Buying guide

Chartering a private jet: verify the operator and the broker

Updated October 22, 2026 · Written by the Only for the Wealthy editors · General information, not legal or financial advice

Flying private is meant to remove friction, not add risk. The discerning charter client spends five minutes on paperwork before wheels-up, because the aircraft, the crew, and the company holding operational control matter more than the catering. Here is what to check, drawn from the FAA and the Department of Transportation.

We don’t sell or arrange flights. Only for the Wealthy is a publisher. We aren’t a charter operator or an air charter broker, and we have no relationship with any operator or broker named in our sources.

1. Know who actually flies you

A legal charter in the United States is flown by an operator holding an FAA certificate for on-demand or commuter operations under 14 CFR Part 135. Those operations carry higher standards than private Part 91 flying: more stringent crew training and testing, crew duty and rest limits, stricter maintenance, FAA-approved drug and alcohol testing, and adequate insurance [1]. The company you pay may be a broker; the company in operational control of the aircraft is the one that matters for safety.

2. Ask for the certificate and the D-085

Ask the operator for its Air Carrier or Operating Certificate. The FAA says that if an operator refuses to show the required authorization, find one that will [2].
Ask for the operations specification page known as D-085. FAA inspectors explain that the D-085, together with the certificate, shows the operator is legitimate and that the specific aircraft is authorized under it [1].
Check both yourself in the FAA’s list of certificated Part 135 operators and authorized aircraft, which is searchable by operator name or N-number and updated weekly. If the operator or aircraft isn’t listed, the FAA says to contact the local Flight Standards District Office to verify [3].
Look up the aircraft’s registration in the FAA Aircraft Registry by its N-number [4].

3. If you book through a broker, expect these disclosures

Under the Department of Transportation’s air charter broker rules (14 CFR Part 295, effective 2019), a broker’s advertising must say clearly that it is a broker, not the carrier operating the aircraft [5][6]. Before you sign for a flight, the broker must tell you [5]:

the corporate name of the carrier in operational control of the aircraft, and any other names it uses;
whether the broker is acting for you, for the carrier, or as an indirect air carrier; and
whether the broker holds liability insurance covering you, your passengers, and property, and its limits.

On request, the broker must also disclose the total cost including fees and taxes, any third-party fees you’ll pay directly (such as fuel, landing, or hangar fees), and, if it acts as your agent, any business relationship with the carrier that may affect its choice [5]. If a required or requested disclosure isn’t provided within a reasonable time, the rule says the broker must let you cancel and receive a full refund [5].

4. The FAA’s red flags

The company supplies the aircraft and at least one crew member but asks you to sign a document taking on operational control (a disguised “lease”) [2].
No federal excise tax on the invoice. Legitimate operators must charge it; the FAA describes it as the 7.5% federal excise tax on air transportation [1][2].
No safety briefing or passenger briefing cards [2].
Evasive answers to reasonable questions [2].
Anyone coaching you on what to say if an FAA inspector meets the aircraft [2].
A price that seems too good to be true. The FAA notes illegal operators typically charge significantly less because they skip the overhead of compliance [1][2].

5. A short pre-booking checklist

Get the operator’s legal name, certificate, and D-085 in writing.
Confirm the operator and tail number on the FAA Part 135 list [3].
If a broker is involved, get its written disclosures before you sign [5].
Read the contract for who holds operational control. It should be the certificated operator, not you.
Check the invoice for federal excise tax and itemized fees.
Pay the contracting company by a method you can dispute; confirm wiring instructions by calling a number you found independently.

Suspect an illegal charter? The FAA asks the public to report rogue operators through the FAA Hotline (1-866-835-5322) or to its Safe Air Charter team at safeaircharter@faa.gov [7].