Rick Colson
Executive Insights from Rick Colson | October 2026
By Rick Colson
Founder & CEO, New Flight Charters | Private Pilot | Aircraft Owner | Serving private aviation clients since 2004
When a client receives two private jet charter quotes for the same trip, it is natural to put the prices side by side. If both aircraft appear to have enough seats and both proposals show the requested route, the lower number can seem like the obvious choice.
After more than twenty years arranging private aircraft, I look first at what each proposal actually delivers. The price matters, but so do the aircraft, the operator, the schedule around the flight and the terms attached to the booking. Those differences can determine whether the client gets the result they chartered the aircraft to achieve.
In September’s Executive Insight, I explained why aircraft availability changes. Quote comparison is the next step: once we have available options, how do we distinguish a good price from the best overall fit? That requires understanding how each option would serve the particular trip.
Start with the outcome the client needs
Before I can make a useful recommendation, I need to understand the reason for the charter. A family leaving for a vacation may have flexibility around departure. A business group attending a meeting may need to arrive at a particular time. Both may request the same route, but the priorities behind their decisions can be quite different.
The comparison should begin with the same itinerary: travel dates, departure and arrival airports, passenger count, baggage, pets, return plans and any essential arrival time. We should also know which preferences are flexible. An alternative airport may improve aircraft options, but that advantage needs to be weighed against the additional ground journey.
Consider an illustrative business trip with a fixed morning meeting. One quote uses the requested airport; another uses an airport farther from the meeting and assumes a later departure. The second may be less expensive, but it is offering a different travel plan. I would explain the difference before asking the client to choose between the prices.
Understand what the broker and operator each contribute
A charter operator manages the aircraft, crews, maintenance, scheduling and flight operations. A broker evaluates the market and brings the client suitable options. Understanding that distinction helps a traveler assess both the proposed flight and the professional recommending it.
Two brokers can present the same aircraft from the same operator. That does not necessarily make the proposals identical: the total price, booking terms and scope of service still deserve comparison. Conversely, two quotes for the same aircraft model may involve different operators, different individual aircraft and very different operating schedules.
Access to aircraft is the beginning of the broker’s work. The value comes from evaluating the available choices, understanding the client’s preferences and explaining a recommendation. I want a client to understand why an option is appropriate, including any tradeoff they would be accepting.
Compare the actual aircraft and its fit for the trip
An aircraft category is a useful starting point, but it is not a complete description. Even aircraft of the same model can have different seating layouts, cabin condition, baggage arrangements and amenities. A photograph or a seat count alone does not answer whether the aircraft will work well for this group.
For example, in an illustrative family trip, an aircraft may have enough passenger seats but still be a poor fit for the group’s large suitcases, golf bags or ski equipment. That deserves attention during the comparison, when there is time to select a more suitable option.
Range also needs to be considered for the actual mission. Passenger and baggage loads, weather and airport conditions can affect the operating plan. If one proposal anticipates a fuel stop and another offers a suitable nonstop option, the traveler should understand the difference in elapsed travel time and convenience. An aircraft’s published range is not a promise that every trip of that distance can be flown nonstop.
My role is to identify which differences matter to the client. A larger or newer aircraft may provide benefits they value. On another trip, a less expensive aircraft may meet every practical requirement. Paying more should have an understandable reason.
Understand why the prices differ
As we discussed in September, the aircraft’s location and existing schedule can materially change the economics of a charter. The quoted price reflects more than the passenger-carrying flight. It also reflects how the operator can fit that flight into the aircraft’s work.
An aircraft finishing another trip near the requested departure airport may offer an efficient option. Another aircraft may need to reposition from a distant base. For a return itinerary, one operator’s proposal may be built around keeping the aircraft and crew nearby, while another may involve departing and positioning back for the return.
These arrangements can produce different prices without either quote being unreasonable. They can also create different scheduling considerations. I want to know what is making the lower price possible and whether that arrangement is a good fit for the client.
Here is an illustrative case where the lower quote could be the right recommendation: two suitable aircraft meet the client’s needs, both operators have been appropriately evaluated, and one aircraft is already well positioned with a workable schedule. If its total cost and terms are favorable, the client may gain excellent value from that operating efficiency. A higher price, by itself, is not evidence of a better flight.
Compare the total commitment and the charges that can change
An hourly rate is only one part of a charter proposal. I would compare the total estimated cost for the agreed itinerary, including applicable taxes and fees, and make clear what the amount covers.
Depending on the trip, the relevant costs may include positioning, airport and handling charges, crew expenses and overnight arrangements. Catering, ground transportation or other requested services may be included or priced separately. The client should be able to distinguish what is included, what is excluded and what remains conditional.
For example, if deicing is an additional charge when required, that possibility belongs in the discussion before booking. The same applies to a client-requested itinerary change or an extended stay. The point is to explain the circumstances under which the financial commitment could change.
When comparing proposals, I would ask whether each total is an estimate or a fixed price for the specified itinerary, and what exceptions apply. A lower figure with unresolved charges is difficult to compare with a more complete proposal until those differences are explained.
Evaluate the operator and the schedule behind the quote
The client should understand who will actually operate the flight and which aircraft is being proposed. For U.S. charter, verifying the operator’s authorization and the aircraft’s authorization for charter use is a basic part of evaluating the option. An attractive price does not replace that verification.
Beyond that foundation, operator experience and reputation, aircraft suitability and dispatch reliability deserve attention. Dispatch reliability concerns the likelihood of an aircraft being available to perform as planned, including maintenance-related interruptions. No aircraft or operator is immune to disruption, and a recommendation should not suggest otherwise.
I also look at the schedule surrounding the trip. Is the aircraft arriving from another flight? How much margin exists if that flight runs late? Are crew availability, duty and rest requirements, airport operating hours and the next commitment compatible with the requested itinerary? A proposal can look straightforward on the page while relying on a sequence of events the passenger never sees.
Consider another illustrative comparison. The less expensive aircraft is due to arrive from a previous trip shortly before the requested departure. A second, suitable aircraft has more schedule margin at a higher price. For a client with a fixed arrival requirement, that difference may justify recommending the second option. For a flexible departure, the first may remain reasonable after the dependency is understood. The judgment depends on the mission and the actual operating plan.
Read cancellation and change terms as part of the value
Two quotes can have similar totals but expose the client to different costs if plans change. Before booking, understand when cancellation charges apply, how they increase as departure approaches and whether special terms apply during holidays or other periods of high demand.
The terms should also explain how itinerary changes are handled. A later return, an additional stop or a different airport may require more than a simple price adjustment; the aircraft or crew may have another commitment that makes the revised plan impractical.
There is a separate question when the operator cannot perform the agreed trip. What provisions apply to cancellation, refunds or an aircraft substitution? If a replacement can be found, does it require the client’s approval, and who bears any additional cost? A client should not assume that a replacement will be equivalent, immediately available or provided at the original price.
An experienced broker should explain the applicable agreement and discuss alternatives where the trip warrants them. Recovery depends on the circumstances and the available market. The useful standard is a clear understanding of what has been agreed and how the client will be supported if the plan changes.
Expect a recommendation with reasons
A client should not have to become an aircraft specialist to choose between proposals. The broker should do the evaluation and make the important differences understandable.
A useful recommendation connects the aircraft and operating plan to the client’s priorities. It explains what makes the option a strong fit, why the price differs from alternatives and which limitations remain. If the lower-cost aircraft meets the mission well, that should be said clearly. If another option is worth the additional expense, the reason should be specific.
There are also times when none of the current options is particularly attractive. A different departure time, airport or date may improve the choices. That possibility belongs in the conversation when the client has flexibility; when they do not, the recommendation needs to respect the firm requirements.
Because availability remains live, the final choice should be reconfirmed as the booking moves forward. Once the client is comfortable with the aircraft, price and terms, unnecessary delay can mean losing the option. Timely booking should follow an informed decision.
My perspective on value and the long-term client relationship
The most important part of a charter is the outcome. Clients are paying to get their family, colleagues or themselves where they need to be with the service and convenience that led them to choose private aviation.
That is why I believe a broker’s recommendation must serve the client’s interests. Selecting an option because it produces a better commission or margin for the broker is a poor basis for a relationship. If a lower-priced option is the best overall fit, recommend it. If it has a weakness that matters to this client, explain the weakness and the alternatives.
For me, this is a long-term business. Each trip contributes to the client’s confidence in the advice they receive. That confidence grows when the recommendation is thoughtful, the tradeoffs are clear and the service supports the result the client needs.
When evaluating a quote from New Flight Charters, I would want a client to ask why we recommend that particular aircraft and operating plan. The answer should demonstrate that we understand their trip and have evaluated the options accordingly.
What private fliers can do before deciding
Give your charter professional the full itinerary, passenger and baggage requirements, and the reason timing matters. Identify which preferences are flexible and which are essential. Then compare the proposed aircraft and operator, total estimated cost, conditional charges, schedule assumptions and booking terms.
Ask for the recommendation and its reasoning. A lower quote can represent excellent value, and a higher quote can be justified by a meaningful advantage. The best decision is the one you can understand in terms of your own trip and the outcome you need.
About Rick Colson
Rick Colson is the Founder and CEO of New Flight Charters. A private pilot and aircraft owner, Rick has spent more than two decades helping business leaders, entrepreneurs and experienced private fliers with charter solutions throughout North America and internationally. His focus is knowledgeable guidance, dependable service and long-term client relationships built on trust.
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- Why charter aircraft availability changes
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