Group charter flights in France
One aircraft for the whole group: a company offsite, an incentive trip, a wedding party or a tour. Which aircraft French operators fly, the rules that protect you and how the price is built.
- Small groups
- Heavy business jet
- About 50
- Embraer ERJ-145
- Up to 178
- Airbus A320
- Priced
- Per aircraft
What a group charter is
You hire the whole aircraft and set the route and timing. Small groups fly on a heavy business jet. Larger groups fly on a regional jet such as the Embraer ERJ-145 or an airliner such as the Airbus A320, flown by a French carrier that holds an operating licence and an air operator certificate (CTA) from the DGAC.
A group charter is private jet hire scaled up: one customer, one aircraft, your timetable. The aircraft follows the headcount, the bags and the runway at each end.
French operators on our list fly everything from heavy jets such as the Falcon 7X and Global 6000 to Embraer ERJ-145 regional jets and Airbus A320 airliners. Amelia, the airline that grew out of the Regourd Aviation group, lists charter flights, sports team transport and corporate transport among its work.
In the EU, only a carrier with an operating licence and an air operator certificate may carry passengers for payment. The DGAC warns that a paid flight by an unauthorised operator is illegal public transport, and that insurers do not cover accidents on such flights.
Altivo Jets is a broker. We compare carriers, name the operator on your quote and set out the full price before you sign. See our broker disclosure.
Sources:Wikipedia: Amelia (airline), from Regourd Aviation Group, fleet as of March 2026, read 19 October 2026French Ministry of Ecology (DGAC), 24 October 2016: creating an airline, operating licence and air operator certificate (CTA)DGAC, November 2022: Mon vol est-il légal? Passenger leaflet on illegal public air transport (PDF)Regulation (EC) No 1008/2008 on the operation of air services: operating licence and AOC, Articles 3, 4 and 6 (EUR-Lex)
Which aircraft for your group
Fleet counts are aircraft on the certificates of French operators in our data. Seat counts depend on each cabin layout.
| Group | Aircraft | French operators on our list |
|---|---|---|
| Small group, business-jet cabin | Dassault Falcon 7X and Falcon 900, Embraer Legacy 600, Bombardier Global 6000 | Dassault Falcon Service (5 Falcon 7X), Thalair (5 Legacy 600), Airlec Air Espace (2 Falcon 900), IXAIR (Global 6000) |
| About 50 | Embraer ERJ-145 regional jet | Thalair (5), Pan Européenne (2). Amelia's E145s have 50 seats |
| About 98 | Embraer E190 | Amelia lists 2 E190s with 98 seats |
| Up to 178 | Airbus A320 | Regourd Aviation (5 A320s on our list). Amelia's A320s have 178 seats |
Amelia also lists A319s with 144 seats, one of them in a 60-seat executive layout.
Tell us the dates and passengers. A specialist replies with aircraft options and an all-in price, around the clock.
Who may fly your group, and what protects you
| Rule | What it means for you |
|---|---|
| Operating licence (Regulation 1008/2008) | No EU undertaking may carry passengers by air for payment without an operating licence, and the licence depends at all times on holding a valid air operator certificate. |
| Air operator certificate (CTA) | In France the DGAC issues these approvals. The CTA is issued under Regulation (EU) 965/2012, and public air transport needs both the licence and the technical approvals. |
| Insurance | The DGAC tells passengers to check that the operator holds a CTA, an operating licence and an insurance certificate for public passenger transport. |
| Package travel (Directive 2015/2302) | A package is a combination of at least two types of travel service, such as the flight and the hotel. The organiser is responsible for performing the package and must protect all payments against its own insolvency. |
| Business travel | The package rules do not apply to travel bought under a general agreement for arranging business travel, so a company's own contract governs most corporate offsites. |
Sources:Regulation (EC) No 1008/2008 on the operation of air services: operating licence and AOC, Articles 3, 4 and 6 (EUR-Lex)French Ministry of Ecology (DGAC), 24 October 2016: creating an airline, operating licence and air operator certificate (CTA)DGAC, November 2022: Mon vol est-il légal? Passenger leaflet on illegal public air transport (PDF)Directive (EU) 2015/2302 on package travel, Articles 2, 3, 13 and 17 (EUR-Lex)
Airports for larger aircraft
| Airport | Longest runway | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Paris Le Bourget (LFPB) | 2,991 m | The main business aviation airport for Paris, with no airline flights. Jets may not take off between 22:15 and 06:00. |
| Nice Côte d'Azur (LFMN) | 2,963 m | Open 24 hours with a business aviation terminal. Slots are required and handling is limited to three licensed FBOs. |
| Marseille Provence (LFML) | 3,500 m | Open 24 hours with customs at any hour. Noisier jets may not land or leave the stand between 22:00 and 06:00. |
We confirm parking, slots and handling for the actual aircraft before we quote.
Sources:AC-U-KWIK airport record, Paris Le Bourget (LFPB)Boeing airport noise data: Paris Le Bourget night curfewsAC-U-KWIK airport record, Nice Côte d'Azur (LFMN)Aéroport Nice Côte d'Azur: business aviation and helicoptersAC-U-KWIK airport record, Marseille Provence (LFML)French AIP, AD 2 LFML (SIA eAIP, AIRAC 1 October 2026)
How a group charter is priced
- You pay for the whole aircraft, not per seat.
- Heavy business jets charter at about €10,620 to €16,520 per flight hour, before airport charges, handling and taxes.
- Regional jets and airliners are quoted per trip, because crew, positioning and parking change from one trip to the next.
- A one-way trip may carry the cost of the aircraft flying back empty. See charter taxes and fees for what is added on top.
How to book a group charter
- 01Share the trip
Dates, route, headcount, bags and any equipment, such as stage or sports kit.
- 02Compare carriers
We check which licensed operators have the right aircraft free, and confirm crew, slots and parking.
- 03Sign and pay
You receive the operator's name and the full price, then sign a charter agreement for the whole aircraft.
Larger aircraft on French certificates
From heavy business jets to airliners.
French operators of larger aircraft
Holders of a DGAC air operator certificate (CTA) flying regional jets, airliners and heavy jets.
The Paris group Amelia grew out of. A320s on our list, plus E190s and E145s in Amelia's fleet, which flies sports team and corporate charters.
Five Embraer ERJ-145s and five Legacy 600s on our list.
Two Embraer ERJ-145s on our list.
Five Falcon 7Xs and a Falcon 900 on our list, based at Le Bourget.
Questions, answered
Still deciding? A charter specialist will talk you through aircraft, airports and price, with no obligation.
Ask a specialistWhat is a group charter?+
Hiring a whole aircraft for one group, with the route and schedule set by you.
Which aircraft can carry a large group from France?+
French operators fly Embraer ERJ-145 regional jets with about 50 seats and Airbus A320s. Amelia's A320s have 178 seats.
How is a group charter priced?+
Per aircraft. Heavy business jets charter at about €10,620 to €16,520 per flight hour, and regional jets and airliners are quoted per trip, before airport charges and taxes.
How do I know the flight is legal?+
The carrier must hold an operating licence and an air operator certificate (CTA), plus insurance for public passenger transport. We name the operator on your quote. See is my flight legal.
Is a group trip with a hotel a package holiday?+
It can be. A flight and a hotel sold together can form a package, which makes the organiser responsible for the whole trip. Travel bought under a general agreement for business travel is excluded.
Can we fly one way?+
Yes, though the price may include the aircraft flying back empty.
Related pages
Fares, dates and rules on this page were checked on 19 October 2026. Official fares and schedules change every season; the operator or authority named in each source has the final word.
- 1.Wikipedia: Amelia (airline), from Regourd Aviation Group, fleet as of March 2026, read 19 October 2026
- 2.French Ministry of Ecology (DGAC), 24 October 2016: creating an airline, operating licence and air operator certificate (CTA)
- 3.DGAC, November 2022: Mon vol est-il légal? Passenger leaflet on illegal public air transport (PDF)
- 4.Regulation (EC) No 1008/2008 on the operation of air services: operating licence and AOC, Articles 3, 4 and 6 (EUR-Lex)
- 5.Directive (EU) 2015/2302 on package travel, Articles 2, 3, 13 and 17 (EUR-Lex)
- 6.AC-U-KWIK airport record, Paris Le Bourget (LFPB)
- 7.Boeing airport noise data: Paris Le Bourget night curfews
- 8.AC-U-KWIK airport record, Nice Côte d'Azur (LFMN)
- 9.Aéroport Nice Côte d'Azur: business aviation and helicopters
- 10.AC-U-KWIK airport record, Marseille Provence (LFML)
- 11.French AIP, AD 2 LFML (SIA eAIP, AIRAC 1 October 2026)
Move the whole group together.
A specialist replies around the clock with aircraft options, the operator's name and an all-in price.