Most unpleasant surprises in charter are not hidden charges. They are real costs that nobody asked about, and they are the same handful every time. This page lists them so your quote and the next one describe the same trip.
Positioning, the biggest one
An aircraft rarely sleeps where your flight starts. If it has to fly empty to reach you, or empty back afterwards, that movement is part of the cost.
It is why the same sector can be quoted very differently by two operators: one has an aircraft nearby and the other does not.
And why flexibility is worth money. Moving your departure by a day can remove a whole positioning leg. We show a "from" price per route; the final fare depends on the date, the group and the baggage, and is confirmed in writing before booking.
Crew overnights and duty time
If the trip keeps the aircraft away overnight, crew accommodation and allowances belong to the trip.
A long wait counts too. Waiting six hours at a destination is not free: it occupies the aircraft and consumes the crew's legal day.
Ask which is cheaper on your plan, the aircraft waiting or returning and coming back. On short sectors such as San José to Liberia, 86.9 nautical miles, returning is often the better answer.
Airport charges on the ground
Landing and handling fees vary by airport, and an international terminal is not a small regional strip.
Parking beyond a few hours is charged at many fields.
And some destinations add park, island or municipal fees that have nothing to do with the flight.
Taxes and international formalities
Flights within the United States carry federal aviation taxes, including an excise tax on the transport and per-passenger segment charges. They are part of the total and should be shown as their own line.
International sectors add departure and arrival charges depending on the country, and customs or immigration attendance outside normal hours is chargeable at several fields. Departure and entry formalities vary by country and need lead time; we coordinate them with every passenger’s details.
What is genuinely not the flight
Ground transfers at either end. The strip is not the hotel, and that leg is quoted separately if we arrange it at all.
Catering beyond the basics, if you want something specific on a longer sector such as San José to Panama City, 290.8 nautical miles.
And anything a third party charges you: marina fees, park entries, local guides.
The four questions that make quotes comparable
Is positioning included, and how many empty legs does this price contain?
Does the price include crew overnight and waiting time for my itinerary?
Which airport charges and taxes are inside the figure, and which are extra?
And what would change the price after booking? The honest answers are usually weather diversions, extra passengers and luggage that changes the aircraft category.
How we quote it
One figure for the aircraft, with the items above identified rather than buried, and the assumptions written down.
If something cannot be known in advance — an overtime customs call, a diversion — we say so before you book instead of after. AeroRide invoices and charges directly from the site; you receive your receipt in the name of the person or company you give us on confirmation.
Frequently asked questions
What is a positioning fee?
The cost of the aircraft flying empty to reach your departure point or to return afterwards. It is often the largest item outside the flight itself.
Do I pay for the aircraft waiting?
A long wait occupies the aircraft and consumes the crew's legal day, so it is priced. On short sectors, returning and coming back is often cheaper.
Are airport fees included?
Ask specifically. Landing, handling and parking vary by airport, and some destinations add park or municipal fees.
What taxes apply?
Flights within the United States carry federal aviation taxes including an excise tax and per-passenger segment charges. International sectors add country-specific departure and arrival charges.
What is never included?
Ground transfers, third-party fees such as park entries or marina charges, and specific catering requests.
How do I compare two quotes?
Ask both whether positioning, crew overnights, waiting time and airport charges are inside the figure. Two quotes only differ honestly once those four answers match.