How Far Out Should I Book My Charter

We are often asked how far in advance one should book their jet charter. The answer typically falls into these three categories of trip types: 

1) Empty Legs
2) Domestic
3) International

Empty legs, or discounted one ways, are often confirmed within a day or two of the departure date of the trip that is creating the alternative route with no passengers. Booking these too far out can lead to a poor experience if there is a schedule change and the aircraft schedule no longer matches what your itinerary was.

Domestic trips are best to secure within two to four weeks ahead of the departure. Although we can always find an aircraft suitable for your mission, The PJC and it's operator partners tend to price the most competitively and be able to secure the top aircraft within that window. 

International trips have become the most complex because of operators being concerned with long flights and fuel costs. For instance, if you attempt to book a charter months in advance for a Los Angeles -> Europe trip, they are going to take the current fuel rate, assume a slight increase, and base the fuel surcharge and hourly rate off of those variables. Since fuel continues to stay above average, you may lock yourself into a flight that is overpriced compared to market. We find the the market rates become available and true closer to four to six weeks ahead of your departure date. Sometimes this can be difficult to plan against, not knowing the exact logistic for your travel on an extended vacation or business trip. However, rest assured that The PJC has a refined process to maximize the available aircraft and aim for the highest quality solutions at this time.