PrivateFly
68
Conditional recommendPrivateFly is a charter broker. It sources a whole-aircraft quote for a specific itinerary, including complex and international trips.
High confidence Charter brokers
Facts
| Website | https://www.privatefly.com/ |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | United Kingdom and United States |
| Founded | 2008 |
| Ownership | Directional Aviation, through OneSky |
| Who it is for | Travelers who want a broker to source a custom multi-leg quote |
| Pricing model | On-demand broker quote |
| Specialties | Charter brokers |
| Industries served | personal travelcorporate |
Verdict
It suits a buyer who wants one trip quoted, not a membership and not a share. U.S. retail branding has been moving toward FXAir.
The trade-off is the quote itself. Until an operator and an aircraft are confirmed, the number is only a starting estimate.
PrivateFly scores 68 and ranks 13 in this set. The number is a weighted composite, not a star average.
Approach
The company states that it will quote a trip and, for regular flyers, point to a card or to Flexjet ownership.
What they offer
- Online charter brokerage, founded in 2008 by Adam Twidell and Carol Cork.
- Acquired by Directional Aviation. Sits with Skyjet and beside Flexjet.
- Arranges flights through a personal account manager.
- Does not operate the aircraft itself.
Score breakdown
Each criterion is scored out of 100 from public product facts. The composite weights customer experience at 30%, booking transparency at 20%, aircraft and airport access at 20%, flexibility at 15%, and safety standards at 15%.
Customer outcomes
| Dimension | Score | Bar | Vs. median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Customer experience and service | 72 | -6.0 | |
| Booking and pricing transparency | 56 | -20.0 |
Company and commercial
| Dimension | Score | Bar | Vs. median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aircraft and airport access | 74 | -4.0 | |
| Flexibility and commitment | 62 | -16.0 | |
| Safety standards | 76 | -11.0 |
Pricing
A one-trip quote is the core product. Sister company Flexjet sells the share. This page does not copy a Flexjet price.
| Plan | Price | What stands out |
|---|---|---|
| On-demand charter | Quoted per trip | No membership is required to ask for a price. |
| Jet card and membership | Sold alongside charter | The company also points regular flyers to cards and to Flexjet shares. |
| Who flies the airplane | A vetted operator | PrivateFly is the broker, not the airline. |
Best at / Poor fit when
Best at
- One cabin, one quote, no deposit club.
- A trip that does not fit a published seat map.
- Someone who may later want a Flexjet share and wants the same group.
Poor fit when
- Someone who wants locked-in pricing for the year. That is a different product.
- One inexpensive seat.
- Someone who thinks the quote is the final invoice before fees.
Use-case fit matrix
| Use case | Fit | Note |
|---|---|---|
| One whole-cabin trip | Strong | Ask for a quote. |
| Locked rate all year | Weak | Use a card or a share. |
| One seat | Weak | Use a published seat product. |
Where it sits in the field
Price band on the horizontal axis. Editorial composite on the vertical axis. Bands are product types, not invoices.
PrivateFly scores 68 and ranks 13 in this set. A tie shares the rank. The number does not measure market share.
Timeline
- 2008: PrivateFly launches.
- Later: acquired by OneSky, a Directional Aviation company.
- Co-founders stayed on after the sale.
Leadership
| Name | Title | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Adam Twidell | Co-founder | Remained after the Directional acquisition. |
| Carol Cork | Co-founder | Remained after the acquisition. |
| Marine Eugène | European managing director, Flexjet and PrivateFly | Named on the company about page. |
Methodology and sign-off
Overall = (Support + Reliability + Flexibility + Value + Booking clarity) / 5.
Each input is an editorial read of public terms, not a mean of star ratings.
Reviewed by The Private Jet Index desk.
Conflicts: none are disclosed for this company.
PrivateFly did not pay for this review.
Updated September 27, 2026. Methodology.
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