Sports team charter flights
How the leagues fly, what the NCAA pays for, and how a club or college team charters an aircraft that fits the roster and the gear.
- NBA
- Delta charter fleet
- MLS
- Sun Country
- NCAA charters
- Over 400 miles
- Team aircraft
- 30 to 189 seats
How teams travel
Yes. NBA teams fly a dedicated Delta charter fleet, NFL teams charter from Delta, United and Atlas Air, and Sun Country flies every MLS team. College teams charter too: in March Madness the NCAA pays for charter flights when a team's first-weekend site is more than 400 miles away.
Teams charter because a scheduled airline cannot carry 30 to 150 people, their equipment and their staff on a timetable built around games.
Smaller rosters fit 30-seat jets that can carry up to 7,500 lb of payload under Part 135. Football and larger traveling parties use Boeing 737s, 757s, 767s and wide-bodies.
Charter capacity is tight. In February 2026 the NCAA warned schools that significantly fewer charter aircraft would be available for March Madness.
Altivo Jets charters for club, college and amateur teams. For non-sport groups, see group charter flights.
Sources:Flying, Oct 2024: NBA approval for VIP A321neosBetween the Pipes, Nov 2024: NFL team charter flightsSun Country Airlines FY2025 Form 10-KCBS Sports, Mar 2026: NCAA warns of charter aircraft shortageAir Charter Service, Jun 2024: aircraft for team sportsDelta: charters
How the major leagues fly
- Carrier
- Delta
- Aircraft
- 11 Boeing 757-200s; VIP Airbus A321neos approved in 2024
- Notes
- Up to 14 A321neos with lie-flat seats, delivered over about 32 months
- Carrier
- Delta
- Aircraft
- Charter for all teams
- Notes
- Multiyear partnership from August 2024
- Carrier
- Delta (13 teams), United (10), Atlas Air (6)
- Aircraft
- A330, 767, 757, 737, 777, 787, 747
- Notes
- The Cardinals own a 777 and the Patriots two 767s
- Carrier
- Sun Country
- Aircraft
- Boeing 737
- Notes
- Five-year deal from October 2021
- Carrier
- GlobalX, Sun Country and others
- Aircraft
- A320 family, Boeing 737
- Notes
- GlobalX put the college charter market at over $500 million a year
Sources:Flying, Oct 2024: NBA approval for VIP A321neosScripps News, Aug 2024: WNBA and Delta charter partnershipBetween the Pipes, Nov 2024: NFL team charter flightsSun Country Airlines FY2025 Form 10-KGlobeNewswire, May 2023: GlobalX collegiate sports charter program
Tell us the dates and passengers. A specialist replies with aircraft options and an all-in price, around the clock.
When the NCAA pays for a charter
- In March Madness the NCAA pays for charter flights for teams more than 400 miles from their first-weekend site; closer teams go by bus.
- For regionals, regional finals and the Final Four the threshold is 350 miles.
- Teams under the threshold can claim up to $1,500 a day for ground transport.
- Teams must move within 12 to 72 hours of Selection Sunday.
- In a 24 February 2026 memo the NCAA warned of significantly fewer charter aircraft, citing the government shutdown, deportation flights and spring break.
- Schools were told to expect late confirmations, different aircraft each way, and fuel stops.
Sources:CBS Sports, Mar 2026: NCAA warns of charter aircraft shortageClickOrlando/AP, Mar 2026: NCAA travel issues before March Madness
Matching the aircraft to the team
| Traveling party | Aircraft | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 30 | Dornier 328Jet or Embraer ERJ-135 | 30 seats and up to 7,500 lb payload for equipment |
| About 50 | Embraer ERJ-145, Saab 2000 or CRJ200 | Reconfigured cabins with room for kit |
| About 70 to 190 | Airbus A320 family or Boeing 737 | Football, marching bands and large traveling parties |
Sources:Air Charter Service, Jun 2024: aircraft for team sportsKey Lime Air: Embraer 145Jettly, Jul 2026: cost to charter a Boeing 737
How to charter for your team
- 01Share the schedule
Games, dates, roster size and equipment weight. Lead time matters: Delta asks for 2.5 months on domestic charters.
- 02Choose the aircraft
We match seats and payload, and quote each leg with the carrier named, as Part 295 requires.
- 03Lock it in
Sign and pay before departure; for tournaments, hold options for possible advancing rounds.
Aircraft for team travel
Regional jets on the US Part 135 list suit smaller rosters.
Questions, answered
Still deciding? A charter specialist will talk you through aircraft, airports and price, with no obligation.
Ask a specialistDo NFL teams fly private?+
Yes. In the 2024 season Delta flew 13 teams, United 10 and Atlas Air 6; the Cardinals and Patriots own their own aircraft.
Do NBA teams fly private?+
Yes, on a Delta-operated fleet of Boeing 757s, which is moving to VIP Airbus A321neos.
Do college football teams fly private?+
Many charter, typically on Airbus A320s or Boeing 737s from carriers such as GlobalX and Sun Country.
Do MLB teams fly private?+
Yes, MLB teams travel by charter; carrier contracts vary by team.
When does the NCAA pay for charter flights?+
In March Madness, when a team is more than 400 miles from its first-weekend site, or 350 miles for later rounds.
How far ahead should a team book a charter?+
Delta asks for at least 2.5 months for domestic charters. Tournament travel is booked within 12 to 72 hours of selection, so hold options early.
Related pages
Fares, dates and rules on this page were checked on 13 October 2026. Official fares and schedules change every season; the operator or authority named in each source has the final word.
- 1.Flying, Oct 2024: NBA approval for VIP A321neos
- 2.Between the Pipes, Nov 2024: NFL team charter flights
- 3.Sun Country Airlines FY2025 Form 10-K
- 4.CBS Sports, Mar 2026: NCAA warns of charter aircraft shortage
- 5.Air Charter Service, Jun 2024: aircraft for team sports
- 6.Delta: charters
- 7.Scripps News, Aug 2024: WNBA and Delta charter partnership
- 8.GlobeNewswire, May 2023: GlobalX collegiate sports charter program
- 9.ClickOrlando/AP, Mar 2026: NCAA travel issues before March Madness
- 10.Key Lime Air: Embraer 145
- 11.Jettly, Jul 2026: cost to charter a Boeing 737
- 12.14 CFR Part 295: air charter brokers
Get the team there rested.
A specialist replies around the clock with aircraft options, the operator's name and an all-in price.