The Total Count
The FAA's Air Carrier Certificate Information System lists 2,147 active Part 135 operating certificates as of March 2026. Not all of these are charter operators in the way passengers think of them. Part 135 covers on-demand air taxi (what charter passengers use), commuter airlines with aircraft under 10 seats, air ambulance services, cargo operations, and sightseeing flights.
Approximately 1,100 of the 2,147 certificates authorize on-demand air taxi operations using turbojet or turboprop aircraft. These are the operators relevant to business jet charter. The remaining certificates belong to helicopter operators, fixed-wing cargo carriers, scenic flight companies, and commuter airlines that technically operate under Part 135 rather than Part 121.
Where the Operators Are
Texas holds the most Part 135 certificates of any state with 198, driven by the concentration of corporate aviation in Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, and Austin. Florida follows with 187 certificates, anchored by South Florida's charter market (Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Palm Beach) and the state's favorable tax environment for aircraft registration. California ranks third with 162 certificates.
Alaska's rank at 121 certificates reflects the state's dependence on aviation for transportation. The vast majority of Alaska's Part 135 operators are bush carriers and air taxi services operating float planes, ski planes, and Cessna Caravans rather than business jets. Only 8 to 10 of Alaska's Part 135 certificates involve jet charter operations.
Fleet Size: The Long Tail
The Part 135 operator market follows a steep power law distribution. Approximately 60% of certificate holders operate 1 to 3 aircraft. Another 25% operate 4 to 10 aircraft. Only 15% operate more than 10 aircraft. The largest Part 135 operators by fleet size include NetJets (operating as Executive Jet Management), Wheels Up, Flexjet, and Vista Global's XOJET and Jet Edge subsidiaries.
The single-aircraft operator is the most common configuration: an aircraft owner who obtains a Part 135 certificate to offset ownership costs by chartering the aircraft when not in personal use. These operators typically manage 1 to 2 aircraft, employ 2 to 4 pilots, and generate $300,000 to $800,000 in annual charter revenue. They represent the backbone of the on-demand market in secondary and tertiary cities where the major operators do not base aircraft.
The consolidation trend is compressing the middle tier. Between 2021 and 2026, several mid-tier operators (5 to 20 aircraft) were acquired by larger platforms. Vista Global, Directional Aviation, and Wheels Up each completed 3 to 5 acquisitions during this period. The number of certificate holders has grown, but the share of fleet controlled by the top 20 operators has also grown.
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Get a Quote →How a Part 135 Certificate Is Obtained
Obtaining a Part 135 certificate from the FAA takes 12 to 24 months and costs $200,000 to $500,000 in consulting, legal, and compliance expenses. The process involves submitting operations specifications (OpSpecs), training manuals, maintenance programs, drug and alcohol testing programs, and demonstrating operational capability through proving flights observed by FAA inspectors.
The FAA's Flight Standards District Offices (FSDOs) administer the certification process, and approval timelines vary significantly by region. FSDOs in high-volume aviation states (Texas, Florida, California) process more applications and tend to move faster. FSDOs in less active regions may take longer due to fewer inspectors and less familiarity with the Part 135 certification process.
An alternative to obtaining a new certificate is acquiring an existing one through the purchase of a company that holds a Part 135 certificate. This route can reduce the timeline to 3 to 6 months but involves due diligence on the certificate's compliance history, outstanding violations, and operational specifications. The FAA does not transfer certificates; the acquiring entity assumes ownership of the company that holds the certificate.
The certificate is the most valuable asset a small charter company owns. A clean Part 135 certificate with jet authority sells for $50,000 to $150,000 above the value of the company's other assets.
Growth Trends: 2020 to 2026
The pandemic created a surge in new Part 135 certificate applications. Between 2020 and 2023, the FAA received approximately 800 new applications, compared to 300 to 400 in the equivalent pre-pandemic period. The new entrants were primarily aircraft owners who saw charter demand spike and decided to monetize their assets.
Of the 800 new applications, approximately 400 resulted in issued certificates. The remainder were withdrawn, denied, or remain in process. The net growth in active certificates between 2020 and 2026 is approximately 250 to 300 after accounting for surrendered and revoked certificates.
The surge is slowing. New application volume in 2025 returned to pre-pandemic levels as the charter market normalized and the pilot shortage made staffing new operations more difficult. The cost of entry has also increased: insurance premiums for new Part 135 operators rose 30 to 50% between 2022 and 2026, reflecting underwriter concerns about operator experience levels.
What the Count Means for Charter Passengers
More operators mean more options, but not necessarily better options. The influx of new certificate holders between 2020 and 2023 included operators with limited experience, thin maintenance budgets, and single-aircraft fleets that provide no backup if the aircraft goes down for maintenance. Charter passengers should look beyond availability and price.
The safety metrics that matter are: how long has the operator held its certificate, how many aircraft does it operate (fleet depth equals schedule reliability), does it hold IS-BAO or ARGUS Platinum ratings, and what is the crew experience level. An operator that received its certificate in 2022 and flies one aircraft with a 1,500-hour captain is a fundamentally different risk profile than an operator with a 15-year track record and 10 aircraft.
The charter broker's role is to filter the 1,100 on-demand operators down to the handful that are appropriate for your specific mission. A good broker knows which operators fly which routes, which have maintenance delays, and which have the crew depth to handle schedule changes. The 2,147 certificates are the haystack. Your broker finds the needle.
