A chartered flight is a flight that is not part of an airlines published schedule. When you charter a plane, you rent the entire aircraft and can determine departure and arrival times, as well as the cities you fly to and from. Charter flights are particularly convenient when you need to travel to a city where a scheduled airline service may require multiple connections or layovers before you reach your destination. Charter flights are typically operated for specific unscheduled itineraries. There are many different types of charter flights, including affinity charters, which are charter flights where all passengers are members of a specific group or organization and pay for their own airfare.

Charter flights are booked and scheduled to align with the travelers needs, getting them where they need to be when they need to be there. Passengers on a chartered flight depart from a private facility known as an FBO, which allows them to avoid the crowds and long lines of commercial airports. On a chartered flight, passengers have increased privacy and can enjoy a wide variety of entertainment options, including free WiFi, high-end sound or entertainment systems with iPhone/Android hook-ups, and even satellite TV. Meals can also be customized to the passengers preferences.

Charter flights are operated by charter operators, who are certified by their associated government body, such as the FAA for US carriers, and have legal authority to advertise and conduct flights for hire. Charter brokers can also arrange flights on behalf of their clients, acting as "authorized agents". Programs offered by both brokers and operators, called jet cards, offer customers a fixed hourly rate for a specific jet category and the broker or operator sources a jet from the available charter fleet.