How to vet a charter operator or broker
Charter is a trust business: you are handing your family or your executives to a company you found online, and the legal and safety standards behind two near-identical quotes can be very different. This checklist gives you the questions that separate a certificated, audited operator from an illegal charter dressed up as a bargain, and an honest broker from one hiding who is actually flying you. None of the questions is rude; every professional in the industry expects them and answers quickly.
Every legal charter is flown by a company holding an air operator certificate (Part 135 in the US, an AOC in most other countries). Ask for the certificate number and the name on it, then verify it on the FAA or national regulator's public register. A broker who cannot or will not name the operator before you pay is either disorganised or hiding something.
A certificated operator can still fly an aircraft that is not on its certificate, which makes the flight illegal. Ask for the tail number and check that it appears on the operator's operations specifications; regulators and ARGUS or Wyvern reports will show this. If the tail number keeps changing or is only available on the day, ask why.
Look for ARGUS Gold, Gold Plus or Platinum, Wyvern Registered or Wingman, and IS-BAO Stage 1 to 3. Then ask your broker for an ARGUS TripCHEQ or Wyvern PASS report on your specific flight, which lists the aircraft, the operator's audit status and both pilots' hours. Reputable brokers supply this free and without being asked twice.
A good answer names both pilots, their total hours and hours on type, and confirms a two-pilot crew. For a light jet, 3,000 hours total and 500 on type for the captain is solid; for a large-cabin jet, 5,000 and 1,000. Ask whether pilots train in a simulator every six or twelve months and whether the operator has a fatigue policy stricter than the legal duty limits.
Charter operators carry liability insurance, typically $50–300 million for jets, and can provide a certificate of insurance on request; brokers should hold their own professional liability cover. Ask to see the certificate and confirm it covers commercial charter for the aircraft you are flying on. Insurance is void if the flight is illegal, which is the practical reason the certificate check matters.
Are you buying from the operator directly, from a broker acting as your agent, or from a broker acting as principal who resells the flight? Each is legitimate, but the contract, refund path and liability differ. US DOT rules require brokers to disclose the operator and their role before payment. Check that the contract names the operator, the aircraft and the terms of substitution.
Search the operator's name with the NTSB, AAIB or your national investigation body for accidents and incidents, and look at how long they have held their certificate. A fleet of consistent types with a stable pilot roster is a good sign; a mixed fleet of old aircraft each owned by a different person, with contract pilots, deserves more questions.
A transparent quote states the hourly rate, whether it is block or flight time, positioning hours, daily minimums, airport fees per stop, crew overnights, taxes and which items are estimates. Ask what could change the price after the flight. An operator that answers in detail is used to accountable customers; one that says 'it's all in' and refuses a breakdown is not.
Find out what happens if the aircraft goes technical: will you get an equal or better aircraft at no extra cost, or a refund? What are the cancellation steps and does weather count as the operator's failure to perform, with a full refund? Ask how a refund is paid and how quickly. Read the peak-day terms if your dates are near a holiday.
Since 2024 US Part 135 operators must implement an SMS by 2027 and EASA operators have had one for years. Ask whether the operator does a flight risk assessment for each trip and whether pilots can decline a flight without penalty. An operator that has never delayed or cancelled for weather is either lucky or pressuring crews, and neither is reassuring.
Corporate flight departments and family offices that have used the operator for years are the best reference. Trustpilot and Google reviews are weak evidence but can expose a pattern of surprise invoices or last-minute cancellations. Membership of a trade body such as NBAA, EBAA, BACA or the Air Charter Association is a modest positive.
Confirm the operator, tail number, aircraft year, crew count, itinerary with times, all-in price with breakdown, catering, pets, and any promised features such as Wi-Fi or an enclosed lavatory in the signed charter agreement. Pay by a traceable method, ideally to the operator's or a regulated broker's account. Verbal assurances are worth what they cost.
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