Global Jets

What a VIP airliner is and who charters one

The six long-range types share one idea: take the fuselage of a regional or short-haul airliner, give part of the hold to extra fuel tanks and replace the rows of seats with rooms. The result is a cabin of 21.6 to 32.7 m, against 16.59 m in a Global 7500, and wide enough for a real bed, a table for ten and a corridor between the rooms.

VIP airliner models in the catalogue

Some ACJ319 and BBJ2 aircraft have a business-class section at the rear with 29, 39 or more seats. EU rules require cabin crew on aircraft with more than 19 passenger seats, and these layouts suit companies moving staff together with their management. Ranges in the table are manufacturer figures for a light cabin; with a full group and heavy baggage the operator plans less.

The two regional jets have no long-range tanks: the manufacturer gives 2,796 km for the Avro RJ family and 1,667 km for the 328JET in its group layout. They cover London, Paris, the Alps, the Riviera and the Balearics non-stop and cost far less per hour than the six long-range types, so a team, a company trip or a wedding party of 30 to 46 often flies on one of them.

Which type for which trip

For a group of up to 14 people, one of the ultra long range jets such as the Global 7500 is often the alternative: faster, with a range over 14,000 km and access to more airports, but with a narrower, lower cabin and less room for a separate lounge and bedroom. We quote both when the group size allows it.

VIP airliner prices from Europe

The six long-range VIP airliners share one hourly rate: from EUR 18,000 per flight hour for the whole aircraft with crew. The regional Avro Business Jet starts at EUR 8,300 and the 328JET at EUR 4,900. The tables show one-way prices from European hubs, calculated from the distance and flight time. The final offer depends on the specific aircraft, its base and the dates.

Within Europe

North Africa and the Middle East

Long-haul

The tables use Toronto rather than New York and Miami on purpose. Teterboro, the usual business airport for New York, accepts aircraft above about 45 t only with prior permission, so a VIP airliner usually lands at JFK or Newark, and in Florida at Miami International. We price these trips on request.

Business jet price per flight hour

Heavy Jets from EUR 8,300 / hour

Light Jets from EUR 3,200 / hour

Ultra Long Range Jets from EUR 12,000 / hour

Super Midsize Jets from EUR 6,300 / hour

Very Light Jets from EUR 2,500 / hour

Long Range Jets from EUR 9,800 / hour

Midsize Jets from EUR 4,500 / hour

Turboprops from EUR 2,000 / hour

What makes up the price

• Flight time at the hourly rate, the largest item on longer legs
• Positioning: there are few aircraft, often based far from your departure airport, and the flight to it can be a separate line
• Landing, parking and handling, charged by weight: for a 54-85 t airliner several times the fees of a business jet
• Crew: two pilots and cabin crew, with hotels and allowances on multi-day trips
• Passenger taxes: France about EUR 420 per passenger on European routes, Italy EUR 100 up to 1,500 km and EUR 200 beyond, German departure tax and UK Air Passenger Duty
• Catering for the whole group, de-icing in winter, satellite internet where charged

On short legs the fixed part weighs most. London - Nice on an A318 Elite costs EUR 40,000 for 1:45 h, far above rate times time, because positioning, the minimum charge and the airport fees of a 68 t aircraft are the same whether it flies one hour or three. On long legs the hourly figure stays above the rate: an augmented crew and days away from base enter the price, so London - Dubai on a BBJ2 comes to EUR 145,000.

How to keep the cost down

• Choose the smallest type that fits the group: the A318 Elite or Lineage 1000 cost less to land and position than a BBJ2, and a European group of 30 to 46 usually flies for less on the Avro or the 328JET
• For a return after a few days, compare the aircraft waiting with its crew against two separate positioning legs
• Be flexible on the airport: an aircraft parked in Geneva, Basel or Zurich saves positioning for a Swiss or southern German departure
• Accept an older cabin: operators often quote original interiors below refurbished ones
• Ask about a mixed layout with business-class seats, or about the Avro Business Jet, when a group of 25 or more travels together

Empty Legs

A trip cannot be planned around an empty VIP airliner. There are few aircraft, and most fly long one-off charters, so empty sectors are rare and usually run between Europe and the Gulf. When one fits, it can cost 40-65 % less than a normal charter, as an example and not a promise, with the date and route set by the operator. Leave a request on the Empty Legs page if your dates are open.

On board: rooms instead of a cabin

A usual VIP airliner layout starts with a galley at the front and a lounge with sofas, continues with a dining or meeting room and ends with a bedroom with a double bed and its own bathroom. The BBJ2 and BBJ3 have room for a second lounge or a second bedroom, and some aircraft have a shower. Bags travel in the holds under the floor and cannot be reached in flight, so hand baggage should hold what you need on board. The Avro and the 328JET usually have rows of wide seats for a group, sometimes with a VIP section at the front, and no bedroom; the 328JET hold sits at the rear and is reachable in flight.

The ACJ319 hold figure is small because extra fuel tanks take part of it, and the actual volume depends on how many tanks the aircraft carries. Before a long trip with a full group, ask how many tanks the offered aircraft has: that decides both the non-stop range and how many suitcases fit.

Airports and practical limits

A VIP airliner needs a stand for a large aircraft, and in July and August these run short at holiday airports such as Ibiza, Olbia or Mykonos. Boarding 19 people, loading the holds and catering for the whole group also take longer than with a business jet, so plan for more time at the terminal.

Seasons and typical trips

Demand for a VIP airliner follows the European calendar. In July and August most requests go to Nice, Olbia, Palma, Ibiza and the Greek islands, often for a family with guests or a wedding party. From November to March the flow turns to the Gulf, the Maldives and the Seychelles, with Christmas and New Year booked first.

In winter ski groups fly into Geneva, Zurich or Salzburg, and the last part to Verbier, Gstaad, St. Moritz or Kitzbühel is by car or helicopter. Spring and autumn bring conferences, investor tours and sports teams moving between European cities, when a large hold matters more than a bedroom.

How to book

• Send the route, dates, number of guests, baggage and any special requests for the cabin or catering
• We check which aircraft are free, where they are based and what the positioning costs, and return offers with photos of the actual cabin
• You choose, sign the charter contract and pay; the operator arranges slots, stands, permits and catering
• Before departure you receive the flight details, the terminal or FBO address and the crew contacts

Because only a few aircraft fly in charter, give us one or two weeks for a VIP airliner when you can, and more in high season. Requests are accepted 24/7 at +357 96407410 or private@jets.flights, and our office answers from 08:00 to 23:30.

Why charter a VIP airliner through European Private Jets

With so few aircraft, the hard part is finding one that is free, near your departure airport and allowed to fly your itinerary. We know which operators hold these types in Europe and the Gulf and check positioning, stands and cabotage before you see an offer.

The team speaks eight languages, including English, German, French and Italian, and has worked in business aviation for 14 years.

Our team

Charlotte McKinney

Commercial Director

charlotte.m@jets.flights

Henry Richter

Head of Aviation Department and Data Protection Officer

henry.r@jets.flights

Emma Miller

Director of Development

emma.m@jets.flights

Liam Bishop

Senior Aviation Consultant

liam.b@jets.flights

Oliver Davis

Aviation Consultant

oliver.d@jets.flights

Anna Laurent

Aviation Consultant

anna.l@jets.flights

Questions about VIP airliners

• • What is a VIP airliner?

  • A passenger airliner such as the Airbus A319, Boeing 737 or Embraer E190, fitted out as a private aircraft with a lounge, dining room and bedroom instead of rows of seats.

• • How many passengers does a VIP airliner take?

  • Typical VIP layouts take 14 to 19 guests. Some ACJ319 and BBJ2 aircraft have a business-class rear section with 29, 39 or more seats, and the regional Avro Business Jet and 328JET take about 46 and 30 to 33 in group layouts.

• • How much does a VIP airliner cost per hour?

  • From EUR 18,000 per flight hour for the whole aircraft with crew on the six long-range types, from EUR 8,300 for the Avro Business Jet and from EUR 4,900 for the 328JET. Short legs cost more than rate times time because of positioning and airport fees.

• • What does a flight from Geneva to Dubai cost?

  • From EUR 130,000 one way on a Boeing BBJ, with a flight time of 6:26 h.

• • What is the difference between an ACJ319 and a BBJ?

  • The ACJ319 cabin is wider and slightly taller, at 3.70 by 2.25 m. The BBJ has a much larger hold, and the two have similar range.

• • Which aircraft suits a group of 40 within Europe?

  • The Avro Business Jet, with about 46 wide seats and an 18.25 m³ hold, flies legs of up to about three hours non-stop. For a group of around 30, the Dornier 328JET costs less per hour.

• • Can a VIP airliner land in Cannes or London City?

  • Not in Cannes, which has a 35 t limit, so the airliners and the Avro use Nice. London City accepts the Avro Business Jet, approved for its steep approach, and an A318 Elite only with the right equipment and approval; otherwise the group uses Farnborough, Luton or Stansted.

• • Can I reach my baggage during the flight?

  • Not on the long-range airliners or the Avro: bags travel in the holds under the floor, so keep what you need on board in hand baggage. The 328JET is the exception, with a rear hold reachable in flight.

• • How early should I book?

  • One to two weeks if possible, more for the summer season and holidays. Few aircraft fly in charter, and a free one may need a long positioning flight.

• • Are there Empty Legs on VIP airliners?

  • Rarely, mostly between Europe and the Gulf. When one fits, it can cost 40-65 % less than a normal charter.