The aircraft that suits a Long Island trip depends on four things: how far you are going, how many people are traveling, how much baggage is coming, and which airports you are using at both ends. A couple heading out to East Hampton for the weekend and a family flying from Farmingdale to Palm Beach for the winter need very different aircraft, and the difference shows up in the quote.
Below are the categories we work with. When we send options, your advisor will explain why each one fits.
Passenger charter
- Piston aircraft for short hops with one or two passengers
- Turboprops for the East End, the New England islands and other short trips
- Very Light Jets for small groups on shorter legs
- Light jets and super light jets for the East Coast and the Southeast
- Midsize and super midsize jets for Florida, the Caribbean and the middle of the country
- Heavy jets for larger parties and the West Coast
- Long-range jets for nonstop flights to Europe
- VIP airliners for groups that outgrow a heavy jet
- Helicopters, where the route and conditions suit one
Open any category to see the individual aircraft, with seating, range and cabin details, or begin with the passenger charter overview.
Which category fits your trip
Plenty of Long Island trips are short. A flight out to the Hamptons, or from the island to Nantucket, Martha’s Vineyard, Boston or Washington, is well within reach of a turboprop or a light jet, and that is usually where we start. Florida and the Caribbean in the winter often call for a light or midsize jet, depending on the group, while the West Coast and Europe need more range and a larger cabin.
Groups are common, from family summers in the Hamptons to company trips, so tell us the passenger count and the baggage at the start, including golf bags and beach gear, because both decide the aircraft as much as the distance does.
The airport matters too. East Hampton suits light and midsize aircraft better than the largest jets, so for bigger aircraft we often use Gabreski in Westhampton Beach instead. Republic and MacArthur handle the widest range of trips from western and central Long Island. Whether a particular aircraft can use a particular airport on your date is the operator’s call for that aircraft, at that weight, in that day’s conditions, so we confirm it with the operator for your trip.
Cargo and medical
- Air cargo charter when a shipment needs its own aircraft, whether it is one urgent crate or a full load
- Medical and air ambulance flights for patients who need medical support on board
How we choose an operator
Whichever category you end up in, the operator behind the aircraft goes through our internal due diligence before we present it. We confirm operator certification, review the operator’s safety and incident history, and confirm pilot experience and currency on the specific aircraft type. Where the operator participates in a Wyvern or ARGUS program, we reference those audits as well. Our safety page explains each step.
Get options for your trip
Call 1-888-987-5387 or request a quote online, and we will come back with aircraft that fit the trip. The phone is answered at any hour, on any day of the year.