PrivateJet Calculators
How we estimate
Last updated
The model in plain English
From airport pair to flight time
We start with great-circle distance, then multiply it by 1.04 to allow for real-world routing. Each aircraft class has its own cruise speed and climb/descent allowance. We add 0.2 hours of taxi time for each segment and keep very short airborne estimates above 0.4 hours.
Winds are directional. With no travel date, the model starts with a 40-knot westerly wind and applies only the component along the route. Dated estimates use 55 knots in the listed winter months and 30 knots in the other months. That normally makes an eastbound trip faster than its westbound return.
| Class | Cruise | Climb/descent | Planning range | Daily minimum |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Turboprop | 275 KTAS | 0.25 h | 1,400 nm | 1.0 h |
| Very light jet | 360 KTAS | 0.25 h | 1,100 nm | 1.0 h |
| Light jet | 415 KTAS | 0.25 h | 1,800 nm | 1.5 h |
| Midsize | 440 KTAS | 0.30 h | 2,500 nm | 2.0 h |
| Super-midsize | 485 KTAS | 0.30 h | 3,100 nm | 2.0 h |
| Heavy | 480 KTAS | 0.35 h | 4,000 nm | 2.5 h |
| Ultra-long-range | 500 KTAS | 0.35 h | 6,500 nm | 3.0 h |
If the wind-adjusted still-air distance exceeds the class planning range at the requested load, the engine adds a technical stop. Each stop adds another climb/descent cycle, taxi, landing and handling charges, plus 0.75 hours on the ground.
Price, not a teaser fare
How the cost range is built
The estimated one-way hourly ranges cover the 20th to 80th percentile of published broker route prices and include typical positioning and minimum charges. Published operator rates are shown separately. Less-served airport pairs can add up to 25% for extra repositioning.
The flight line uses the greater of calculated billable time and the class daily minimum. Effective market rates represent aircraft, crew, fuel at the standard rate and typical one-way positioning. The engine then adds applicable passenger taxes and landing, handling and FBO charges. Less-served airport pairs can add repositioning at the high end.
| Class | Effective hourly range | Published operator range |
|---|---|---|
| Turboprop | $3,900–$6,000 | $2,500–$4,000 |
| Very light jet | $4,700–$7,500 | $3,000–$4,800 |
| Light jet | $5,200–$8,100 | $3,800–$6,500 |
| Midsize | $5,900–$8,400 | $5,500–$8,500 |
| Super-midsize | $8,700–$12,000 | $7,500–$11,000 |
| Heavy | $8,900–$14,000 | $9,000–$15,000 |
| Ultra-long-range | $12,000–$18,000 | $13,000–$20,000 |
US tax treatment
Taxes, the border zone and peak periods
Eligible domestic transportation uses a 7.5% Federal Excise Tax plus a $5.30 per-passenger fee for each segment in 2026. Canada and Mexico airports within the statutory 225-mile zone are treated like domestic transportation. Other international trips use a $23.40 US arrival or departure tax per passenger instead of FET on the international portion.
Alaska and Hawaii need separate treatment. The model applies the sourced $11.70 passenger tax and does not pretend that the whole overwater flight is subject to domestic FET. Operators must confirm the taxable portion of a real itinerary.
On listed holiday and event windows, the high estimate can add 15%. The current and future dates in the engine data are:
- Las Vegas Grand Prix — November 19, 2026 to November 21, 2026
- Thanksgiving — November 22, 2026 to November 30, 2026
- Art Basel Miami Beach — December 2, 2026 to December 6, 2026
- Christmas and New Year — December 18, 2026 to January 5, 2027
- Super Bowl LXI (tentative) — February 12, 2027 to February 15, 2027
- Independence Day — July 2, 2027 to July 6, 2027
- Thanksgiving — November 24, 2027 to November 30, 2027
- Christmas and New Year — December 22, 2027 to December 31, 2027
Checked against public evidence
Validation results
Flight time was checked against 811 real-flight averages, each based on at least 30 flights. Across aircraft classes, median error ran from -1% to +2%; mean absolute error ran from 5–9%.
Prices were calibrated to the middle 60% of 486 published one-way broker prices. Depending on class, 61–70% of published prices fall inside our estimate range.
Results were reproduced against the 2026-10-21 estimate data; price calibration sample sizes are counted from the aircraft-class records.
Limits are part of the answer
What the estimate does not know
The model does not confirm runway or airport suitability, payload-specific performance, weather, de-icing, crew availability, airspace restrictions, curfews, customs, permits or legal authority to operate. It does not assume an empty-leg discount. Catering beyond standard service, special ground transport and operator-specific cancellation terms are outside the estimate.
Manufacturer ranges use different payload, reserve and cruise assumptions. Seasonal wind magnitudes are calibrated assumptions rather than a forecast. Public broker prices are not a complete market index. A certificated operator must confirm the aircraft, route, airports, taxes and final price.
Data date: .