Step 1: Get the name of the actual operator
Ask whoever is arranging your flight for the legal name of the company that will operate it. That is often different from the broker or booking website you are talking to. If the operator uses a trade name, ask for the name of the certificated company behind it.
Step 2: Check the FAA's records
The FAA publishes a list of Part 135 operators and the aircraft authorized under each one. You can search it by operator name or by the aircraft's N-number (tail number). The FAA updates the list weekly. If an operator or aircraft does not appear, the FAA advises contacting the local Flight Standards District Office to verify.
Step 3: Verify the specific aircraft for your trip
An operator appearing on the list does not mean every aircraft it advertises is authorized for every flight. Ask for the tail number of the aircraft assigned to your trip and confirm it is listed under that operator. If the aircraft is substituted, check the replacement too. International trips can involve other regulators and requirements.
Step 4: Know what safety badges mean
Third-party audits such as ARGUS and Wyvern ratings or IS-BAO registration add useful information, but they do not replace FAA operating authority. Ask whose certificate or audit a badge refers to and whether it is current. See what ARGUS and Wyvern safety ratings mean.
How Luxury Aircraft Solutions handles this
Luxury Aircraft Solutions arranges flights with FAA-authorized operators and will tell you which operator and aircraft are proposed for your trip, so you can check them yourself. The operating carrier remains responsible for the safe conduct of the flight. To understand the broker's role, read what a private jet broker does.
Common questions
Can any privately owned jet be chartered?
No. Owning a jet does not authorize it for commercial charter. The aircraft must be operated under a company's Part 135 authority.
Where is the FAA list?
On the FAA website, under Part 135 operators and aircraft. Search it by company name or N-number.
Is a broker the same as an operator?
No. A broker arranges the flight. The operator holds the FAA authority, the aircraft and the crew, and is responsible for the flight itself.
Ready to fly?
Ask us which operator and aircraft we propose for your trip. Request a charter quote.