Discover the differences between chartered vs. scheduled flights, including flexibility, cost, privacy, accessibility, and convenience.
Regarding air travel, chartered private flights offer luxury, flexibility, and convenience that scheduled flights can’t match.
With a private charter, you set the schedule, choose the aircraft, and enjoy exclusive amenities tailored to your needs. No long security lines, no rigid timetables, and no crowded cabins—just a seamless, stress-free experience from start to finish.
While scheduled flights may be more cost-effective, chartered flights' personalized service, privacy, and efficiency make them the clear choice for those seeking a superior travel experience.
Key Differences Between Charter vs Scheduled Flights
Aren’t all flights scheduled? Simply put, the answer is no. While charter services must file a flight plan with air traffic controllers and receive clearance from the relevant aviation authorities, this doesn’t normally take too long. What’s more, that’s not the same as a scheduled commercial flight. Let’s uncover the relevant differences now.
Flying Scheduled: Meaning & Significance
Scheduled flights “operate according to pre-published schedules for departures and arrivals from one destination to another.”
For instance, if you’ve ever noticed a flight number on a commercial flight itinerary or boarding pass, that refers to a particular scheduled flight.
For American Airlines, for instance, a scheduled flight might posted in advance as AAL118. This flight is scheduled to fly the same route (LAX-JFK) during the same time slot daily (currently, around 6:00 AM PDT to around 2:30 PM PDT).
Delays and cancelations due to weather, mechanical issues, geopolitical events, and other unforeseen circumstances can change the flight time or cause the flight to be canceled. But generally speaking, the time slot of a scheduled flight is the same from one day to the next.
Flying Chartered: Meaning & Significance
A charter flight is “a flight that is not part of an airline’s published schedule”, per the U.S. D.O.T.
Whereas a commercial airline must post on its website that it will fly a certain route during a certain time consistently, the same is not true for charter flights.
While it’s generally best to book a charter flight 1-3 months in advance when possible, it’s not necessary. In fact, at Paramount Business Jets, we offer private charter flights with as little as 4 hours’ notice.
Steps involved on the charter service’s end include:
- Sourcing the aircraft (available at the departure airport or one can be repositioned)
- There is a 2-hour crew call-out time
- Completing the trip paperwork from the client's side
- Fueling the aircraft if needed
Due to all of the above, it’s usually not possible to charter a flight with less than 4 hours’ notice, but it has been done provided the aircraft and crew are at the airport and ready to go.
Note: There is such a thing as public charters, which occur “when a person or company contracts for the operation of an aircraft to and from a destination and then advertises and sells seats to members of the public, either directly or through a travel agent” per the U.S. D.O.T.
The vast majority of chartered flights, however, are private. That’s because most people who spend the extra money to charter a flight compared to flying commercially are looking for specific advantages and benefits.
Benefits of Chartering a Private Flight vs. Flying Commercially
Chartering a flight privately offers many benefits compared to flying commercially, including:
- Flexibility: You can choose your itinerary, your departure time, your aircraft type, and more. This is very different than flying commercially, the plane, route, and times are all fixed.
- Customization: From requesting bespoke catering to requesting a plane with a full bed for longer trips, you can customize your chartered flight to meet your unique needs and preferences.
- Convenience: Flying privately means you don’t need to get to the airport as early, and you don’t need to go through long security lines. In many cases, you can even request to wait for your flight in a private waiting area. You also get exclusive use of the chartered aircraft, meaning you only fly with who you want to.
- Accessibility: While wheelchair services are available on commercial airlines, they are limited in scope, and traveling to and from the airport, making it through security, and navigating large crowds and big terminals can be a challenge. Meanwhile, on private jets, disabled travelers can request to be lifted into the aircraft via Ambulift and travel directly to an FBO, making this option far more convenient.
Benefits of Flying Commercially
The main benefit of flying commercially is the cost savings associated with doing so. For most travelers, however, the costs associated with flying privately are well worth the benefits, and may not be as expensive as you think.
Emissions are another consideration for some travelers, but flying commercially doesn’t inherently cause more emissions, especially for large groups like sports teams, bands on tour, or families.
Looking for a great way to get a reduced cost on a private jet while reducing your carbon footprint? Flying an empty leg, or a leg of a trip that is already scheduled but has no passengers on board, while providing less room for custom scheduling, still provides all other benefits of flying privately, and is usually offered at a steep discount.
Charter a Flight with Paramount Business Jets Today
Chartering a private plane is the ultimate convenience. You don’t have to book travel as far out in advance. You don’t have to wait hours in a security line. You don’t have to sit in a plane with screaming babies and coughing adults. You can tailor the experience to your needs.
Ready to experience it all for yourself? Charter a private plane with us today.
