Frequent Asked Questions

Erin Air is not a broker, we are a charter operator.

We have an FAA Part 135 Certificate, operate and maintain our own fleet of aircraft, and we have our own dedicated pilot team type rated for each aircraft type.  Brokers commonly utilize our fleet to fill requests for their clients; we respect those broker-client relationships and encourage clients who have had amazing experiences with us to request their brokers to continue working with Erin Air for future flights!  

If your travel needs require an aircraft that we do not have in our fleet, we maintain strong relationships with other charter operators to utilize their aircraft for your needs on the back end, but the booking experience is no different to you, we handle all those details on the back end, you will still just show up and broad the plane!

Charter Companies have slight variations to their terminology, and at Erin Air we define Round Trip, One-Way, and Empty Legs as follows:

Round Trips – Most private charter flights are purchased round trip; we get you safely from home to your destination and then back home again.  Charter flight costs are generally estimated and quoted based on the flight time between destinations.

One Ways – Just like flying commercially, you do have the option of requesting a one-way trip vs a round trip.  Many large charter operators can accommodate any one-way flight because they have fleet bases located all over the US, it makes it easy to hop on one plane stay for a few days and jump on a different aircraft and go to your next destination if there are bases located where you are traveling.  Erin Air, a proud Seattle Based charter operator, can provide comparable one-way pricing to our clients, especially if you are based locally – and as our fleet grows our options will continue to increase.

Empty Legs – Empty Legs are also referred to as “dead-heads” or “repositioning legs” by those in the aviation industry.  At Erin Air, Empty Legs result from repositioning flights required to accommodate both round trip and one-way booked flights for our clients, and we offer them at a reduced discounted rate to help offset our operational costs as well as to provide an opportunity for individuals to feel the difference with Erin Air.  With Empty Legs, there is a little less flexibility with the schedule as we do ask that you arrive on time so that we can be sure to adhere to our flight commitments for other legs that have been booked.

We feature aircraft on our website that we manage.  We are proud of our fleet and our pilots that crew them.  But our capabilities do not stop there.  Our Charter Team can, and often do, arrange for our clients to travel on aircraft types that we do not manage.  We maintain relationships with other operators to utilize their aircraft for trips that require smaller or larger aircraft, and even if we are fully booked, we can often help you secure a trip through another operator.

Our clients love this because it’s seamless to them.  Our flight coordinators are wonderful to work with and they will still work behind the scenes to make sure your trip is flawless – you would just be flying on an aircraft that is operated by a different company and piloted by a different company’s crew.

Planning will help to secure a specific aircraft or crew, but Erin Air is an on-demand charter operation and we understand that not all travel can be planned far in advance – urgent matters pop up. We can often be ‘wheels up’ within a few hours, but keep in mind this will depend on aircraft availability and the time needed for you to get to the departure location. If you need a charter immediately, the fastest response would be to call our charter line directly to expedite the booking process.

Wherever your heart desires!  We currently fly across the Americas including Hawai’i and the Caribbean.  Leave the research, airport codes, and all other flying jargon to us, we’re here to assist you! Once we understand your trip details, we will get you to the closest airport to your final destination at the most cost-effective rate!

At Erin Air we have a dedicated team to make your private charter experience memorable.  We commonly arrange inflight catering options and even for your car to be there right next to the jet upon arrival. We absolutely love helping with birthdays, anniversaries, and other special occasion celebrations on board too – from balloons, flowers, cake pops, and more!

We want to be completely transparent that we’re not a travel agency and we stick to transportation to and from your Erin Air flight and anything that will be needed inflight, and while we can help to provide suggestions about your destination and activities in the area, we try to steer away from planning entire trip itineraries to focus on what we do best…fly you in style and comfort!

Once your trip is booked, your flight coordinator will send you a trip sheet via email with your detailed trip itinerary. The itinerary will include information such as departure time, location, passenger manifest, as well as any confirmations for additional services booked. Don’t be afraid to reach out to us if you have additional questions though, that’s what we’re here for!

Furbabies are welcome!

We love Pets! We commonly have individuals that fly with their four-legged babies and they are welcome in to fly with you in the main cabin, preferably on a leash to keep them from interfering with pilot activity in the cockpit. If you have special needs for your pet, please let us know ahead of time too so we can help accommodate.

This is your flight, you can pretty much bring whatever you need to, within reason. Each aircraft offers different cargo space availability and clients commonly bring items like fishing poles or surfboards depending on where they are traveling. During the booking process, we will be sure to address any of your concerns with luggage count or cargo space required for your belongings.

An FBO is a Fixed Based Operator.  FBO’s are used by aircraft operators to store their aircrafts, refuel, and help stage the aircraft for your arrival.  For convenience, most of our flights are scheduled out of a nearby FBO near our office, although we do have the ability to stage the aircraft at our exclusive terminal at our HQ office. 

If you’re scheduled to depart from an FBO for your Erin Air trip, you can expect a lounge typesetting – sort of like a scaled-down private airport terminal. FBO’s commonly have a variety of services from a receptionist, snacks, bathrooms, and places to sit while you wait, though you probably won’t be hanging out much.

Forget arriving 2-3 hours before your flight! Our clients typically arrive about 10-15 minutes before their departure time in order to park, have us load their luggage and get settled onboard the jet.

This is YOUR flight! We won’t leave with you (within reason, of course)! So if you’re stuck in traffic, don’t sweat it! Just let us know and we will update the crew accordingly, they’ll be anxiously awaiting your arrival!  If we happen to have back-to-back flights booked with the aircraft you are booked on, your flight coordinator will likely let you know ahead of time to ensure we depart on time in order to accommodate other flights that are scheduled for the day.

Nope! We aren’t going to ask you to take off your shoes or unload your electronic devices.  You’ll basically show up, be greeted by your pilot crew and be able to head onboard the aircraft within minutes!

It is important to have a photo ID and if you are flying internationally please make sure you have all the required identification, such as passports.  If this is your first time flying with us, we may have to take a peak at those ID, but nothing major!

Yes! Just like large commercial aircraft, our jets do have restrooms, referred to as “Lav” or “Lavatory” on board. Generally, Lav’s on private jets are a bit more posh than large commercial aircraft lavs.  You won’t be disappointed here!