted by a real Stratos Jets customer. In the interest of transparency, we never change reviews or use incentives to influence these reviews. This way, you can hear directly from our past and current clients about how we handled their private travel experience.

4.5/5 (22)
4.7/5 (25)
4.8/5 (568)
4.8/5
566 Reviews
4.7/5
25 Reviews
4.5/5
22 Reviews
5/5
4 Reviews
Overall rating (4.9 out of 5) Based on 756 reviews from our trusted Jet Charter reviews
5 1 5 04/24/2020

My client was very pleased with the ease of this transaction. Kyle Jones was a pleasure to work with, very respondent and always professional. I hope to broker more charter clients to you in the future. Thank you again!

5 1 5 06/28/2021

Glenn was wonderful, the jet was clean and the crew was fantastic.

5 1 5 08/28/2019

Team was very efficient and communicated in a timely, professional manner. Made it a breeze to work with! Thanks!

5 1 5 04/24/2025

Experience thus far has been extremely positive and seamless. Would highly recommend !

5 1 5 05/22/2026

Great company to work with. Rodney, in trip support gave us all the details we needed in a timely fashion. Passengers were on time and it was overall a great flight! The accounting department is always great to work with. My only negative feedback would be, the computer system that sends the trip updates sends multiple emails. For our operation it would be helpful for the communication to stay in one email thread.

5 1 5 10/05/2017

Our company jet had a mechanical problem and we had a very important meeting that our passsengers had to make. Joel was able to locate and reposition an airplane for us in a matter of two hours. Our passengers were able to make their meeting and were very pleased with the aircraft/crew that was selected. Good work.

5 1 5 07/03/2022

Always a great experience. Amazing communication and expert service

5 1 5 05/07/2022

After our plane developed mechanical problems and a night of discomfort and doubt, Kyle was able to find a plane and a crew at last minute to save my wife's 60th birthday trip. We arrived a little late but we arrived! You are the best Kyle.

5 1 5 06/12/2014

I was pleased with the way Heather assisted me. She followed-up throughout the process and during the flight.

5 1 5 06/28/2018

From start to finish, our experience with Stratos was totally professional, made very simple and the ultimate in how charter travel should be booked/enjoyed! We know it takes an entire team behind the scenes but all credit to Joel for his 'personal' touch and for making our return trip to New York a very memorable one indeed!!! We have used several charter companies worldwide over the years but Joel and his team beat them all!!!

5 1 5 07/09/2021

Superb service.

5 1 5 10/24/2023

Cannot recommend Stratos strongly enough. Our pilots were superb. They dropped us into 07FA onto a wet runway that a lot of pilots would have diverted for but the new grooved runway and pilot skill had us safely on the ground and taxiing after using way less than half the runway. The Citation Sovereign was in tip top condition. We will definitely use Stratos again.

5 1 5 06/23/2022

The entire process was smooth with Stratos Jet and the communication from all team members was great!

5 1 5 10/15/2021

Top notch experience, pilot was amazing, plane was great, service was phenomenal. No complaints at all.

5 1 5 05/14/2024

I have had many flights with Stratos Jet’s all booked through Kyle. They make the flights seamless and easy and do what they promise. I have recommended them to others.

5 1 5 12/22/2020

We had a great flight and would definitely recommend this to a friend. Thanks to Anthony for his attentive, personal service. Rgds, Michael

5 1 5 01/19/2018

The team was very happy with with the plane,crew and experience on Jan 17th. We are looking forward to working with Stratos Jets in the future.

5 1 5 05/22/2021

Zach Rankin is the best jet broker I have ever met! Total first class experience. Super responsive & passionate & customer service oriented. I’m in real estate hospitality....hotels & apartments etc. So I understand how hard it is to execute flawless high-end customer service like Zach.

5 1 5 02/21/2022

Great pilots, crew, and plane! Helped a lot with Covid stuff.

5 1 5 07/31/2023

Ditto!

5 1 5 11/21/2023

Dear Joel  We had an excellent flight, start to finish! Glad you told me how good that choice would be. Pilot quite impressively; flew at 40,000 feet all the way, zero turbulence. Best plane I have charted.  Happy Thanksgiving to you and family, Al

5 1 5 05/08/2020

After our flight, I sent an email to Joel Thomas (CEO) telling him about our experience. Joel called me last night to thank me for email. In part, my email to Joel said: Ernest Hemingway once said: "The best way to find out if you can trust somebody is to trust them". We trusted Stratos Jet Charters with our first charter flight, and the actions of all of your employees and contractors sustained our trust in Stratos. I told my wife when we were flying down: "Kyle (Jones) must sleep with his phone or computer on his pillow". It didn't matter when I called, texted, or emailed. Kyle always responded on a near immediate basis. Wow! Since this was our first charter, Kyle professionally and patiently walked us through the entire charter process with accurate, complete, and well-documented information. He seemed to always be a step ahead and in many, many cases, anticipated our questions and preemptively answered them. In a world where you hesitate to call a service provider or financial institution because you know you will be stuck on hold or in voicemail hell, it is indeed a breath of fresh air to find a company who communicates so very, very well and truly appears to care about their customers and the customer's experience with them. Most of my interaction was with Kyle Jones but I also had communications with Sandy Milam and she exhibited the same responsiveness as Kyle. The ground crews at Signature Flight Services at TEB and PBI were equally adept at continuing that service of excellence. Last but certainly not least, pilots Ernie Guido and Don Poskitt were the icing on the cake. As a former CEO of a professional services business, I know how important the client experience is and how communication is one of the very key components. I just wanted to be sure you heard about our experience from a very satisfied customer. Kudos to you and your staff.

5 1 5 03/01/2018

Wonderful! Plan to do it again. My wife and I had no idea that such a level of GREAT service was available.

5 1 5 05/20/2020

Great experience.

5 1 5 10/18/2013

It was a perfect flight!

5 1 5 11/26/2016

We prefer to finalize our itinerary, plane and crew at least a week in advance. We did not get things completely final until the day of the actual flight. Secondly, we prefer to pay post-flight rather than pre-flight. You were able to make an exception in our case which was appreciated. Lastly, the quality of the catering service from STT was atrocious. It was inedible.

5 1 5 02/05/2021

Great trip all round. Glenn and the team were terrific. The crew on the day were amazing.

5 1 5 02/07/2020

Sarah and Glen were awesome to work with to make the trip successful.

5 1 5 10/14/2019

Stratos Jets has always been a great company to work with, very friendly staff.

5 1 5 10/30/2017

Joel and Stratos are amazing! He made sure our flight was tailored perfectly and was very responsive and always available for contact. They catered specifically to our needs with late notice. The pilots were fantastic and patient, especially considering we had three animals and arrived 10 minutes before take-off. They provided the smoothest flight in the Hawker we’ve ever taken. Stratos offered transportation to and from; the boarding process was welcoming and convenient. We will only fly privately with Stratos Jets through Joel and his team. Thank you guys for everything!

5 1 5 11/22/2016

The Executive Car Service setup was a TOTAL disaster and almost ruined my trip. Chris Fink is awesome, but this man in Jersey was an absolute disgrace. Very disappointed with that firm. The crew stellar. Better than outstanding. I was blessed to have them transporting me on thus very important day trip. Chris' follow-up and communication was outstanding. He is Top-Notch.

5 1 5 11/22/2019

Thanks for all your updates. I could get used to this.

5 1 5 05/16/2023

I had a great time with the pilots, all of us looking at our route software on our iPads how to get around the rain and stay clear of all the boomers on the way to the field. They did a great job. Fabulous approach to Runway 21 direct. I would fly with these pilots any time anywhere.

5 1 5 07/19/2017

The Stratos Jet Charters team provides a seamless & excellent experience from beginning to end. They are a forward thinking company that puts the customer first and never disappoints with any trip or itinerary. Would absolutely recommend to anyone!

5 1 5 11/24/2025

Daniel is a treat to work with, very efficient and thorough. All the folks at Stratos were helpful and our trip went very well. I would definitely recommend Stratos to others.

5 1 5 07/31/2023

Eastern Air Services (crew and plane) were wonderful. Stratos micro obsession with baggage and weights was beyond logical and anything that I had ever experienced in prior charters. Turned out there was PLENTY of room in cargo for additional baggage and that my guests were no where near any weight limitation. The only reason I tolerated the craziness was the price differential. Next time, if they are not the best price I am going back to my regular charter companies. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Good Morning Gail,
Thank you for taking the time to raise the issue of our team's insistence on passenger and baggage weight.  I share in the blame as I am a pilot (I fly a Pilatus PC12 and Beechcraft Bonanza for my family).  Understanding the performance limitations of an older King Air, the relatively short runway of 5000' at Wildwood and warm summer temperatures, we like to air on the side of caution.  Please know that I have developed processes at Stratos to ensure that every flight we organize is arranged exactly as I would for my own family's travels.  Safety First.
I hope that while these requests were a bit cumbersome, you see that it was done with the best intentions for the safety of your flight and I certainly hope that going forward, Stratos can earn the opportunity to serve you based on our commitment to excellence rather than a cost comparison.
Sincerely,
   
Joel A. Thomas - Get to know Joel
President and CEO

5 1 5 07/28/2021

Randy was great. He helped with every aspect of the trip including time changes and catering. Both crews we had were great as well. Explaining, loading and unloading baggage, considerate and very polite. I would definitely use your service again.

5 1 5 01/19/2017

We were on a commercial flight from Detroit to Salt Lake City when part way into our flight we got notification from Delta app that our delay was going to cause us to miss our connection. We were on a long weekend for MLK to go skiing in Lake Tahoe. We were going to be rescheduled the following day, thus missing half of our vacation. I had email only, and emailed Garett asking if they had an operator in SLC who could get us to Tahoe that evening. Within 20 minutes he came back with two quotes. By the time we landed he had set up the flight, emailed me the number to the shuttle to get from Delta terminal to the private terminal, and did it all for a great price. To throw things off even more, we were set to fly to Tahoe, but Delta somehow got our bags on the flight to Reno that they said we couldn't make. So at the last minute we changed from Tahoe to Reno for a destination. By the time we took the shuttle to the FBO our flight plan was set and we took off within 10 minutes. It could not have been more seamless. It literally saved our vacation. Time is the most precious resource we have and time with family is even more precious. Our daughter is a senior and this is one of the last trips we'll have with her; it meant a lot, and Stratos savings our vacation, allowing us to create memories, means all that much more. Thank you!! Dave

5 1 5 07/08/2025

Kyle is amazing an jumps at a moments notice to make things happen. I would recommend Kyle and Stratos to anyone.

5 1 5 10/14/2014

For our far flung family, Stratos has been a consistently dependable, and cost conscious alternative to fractional and no-minimum jet programs. For us, safety is number one and cost is number two... Stratos has excelled in both areas. Their response to requests is always prompt and personal.  It is a pleasure working with Stratos.

5 1 5 09/22/2021

Steve Stogner set everything up perfectly. The crew PIC:Sean Jensen and SIC: Paul Theriot were the absolute best. If you want the best experience ever, request this crew. Made everything, from arriving at the airport to departing the destination airport a wonderful experience. Moser Aviation must be an up and coming company, as they sure hire great people

5 1 5 03/22/2021

I have already recommended your firm to a friend and will continue to do so assuming, of course, my future travels with you remain consistent with my inaugural experience

5 1 5 10/24/2023

Danny was great to work with. Answered all my questions and made sure the process was smooth and experience was great.

5 1 5 02/15/2021

We appreciate working with you and your team. Thank you.

5 1 5 02/24/2021

Everyone was great, from Steve who got us started, to the flight support team, and to the crew. Everything went smoothly and I'd highly recommend Stratos to anyone looking to charter a flight.

5 1 5 07/03/2022

Looking forward to our next booking with you! Professionalism at its finest!

5 1 5 07/31/2024

The entire experience from beginning to end was “top flight”. My agent, Steve Stogner was extremely patient, diligent-to-a-fault and unyielding in his efforts to provide us with great service and prioritization of our safety, notwithstanding some difficulties with the inclement weather conditions and cell phone communication challenges due to our location in a remote wilderness area of the mountainous Northern Georgia Chatahoochie National Forest. The pilots were extremely professional, affable and ostensibly competent. In sum, I would enthusiastically recommend the Stratos Charter Jet service and overall private flight experience to anyone! Dr. James R. C.

5 1 5 06/16/2021

I have highly recommended Stratosjets to friends and will continue to do so. The planning team (Kyle Jones being my lead - world class individual) continues to do a superb job tending to each detail and communicating same timely and in an understandable fashion.

5 1 5 07/24/2017

The Stratos Jet Charter team provides a seamless & top notch experience from beginning to end. They are a forward thinking company that puts the customer first and never disappoints with any trip or itinerary. I recently booked a short flight from Orlando to Boca Raton on a Falcon 2000EX and could not have been happier with the service and attention to detail that was provided for my wife, myself and the rest of our companions. Would absolutely recommend to anyone!

5 1 5 04/27/2021

Great communication, easy to work with

Frequently Asked Questions

Our friendly, expert air charter agents are here to answer questions or start your quote today. Don`t wait, call right now and we can get you on your way to the destination of your choice! Talk to one of our air chater argents now by calling (888) 593-9066 or by emailing [email protected]

  • How do I choose the right aircraft for my mission?

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    As charter brokers, we do more than simply book your charter flight. At Stratos Jets, our air charter associates are highly trained personnel capable of matching our clients with the appropriate aircraft for their travel needs. Once we determine how many passengers you’re travelling with and how far you’re flying, we can determine which category of aircraft you require. There are many options available. The most common aircrafts hired for private charters include:

    • Cessna’s Citation X
    • Gulfstream’s G650
    • Bombardier’s Global line

    After that, we can help you narrow down the selection of recommended aircraft based on budget, desired cabin amenities, airport requirements, luggage capacity, as well as aircraft age and performance capabilities.

    Staying Safe in the Skies

    At Stratos Jets, air charter safety is our number one concern. One of our key policies is to increase consumer education. This ensures our clients are able to make informed decisions. We also work with our aircraft providers to ensure their safety training programs meet and even exceed our air charter safety requirements. To make this happen, Stratos Jets is an ARGUS Certified Broker. This means that our brokerage firm is:

    • Committed to the best industry practices
    • Adhering to all applicable safety regulations
    • Maintaining the appropriate insurance coverage required
  • Are there additional costs per private jet rental passenger?

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    There are no additional costs per passenger. At Stratos Jet Charters, we base our private jet rental prices per hour, not per guest.

    The Stratos Pricing Estimator

    If you would like to estimate the cost of a private jet charter, use our Stratos pricing estimator page. It lists the most common estimates based on destination and aircraft type. And you can always enter customized data to get an estimate for a specific destination.

    Additional Concierge Charges

    We do charge for some of our additional concierge services, such as in-flight catering and entertainment, hotel bookings and ground transportation. We know our clients’ time is precious, so we offer the value and convenience of “one-stop-shopping” through our Trip Support team. When you book a flight with Stratos Jet Charters, we can take care of all the logistics, including booking hotels, meeting spaces, limousines and tickets to special events. That way you can relax, and enjoy your trip.

    Empty Leg Charters

    Also, since we charge per hour, not per passenger, there are travel bargains to be found with our Empty Leg Flights. Many of our private jet rental flights are one-way, and then we need to move the aircraft to a new destination. To reduce the costs of flying an empty aircraft, we offer discounts to travelers with flexible itineraries. Clever passengers will sometimes split the cost with their fellow travelers, thereby reducing the cost for everyone on the flight.  

  • Can I make last-minute changes to my itinerary?

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    If your plans need to change, we will do everything in our power to accommodate the changes. One of the benefits of hiring Stratos Jet Charters is that we have much more flexibility than commercial airlines and can provide many more air charter services.

    We have two teams that can help you. Here is a brief description of each:

    Charter Sales Agents 

    This is the initial contact team. They evaluate your travel needs to identify the appropriate aircraft type for your travel plan. Pricing is determined by aircraft availability, its position related to the intended departure location and the position of where the aircraft needs to be after performing the customer’s flight.   

    Trip Support Team

    Once the aircraft has been selected, Trip Support works with the customer, the air carrier and all concierge service providers to organize all of the travel details. Trip Support is responsible for coordinating:

    • Departure time
    • Departure and arrival at the Fixed Base departure location
    • Ensuring assigned crew members meet Stratos experience requirements
    • Making sure the insurance is current and everyone is protected
    • Coordinating all concierge services

    In reference to last-minute itinerary changes, any changes would go through the Trip Support Team.

    Our customers often have demanding flight itineraries that can change quickly. They’ve come to appreciate knowing there’s an entire team of people focused on organizing all the details of their trip. Stratos Jet Charters wants to provide our clients with consistently outstanding air charter service and an impeccable safety record.

View all our Frequently Asked Questions >

Are you ready to book your Can I make last-minute changes to my itinerary? charter flight yet?

Our friendly, expert air charter agents are here to answer questions or start your quote today. Don`t wait, call now and we'll get you on your way to your destination!

Call 888-593-9066
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