What to do the week before a charter flight

Once a charter is booked, most of the work moves to the operator, but a handful of things only you can do, and doing them a few days early is the difference between a seamless departure and a scramble at the FBO. This checklist is written for the travelling passenger rather than the flight department: documents, timings, luggage, catering, pets, ground transport and the questions worth asking before the day. It applies whether you are flying an hour across a border or overnight across an ocean.

1. Send passenger details exactly as they appear on passports

   Full names, dates of birth, nationalities, passport numbers and expiry dates for everyone, including infants, so the operator can file APIS and customs manifests. A mis-spelt name or a nickname on the manifest is the commonest cause of a delayed clearance. Use a secure channel rather than an open email thread, and send it at least 48 hours before an international flight.

2. Check passports, visas and travel authorisations

   Confirm every passport is valid for the destination's rules, often six months beyond your stay, and that any visa, ESTA, UK ETA, ETIAS or eVisa is approved. Private flights get no exemption. Check whether children travelling with one parent need a consent letter for your destination, and whether any passenger needs a transit visa for a fuel stop.

3. Confirm the itinerary, airports and timings in writing

   Reconfirm departure and arrival airports, local departure times and the FBO or terminal name and address at each end. Ask about curfews, slot windows and customs hours that constrain your times, and what happens if you run late. If the trip has a return leg, confirm whether the aircraft waits or comes back, and the latest time you can change the return.

4. Get the operator, aircraft and crew details

   Ask for the operator's name, the aircraft type and tail number, its year and cabin layout, and, on the day before, the captain's name and mobile number. This is your chance to spot a substitution and to verify the aircraft is on the operator's certificate. Ask for a TripCHEQ or PASS report if you did not receive one at booking.

5. Report your bags, oversized items and total weight honestly

   Tell the operator the number and size of suitcases and any skis, golf clubs, bicycles, instruments or cases, and the approximate weights if asked. The aircraft may not have room for oversized items even if the total volume is fine, and on long sectors heavy bags can force a fuel stop. Finding this out on the ramp means leaving something behind.

6. Place catering and special-requirement orders

   Catering needs 24–48 hours' notice, longer at small airports, on Sundays and for religious, allergen-free or children's meals. Decide whether you want the operator's standard offering, a bespoke order or your own restaurant delivery to the FBO. Confirm alcohol preferences, and remember light jets have no oven, so hot food must be delivered ready to eat.

7. Arrange pets and their paperwork

   Confirm the operator accepts pets on this aircraft and any cleaning fee. For international flights, assemble the microchip record, rabies certificate, animal health certificate or pet passport and any import permit, and check the arrival airport is an approved point of entry for animals. Most vets advise against sedation; bring water, a blanket and a familiar toy instead.

8. Book ground transport at both ends

   Decide whether you will drive to the FBO and park, be dropped off, or have the operator arrange cars. Give the operator the driver's name and plate if you want airside access at the destination, which some FBOs allow. Send the arrival FBO's exact address to anyone collecting you, since it is rarely the main terminal.

9. Confirm what is included and how extras will be billed

   Reread the contract for Wi-Fi charges, catering mark-ups, de-icing, wait time and crew overnights, and ask whether a reconciliation invoice will follow the trip. Confirm the payment has cleared and get a receipt. If your dates are near a holiday, check for peak-day surcharges and stricter cancellation terms.

10. Check the weather outlook and agree a plan B

    Three days out, ask the operator whether the forecast raises any concerns: fog at a small airport, snow needing de-icing, thunderstorms or strong crosswinds. Agree in advance what the alternatives are, such as departing earlier, using a larger airport with better approaches, or an overnight. Build slack into important connections in winter.

11. Brief your group on FBO arrival and security expectations

    Tell everyone the FBO address, that arrival 15 minutes before departure is normal (30–45 for international), that they need physical ID or passports, and that on a conventional charter there is no security screening but weapons, large lithium batteries and dangerous goods must be declared. Part 380 semi-private flights now do have screening and liquid limits.

12. Sort out connectivity, medical needs and comfort items

    Ask what Wi-Fi the aircraft has and what it costs, download entertainment for children in case there is no cabin system, and pack medication, oxygen requirements or mobility aids in the cabin, not the hold. Tell the operator about any medical condition that could matter in flight, such as a recent surgery or a need for a wheelchair at the destination.

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