You can ask for a one-way private jet charter. Nothing about the request is unusual. What changes is how you compare quotes: the aircraft still has to start somewhere and end somewhere, and the written proposal should show who pays for that movement.
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This guide helps you decide what to tell the charter team and what to check in the written terms. It does not give prices, because a one-way quote depends on the route, the aircraft, the date and the operator's current schedule. For the general request process, start with our charter page. For a trip-specific proposal, use the quote request.
Decide what "one way" means for your trip
"One way" can describe three different trips. Say which one you mean, because each is quoted differently.
- Truly one direction. You fly out, and you have no need for this aircraft afterward.
- One way now, return undecided. You expect to come back, but the date, airport or party may change.
- Two separate one-way trips. You plan to book the return on its own, possibly with a different aircraft or operator.
If the return is likely, tell the charter contact now. A written return plan can change how the trip is built. If the return is truly open, say that too, and ask how a later return would be handled and whether any terms from the first quote would carry over.
Know what a one-way quote can include
The 2016 NBAA aircraft charter consumer guide lists "one-way fees (for non-round trip flights)" among the charges that can sit beside the flight-time charge, along with fuel surcharges, wait time, crew transportation and overnight charges, catering, ground transportation, landing and handling fees and taxes. It advises you to know the whole cost of the flight before signing. NBAA's charter request form also asks directly about a one-way surcharge.
That gives you a practical checklist. Do not assume the proposal with the lowest flight-time line is the lowest total. Ask whether each of these is included, estimated or not yet known:
- A one-way or positioning charge, and how it is calculated
- Landing, handling and any airport fees at both ends
- Crew overnight or ground costs if the crew cannot return the same day
- Taxes and fees
- The total, in writing
Our quote-comparison checklist shows how to line proposals up on the same terms.
Ask how the aircraft gets there and where it goes next
A charter aircraft may need to move to your departure airport, and after your landing it may need to move again. Ask the charter contact, in plain terms:
- Where will the aircraft be before my departure?
- What happens to the aircraft after I land?
- Is any of that movement shown as a separate line, or is it inside the total?
- Would a nearby airport change the number, and does it still work for my ground plan?
You do not need to know how the operator schedules its fleet. You need the proposal to say which charges it includes. If an answer is "it depends," ask what it depends on and when it will be confirmed.
Check duty limits if the trip has a tight turn
NBAA's guide notes that FAA limits on flight and duty time and required crew rest can affect a trip, giving the example of an early outbound with a same-day late return on the same aircraft and crew. A one-way charter that you plan to turn into a same-day return can run into the same issue. If timing is tight, say so early and ask how the operator handles crew limits.
Compare one-way with an empty leg, and with a round trip
An empty leg is a repositioning segment that may be offered when it matches your route and time window. It can move or cancel if the underlying trip changes. A one-way charter built around your itinerary is a different request: the requested departure time and airport are evaluated for your trip, subject to carrier confirmation, and the quote reflects the agreed itinerary. Decide which trade-off matters more: price flexibility or building the request around your preferred schedule, subject to carrier confirmation and operating conditions.
If you will be back within a few days, also ask for a round-trip proposal and compare the totals. Treat the comparison as a question to answer in writing, not an assumption either way.
One-way charter decision sheet
Send this with your request and keep it with the proposal.
- Trip type: One direction, return undecided, or two separate one-way trips
- Fixed points: Required arrival time, passengers, baggage, airports you can use
- Flexible points: Earlier or later departure window, alternate airports
- One-way charges: Whether a one-way or positioning charge applies and how it is stated
- Airport and crew costs: Landing, handling, overnight and ground charges, included or estimated
- Total: The written total including taxes and fees
- Cancellation and changes: Terms if the date, airport or passengers change
- Return plan: How a later return would be requested and priced
Keep unresolved items marked as pending. A verbal answer is not the same as a line in the written proposal.
Before you accept
Check that the proposal names the direct air carrier that will operate the flight, the aircraft, the itinerary and the total. Jet Partners coordinates customer requests; the identified direct air carrier operates the flight and keeps operational control. When the sheet above is filled in, request a trip-specific proposal with your route, dates and how much flexibility you have.
