Wet lease.
A wet lease is an arrangement in which one operator provides an aircraft together with at least one crew member, and usually crew, maintenance and insurance, to another party that pays by the hour. United States rules define a wet lease as any arrangement providing an entire aircraft and at least one crew member. The lessor normally keeps operational control.
| Term | Wet lease |
|---|---|
| Used in | Private aviation, charter brokerage and operations |
| Related terms | Dry lease, Aircraft operator, Air operator certificate (AOC) |
| Sources | 2 listed below |
What does Wet lease mean in practice?
Wet leasing matters to charter customers mainly because of the acronym ACMI, aircraft, crew, maintenance and insurance, which is what a wet lease supplies.
Airlines wet-lease aircraft from each other to cover shortages, usually for 1 to 24 months. In business aviation, the same structure appears when an operator supplements its fleet with another operator's aircraft and crew, or when a broker-like entity contracts a whole aircraft with crew for a period. The critical question in any wet lease is operational control: which certificate holder is legally responsible for the flight. Under United States Part 119, the wet lease agreement must state which party has operational control, and the FAA determines that on the facts. For you as a passenger, the practical implication is that the aircraft that turns up may be from a different operator than the one you expected. That is legitimate if disclosed. Ask whose AOC the flight is on.
Questions
What does Wet lease mean?
A wet lease is an arrangement in which one operator provides an aircraft together with at least one crew member, and usually crew, maintenance and insurance, to another party that pays by the hour. United States rules define a wet lease as any arrangement providing an entire aircraft and at least one crew member. The lessor normally keeps operational control.
Sources
- 14 CFR 110.2 Definitions (Cornell LII) (accessed 2026-09-20)
- 14 CFR 119.53 Wet leasing (Cornell LII) (accessed 2026-09-20)
Last reviewed 20 September 2026 by Empty Leg Exclusive Editorial Team.