The benefits of private jet travel are obvious: you can enjoy comfortable flights with people you like and steer clear of all the usual chaos at the airports. Nevertheless, we all know owning a private jet is a significant commitment, even then and now. Keep scrolling to see how much a private jet is in 2025.
In this article:
How Much Does A Private Airplane Cost?
The personal jet price is usually between $2 million and over $100 million.
If renting sounds more appealing to you, then the prices will be much more affordable, ranging from $2,000 to $14,000 per flight. Another alternative is to opt for a membership, which requires an initial deposit of $100,000 to $200,000.
1. To Buy
Private jets often have quite hefty price tags, ranging from $2,000,000 to over $100,000,000. The number all boils down to features, model, size, and range.
However, since private jets tend to depreciate over time (like cars), buying a second-hand plane is a great way to save money. That aside, you should also pay attention to the following key factors:
a. Ongoing Costs
The average private jet cost involves a lot of ongoing expenses. Unexpected repairs and routine maintenance (e.g., a $2,000 tire replacement) are obviously not cheap. You’ll also need to pay for insurance, crew salaries, hangar space, and more, which total $500,000 to $1,000,000 annually.
Fortunately, there’s great news: many online calculators will help you estimate these expenses, even breaking them down by specific models and jet brands. Consultants or jet management companies can also offer to assist with purchase deals, ongoing maintenance costs, etc.
b. How Often You Fly
The second criterion to consider is how much you actually fly.
Sellers might try to convince you that flying 200 hours per year is enough to justify buying a jet but remember that they are trying to make money here. Some brokers offering fractional ownership — similar to real estate timeshares — might claim 400 to about 600 hours is the sweet spot.
From an unbiased point of view, we believe at least 250 hours of flight a year are required to make private aircraft ownership reasonable and cost-effective.
c. Your Traveling Habits
The type of trips you take can sometimes play an even bigger role than the number of hours you fly.
Here’s a simple example. If you often take one-way trips, you must cover the cost of returning the crew and plane. For aircraft owners who want to stay at a specific destination for more than one week, they will either pay to accommodate the aircraft and crew there or send them back home.
Either option will add up to the total cost or, worse, outweigh the advantages of purchasing a private jet.
2. To Rent
How about renting a private jet instead of buying one? In that case, you should expect to spend between $2,000 and $14,000 each flight hour, covering a range of aircraft from cheap turboprops to luxury private jets.
Beyond the hourly market rates (including the aircraft, fuel, and crew costs), a few other factors also add to the total price of a private jet rental. Here is a more detailed breakdown:
a. Billable Flight Hour
The primary cost factor is the billable flight time, calculated on an hourly basis. It is usually counted from takeoff to landing, not including taxiing on the ground. Some parts it often covers:
- The time the jet is airborne
- Any positioning time needed to get the jet to your location
- A standard minimum daily charge of two hours when applicable
b. Aircraft Category
Remember that private jets are always categorized based on dimension and capabilities!
Hence, the rental cost naturally increases with the jet’s category. Rates start at around $2,000 an hour for small turboprops, go up to approximately $14,000 for ultra-long ones, and can exceed $23,000 if you go for VIP airliners.
And that’s not all. Within each of these categories, different aircraft types might still have varying costs based on market demand and comfort level, which might add $200 to over $2,000 an hour to the total cost of private aircraft.
c. Aircraft Age
Needless to say, newer aircraft tend to be far more expensive to rent than older models. Price differences can range from just $100 to a whopping $1,000 an hour, sometimes even higher.
d. Hangar Fee
Hangar charges are sometimes involved, too, particularly in harsh or icy weather conditions, to keep frost, snow, or ice from pooling on the aircraft model. Depending on the entire aircraft size, these fees can fluctuate from $500 to approximately $1,500 daily.
e. Wi-Fi Charges
Last but certainly not least, Wi-Fi charges on a private jet range from $3 to $8.5 per megabyte, based on region. For instance, Wi-Fi usage for a flight from a European country to the U.S. can cost between $3 and $6,000.
On the other hand, some charter brokers might arrange for jets that offer free Internet when available.
3. Jet Card Membership
Another popular option is to purchase a private plane card membership.
The process is straightforward: you pay about $100,000 to $200,000 (initial deposit), and then the cost of your flights will get deducted from this deposit at a fixed hourly rate. These rates range from $2,000 to $4,000 an hour for small turboprops and can go up to $20,000+ for midsize or larger jets suitable for longer journeys.
As of our writing, many companies on the market offer private jet cards. Some companies focus on short domestic flights, while others provide access to international destinations. A few highly-rated examples:
- Airshare
- Air Partner
- Airstream Jets
- Alliance Aviation
- International Jet
- Flexjet
- Jettly
- JetSuite
- NetJets
- Magellan Jets
- Privé Jets
- PrivateFly
- VistaJet
- Unity Jets
- Quantum Jets
5 Factors To Consider When Buying A Private Jet
To ensure the jet meets your needs, consider these important factors:
1. Aircraft Size
Of course, bigger doesn’t always mean better, and a huge airliner-size model might be too much in this case.
Still, you should consider whether it can accommodate your requirements and carefully assess how many people you often like to fly with. After all, nobody wants to experience an uncomfortable, cramped trip, especially on long flights like those from Asia to Europe.
2. Aircraft Range
Next, ask yourself how far you’ll travel regularly and your most common destinations. For example, do you prefer landing at small, regional airports closer to the final destinations than major airports? Ensure the jet you choose can handle all these travel needs efficiently.
3. Features & Luxury Options
Private jet flights usually offer a wide range of luxury features, so it’s entirely up to you.
Even when you won’t be entertaining much in the sky, comfort in the cabin is still quite important for both yourself and your fellow passengers. Decide if you want flight amenities (like entertainment systems or wet bars for relaxed leisure) or phone services and satellite internet to conduct business activities.
4. Cabin Crew
The jet size will determine the crew required. Larger jets may need mechanics, flight attendants, and multiple pilots, while smaller jets can operate easily with just one pilot.
And that’s not all. Depending on how frequently you use your jet, you should also consider whether your crew should be permanent staff or hired on an as-needed, contractual basis.
5. Management
Owning a jet doesn’t just mean you pay to bring a jet home. As discussed earlier, it also involves logistics like crew training and vetting, hangar space, maintenance fees, scheduling, financial accounting, and stocking refreshments.
Some people prefer to handle such tasks single-handedly, while others hire professional jet management companies to enjoy discounts on hangar space, insurance, fuel, etc. Assess which suits your preferences better!
10 Cheapest Private Jets In The World
Even the priciest model on this list, the Cessna Citation CJ3+, can be bought for under $11 million, which is relatively cheap compared to some private jets that might charge a hot $100 million.
The ultimate winner, however, is a second-hand Turboprop plane, which costs only about $50,000.
| Name | Price |
| Cessna Citation CJ3+ | $8 to 10.5 million |
| Cessna Citation X | $3.5 to 7 million |
| HondaJet | $2 to 6 million |
| Learjet 60 | <$1 to 6 million |
| Pilatus PC-12 | $4 million |
| Hawker 400XP | $3 million |
| Cirrus Vision Jet | $2.5 million |
| Citation Mustang | $2.5 million |
| Embraer Phenom 100 | $2 million |
| Used Turboprop Plane | $50,000 |
7 Companies That Offer Semi-Private Flights
If you dread the chaos of commercial flights but aren’t ready to rent or buy a private jet, a middle-ground alternative can be quite appealing. Let us introduce you to some affordable semi-private flight options:
| Company Name | Starting Rate (for each way) |
| BLADEone | $1,775 |
| XO | $1,500 |
| Aero | $1,000 |
| SetJet | $750 (with a $99.95 monthly membership) |
| Tradewind Aviation | $200 |
| Surf Air | $199/month (pay as you fly) or $2,499/month (unlimited) |
| JSX | $119 |
Conclusion
Knowing the upfront cost of private jet services can help you decide whether to buy, rent, or consider membership or semi-private options. If you still have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to us or a reputable aircraft management company!
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