10 Best Private Jet Companies for Luxury Travel in 2026

Flying private sounds pretty simple until you actually try to book a flight.

You can charter a jet for one trip, buy a block of flight hours, join a membership program, or even buy a share of an aircraft. They all get described as private aviation, but they are very different ways to travel.

That makes ranking private jet companies from one to ten a little misleading.

Someone looking for a private flight from New York to Miami once or twice a year probably shouldn’t be considering the same program as someone flying privately every other week.

So instead of pretending there is one “best” private jet company, we’ve looked at what each company is actually good at and who it makes sense for.

Our 2026 selection includes some of the biggest names in private aviation, including NetJets, VistaJet, Flexjet, Wheels Up, and XO, along with companies that may make more sense if you only fly private occasionally.

Editorial disclosure: DailyStoke has not personally flown with every company in this guide. We researched current company information, program details, aviation sources, and publicly available information. No company paid for inclusion. Private aviation programs and prices change frequently, so always request current terms and a complete quote before booking.

Best Private Jet Companies Compared

1. NetJets: Best for frequent private flyers

NetJets is probably the private jet company most people already know.

Its main business is fractional ownership. Instead of owning an entire aircraft, you buy a share and receive access to a corresponding amount of flying.

The company also offers leasing and jet-card options, so buying a share isn’t the only way to use NetJets.

For frequent private flyers, the attraction is consistency. You are buying into an established aviation network rather than finding a different aircraft and operator every time you want to travel.

But for the occasional luxury vacation, it is probably overkill.

If you only expect to fly private a couple of times a year, I would look at on-demand charter before considering fractional ownership.

Best for: Frequent private flyers who value predictable access and an established network.

2. VistaJet: Best for frequent international travel

VistaJet is interesting because you don’t have to buy part of an aircraft.

Its silver-and-red jets operate internationally, and its main Program membership is aimed at people who fly privately regularly but don’t necessarily want the responsibilities or commitment that come with aircraft ownership.

That makes it particularly interesting if your travel regularly takes you between the U.S., Europe, the Middle East, and other regions.

VistaJet also puts a lot of emphasis on making the experience consistent from one aircraft to another. For a frequent traveler, knowing roughly what you’re going to get can matter more than having your name attached to one particular plane.

For someone taking one special private trip, though, there is less reason to commit to a program. Compare ordinary charter prices first.

Best for: Frequent international travelers who want private aircraft access without fractional ownership.

3. Flexjet: Best premium alternative to NetJets

If you are seriously considering fractional ownership, Flexjet belongs on the shortlist with NetJets.

The company offers fractional ownership, leasing, and jet cards, with aircraft ranging from smaller private jets to long-range Gulfstreams.

Flexjet itself says fractional ownership is particularly suited to customers flying privately for around 50 hours or more each year.

That tells you quite a lot about who this is for.

If you fly private once for a family vacation, Flexjet’s fractional program isn’t really aimed at you. If you’re constantly moving between homes, offices, meetings, and vacation destinations, the calculation starts to look very different.

Flexjet also leans heavily into the luxury side of private aviation, particularly through its Red Label service and premium aircraft.

Best for: Frequent private flyers looking for a high-end fractional ownership program.

4. Wheels Up: Best for flexibility

Wheels Up is a little harder to put into one box.

The company has changed considerably over the years and now combines membership, private charter, group charter, and global aviation services.

It also has a close relationship with Delta Air Lines, which makes it unusual in this list. For someone who sometimes flies privately and sometimes commercially, that combination can be useful.

This isn’t fractional ownership in the traditional NetJets sense. You are buying access rather than part of an aircraft.

That makes Wheels Up worth looking at if you want private aviation to be available when you need it but aren’t interested in owning a share of a jet.

Just spend some time with the current membership terms. This is one of those products where the headline membership price doesn’t necessarily tell you what your actual year of flying will cost.

Best for: Travelers who want flexible private aviation without fractional ownership.

5. XO: Best for booking online

XO feels more like booking modern travel online than traditional private aviation.

You can search for private flights digitally and explore different aircraft options without starting every journey by calling a broker.

For someone new to private flying, that makes the whole process feel considerably less mysterious.

XO operates as a private aviation marketplace, giving travelers access to aircraft across different cabin classes. Membership options are available too, but on-demand access is a big part of the appeal.

There is one thing worth remembering: a private jet isn’t just a very expensive airline seat.

The aircraft needs to suit the route, number of passengers, luggage, runway, range, and operating conditions. The cheapest aircraft you see isn’t automatically the one you should book.

Best for: Travelers who want an easier, more digital way to arrange private flights.

6. Sentient Jet: Best for jet cards

Sentient Jet is one of the better-known names in jet cards.

Its model is fairly easy to understand. Instead of buying part of an aircraft, you buy access through a 25-hour jet card.

For people who know they’re going to fly privately several times, that can be a useful middle ground.

You get more predictability than shopping for every flight individually, without making the much bigger commitment involved in fractional ownership.

The obvious question is whether you will actually use those hours.

Before putting a large amount of money into any jet card, check the details around peak days, minimum flight times, cancellation rules, taxes, surcharges, and aircraft categories.

Best for: Regular private flyers who want more predictable access without buying an aircraft share.

7. Magellan Jets: Best for a more personalized setup

Magellan Jets offers both jet cards and membership programs.

That gives you a little more freedom to choose a setup based on how you actually travel.

Someone with predictable flying needs might prefer a jet card. Someone who wants regular access but isn’t sure exactly how many hours they will fly may find a membership more suitable.

This is where it pays to ignore the marketing names for a moment and do some basic math.

Give the company an example of how you expect to travel over the next year and ask what each option would actually cost.

That’s much more useful than deciding that a “membership” sounds better than a “jet card.”

Best for: Travelers who want private aviation structured around their individual flying habits.

8. Jet Linx: Best for local service

Jet Linx stands out because it puts more emphasis on local service.

The company offers jet-card membership alongside aircraft management and operates through local private terminals and teams.

For a regular private flyer, that can be more useful than it sounds.

If you tend to leave from the same area, having people who know your usual destinations and preferences can remove some of the friction from each trip.

The main thing to check is whether Jet Linx has a strong presence where you actually live and fly.

A local-service model isn’t much of an advantage if your nearest location isn’t convenient.

Best for: U.S. private flyers who value a local relationship and regular jet access.

9. Stratos Jet Charters: Best for occasional private flights

Stratos may be more relevant to the average first-time private flyer than some of the much bigger names above.

It is a charter broker rather than an aircraft owner.

You tell Stratos where you want to go, when you want to travel, how many people are coming, and any special requirements. It then works with certified operators to find a suitable aircraft.

There is no need to buy a share of a jet or commit to dozens of flight hours.

If you want to fly privately for a special vacation or only expect to do it occasionally, this is the type of model I would investigate first.

The trade-off is that on-demand prices move with the market. Aircraft availability, positioning, dates, airports, and demand can all change the quote.

Best for: Occasional private flyers who want help arranging individual trips.

10. Air Charter Service: Best for complex or international trips

Air Charter Service is another broker rather than a fractional ownership company.

Its global reach makes it particularly interesting for complicated itineraries or international journeys where finding the right aircraft matters more than joining a particular private aviation program.

A broker can search across different operators rather than trying to put you onto one company’s fleet.

That can be useful if you’re traveling somewhere unusual, carrying a lot of luggage, flying with a larger group, or arranging several stops.

The important thing is knowing who will actually operate your flight.

Before paying, ask for the operator, aircraft details, safety information, cancellation terms, and full price.

Best for: International travelers and people arranging more complicated private journeys.

Charter, jet card or fractional ownership?

If all these different options sound confusing, they don’t need to be.

The easiest way to think about private aviation is by how often you expect to use it.

Flying private occasionally? Start with charter

On-demand charter means paying for the trip you actually need.

There is no reason to buy 25 hours of flying if you only want one private trip this year.

For most people trying private aviation for the first time, this is where I would start.

Flying several times a year? Look at jet cards

Jet cards can give you more predictable rates and aircraft access.

The downside is that you’re committing money upfront or entering a structured program.

They become more interesting when private flying is no longer a one-off experience.

Flying very regularly? Membership may make sense

Membership means different things at different companies.

Some programs give you guaranteed access. Others offer preferred rates or require deposits and annual fees.

Don’t compare them based on the word “membership.” Compare what you actually receive.

Flying a lot? Fractional ownership becomes interesting

Fractional ownership is at the serious end.

You buy an interest in an aircraft and gain access to private flying through the provider’s fleet and program.

If you’re flying 50, 75, or 100 hours a year, that can be worth investigating.

If you’re planning one luxury vacation, it probably isn’t.

How much does flying private actually cost in 2026?

Unfortunately, there isn’t a particularly useful one-line answer.

The price can change according to the aircraft, route, airports, flight time, positioning, fuel, crew, taxes, landing fees, catering, and even the time of year.

A private flight around Thanksgiving can be a very different proposition from the same journey on a quiet Tuesday.

That’s also why we’ve avoided giving one supposedly definitive hourly price for each company.

For a charter, get a quote for your actual journey.

For a membership or jet card, ask the company to show you what a realistic year of your expected travel would cost.

For fractional ownership, look at the total cost rather than just the initial share price.

Can you save money with an empty leg?

Sometimes.

An empty leg happens when an aircraft needs to fly somewhere without passengers, usually to position itself for another trip.

If the route happens to match where you want to go, the flight may be offered for considerably less than a normal charter.

Sounds perfect.

The problem is that you need to fit around the aircraft, rather than the aircraft fitting around you.

The schedule can be inflexible, the route has already been determined, and plans can change if the original charter changes.

I would treat empty legs as a lucky opportunity rather than a dependable way to plan a vacation.

Broker or operator: what’s the difference?

This sounds technical, but it’s worth knowing.

An operator is the company actually operating the aircraft.

A broker finds an aircraft and arranges the charter for you.

Using a broker isn’t inherently better or worse. A good broker can search across many operators and aircraft, which can be extremely useful.

But you should always know who is actually flying you.

Before booking a brokered U.S. flight, ask:

• Who is operating the aircraft?
• What aircraft will I actually fly on?
• How is the operator vetted?
• What happens if the aircraft develops a problem?
• What are the cancellation terms?
• Is the quoted price really all-inclusive?

Don’t be distracted by champagne and leather seats before you’ve checked the basics.

A few things first-time private flyers often overlook

Your luggage matters

A jet can technically have enough seats for everyone while having nowhere sensible to put everyone’s luggage.

Golf clubs, skis, large suitcases, and bulky equipment should be mentioned before choosing an aircraft.

Wi-Fi isn’t guaranteed to be brilliant

If you need to work during the flight, ask about the actual internet connection on the aircraft you’re being offered.

“Wi-Fi available” and “good enough for a two-hour video meeting” are not necessarily the same thing.

Pets are easier, but still mention them

Private flying can make traveling with a dog or other pet much easier, but policies vary.

Tell the company before booking.

Check the cancellation rules

Private aircraft can be expensive to reposition, so cancellation terms may be much less forgiving than an ordinary airline ticket.

Read them.

Is flying private actually worth it?

This is probably the more interesting question.

If all you want is a comfortable seat from New York to London, international business or first class is dramatically cheaper and already very good.

Private aviation starts making more sense when time and flexibility become more valuable than the airfare.

You may be able to use a smaller airport closer to home, arrive shortly before departure, avoid a connection, travel directly to a regional destination, and return when you want.

The calculation also changes for groups.

Six people buying six premium airline tickets is one comparison. Six people sharing the cost of an aircraft is another.

That still doesn’t make private aviation cheap.

But it explains why comparing a private jet with a $300 economy ticket misses much of the point.

Which private jet company would we choose?

It depends entirely on the trip.

If private flying is already a regular part of your life, NetJets and Flexjet are obvious places to compare fractional options.

For frequent international travel without buying an aircraft share, VistaJet is particularly interesting.

If you want a jet card, look at Sentient Jet, Magellan Jets, and Jet Linx.

If you’d rather search and book digitally, XO is one of the more approachable options.

And if you’re simply thinking about taking your first private flight for a special trip, I wouldn’t start with ownership, memberships, or 25-hour cards at all.

I’d start with on-demand charter, get several quotes, and see what the trip actually costs.

The DailyStoke verdict

There isn’t really one “best private jet company.”

There is a best option for the way you travel.

For someone flying privately every week, fractional ownership can make sense. For someone flying several times a year, a jet card or membership may be worth considering.

For everyone else, chartering when you actually need a plane is probably the simplest place to start.

And if you’re only curious about trying private aviation once?

Don’t let someone sell you 25 hours when you need three.

Get a few quotes, check who is actually operating the aircraft, read the cancellation terms, and choose a jet that fits the trip rather than the one that looks best in the brochure.

That’s considerably less glamorous advice than simply choosing the company with the nicest Gulfstream.

It’s also much more useful.