In private aviation, there are two main billing methods: actual flight time (AFT) and estimated flight time (EFT). While both aim to fairly represent the duration of your trip, the distinction can determine whether you experience billing surprises or enjoy total cost transparency.
Let’s explore how each model works, what affects flight time, and why Magellan Jets’ approach prioritizes predictability, safety, and client peace of mind.
What Is Estimated Flight Time (EFT)?
Estimated flight time represents the projected duration of your mission, calculated before takeoff using advanced modeling tools. At Magellan Jets, we use a data-driven approach that incorporates historical and current wind data, aircraft performance, and routing information.
“We plan from point to point,” explains John Amato, Senior Vice President of Aviation Solutions at Magellan Jets. “Our estimates factor in everything from winds and fuel load to passenger count. We also include a fixed taxi time—six minutes before takeoff and six minutes after landing—to account for average ground movement at each airport.”
This predictive method gives clients a clear, upfront cost; an agreed-upon rate for the flight that won’t fluctuate based on variables outside their control.
What Is Actual Flight Time (AFT)?
Actual flight time can be estimated in two ways. The first measures the total physical movement of the aircraft from when it pushes back at departure to when it parks at the destination FBO. The more common practice is the total flight time measured from when the aircraft leaves the runway until it touches down at the destination. Taxi time of six minutes before and six minutes after departure is then added, although if taxi times run much longer, the amount billed may be adjusted to reflect that.
While this model may seem fair since you pay only for the exact minutes flown, it introduces uncertainty. Air-traffic delays, rerouting around storms, and other unforeseen restrictions can add minutes—or in extreme circumstances, hours—to a trip, and therefore to your final bill.
Factors That Affect Flight Duration
Even the most meticulously planned flight can be impacted by conditions beyond anyone’s control. Among the biggest variables:
- Air-traffic congestion and staffing shortages: Fewer controllers and increasing flight volume often leads to ground holds or “flow control” programs, spacing aircraft farther apart for safety.
- Weather and routing adjustments: Pilots may alter flight plans to avoid turbulence, storms, or even smoke from wildfires.
- Runway and taxi delays: Busy airports, especially major hubs like Newark, LAX, or Boston, see longer taxi times due to traffic volume or temporary closures.
- Government shutdowns or systemic delays: “When there’s an FAA staffing shortage,” Amato notes, “controllers have no choice but to slow things down. Safety always comes first, but it can create extended airborne or ground time.”
When a provider bills on actual flight time, those delays directly affect what you pay. With Magellan Jets’ estimated flight-time model, they do not.
Why Estimated Flight Time Benefits Charter and Jet Card Clients
1. Predictable, Transparent Pricing
For private flyers, especially Jet Card members who prioritize consistency, knowing your cost before departure is invaluable. You’re charged based on a fixed, data-driven estimate, not the luck of the day’s air-traffic or weather patterns.
“With estimated billing, clients aren’t penalized for conditions they can’t control,” says Amato. “If a flight runs long due to rerouting or delays, your billable flight time stays exactly as quoted.”
2. Simplified Budgeting and Expense Management
Personal travelers and corporate flight departments both value predictability. Estimated billing ensures every itinerary can be budgeted with accuracy, aligning perfectly with annual travel planning and corporate accounting standards.
3. Enhanced Trust and Service Focus
Because Magellan Jets absorbs the operational risk of unexpected delays, our team’s focus stays where it belongs: on mission execution and client experience, not minute-tracking or stopwatch billing.
The Magellan Jets Approach: Confidence in Every Minute
Magellan Jets’ estimated flight-time model reflects our broader philosophy: transparency, trust, and service without compromise.
- Predictable costs: Know your billable flight time before takeoff.
- All-in pricing: Fuel, taxi time, and all other standard flight related fees are included—no hidden surcharges.
- Client-first algorithms: Our proprietary system uses historical and real-time aviation data to estimate block times accurately.
- Guaranteed availability: Through our Jet Card programs, clients enjoy 24-hour access, fixed hourly rates, no blackout dates or peak travel surcharges 365 days a year.
“The best private flight experience,” says Amato, “is one with no surprises. You know the number, you know the service, and you can just enjoy the journey.”
Key Takeaways
- Actual flight time measures the true duration from takeoff to landing but introduces uncertainty and variable costs.
- Estimated flight time, when calculated with precision and transparency, provides stability, protects your budget, and aligns with the client-first philosophy that defines luxury private travel.
- For Charter and Jet Card clients, estimated billing eliminates ambiguity and reinforces the value of a trusted aviation partner.
Frequently Asked Questions About Flight Time Billing (FAQ)
What is the difference between ETA and ETE in aviation?
ETA (Estimated Time of Arrival) predicts touchdown time at your destination airport. ETE (Estimated Time En Route) calculates total flight duration between departure and arrival points.
How do you calculate flight time if there is a weather delay?
Estimated billing maintains original quotes despite delays. Your invoice matches your quote. Actual billing recalculates everything: extended routing, holding patterns, fuel usage, and in some cases additional ground time, all increase costs.
Can weather or air traffic delays affect private flights?
Yes. All aircraft share the same airspace, so delays affect both commercial and private flights. Estimated billing protects you from unexpected cost increases due to these issues.
Estimated Flight Time: The Magellan Jets Advantage
Connect with a Magellan Jets Private Aviation Advisor today to learn how our private aviation solutions deliver flexibility, transparency, and total control.
About John Amato
John Amato is the Senior Vice President of Aviation Solutions at Magellan Jets, where he leads a team dedicated to creating customized, client-first private aviation strategies for individuals, corporations, and flight departments. With more than two decades of experience in private jet operations, management, and client service, John brings a deep understanding of both the technical and personal sides of private travel.
