How Much Does It Cost to Land a Private Plane? Landing, Ramp and FBO Fees Explained

Landing a private plane costs anywhere from nothing at some small public airports to a few hundred dollars at a busy jet airport, and then the FBO adds its own fees on top. At Van Nuys in California the published landing fee is $6.44 per 1,000 lb, and at Aspen in Colorado it is $13.76 per 1,000 lb.

Those two are the airport’s charge. The larger surprise is usually the ramp, handling or facility fee from the fixed-base operator, which can be waived if you buy enough fuel. This guide shows how airports charge, uses published schedules for real examples, and separates the airport’s fee from the FBO’s.

Landing Fees: How Airports Charge

A landing fee is a charge an airport authority makes for each landing, and sometimes each takeoff, to cover the runway, taxiways and lighting. It is separate from anything the FBO charges, because the airport and the FBO are different businesses.

By Maximum Landing Weight (Per 1,000 lb)

Most airports that charge a landing fee price it by weight. The airport multiplies a rate by the aircraft’s weight in thousands of pounds. At Van Nuys the rate is $6.44 per 1,000 lb, and the airport says landing weight is based on maximum landing weight.

Heavier aircraft pay more because they put more load on the pavement. A light jet at 20,000 lb pays a fraction of what a 90,000 lb jet does at the same field.

Minimum Fees for Small Aircraft

Some airports set a minimum per landing, so a small aircraft is not charged only a few dollars. Van Nuys states no minimum on its fee page and says all aircraft weights are billed. Other fields publish minimums in their own schedules, so read the one for your destination.

Airports With No Landing Fee

Some small public airports charge no landing fee and rely on fuel sales and leases instead. The fee is an airport decision, not a federal rule, so there is no single answer. Where a fee exists it is published by the airport authority or county.

Real Fee Examples From Published Schedules

The table applies each airport’s published rate to two example aircraft: a light jet at about 20,000 lb and a large jet at about 90,000 lb. The weights are for illustration. Your bill depends on the aircraft’s actual maximum landing weight, rounding rules and any exemptions.

Teterboro and Boston Logan are not in the table because we did not read their current rate schedules; the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey publishes a Schedule of Charges for Newark and Teterboro, and Massport publishes rates and charges for Logan. Check both before you fly there.

Two notes on those numbers. Van Nuys exempts aircraft based at the airport, federal and military aircraft, state and county government aircraft, Angel Flights and air ambulances, firefighting aircraft and maintenance or test flights. And Aspen is changing: AVweb reported on October 28, 2026 that the airport is weighing a general aviation fee of $33.09 per 1,000 lb for 2027, because the runway is scheduled to close from April 4 to November 19, 2027. Pitkin County commissioners were set to consider the rates at a hearing on November 4, and we did not find the outcome, so treat $33.09 as a proposal until you confirm it with the airport.

FBO Fees: Ramp, Handling and Facility Fees

An FBO, or fixed-base operator, is the private company that services aircraft at an airport: fuel, parking, a lounge, ground handling. Its fees are set by the FBO, not the airport, and they are where most of the surprise in a private landing comes from.

Fuel-Purchase Waivers

Many FBOs waive part of the ramp or handling fee if you buy fuel. AOPA reported in February 2025 that at Aspen a $365 ramp fee was waived for one pilot who bought fuel. The minimum purchase varies by FBO and by aircraft size, so the waiver is worth asking about before you taxi in.

Signature Aviation and Other Chains

Signature Aviation is the largest FBO chain, but fees are posted per location, so there is no single national price. That is why a search for “signature private jet cost” has no one-line answer. AOPA reported in October 2024 that Signature capped handling fees for piston aircraft at $30 for singles and $60 for twins, each waived with a fuel purchase, and AOPA treats posted fees as a transparency issue. The fees are waived with a fuel purchase of 10 gallons for singles and 30 gallons for twins, per AOPA. Jets pay more than pistons, and the amount depends on the airport.

Overnight Parking and Hangar

Parking is usually charged per night on top of the ramp fee, and a hangar costs more than an outdoor spot. AOPA’s reporting also describes added charges at some FBOs, including a $150 security fee and a $25 habitat fee at Aspen, and a holiday weekend visit there that cost one pilot $598 in ramp fees. Event weekends can raise fees, so check the posted schedule for the dates you fly.

Other Charges on a Private Landing

The landing fee and FBO fee are the big two, but a private landing can also trigger smaller charges. The exact amounts are set locally, so treat this as a checklist rather than a price list.

• Customs and immigration: international arrivals need a customs-capable airport, and some may charge a handling or overtime fee.
• De-icing: ask the FBO what it charges.
• After-hours service: airports with limited hours may charge for services outside them.
• Slots and prior permission: some congested or restricted airports need a reservation.

We give no dollar amount for these because we did not open a published schedule with one.

What It Costs to Build a Private Runway

If you are asking about a private runway, the cost depends almost entirely on length, surface and site work, and we found no reliable public number to quote. Guessing one would be wrong, so this page does not. For length, the FAA publishes planning guidance in Advisory Circular 150/5325-4B, “Runway Length Requirements for Airport Design,” which the FAA lists as active, issued July 1, 2005. The FAA’s design standards page now lists the circular as AC 150/5325-4, so check for the latest revision.

A better source for cost is a named public project or an FAA Airport Improvement Program grant record, which lists the contract value for a real runway. The aircraft also sets the length you need: our guide to how much runway a private jet needs covers the figures for each size class.

Who Pays on a Charter

If you charter, the operator pays these fees and passes them through on your quote, usually as separate lines for landing, handling and fuel. Our private jet charter cost guide shows how a quote is built, and the charter cost estimator lets you size a trip. Owners pay the same fees directly; the cost of owning a private jet page puts them in context with hangar, crew and insurance.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you have to pay to land at an airport?

Not always. Some small public airports charge no landing fee, while busier ones charge by aircraft weight, such as $6.44 per 1,000 lb at Van Nuys. You may also owe the FBO a ramp or handling fee, which is often waived with a fuel purchase.

Do private planes pay to land at airports?

Yes at airports that charge a landing fee, and the fee applies to private aircraft as well as airlines. At Van Nuys, aircraft based at the airport are exempt, as are some government and medical flights. At other fields there may be no landing fee.

How much does it cost to park a private jet at an airport?

Parking is charged by the FBO, usually per night, and varies by airport and aircraft size. Ramp fees are often waived with a fuel purchase, and a hangar costs more than a ramp spot. Ask for the posted schedule for your aircraft type before you arrive.

What is an FBO fee?

An FBO fee is a charge by the fixed-base operator, the private company that services aircraft at an airport. It is separate from the airport's landing fee and can cover ramp, handling, facility or security services. Many FBOs waive part of it if you buy fuel.

Sources

• Van Nuys Airport, “Landing Fees at VNY Effective March 1, 2026,” iflyvny.com/airport-facts/vny-landing-fees, 2026
• AVweb, “Aspen Airport Weighs Steep Landing Fee Increases for 2027,” October 28, 2026
• AOPA, “FBO fees still frustrate pilots,” February 13, 2025
• AOPA, “AOPA applauds Signature Aviation moves,” October 22, 2024
• FAA, Advisory Circular 150/5325-4B, Runway Length Requirements for Airport Design