Air Charter in North America

The decision to charter rather than use commercial flights usually comes down to one of three factors: timing, routing or cargo. On timing, charter is the only option when the gap between engagements is too short for commercial connections, or when a show runs late and the last commercial departure has gone. On routing, smaller markets in the US and Canada are often poorly served by direct commercial services, and connecting through a hub adds hours that a touring schedule simply cannot absorb. On cargo, production equipment that exceeds airline size or weight limits, or that requires a specific aircraft configuration, needs a dedicated freight or cargo charter rather than checked baggage or air freight through a general handler.

Air Charter Service California Inc, based in Los Angeles, and Air Charter Service Canada, based in Toronto, are among the premier operators serving the entertainment sector across the continent. Both operate as brokers with access to a wide range of aircraft types rather than being tied to a single fleet, which means they can source the right aircraft for the specific requirement rather than fitting the requirement to the available inventory.

Passenger jet charter and cargo aircraft charter are distinct services that occasionally overlap. Passenger charter covers everything from light jets for a solo artist and a travel companion to wide-body airliners for a full touring party of 100 or more. Cargo charter covers dedicated freight aircraft for production equipment, instrument rigs or set pieces that cannot be broken down to fit commercial cargo holds. Some productions use both simultaneously: the band and crew fly on a charter jet while the gear goes on a cargo aircraft to arrive at the same destination in time for load-in.

Air Charter Service Inc (Uniondale, NY) and Private Jet Charter USA (Fort Lauderdale) both handle passenger and cargo requirements and have experience coordinating the two streams for touring productions. Premier Aviation Ltd / Hunt & Palmer (Daytona Beach) brings an additional dimension as part of an international group, which is relevant for North American tours that extend into Europe or further afield and need a single broker relationship across multiple legs.

The US charter market is the largest in the world by volume, with major broker hubs in New York, Los Angeles, Miami and Houston reflecting both the concentration of entertainment industry activity and the density of available aircraft. The New York area has multiple FBOs handling entertainment charter, each with different advantages depending on where the production is staging. On the West Coast, Van Nuys Airport handles the majority of Los Angeles entertainment charter traffic rather than LAX.

Canada presents a different operating environment. The major markets of Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal are well served by Canadian and US-based charter operators, but routing into smaller Canadian cities for festival dates or arena shows often requires propeller aircraft or turboprops rather than jets, and the logistics of customs and immigration at smaller airports need to be planned carefully. Air Charter Service Canada in Toronto has the local knowledge to navigate these requirements efficiently, which matters significantly when the tour schedule is tight and there is no room for clearance delays.

Productions that are also managing crew travel documents alongside charter bookings should work with specialists in travel visas, carnets and work permits in parallel, particularly for US-Canada crossings where work authorisation requirements apply to non-citizen crew members.

Most entertainment charter in North America is arranged through brokers rather than directly with aircraft operators. A broker sources aircraft from a pool of approved operators, manages the contracting, handles changes and rebookings, and takes responsibility for ensuring the selected operator meets the required safety standards. The National Business Aviation Association provides guidance on safety standards and operator certification in the US, and reputable brokers use these as a baseline for their approved operator lists.

The broker relationship works best when the charter team is briefed on the full tour schedule at the start of the run rather than receiving individual requests piecemeal. This allows the broker to plan aircraft positioning in advance, which reduces both cost and the risk of aircraft unavailability during peak periods. Summer festival season in North America, roughly May through September, sees charter capacity tighten substantially, particularly for mid-size jets in the 8 to 15 seat range that most touring parties use. Productions with confirmed dates in this window should brief their charter broker at the same time as the rest of the tour logistics are locked.

Charter bookings work best when the production coordinator has a clear passenger manifest and weight and balance estimate ready before requesting quotes. Aircraft range, payload and runway requirements all depend on these figures, and an accurate brief produces a more useful quote than a rough headcount. For cargo charter, the dimensions and weight of each piece of equipment are more important than the total tonnage, as aircraft floor loading limits and door dimensions constrain what can physically go on board.

Productions moving equipment between North American dates by road should coordinate the touring trucking schedule with any charter cargo moves to avoid double-handling at venues. Equipment that is already on a truck does not need to go on a cargo aircraft unless timing requires it. For productions managing multiple tour legs, storage facilities near major charter hubs can bridge the gap between legs without requiring equipment to travel unnecessarily. If you need experienced tour managers or logistics coordinators to oversee charter operations on the ground, Entourage Pro's crew finder connects you with vetted production crew across North America.

How far in advance should a tour production book charter flights in North America?

For dates outside the summer peak, two to four weeks is generally sufficient for passenger jet charter, provided the routing and passenger numbers are confirmed. For cargo aircraft, particularly larger freighters, four to six weeks is safer as suitable aircraft are less widely available than passenger jets. During May through September, when festival and outdoor concert activity peaks across the US and Canada, eight to twelve weeks is a more realistic minimum for the most in-demand aircraft sizes. Productions with a full summer schedule should brief their charter broker as soon as routing is confirmed.

Can the same broker handle both passenger and cargo charter for a tour?

Yes, and for large productions this is usually the most practical arrangement. A broker handling both streams can coordinate departure times, staging airports and ground handling at each end, which reduces the risk of the cargo aircraft and the passenger jet arriving at different times and causing load-in problems. Brokers with dedicated entertainment divisions, such as those listed on Showcase's North America air charter directory, are experienced in managing these combined requirements.

What insurance does a tour production need when chartering aircraft?

Charter operators carry their own aviation liability insurance, which covers the aircraft and its operation. Productions should confirm that their own public liability insurance extends to chartered travel, and that any specialist equipment carried as cargo is covered under the production's equipment policy rather than relying on the operator's cargo insurance, which typically has lower limits and more exclusions than a dedicated entertainment equipment policy. Your charter broker and air and sea freight operator can advise on the documentation required for equipment carried on cargo aircraft.

Browse air charter companies in North America on Showcase Music Directory.