Avinode says U.S. charter demand rose 27%

Avinode says U.S. domestic charter demand rose 27% from October 2025 to September 2026, even as actual departures stayed mostly flat. The platform expects hourly charter rates to reach record levels through late 2026.

• U.S. domestic charter demand up 27% in 12 months
• Measured from October 2025 to September 2026
• Departures described as largely steady year over year
• U.S. accounts for about two-thirds of global charter flights, per WingX data cited by Avinode
• Avinode expects record hourly rates in the rest of 2026

Avinode’s latest charter-market read shows a strange split: more shopping, not much more flying. The company says U.S. domestic charter demand grew 27% between October 2025 and September 2026, but the number of departures has stayed broadly stable.

That points to a busier sales funnel and a more crowded broker market rather than a simple boom in aircraft use. Avinode also says the U.S. remains the center of the charter world, with WingX data indicating that about two-thirds of air charter flights happen there. The company expects hourly rates to hit record highs through the rest of 2026, helped by holiday demand and fuel costs.

For customers, the message is mixed. There may be more brokers and digital tools competing for trips, but that does not automatically mean cheaper flying. For operators, better pricing and faster quoting could matter more than adding aircraft if departures are flat.