Website design By BotEap.comThere’s nothing like the beautiful Rocky Mountains of Colorado for snow skiing, hiking, and outdoor adventures. And with all the cozy resorts that have such wonderful dining and accommodations, it’s easy to see why a place like Vail is such a popular destination in the winter months.

Website design By BotEap.comAccording to airport operators at nearby Vail Eagle Airport, the most popular time of year to spend time in Vail is during the holiday season and the week after Valentine’s Day. Kids are out of school and families head to the slopes for some winter fun. Most of these travelers choose to fly on the airlines, however, some choose to charter their own private jet in order to avoid potential delays in and out of Denver International Airport and avoid the often terrifying winter driving conditions on Interstate 70. .

Website design By BotEap.comPeople are often surprised at how easy it is to charter a plane to Vail, and even more so how reasonable the cost is. Often people just aren’t aware of how easy it is to do.

Website design By BotEap.comOne way to find a charter crew to fly to Vail is to call your local airport and locate an FAA certified operator. Once you have found them, give them the details of your trip and ask them to send you their best quote for this flight. Within a few hours, they’ll give you a quote, giving you a pretty accurate expectation of what the flight will cost.

Website design By BotEap.comAnother option is to use a charter broker to find the right plane. A broker already has a thorough understanding of the charter industry and will know right away what type of plane he will need for his trip. For example, if there are only four people on this trip, it is not necessary to rent a plane that has eight seats. However, if the duration of the trip exceeds 300-400 miles, a turboprop plane will likely end up costing you more than a jet. The broker will be able to track down the correct aircraft from a qualified charter operator and negotiate a good fare on their behalf. In the end, with the exception of a few circumstances, it should save you money to use a broker when arranging a charter flight and it will make the whole process much easier.

Website design By BotEap.comWhen a charter operator quotes the cost of the trip, they base their calculations on the retail cost per hour to fly your plane. They then add other costs on top of the hourly rate, such as a fuel surcharge fee, landing fees, parking fees, crew charges, and a 7.5% federal excise tax. All of these charges are included in your retail charter quote. However, any unplanned costs that may be incurred along the way are not included and will be billed to you after the flight ends. Examples of these costs include possible air traffic delays, unplanned changes in route due to bad weather, and other fees for airport services that may be necessary, such as de-icing the plane or putting the plane in a hangar to avoid bad weather. The pilots will try to avoid these costs in order to make the service as reasonable as possible for you; however, to safely complete a flight, they may need to use services such as these and the carrier will pass these costs on to you.

Website design By BotEap.comMost modern private jets can travel non-stop from anywhere in the country to any of Colorado’s ski towns and should be able to make the leg to Vail without refueling. A flight from Teterboro, NJ, an airport outside of New York City, to Vail should take between four and five hours, depending on which plane is flown. Getting to Vail from anywhere on the West Coast should take less than three hours. However, there are exceptions, depending on factors such as the total number of passengers traveling, the winds in the air on the day of travel, and the weather conditions forecast for your arrival time. Some operators will have to make a fuel stop along the way to have enough reserve fuel in case of a change of plans.

Website design By BotEap.comUpon arrival in Vail, your crew will taxi to the Vail Valley Jet Center, a jet service center known for its excellent customer service, as well as the giant grand piano in the lobby. Despite the fact that this company has a monopoly on aircraft traffic in and out of Eagle, they are known to be very helpful and friendly to their customers. If you have arranged for ground transportation to pick you up at the airport, this is where they will meet you. If for any reason you do not have transportation scheduled in advance, the jet center staff will arrange transportation on your behalf.

Website design By BotEap.comDepending on the length of your stay and your agreement with the charter operator, your flight crew will remain in town until your departure date. If your flight was booked and charged as a one-way flight, they will likely have the plane serviced and refueled, and then return to their home base. And by the way, while certainly not to be expected, pilots and cabin crew always appreciate a thoughtful tip.

Website design By BotEap.comYour broker or the charter operator itself can help take care of all the extra details of your stay. If you need help with hotel or restaurant reservations, most brokers and operators will do their best to help you and may even have special connections established with local businesses. Be sure to let them know ahead of time if you need help with additional details.

Website design By BotEap.comAs a side note, the benefit of flying into Vail’s Eagle Airport compared to Aspen is that you are less restricted and enjoy better weather due to its unique location and altitude. Due to the nearby mountainous terrain surrounding Aspen, charter operators must adhere to certain procedures that limit their access at night or in times of bad weather. Additionally, available parking space in Aspen is quite limited, and during popular times of the year, it may be necessary for charter flight crews to simply drop off their passengers and fly into Eagle to park the plane. From a customer perspective, if your final destination is Aspen, it is much more convenient to fly into Aspen Pitkin Airport than to fly into Eagle.

Website design By BotEap.comDuring ski season, when plane traffic in and out of Vail, Aspen, and Garfield is especially busy, your charter operator will need to schedule a “slot,” essentially a reservation to land at the airport. These spaces are subject to availability and are issued on a first-come, first-served basis. That’s why if you absolutely have to be in Vail at a specific time, be sure to plan your charter as far in advance as possible.

Website design By BotEap.comIf you want to charter a plane to Vail, there are several resources for more details on the charter process. The National Association of Business Aircraft provides a lot of useful information to help you prepare for a trip.