Charter an Airliner
Mercury Jets arranges airliner charters for groups of 30 to 200+ passengers, 24/7/365.
How Airliner Charter Works
An airliner charter gives a group an entire turboprop airliner, regional jet or narrowbody aircraft instead of individual seats on scheduled flights. The group travels together on one aircraft, on an itinerary built around the trip rather than an airline timetable.
Airliners carry far more passengers than private jets and have airline-style seating, overhead storage, a galley and cabin crew. Heavy and ultra-long-range private jets seat fewer than 20 passengers, so groups above that either split across several aircraft or charter one airliner.
These aircraft are built for regional and domestic flying, in standard passenger seating. For a private cabin with lounges and bedrooms, or for intercontinental range, see our VIP airliners and ultra long range jets.
Airliner Charter Cost
Hourly rates start at about $2,760 for an Embraer Brasilia 120 and rise with aircraft size, reaching the low five figures for narrowbodies such as the Airbus A320 and Boeing 757. Larger aircraft are quoted against the specific itinerary.
The final price depends on routing, trip length, positioning, airport fees, crew costs and dates. Because charter is priced per aircraft rather than per seat, the number worth comparing against airline fares is the total trip cost divided by the number of travelers. The more seats a group fills, the closer that figure comes to a commercial ticket.
Airliners for Private Charter
Group size, luggage and runway requirements decide the aircraft; availability settles the rest. Charter airliners fall into three tiers.
Narrowbody airliners carry roughly 100 to 240 passengers and suit the largest groups on domestic and longer regional routes. The Boeing 717, McDonnell Douglas MD-83 and Fokker 100 sit in this tier, and the Airbus A320, Boeing 737 and Boeing 757 are available in airline seating on request. In VIP configuration, these three are listed with our VIP airliners.
Regional jets carry about 30 to 90 passengers and reach smaller airports that narrowbodies cannot use. This tier covers the Embraer E175, ERJ 145 and ERJ 135, the Bombardier CRJ-200 and the Dornier 328JET.
Turboprop airliners carry about 30 to 78 passengers on short sectors and operate from shorter runways than any of the jets. The ATR 72, ATR 42, De Havilland Dash 8, Saab 340B and Embraer Brasilia 120 make up this tier.
| Tier | Typical seats | Typical range | Example aircraft |
|---|---|---|---|
| Narrowbody | 100–240 | up to about 3,900 nm | Airbus A320, Boeing 757, Boeing 717-200 |
| Regional jet | 30–90 | about 900–2,200 nm | Embraer E175, ERJ 145, Dornier 328JET |
| Turboprop | 30–78 | about 700–1,100 nm | ATR 72, Dash 8, Embraer Brasilia 120 |
Operators configure the same model differently, so seat counts and range vary between individual aircraft. We confirm both for the specific aircraft when we quote.
Luggage and Group Travel
Luggage often decides the aircraft. Narrowbodies have the largest holds and handle full group baggage alongside bulky equipment. Regional jets are more limited: the Dornier 328JET has about 260 cu ft of baggage space and the Embraer ERJ 135 about 325 cu ft. Weight matters as much as volume, and on longer flights the operator may need to trade bag weight against fuel.
Send the passenger count, the number of bags and anything oversized with your quote request. Sports equipment, instrument cases and production gear change which aircraft works, and if the group and its luggage will not fit on one aircraft, the answer is usually a larger aircraft or a separate cargo shipment.
Who Charters an Airliner?
Corporate groups charter for retreats, conferences and incentive travel. Sports teams fly the full roster, coaching staff and equipment on one aircraft, with the itinerary built around the game schedule. Production crews and touring groups move people and gear between venues, where hold space and late schedule changes drive the choice. Tour groups, family groups and wedding parties charter when traveling together beats coordinating dozens of separate bookings. For larger group itineraries, see our group charter flights service.
Charter an Airliner with Mercury Jets
Booking individual seats for a large group often splits it across several flights with different schedules and connections. A charter keeps everyone on one aircraft, with the departure time and routing set around the trip.
Tell us your group size, luggage, dates and route, and our charter team will recommend the right airliner and send a quote. Request a quote online or call +1 (212) 840-8000, 24/7.
Airliner Charter FAQs
An airliner charter is the private hire of an entire turboprop, regional jet or narrowbody airliner for one group. Every seat belongs to your group, and the flight runs on your schedule instead of an airline timetable. Airliners are flown by FAA Part 121 or Part 135 air carriers, or the foreign equivalent, and Mercury Jets, an ARGUS-certified charter broker, arranges the flight on your behalf.
Mercury Jets arranges airliner charters for groups from about 30 passengers to more than 200. Turboprops and regional jets cover 30 to 90 seats, while narrowbodies such as the Airbus A320 and Boeing 757 carry well over 100. The exact capacity depends on how each aircraft is configured.
Turboprops and regional jets fly roughly 700 to 2,200 nm nonstop, while narrowbodies reach considerably further. Passenger and baggage loads, weather and fuel requirements reduce that on any given trip, and longer sectors may need a fuel stop.
A conventional airliner keeps airline-style seating and moves a larger group on regional and domestic routes. A VIP airliner uses a similar airframe but replaces most of the seats with lounges, bedrooms and dining areas, and is usually chosen for long intercontinental trips. The Airbus A320 and Boeing 757 are available in both forms.
Book as early as your plans allow. Fewer airliners are available for charter than private jets, and demand rises around major sporting events and holiday periods, so contact us as soon as you have dates and a group size.