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Getting Started

How to choose the right charter broker

“Broker” isn't a licensed title the way “pilot” or “FAA-certified operator” is. Anyone can put it on a website. That means the vetting responsibility sits with you, the client — and most people don't know what to actually ask before they hand over a credit card for a $20,000 flight. Here's what separates a real broker from a middleman.

The questions that actually separate a real broker from a middleman

Do they own the aircraft, or source from a network?

A broker who only offers “their” fleet isn't really brokering — they're just a small operator with a bigger website. A real broker sources from hundreds of vetted operators, which means they're finding the right aircraft for your specific trip instead of whichever one they happen to have.

How do they actually vet operator safety?

“We only work with safe operators” means nothing without a standard behind it. Ask specifically whether every operator holds ARG/US Platinum or Wyvern Wingman certification — the two independent safety audits that actually mean something in this industry. If a broker can't answer that specifically, that's the answer.

Is the pricing actually transparent?

A trustworthy broker discloses their fee upfront, as a stated percentage, before you commit to anything — not buried in a lump-sum quote you can't break down. Ask what their broker fee is as a percentage. If they won't say, assume it's baked in somewhere you can't see it.

Who's actually watching your flight once you're in the air?

Most brokers stop being involved the moment the aircraft leaves the ground. Ask directly what happens if weather moves in or a flight gets delayed — whether anyone is actually monitoring in real time, or whether you're finding out about problems the same way you would flying commercial.

How fast, and how available?

A same-day question deserves a same-day answer. Ask what their actual quote turnaround time is, and whether that holds at 11pm on a Sunday, not just during business hours.

A broker's only real job is trust — sourcing the right aircraft, vetting the right operator, and being honest about what it costs. If any one of those three is unclear, keep asking.

Where Levity fits

We built Levity around these exact questions, because we got tired of watching people ask them and not get straight answers.

We don't own aircraft — we're a broker sourcing from hundreds of ARG/US Platinum and Wyvern Wingman certified operators, not a single fleet. Our broker fee is disclosed upfront as 5–15%, before you commit to anything. And having an FAA-certified air traffic control specialist on the founding team means we know how to monitor flights in real time from departure to arrival, the way a controller would — not passively, after something's already gone wrong. Quotes come back within 90 minutes, and we're available 24/7.

Ready to see it firsthand? Request a quote and judge the process yourself.

Levity Charters, LLC is an air charter broker and does not own, operate, or maintain any aircraft. All flights are operated by FAA-certified Part 135 or Part 121 air carriers.