Two minutes, one and a quarter mile, $5 million in prizes—what’s not to love about the Kentucky Derby? Now in its 150th year, the thrill returns to the revitalized Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky on May 4.
The first leg of the Triple Crown, followed by the Preakness and Belmont Stakes, the Kentucky Derby is the pinnacle of Grade I stakes races in the United States and brings together three-year-old thoroughbred colts, geldings and fillies in the “Run of the Roses.”
After a two-week Kentucky Derby Festival and a day full of lower-stakes races, one winning horse will be draped in a blanket of roses.
Every year on the first Sunday in May, thousands of betters and horse racing fans flock to Louisville. This swell of visitors can cause congestion on major highways and scheduled flights into Kentucky.
For the discerning traveler, private flights offer the ultimate in luxury and comfort while empowering you to fly on your own schedule and skip the crowds. At Stratos Jets, we’ve been flying enthusiasts to the races for nearly 20 years.
Louisville International Airport is by far the most popular arrival airport for all travelers en route to the Kentucky Derby. Thankfully, when you fly private, you get to fly on your own schedule and to the airport of your choosing.
When you touch down in Kentucky, you’ll want to get off to the races. Save time renting a car or hailing a cab with our ground transportation services. Simply let our Trip Support Team know how we can help before you take off, and we’ll take care of the rest.
We can handle everything from coordinating a rental car to hiring a limousine and driver, to booking a stay at one of Louisville’s top-rated luxury hotels. We look forward to helping ensure a memorable visit to the Kentucky Derby.
Every charter flight review on this page was submitted by a real Stratos Jets customer. In the interest of transparency, we never change reviews or use incentives to influence these reviews. This way, you can hear directly from our past and current clients about how we handled their private travel experience.
4.5/5(22)
4.7/5(25)
4.8/5(568)
4.8/5
566 Reviews
4.7/5
25 Reviews
4.5/5
22 Reviews
5/5
4 Reviews
Overall rating (4.89 out of 5) Based on 675 reviews from our trusted Jet Charter reviews
David R.
51505/03/2017
The low approach over Newport was terrific....CAD even stopped talking. Have a nice w/e....David
Kenneth J.
51512/04/2019
Crews were amazing. Aircraft less so. Very outdated and need of refurbishing. Shoulder seat belt was missing from one of main seats.
Brian H.
51503/19/2017
Service was incredible. Joel and Stratos was fantastic. Had a delayed special occasion and they went out of their way to make everything perfect. It was a surprise trip and could not have been easier to work with and very helpful in getting all arrangements made for in-flight. Beyond a 5 star. Thank you all for making a special trip a truly MEMORABLE one for us!!!
Mike S.
51505/03/2018
My family has flown with you dozens of times. Everything, from booking, to the flights, to the follow-up shows that you care about your customers. I would definitely recommend Stratos & have already done so.
Michael R.
51505/22/2021
Zach Rankin is the best jet broker I have ever met! Total first class experience. Super responsive & passionate & customer service oriented. I’m in real estate hospitality....hotels & apartments etc. So I understand how hard it is to execute flawless high-end customer service like Zach.
Heather C.
51504/24/2020
My client was very pleased with the ease of this transaction. Kyle Jones was a pleasure to work with, very respondent and always professional. I hope to broker more charter clients to you in the future. Thank you again!
Matteo G.
51505/25/2017
Fantastic Plane and service! Joel & his crew are great and take care of every detail. If you are looking for a great charter partner Stratos is your one stop shop.
Rich P.
51501/01/2022
All was just fine
David A.
51503/26/2020
Picture perfect. If I had one small complaint it was the outbound plane had no water in the bathroom
Chief Pilot
51508/14/2017
As always, the folks at Stratos Jet Charters did an outstanding job responding to a short-notice requirement for supplemental lift for our flight department.
Their staff is always focused on the customer needs and preferences.
Through their proven performance, they have become my "go-to" solution when the need arises.
Larnell B. E.
51502/19/2020
From the first email until the time we were wheels down in St. Thomas, the responsiveness, service, professionalism and attention to detail were exceptional. There is absolutely no chance I will ever use anyone else and I will be sure to share my experiences with my colleague’s here on Capitol Hill and in my professional and personal circles. A special acknowledgement to Glenn, for everything he did to make this a seamless business experience! Regards, Larnell Director, Travel, Security and Facilities,
Earl S.
51512/21/2021
everything went very well in all areas.Thank you .
Kim Krum
51506/29/2018
As always, your staff is a pleasure to work with, and are very good with their communication, etc. I (of course) wish we didn't have the snafu with your client cutting the trip short, only to change his mind - costing us an additional 3 hours of flight time (approx. $10,000) - since we cancelled a trip with another operator to accommodate his request to leave early. I think there should have been a consideration for a 2 hour cancellation fee or something there. We understand that this wasn't Stratos Jets' doing - but I believe your client should have been penalized in some way as he was informed we had another trip and he told us to cancel it to accommodate him. This was very disappointing (and financially detrimental) for us, especially as we had lowered the cost of the trip (in addition to removing all minimums) prior to booking. The only way it made sense for us to do that was to fly while sitting transient.
Karl H.
51506/28/2021
Glenn was wonderful, the jet was clean and the crew was fantastic.
Sarah M.
51511/03/2016
THANK YOU STRATOS!! I have been working with Stratos Jet Charters for almost 3 years now & could not be happier with the services they provide! Working with me on many last minute changes, they are always quick & efficient, extremely professional, genuinely honest & immensely knowledgeable of all products and services they offer. They truly look out for the best interests of their clients. I trust them to always guide me in making the appropriate aircraft choices for our company. I find the ENTIRE team to be THE BEST in the charter aircraft business!!
Matteo G.
51503/01/2019
The flight was excellent, 24 hours prior Sarah helped us with a departure window and the crew and FBO were really accommodating as we were running behind. Really nice Hawker 900XP nice pilots and smooth flight. Cant give enough praise to the Stratos process and ease.
Susan R. C.
51508/06/2024
Thank God for Joel! He was able to book a flight for us last minute and everything went like clockwork. Stratos has the best service and never lets us down. Kudos to Stratos for a job well done!
Robert W.
51511/08/2018
Excellent communication with Glenn. I would definitely recommend Stratos. Our aircraft was a newer model and very clean. Crew provided a nice experience.
Nicole M.
51512/17/2018
I could not ask for more, I love using Stratos and will never use anyone else!
Jerry H.
51511/10/2017
Great experience
Tonio B.
51507/19/2017
The Stratos Jet Charters team provides a seamless & excellent experience from beginning to end. They are a forward thinking company that puts the customer first and never disappoints with any trip or itinerary. Would absolutely recommend to anyone!
Corey P.
51506/07/2016
Nothing, Heather is amazing as always and the reason I will continue to fly with you.
Virginia D.
51508/27/2019
Always a wonderful experience with Stratos: great flight crew, excellent catering menu, comfortable plane.
Sara Nemser
51501/01/2019
Stratos is very professional, great communication, easy to work with
Roxanne Stanley
51503/24/2021
We actually flew the flight in one of our jets for Stratos Jets customer. Joel was great at providing us passenger information and returning the paper work in a timely fashion.
Charles C.
51508/12/2020
Glenn is great to work with and very professional.
Sincerely, C. D. C.
Zac Steinberg
51502/21/2022
Great partnership and always a pleasure working with your team! We are all looking forward to many more.
Nisreen S.
51501/29/2019
Thanks for everything Joel... You made the booking process quite easy and were very patient in explaining everything. I appreciate all your help and I will definitely pass your contact information to all my co-workers in case they ever have a request for a jet booking.
Kim V. N.
51512/21/2021
From the ease of booking the flights and actual flights, it was effortless. I would definitely recommend Stratos to friends and use you again. Kyle was wonderful to work with, very helpful, and communicative. Both our flights were lovely. Staff was professional and courteous. All in all a great experience.
ERIC SANCHEZ
51502/07/2018
Smooth across the board as always. Thanks for the trip.
Harry W.
51510/31/2022
Everything was great with the trip; it was a bit rushed on my part and Danny was a rockstar! He gave me many options and honest and frank feedback and advice. He made me feel like I was the only client he had and was incredibly responsive to all my questions and concerns. Stress-free and relaxing is the best way to summarize my experience. I will always use Stratos and Danny!! thank you to all the team as well!
Bill L.
51505/16/2023
I had a great time with the pilots, all of us looking at our route software on our iPads how to get around the rain and stay clear of all the boomers on the way to the field.
They did a great job. Fabulous approach to Runway 21 direct. I would fly with these pilots any time anywhere.
Jim Hensley
51507/20/2020
The passengers we flew had a great experience and were pleased with the flight. Jim Hensley American Jet Charter, Inc
Stephen K.
51508/12/2020
Anthony, couldn't have been better. Elegant and effortless. Delightful crew and immaculate plane. Thanks for helping us with this and I am sure you will hear from us in the future.
All the best,
Steve
Keith G.
51510/14/2021
Excellent experience with booking, the flights, ground services, etc.
Michael Turkal
51501/08/2018
Always great working with you guys!
Eric Sanchez
51512/06/2019
Always awesome working with Kerry!
Rick H.
51512/27/2016
We have been using Stratos for a couple of years now and appreciate their dedication to using only the safest charter operators. Just completed the front end of a back to back for the Christmas Holiday.
Stuart S.
51508/12/2020
We felt safe, comfortable and the flight arrived ahead of schedule.
Catie C.
51507/14/2020
All members of the team communicated extremely well. I worked with Steve to get my flight booked and he checked in with helpful texts and updates along the way. Highly recommend.
Bruce M
51508/12/2017
I was in a desperate situation to get to my sons graduation from marine camp and I was not going to miss it. Stratos made arrangements very quickly to get me where I needed to go. It was very efficient and first rate. Thank you
Kim T.
51505/10/2013
Ricky was wonderful to work with and answered all our many questions!
Guy L.
51505/01/2018
Yes i will recommend it
Renee W.
51503/23/2020
Glenn was excellent to work with. I spoke with several charter companies before choosing Stratos. Glenn is the reason I chose Stratos Jet to bring my elderly parents home during the initial break of the COVID-19. He was professional, knowledgeable and on top of every detail. This was our first experience with a charter flight and Glenn explained the entire process from start to finish which helped me keep my anxiety in check. My parents flew from Florida to Ohio without any issues. They said the aircraft crew were professional and confident and made them feel safe. The plane was basic, cabin was small so it was a little challenging for older people with limited mobility. My parents are short, 5'4 and 5'1 and both had to duck down to get on and off the plane and while inside the cabin. That being said, we were given the option of a more luxurious cabin but chose not to spend the extra money. Stratos took care of getting my elderly parents home quickly, safely and allowed us to minimize the risks of commercial flying at this time.
Chris K.
51508/01/2023
I spent 5 hours waiting for my Delta flight at the Nantucket airport Sunday afternoon. They ended up canceling my flight at 6:30pm. The Delta agent informed me that the earliest flight I could get would be sometime on Tuesday. I had a dinner Monday night and an extremely important meeting on Tuesday in Indianapolis. I could not miss either the dinner or the meeting. I texted Anthony at 6:30pm on Sunday night asking if he could help me get to Indy by 5pm the next day. He and his team went into action and we secured a flight at a decent price that night. Everything went well and I was able to make my dinner and meeting.
Rob O.
51504/13/2017
Yuri was wonderful!
Eric Sanchez
51507/31/2023
I love Kerry and the Stratos team. Easy to work with from top to bottom. Even on a Sunday!
Glenn K.
51506/22/2020
Excellent service from the first point of contact to disembarking from the flight. Kyle was amazing to deal with in the booking phase and the execution of the flight was flawless. Great pilots, equipment, handling, all on time. Highly recommended.
Nate TenBrink – Ward Aviation
51507/26/2024
Exceptional work from Anthony and the Trip Support Team at Stratos. Wonderful to work with.
Eric Sanchez
51506/22/2017
Always a pleasure to work with the Stratos Jet crew. You all have great communication with us which makes our life as an operator easier. Great job from Kerry, Sarah, and Trip Support as always.
Our friendly, expert air charter agents are here to answer questions or start your quote today. Don`t wait, call right now and we can get you on your way to the destination of your choice! Talk to one of our air chater argents now by calling (888) 593-9066 or by emailing [email protected]
How do I choose the right aircraft for my mission?
As charter brokers, we do more than simply book your charter flight. At Stratos Jets, our air charter associates are highly trained personnel capable of matching our clients with the appropriate aircraft for their travel needs. Once we determine how many passengers you’re travelling with and how far you’re flying, we can determine which category of aircraft you require. There are many options available. The most common aircrafts hired for private charters include:
Cessna’s Citation X
Gulfstream’s G650
Bombardier’s Global line
After that, we can help you narrow down the selection of recommended aircraft based on budget, desired cabin amenities, airport requirements, luggage capacity, as well as aircraft age and performance capabilities.
Staying Safe in the Skies
At Stratos Jets, air charter safety is our number one concern. One of our key policies is to increase consumer education. This ensures our clients are able to make informed decisions. We also work with our aircraft providers to ensure their safety training programs meet and even exceed our air charter safety requirements. To make this happen, Stratos Jets is an ARGUS Certified Broker. This means that our brokerage firm is:
Committed to the best industry practices
Adhering to all applicable safety regulations
Maintaining the appropriate insurance coverage required
Are there additional costs per private jet rental passenger?
There are no additional costs per passenger. At Stratos Jet Charters, we base our private jet rental prices per hour, not per guest.
The Stratos Pricing Estimator
If you would like to estimate the cost of a private jet charter, use our Stratos pricing estimator page. It lists the most common estimates based on destination and aircraft type. And you can always enter customized data to get an estimate for a specific destination.
Additional Concierge Charges
We do charge for some of our additional concierge services, such as in-flight catering and entertainment, hotel bookings and ground transportation. We know our clients’ time is precious, so we offer the value and convenience of “one-stop-shopping” through our Trip Support team. When you book a flight with Stratos Jet Charters, we can take care of all the logistics, including booking hotels, meeting spaces, limousines and tickets to special events. That way you can relax, and enjoy your trip.
Empty Leg Charters
Also, since we charge per hour, not per passenger, there are travel bargains to be found with our Empty Leg Flights. Many of our private jet rental flights are one-way, and then we need to move the aircraft to a new destination. To reduce the costs of flying an empty aircraft, we offer discounts to travelers with flexible itineraries. Clever passengers will sometimes split the cost with their fellow travelers, thereby reducing the cost for everyone on the flight.
Can I make last-minute changes to my itinerary?
If your plans need to change, we will do everything in our power to accommodate the changes. One of the benefits of hiring Stratos Jet Charters is that we have much more flexibility than commercial airlines and can provide many more air charter services.
We have two teams that can help you. Here is a brief description of each:
Charter Sales Agents
This is the initial contact team. They evaluate your travel needs to identify the appropriate aircraft type for your travel plan. Pricing is determined by aircraft availability, its position related to the intended departure location and the position of where the aircraft needs to be after performing the customer’s flight.
Trip Support Team
Once the aircraft has been selected, Trip Support works with the customer, the air carrier and all concierge service providers to organize all of the travel details. Trip Support is responsible for coordinating:
Departure time
Departure and arrival at the Fixed Base departure location
Ensuring assigned crew members meet Stratos experience requirements
Making sure the insurance is current and everyone is protected
Coordinating all concierge services
In reference to last-minute itinerary changes, any changes would go through the Trip Support Team.
Our customers often have demanding flight itineraries that can change quickly. They’ve come to appreciate knowing there’s an entire team of people focused on organizing all the details of their trip. Stratos Jet Charters wants to provide our clients with consistently outstanding air charter service and an impeccable safety record.
Are you ready to book your Can I make last-minute changes to my itinerary? charter flight yet?
Our friendly, expert air charter agents are here to answer questions or start your quote today. Don`t wait, call now and we'll get you on your way to your destination!
David R.
Kenneth J.
Crews were amazing. Aircraft less so. Very outdated and need of refurbishing. Shoulder seat belt was missing from one of main seats.
Brian H.
Service was incredible. Joel and Stratos was fantastic. Had a delayed special occasion and they went out of their way to make everything perfect. It was a surprise trip and could not have been easier to work with and very helpful in getting all arrangements made for in-flight. Beyond a 5 star. Thank you all for making a special trip a truly MEMORABLE one for us!!!
Mike S.
My family has flown with you dozens of times. Everything, from booking, to the flights, to the follow-up shows that you care about your customers. I would definitely recommend Stratos & have already done so.
Michael R.
Zach Rankin is the best jet broker I have ever met! Total first class experience. Super responsive & passionate & customer service oriented. I’m in real estate hospitality....hotels & apartments etc. So I understand how hard it is to execute flawless high-end customer service like Zach.
Heather C.
My client was very pleased with the ease of this transaction. Kyle Jones was a pleasure to work with, very respondent and always professional. I hope to broker more charter clients to you in the future. Thank you again!
Matteo G.
Rich P.
All was just fine
David A.
Picture perfect. If I had one small complaint it was the outbound plane had no water in the bathroom
Chief Pilot
As always, the folks at Stratos Jet Charters did an outstanding job responding to a short-notice requirement for supplemental lift for our flight department. Their staff is always focused on the customer needs and preferences. Through their proven performance, they have become my "go-to" solution when the need arises.
Larnell B. E.
From the first email until the time we were wheels down in St. Thomas, the responsiveness, service, professionalism and attention to detail were exceptional. There is absolutely no chance I will ever use anyone else and I will be sure to share my experiences with my colleague’s here on Capitol Hill and in my professional and personal circles. A special acknowledgement to Glenn, for everything he did to make this a seamless business experience! Regards, Larnell Director, Travel, Security and Facilities,
Earl S.
everything went very well in all areas.Thank you .
Kim Krum
As always, your staff is a pleasure to work with, and are very good with their communication, etc. I (of course) wish we didn't have the snafu with your client cutting the trip short, only to change his mind - costing us an additional 3 hours of flight time (approx. $10,000) - since we cancelled a trip with another operator to accommodate his request to leave early. I think there should have been a consideration for a 2 hour cancellation fee or something there. We understand that this wasn't Stratos Jets' doing - but I believe your client should have been penalized in some way as he was informed we had another trip and he told us to cancel it to accommodate him. This was very disappointing (and financially detrimental) for us, especially as we had lowered the cost of the trip (in addition to removing all minimums) prior to booking. The only way it made sense for us to do that was to fly while sitting transient.
Karl H.
Glenn was wonderful, the jet was clean and the crew was fantastic.
Sarah M.
THANK YOU STRATOS!! I have been working with Stratos Jet Charters for almost 3 years now & could not be happier with the services they provide! Working with me on many last minute changes, they are always quick & efficient, extremely professional, genuinely honest & immensely knowledgeable of all products and services they offer. They truly look out for the best interests of their clients. I trust them to always guide me in making the appropriate aircraft choices for our company. I find the ENTIRE team to be THE BEST in the charter aircraft business!!
Matteo G.
The flight was excellent, 24 hours prior Sarah helped us with a departure window and the crew and FBO were really accommodating as we were running behind. Really nice Hawker 900XP nice pilots and smooth flight. Cant give enough praise to the Stratos process and ease.
Susan R. C.
Thank God for Joel! He was able to book a flight for us last minute and everything went like clockwork. Stratos has the best service and never lets us down. Kudos to Stratos for a job well done!
Robert W.
Excellent communication with Glenn. I would definitely recommend Stratos. Our aircraft was a newer model and very clean. Crew provided a nice experience.
Nicole M.
I could not ask for more, I love using Stratos and will never use anyone else!
Jerry H.
Great experience
Tonio B.
The Stratos Jet Charters team provides a seamless & excellent experience from beginning to end. They are a forward thinking company that puts the customer first and never disappoints with any trip or itinerary. Would absolutely recommend to anyone!
Corey P.
Nothing, Heather is amazing as always and the reason I will continue to fly with you.
Virginia D.
Always a wonderful experience with Stratos: great flight crew, excellent catering menu, comfortable plane.
Sara Nemser
Stratos is very professional, great communication, easy to work with
Roxanne Stanley
We actually flew the flight in one of our jets for Stratos Jets customer. Joel was great at providing us passenger information and returning the paper work in a timely fashion.
Charles C.
Zac Steinberg
Great partnership and always a pleasure working with your team! We are all looking forward to many more.
Nisreen S.
Thanks for everything Joel... You made the booking process quite easy and were very patient in explaining everything. I appreciate all your help and I will definitely pass your contact information to all my co-workers in case they ever have a request for a jet booking.
Kim V. N.
From the ease of booking the flights and actual flights, it was effortless. I would definitely recommend Stratos to friends and use you again. Kyle was wonderful to work with, very helpful, and communicative. Both our flights were lovely. Staff was professional and courteous. All in all a great experience.
ERIC SANCHEZ
Smooth across the board as always. Thanks for the trip.
Harry W.
Everything was great with the trip; it was a bit rushed on my part and Danny was a rockstar! He gave me many options and honest and frank feedback and advice. He made me feel like I was the only client he had and was incredibly responsive to all my questions and concerns. Stress-free and relaxing is the best way to summarize my experience. I will always use Stratos and Danny!! thank you to all the team as well!
Bill L.
I had a great time with the pilots, all of us looking at our route software on our iPads how to get around the rain and stay clear of all the boomers on the way to the field. They did a great job. Fabulous approach to Runway 21 direct. I would fly with these pilots any time anywhere.
Jim Hensley
The passengers we flew had a great experience and were pleased with the flight. Jim Hensley American Jet Charter, Inc
Stephen K.
Anthony, couldn't have been better. Elegant and effortless. Delightful crew and immaculate plane. Thanks for helping us with this and I am sure you will hear from us in the future.
All the best,
Steve
Keith G.
Excellent experience with booking, the flights, ground services, etc.
Michael Turkal
Always great working with you guys!
Eric Sanchez
Always awesome working with Kerry!
Rick H.
We have been using Stratos for a couple of years now and appreciate their dedication to using only the safest charter operators. Just completed the front end of a back to back for the Christmas Holiday.
Stuart S.
We felt safe, comfortable and the flight arrived ahead of schedule.
Catie C.
All members of the team communicated extremely well. I worked with Steve to get my flight booked and he checked in with helpful texts and updates along the way. Highly recommend.
Bruce M
I was in a desperate situation to get to my sons graduation from marine camp and I was not going to miss it. Stratos made arrangements very quickly to get me where I needed to go. It was very efficient and first rate. Thank you
Kim T.
Ricky was wonderful to work with and answered all our many questions!
Guy L.
Yes i will recommend it
Renee W.
Glenn was excellent to work with. I spoke with several charter companies before choosing Stratos. Glenn is the reason I chose Stratos Jet to bring my elderly parents home during the initial break of the COVID-19. He was professional, knowledgeable and on top of every detail. This was our first experience with a charter flight and Glenn explained the entire process from start to finish which helped me keep my anxiety in check. My parents flew from Florida to Ohio without any issues. They said the aircraft crew were professional and confident and made them feel safe. The plane was basic, cabin was small so it was a little challenging for older people with limited mobility. My parents are short, 5'4 and 5'1 and both had to duck down to get on and off the plane and while inside the cabin. That being said, we were given the option of a more luxurious cabin but chose not to spend the extra money. Stratos took care of getting my elderly parents home quickly, safely and allowed us to minimize the risks of commercial flying at this time.
Chris K.
I spent 5 hours waiting for my Delta flight at the Nantucket airport Sunday afternoon. They ended up canceling my flight at 6:30pm. The Delta agent informed me that the earliest flight I could get would be sometime on Tuesday. I had a dinner Monday night and an extremely important meeting on Tuesday in Indianapolis. I could not miss either the dinner or the meeting. I texted Anthony at 6:30pm on Sunday night asking if he could help me get to Indy by 5pm the next day. He and his team went into action and we secured a flight at a decent price that night. Everything went well and I was able to make my dinner and meeting.
Rob O.
Yuri was wonderful!
Eric Sanchez
I love Kerry and the Stratos team. Easy to work with from top to bottom. Even on a Sunday!
Glenn K.
Excellent service from the first point of contact to disembarking from the flight. Kyle was amazing to deal with in the booking phase and the execution of the flight was flawless. Great pilots, equipment, handling, all on time. Highly recommended.
Nate TenBrink – Ward Aviation
Exceptional work from Anthony and the Trip Support Team at Stratos. Wonderful to work with.
Eric Sanchez
Always a pleasure to work with the Stratos Jet crew. You all have great communication with us which makes our life as an operator easier. Great job from Kerry, Sarah, and Trip Support as always.