When chartering an aircraft, there are many variables and it is always a good idea to plan. Most flights are booked one or two weeks before – or at the latest – two to three days before. However, some brokers can turn around a flight in a few hours, if the planets line up. Private jet charter company Mercury Jets shares how and when passengers can book a last-minute private jet flight.

Post-pandemic, there have been many changes in business aviation and flying by private jet surged due to an increasing need to travel, when no or little commercial flights were available. There was a greater demand than ever before, especially when flying on-demand at short notice or even at the last minute, due to quarantine, travel regulations changing quickly and a great need to fly out fast. The demand for ad-hoc charter flights has continued and is still there.

Charter brokers will have an advantage if they want to fly at the last minute as they have pre-established relationships with a wide array of certified operators and therefore have access to various aircraft. There is usually a specific time frame for last-minute flights, which is often around 2-3 hours minimum before take-off, although sometimes it is shorter.

This is because there is a lot to arrange pre-flight. There must be an aircraft available at or close to the chosen airport. Then you need the crew to fly it and to arrange catering and any specific requirements. When traveling internationally, time is needed to ensure all the correct documentation is in place and things like landing permits, overflight permits, slots and parking, if needed.

Chartering a last-minute private jet flight

The most common reasons for a last-minute flight are flight cancellations, organ transport, medical flight, and weather events in locations that are hard to get out of, most commonly being a hurricane approaching a Caribbean island.

To achieve an ad-hoc on-demand charter within the 2-3 hours’ time frame, the aircraft needs to be at the chosen airport already or at an airport that is near and can reposition, which takes time. Pilots, in general, have a two-hour call-out time, and the crew arrives at the airport at least 90 minutes before a flight to prepare the aircraft.

The pilots need to do pre-flight inspections and prepare the paperwork for the flight. The aircraft will probably need to be refueled. If a flight attendant is carried, they need to prepare the cabin and make sure everything is immaculately clean and in place. They will also load, store and prepare the catering and check the safety equipment onboard.

Short-notice flights are often called ‘Go Now’ flights and are last minute due to having to be somewhere urgently at short notice, which could be an urgent business appointment or visiting family in a crisis situation. Sometimes, it is due to flight delays and cancellations, especially during spells of bad weather. More often than not, these flights are for emergency medical flights or medevac flights. They are also used when country restrictions change and there is an urgent need to leave. This can also be the case in times of political unrest.

On a ‘Go Now’ flight, to save time, a standard catering selection can be arranged at the last minute, and there are usually drinks and snacks stocked onboard, too. Four hours would be the average time to arrange everything for a last-minute flight. Sometimes in an exceptional emergency case, it can be done in 1-2 hours.

For Mercury Jets, more than 25% of their flights are ‘ASAPs’, with wheels up usually within 2 hours. This is especially common with commercial flight cancellations. The company shared that was the case during the CrowdStrike event, while also being very common when adverse weather (hurricanes, blizzards) cancels commercial traffic.

The logistics behind a last-minute charter

Let’s look at how this works in practice. Most charter brokers like Mercury Jets have the technology to see what aircraft are available at any given time and a 24/7 operations team to organize everything and put the flight together.

Where permits are required, planning of a flight may take longer. For those who fly regularly with a company, the process will be quicker as they have some of the details already to hand.

In conclusion, yes you can charter a flight today, in theory. There are many variables on the day that have to be in the right place at the right time. Mostly ‘Go Now’ flights are under exceptional circumstances like a medevac operation.

Most flights are booked in advance and well planned for, yet although unusual, it is not impossible to travel on the same day of booking a flight. Operators and brokers alike will certainly try and make it work. In most cases, flights are arranged within a 24–48-hour period, but it also depends on permits, crew visas and having all the paperwork in place.