Liftbrief / Next steps
Stage 2: How do you compare private jet charter quotes fairly?
Compare the complete mission and the promises attached to it—not just hourly rates. NBAA’s charter guidance identifies potential charges beyond flight time, including positioning-related charges, fuel surcharges, waiting, crew expenses, catering, ground transport and airport-related fees. (nbaa.org)
Create a Charter Quote Equaliser in a spreadsheet. The name describes the worksheet; no particular software is required.
| Comparison field | What to record for each proposal |
|---|---|
| Evidence | Proposal date, version, expiry and incorporated contract documents |
| Mission | Airports, dates, timing, passengers, baggage and stops |
| Aircraft | Model, configuration, registration if allocated, substitution permissions |
| Counterparties | Seller, contracting entity, payment recipient and operating carrier |
| Flight charging | Fixed trip price or hourly basis; billable-time definition and minimums |
| Aircraft positioning | Included, separately priced, conditional or unspecified |
| Fuel and crew | Fuel basis, waiting, accommodation and other crew charges |
| Airport and ancillary services | Handling, parking, catering, communications and transfers |
| Weather-related expenditure | De-icing, hangar use and diversion treatment |
| Taxes | Included amounts, applicable basis and unresolved treatment |
| Changes and cancellation | Deadlines, time zone, charges and treatment of partial itineraries |
| Recovery | Replacement obligation, extra payment, refund and approval rights |
Use three outputs, not one misleading total
- Known expenditure: confirmed charges and confirmed applicable taxes, without double-counting items already included.
- Unpriced exposure: conditional or unspecified charges, with an owner and a question against each.
- Delivery conditions: stops, substitutions, cancellation and recovery provisions that affect what the price purchases.
Mark each line included, excluded and priced, conditional, or unspecified. An unspecified charge remains unresolved; it is not a zero.
What should you do about US private jet charter taxes and fees?
Request the supplier’s transaction-specific calculation. IRS Publication 510 states that taxable passenger air transportation is subject to a 7.5% percentage tax and describes domestic-segment tax separately; it also includes waiting and aircraft deadhead movement within amounts paid for transportation. Do not assume that taxing only occupied flight hours produces the correct result. (irs.gov)
Where tax treatment is disputed, refer it to an aviation tax adviser rather than resolving it through an online calculator.
When is the comparison ready?
- Every material difference is resolved or explicitly accepted by the approver.
- Each unpriced charge has a written charging basis, estimate or agreed limit where obtainable.
- The supplier has confirmed which terms control if the quotation and standard conditions differ.
- No proposal is labelled “cheapest overall” while material exclusions remain unpriced.
Specialist trigger: commission a narrow quote review when competing assumptions, tax treatment or contradictory terms prevent a defensible decision. Do not pay for another generic aircraft shortlist if the missing work is contract comparison.