I analyzed all 1,823 of the Part 135 air charter operators in the United States to see how they're using Google Ads.
The results were surprising – and revealed some interesting opportunities most operators are missing.
I’m not here to say that you should be running ads; there’s no one-size-fits-all answer.
Chetan Rao
Related: Should you actually run Google Ads?
But if you’re concerned with marketing as an air charter business, these are patterns worth understanding, regardless of whether ads are currently part of your strategy.
Because this isn’t speculation or theory. It's hard data pulled from Google Ads Transparency Center for every Part 135 operator in the US.
Mid-size operators (11-20 aircraft) are leaving money on the table
First, let's talk fleet size and ad adoption. I’ve excluded operators with fewer than 3 aircraft. For the rest, here's what the data show:
That 12.65% number for mid-size operators jumped out at me. It's dramatically lower than any other fleet size category.
Why does this matter? Because mid-size operators (11-20 aircraft) are in a unique position:
They're beyond the stage where personal relationships and word-of-mouth can fill their schedule. Their fixed costs have increased, but they don't yet have the economies of scale of the larger operators.
Most charter operators run at around 40% fleet utilization. That means 60% of the time, aircraft are sitting on the ground, not generating revenue but still generating costs.
For mid-size operators specifically, each incremental booking has a significant impact on overall profitability. You've already got the infrastructure and overhead — additional flights largely drop to the bottom line.
A lot of charter businesses see this play out time and again: increasing utilization by just 5-10% can see profit improvements of 25-30% because of the leverage effect.
Your neighbors are right there (but you're ignoring them)
The geographic targeting data is equally interesting:
87% of operators target the United States (as you'd expect). But here's where it gets strange:
- Only 16% target Canada
- Only 8% target Mexico
- Meanwhile, 22% target Germany and 21% target all of Europe as a region
Unless I’m missing something (and if I am, please do let me know in the comments), most charter operators would benefit more from nearby markets than distant ones.
Looking deeper at the average number of countries targeted:
- Operators with 3-5 aircraft: 7.9 countries
- Operators with 5-10 aircraft: 8.4 countries
- Operators with 11-20 aircraft: 1.75 countries
- Operators with 20-50 aircraft: 5.4 countries
- Operators with 50+ aircraft: 5.1 countries
Smaller operators are spreading themselves thinner across more markets, while the larger, more sophisticated players focus on fewer markets.
This matters because your marketing budget needs concentration to be effective. When you spread a limited budget across too many regions, you're not showing up enough in any single market to build momentum.
Think about it: if you're based in the Northeastern US, a client in Toronto is much more accessible (and less costly to serve) than someone in Germany. The positioning costs alone make neighboring markets more profitable targets.
The format gap: hardly anybody’s using video
Of the charter operators running ads:
- 75.56% run primarily text ads
- 18.89% use image ads
- Only 5.56% utilize video ads
This is a missed opportunity. When you're selling a premium service, how you present it matters.
The format breakdown by fleet size shows something interesting:
Notice that operators with 5-10 aircraft and those with 50+ aircraft use video ads at much higher rates than the middle categories.
Why does this matter? Because video can convert significantly better for high-consideration purchases.
Charter services aren't commodity products. In other premium categories, businesses that have added video to their ad mix typically see improvements in lead quality.
Lifts of 45-50% in lead-to-booking ratios after implementing video ads aren’t uncommon.
What all of this means for you
So what should you do, based on these findings? Here are three important things you should consider for your marketing.
1. Know when to experiment with ads
If you have more than 5 aircraft, and are wondering how to improve fleet utilization — consider adding Google Ads to your marketing mix.
With fewer than a third of your competitors using Google Ads, even basic implementation puts you ahead.
But there are many ways to get Google Ads wrong, so be sure to steer clear of avoidable mistakes.
- Start with a $2,000-3,000 monthly budget focused on remarketing and high-value routes
- Track actual conversions, not just website activity
- Target specific regions where you believe you have an edge
2. Sharpen your geographic targeting
- Use the "concentric circles" approach:
- First 500-mile radius from your base
- Add frequent destinations where you already position aircraft
- Then add high-net-worth markets within reasonable positioning distance
- Consolidate your budget in fewer locations:
- Cut the number of countries you target by at least half
- Allocate 70% of budget to your top 3 markets
- Create separate campaigns for domestic vs. international clients with distinct messaging
- Prioritize neighboring countries before distant markets:
- If you're US-based, consider Canada and Mexico before regions further afield, unless you have strategic reasons that suggest otherwise
3. Broaden your ad formats and creatives
Test video ads, even with minimal production. YouTube pre-roll ads can deliver strong results.
If you stick with text and image ads:
- Focus on specific pain points (flexibility, time savings, privacy)
- Use actual photos of your fleet rather than stock images
Where to from here
Ads aren’t for every air charter business.
But they might be the tool you need to propel yours to the next level of growth — more leads, more bookings, more revenue.
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