Semi-private flight.
A semi-private flight is a scheduled or semi-scheduled service sold by the seat on a business jet or small airliner, departing from private terminals rather than main airline terminals. In the United States, many semi-private services are sold as public charters under 14 CFR Part 380, where a charter operator sells seats on flights operated by a direct air carrier.
| Term | Semi-private flight |
|---|---|
| Used in | Private aviation, charter brokerage and operations |
| Related terms | Shared charter, Membership programme, FBO (fixed-base operator) |
| Sources | 2 listed below |
What does Semi-private flight mean in practice?
Semi-private flying is a hybrid.
You buy one seat, but you use an FBO or private terminal, arrive shortly before departure, and share the cabin with a small number of other passengers. The regulatory structure matters. Under Part 380, a public charter operator arranges and sells the flight, and a separate direct air carrier operates it; participant payments must be held in a depository bank account or backed by a security agreement, and claims must be filed within 60 days of the charter ending. Schedules are set by the seller, not by you, and routes are limited to the city pairs the seller chooses to run. Prices per seat are usually well below chartering a whole aircraft but above economy airline fares. Cancellations can occur if a flight does not fill. Semi-private is not the same as a shared charter, where a group splits one bespoke booking; it is a product sold to the public seat by seat.
Questions
What does Semi-private flight mean?
A semi-private flight is a scheduled or semi-scheduled service sold by the seat on a business jet or small airliner, departing from private terminals rather than main airline terminals. In the United States, many semi-private services are sold as public charters under 14 CFR Part 380, where a charter operator sells seats on flights operated by a direct air carrier.
Sources
- 14 CFR 380.2 Definitions (Cornell LII) (accessed 2026-09-20)
- 14 CFR 380.34 Security (Cornell LII) (accessed 2026-09-20)
Last reviewed 20 September 2026 by Empty Leg Exclusive Editorial Team.