Nonscheduled Chartered Passenger Air Transportation Revenue Benchmarks
The average nonscheduled chartered passenger air transportation business in the United States generates $8.0M in annual revenue, according to the U.S. Census Bureau Statistics of U.S. Businesses (SUSB 2021). There are 1,395 nonscheduled chartered passenger air transportation businesses in the U.S., employing 33,196 workers with an average profit margin of 5.0%. The average employee in this industry earns $128K per year (Bureau of Labor Statistics QCEW 2023).
What Does a Nonscheduled Chartered Passenger Air Transportation Business Actually Do?
Private jet and small aircraft charter — NetJets, Wheels Up, Vista Global, plus fractional and jet card programs.
Who buys: Wealthy individuals, corporate travelers, sports teams, entertainers.
Average Revenue
$8.0M
per year
Profit Margin
5.0%
industry average
Revenue / Employee
$335K
per year
Total Businesses
1,395
in the US
Est. Owner Income
$398K
small business avg
Labor Cost
35.0%
of revenue
Avg Employee Wage
$128K
per year (BLS)
Market Saturation
0.4
firms per 100K people
How Much Do Nonscheduled Chartered Passenger Air Transportation Charge?
Private jet charters and small aircraft charter — priced per flight hour.
| Service | Typical range |
|---|---|
Light jet (per flight hour) | $2,500–4,500 |
Mid-size jet | $4,500–7,500 |
Heavy jet / long-range | $7,500–15,000 |
Turboprop | $1,500–3,000 |
Membership programs (annual) | $100,000–500,000/year |
Ranges based on industry rate surveys and typical published pricing. Actual quotes vary by city, business size, and job complexity.
Complete nonscheduled chartered passenger air transportation business plan
A 12-section data-backed business plan for a nonscheduled chartered passenger air transportation business — executive summary, market analysis, competitive landscape, revenue model, 3-year financial projections, operations, marketing, staffing, funding request. Pre-populated with real Census, IRS, and BLS data on this industry. Free to view.
Cost Structure — Where Every $100 in Revenue Goes
Approximate P&L breakdown for the nonscheduled chartered passenger air transportation industry. Labor share and net profit are grounded in Census SUSB and IRS SOI data. Other lines are split using sector-typical ratios.
| Category | Per $100 revenue | Per typical business | What's in it |
|---|---|---|---|
Fuel & vehicle costs | $30 | $2.4M | Fuel is often the single biggest line — plus tires, maintenance, tolls. |
Wages & benefits | $35 | $2.8M | Payroll for all employees at the business (owner comp not included for small owner-operators). |
Rent & facilities | $6 | $478K | Rent or mortgage on business location plus utilities tied to the space. |
Marketing & advertising | $3 | $239K | Google/Meta ads, SEO, print, referral fees, event sponsorships. |
Other operating costs | $21 | $1.7M | Insurance (very high), truck payments, dispatching software, driver benefits. |
Net profit | $5 | $398K | What remains for the owner or shareholders after all business expenses. |
Directionally accurate for a typical business in the industry. Individual businesses vary widely — a franchise may run a very different cost mix from an independent, and older established businesses often have lower labor share than newer ones.
Average Revenue by Business Size
Industry Dynamics (Census BDS 2023)
New Business Rate
14.57%
openings/year
Closure Rate
9.44%
closings/year
Net Job Growth
+6.84%
annual
Businesses Closed
156
in 2023
Firm Count Trend
Should You Start a Nonscheduled Chartered Passenger Air Transportation Business?
Startup Cost
$50K – $250K
Break-Even
5 months
5-Year Survival Rate
50.0%
Related Industries
Frequently Asked Questions
- What does a nonscheduled chartered passenger air transportation business do?
- Private jet and small aircraft charter — NetJets, Wheels Up, Vista Global, plus fractional and jet card programs. Wealthy individuals, corporate travelers, sports teams, entertainers.
- How much do nonscheduled chartered passenger air transportation charge?
- Private jet charters and small aircraft charter — priced per flight hour. See the pricing table above for typical rates by service type.
- How much does the average nonscheduled chartered passenger air transportation make per year?
- The average nonscheduled chartered passenger air transportation business generates $8.0M in annual revenue, based on U.S. Census Bureau data (SUSB 2021). After expenses, the estimated owner profit is $398K per year at a 5.0% profit margin.
- How many nonscheduled chartered passenger air transportation businesses are there in the US?
- There are 1,395 nonscheduled chartered passenger air transportation businesses operating in the United States, employing a total of 33,196 workers.
- How much does it cost to start a nonscheduled chartered passenger air transportation business?
- Startup costs for a nonscheduled chartered passenger air transportation business typically range from $50K to $250K, with a 5-year survival rate of 50.0%.
- What is the average salary in the nonscheduled chartered passenger air transportation industry?
- The average employee in the nonscheduled chartered passenger air transportation industry earns $128K per year, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data (QCEW 2023).
Industry Growth & Survival
The nonscheduled chartered passenger air transportation industry is actively growing — adding jobs at a net rate of 6.8% per year. New establishments are opening faster than existing ones close (14.6% entry vs 9.4% exit), indicating healthy demand.
Approximately 61% of nonscheduled chartered passenger air transportation businesses survive their first 5 years. This is above the national average (~50%), making it a relatively safe industry to enter. In 2023, 156 firms in this industry closed permanently.
Employment & Wages
The average employee in the nonscheduled chartered passenger air transportation industry earns $128,183/year. This is significantly above the national average of ~$65K, reflecting the skilled nature of this work. With 3,085 establishments employing 40,544 people, the typical business has about 13 employees.
Industry Trend (2000–2023)
The nonscheduled chartered passenger air transportation industry has grown 15% since 2000 (from 1,658 to 1,903 firms).
See full historical statistics →Compare Nonscheduled Chartered Passenger Air Transportation revenue with other industries: