Charter Flights to RAGBRAI

The 51st RAGBRAI runs across Iowa July 20-27

Round Trip One Way Multi-City
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The Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa

Each year, cyclists from across the globe flock to Iowa to take part in the largest and longest non-competitive bike-touring event in the country and the world.

Since 1973, the RAGBRAI route averages roughly 470 miles and features a wide variety of terrain. During the last full week of July, bicycle enthusiasts get started somewhere along Iowa’s western border on the Missouri River. The route ends along the eastern border of the Mississippi River.

To keep things exciting, the route changes every year. The route is always announced in January at the Iowa Bike Expo during the RAGBRAI Route Announcement Party.

The skyline of Des Moines, Iowa at dusk.

Get Ahead of the Race

Due to the popularity of the event, registration takes place early in the year. From there, a random computer lottery decides who will take part in the ride come July. There’s only room for 8,500 week-long riders and 1,500 day riders. If this is your year to ride, Stratos Jet Charters can arrange private jets to RAGBRAI in Iowa with plenty of time to load up on carbs and dip the rear wheel of your bike in the Missouri River.

Closeup view of private jet airplane parked, awaiting travelers to board

Recommended private jets for your charter flight to Iowa

With so many options available from only the best air carriers in the country, Stratos is the leading charter broker for arranging transportation to RAGBRAI.

8

SEATS

357

MPH

1362

RANGE
$3,120 - $3,822

15

SEATS

548

MPH

7767

RANGE
$16,536 - $19,110

7

SEATS

514

MPH

3337

RANGE
$14,508 - $15,990

9

SEATS

540

MPH

3567

RANGE
$10,296 - $13,260

Private jet airports near RAGBRAI

Because the route changes annually, your destination may change as well. However, some of the most popular airports in western Iowa include: Des Moines International Airport (DSM), Atlantic Municipal Airport (AIO), Sioux Gateway Airport (SUX), and Spencer Municipal Airport (SPW).

Ground Services in Iowa

Are you looking to experience the largest recreational bike tour in the world? Stratos Jets can arrange private jets to Iowa and anywhere else in the world. When you touch down, our Trip Support Team can have you off to the race in minutes with a pre-arranged car and driver, rental vehicle or anything else you might need.

A portrait of a confident businessman in a suite getting ready to board a private jet.

What Our Clients Are Saying

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 673 reviews from our trusted Jet Charter reviews
5 1 5 01/08/2023

Working with Kerry Hill and Joel A. Thomas from Stratos is always a pleasure for us at Regency. There is clear communication from start to finish. Client expectations are laid out, so that we can work our best to execute them. They communicate with us in a timely manner, and of course expect the same from us. Their clients are respectful of our jets and our crews. We definitely enjoy partnering and are looking forward to many more come 2023!

5 1 5 12/21/2021

We had a large family gathering in Santa Barbara to which Frank with Stratos was able to arrange the flight. The plane and pilots were fantastic as was the service leading up to and throughout. I would recommend them to anyone that needs private travel arrangements.

5 1 5 04/24/2019

Another great experience with Joel & his team. From rental car arrangements to being ready for three small children Stratos handled everything. The equipment was beautiful and the crews were very kind! I never can say enough praise for Stratos!

5 1 5 07/25/2017

Its always a pleasure working with Stratos Jets. I work with Joel and Kerry a majority of the time and my experiences have been great. The communication is clear and we work through every scenario available to provide the right aircraft for each mission. I look forward to continued growth of our relationship together.

5 1 5 01/02/2021

We had a great experience, Anthony our contact was in close contact before the flight keeping us updated and the service was excellent on both sides.

5 1 5 05/28/2024

Yes, Joel is the best guy you could ever hope to charter with!!

5 1 5 12/23/2018

Our crew on the ground and in the air were excellent to the point that I learned from them. We went in to a 30 knot crosswind and drove all the way down to the runway quickly, no drifting or swaying. The landing was flawless and we all felt very safe. The plane was clean and well maintained. The refreshments were perfect. The process around booking travel was easy and unobtrusive. Thanks!!!

5 1 5 05/14/2021

Everything went very smoothly and we were pleased with everything on the trip.

5 1 5 10/03/2017

Joel Thomas and his great team at Stratos makes booking a private charter easy. They keep in contact with you from the start right through to after the flight, which gives my travelers a piece of mind. Everything is always exactly planned to our specifications. Stratos really goes above and beyond in their industry - they are simply the best at what they do.

5 1 5 05/08/2021

Always great to work with the amazing team at Stratos Jets! Kyle was awesome!

5 1 5 06/12/2021

We needed to book a same-day plane for employees and tools to provide urgent assistance to a customer. Zach was effective, proactive and cooperative in providing a solution, precise information and updates. Would recommend Stratos Jet anytime! Thank you!

5 1 5 01/10/2020

Jennifer said that last night was the best flight of her whole life!! I heard it was a brand new plane – lucky ladies of last night!! Thanks again for everything and I’m sure we’ll be working together again soon 😊 Kris

5 1 5 03/12/2014

Outstanding service.  Appreciate all the aircraft options

5 1 5 10/09/2024

I have never met Anthony, but based on his efforts over the years, I would hire him sight unseen. Best customer service. Period. I've gone with other carriers who promised lower price and got stranded. He's always found a way to accommodate even when challenges occur. Top notch.

5 1 5 01/10/2022

Glenn made booking effortless, pilots made it a great flight and yes, I would recomend to a friend.

5 1 5 01/19/2017

We were on a commercial flight from Detroit to Salt Lake City when part way into our flight we got notification from Delta app that our delay was going to cause us to miss our connection. We were on a long weekend for MLK to go skiing in Lake Tahoe. We were going to be rescheduled the following day, thus missing half of our vacation. I had email only, and emailed Garett asking if they had an operator in SLC who could get us to Tahoe that evening. Within 20 minutes he came back with two quotes. By the time we landed he had set up the flight, emailed me the number to the shuttle to get from Delta terminal to the private terminal, and did it all for a great price. To throw things off even more, we were set to fly to Tahoe, but Delta somehow got our bags on the flight to Reno that they said we couldn't make. So at the last minute we changed from Tahoe to Reno for a destination. By the time we took the shuttle to the FBO our flight plan was set and we took off within 10 minutes. It could not have been more seamless. It literally saved our vacation. Time is the most precious resource we have and time with family is even more precious. Our daughter is a senior and this is one of the last trips we'll have with her; it meant a lot, and Stratos savings our vacation, allowing us to create memories, means all that much more. Thank you!! Dave

5 1 5 06/02/2021

I called with pretty much an immediate need. With in two hours trip was covered. Great service

5 1 5 06/15/2023

As usual, Anthony made the entire experience wonderful. He was expeditious in finding options for our trip and maintained continuous communication. The flight and support he provided were excellent.

5 1 5 06/16/2021

I have highly recommended Stratosjets to friends and will continue to do so. The planning team (Kyle Jones being my lead - world class individual) continues to do a superb job tending to each detail and communicating same timely and in an understandable fashion.

5 1 5 04/14/2019

I would recommend Stratos Jet to friends, we plan to try the service again soon.

5 1 5 01/02/2021

All items of booking, plane flight, pilots and limo pick up were great Anthony was the best to deal with; lots of communication in every part of process. Will be returning with you in May. Would also recommend to friends and colleagues 

5 1 5 12/26/2018

Not sure I could have asked for more. Joel was responsive and delivered exactly what I needed. The two pilots were incredibly accommodating and made the trip very smooth. Thank you Joel

5 1 5 01/01/2022

From beginning to end the process was easy and seamless. While we were flying on an older mid-size jet, the interior had been recently updated and was really nice. We will definitely use Stratos again.

5 1 5 08/31/2020

Excellent service from Anthony all the way around. Quick response for a last second booking, great follow-up and great online itinerary management service.

5 1 5 05/31/2022

Yes

5 1 5 06/30/2017

It is clear that Stratos Jets is one of best charter brokerage companies in the world. When we get the pleasure to work with Joel and his entire team, we get to see first hand what sets them apart. The knowledge of operations, safety and different charter markets is always spot on. The trips are sent to us complete and executed flawlessly which makes the entire process more effiecient and better served the client. In addition to being one of the top aviation professional, Joel is a role model for many and I am grateful to have him part of my journey as a friend.

5 1 5 04/15/2024

Very good communication and timely responses for flight details. We work with alot of brokers and your level of expertise and communication is a breath of fresh air from what we typically see. Thank you again for your business and we hope to continue our relationship with your organization! JR

5 1 5 07/12/2013

We had quite a number of issues booking this trip, which resulted in add'l work and follow up for me. As broker these issues should have been handled / caught prior to making a proposal. I believe I had to sign 4 different revised quote sheets for this trip! Also the final signed sheet stated we would land in LFMD on the return leg. Hence we booked transportation for pick up at LFMD. However flight landed in LFMN. This caused add'l stress and expense for no reason. I have only now seen that the last itinerary link showed an arrival at LFMN - but I never opened this one since all previous ones, including the contract reconfirmation showed LFMD. As for the aircraft itself: it was one of the oldest ones I have ever flown. The door / separation to the toilet / luggage area was broken (not the lock but the entire frame!) and the toilet was not accessible due to a lot of "stuff" (amenities, water bottles, etc.) being thrown in / stored in the area. Overall cleanliness was not superb either. Finally, the catering we requested was not available / not complete. Breakfast (eggwhite and sausage!!) was cold and wet and the fruitplatter had molded grapes; no ice bucket, nor champagne glasses were present. On the return leg, fruitplatter was nice but again no ice bucket nor champagne glasses were present. As a matter of fact, the soft drink container was not even replenished w new ice!! So overall - yes, we flew from A to B but the service experience was disappointing.

5 1 5 05/22/2021

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.

5 1 5 09/02/2020

Perfect experience.

5 1 5 06/29/2023

Came through for me in the clutch! Sanity saving charter ;-)

5 1 5 07/17/2014

Your service was very professional as was the a/c and crew.

5 1 5 12/24/2016

You did great. Garett was great, ground transportation was clean, easy and on-time and seamless. It was a good trip and I have already asked for another quote. Don't know if I will use it depending upon cost as this next one is purely personal. But I would like to.

5 1 5 04/24/2020

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!

5 1 5 02/15/2021

Stratos was prompt, professional, and competitive. They were also willing to work with me as I was having second thoughts, without being pushy. I had a very enjoyable experience and look forward to using them again.

5 1 5 05/12/2021

Good afternoon, I hope all is well! The experience has been quite pleasant when dealing with Stratos Jet Charters! We appreciate your business and constant support. I look forward to continuing that business once our jets are added to our fleet. Thank you!

5 1 5 09/12/2017

Joel was a delight to work with arranging our flight from IRMA. Very professional and accommodating. I would definitely use him and your company again and refer others to you. The flight was fantastic with very nice pilots, James Briggs and Thomas Sommers. We were not the typical passengers as my husband has Alzheimer's and is wheelchair bound. Thanks for everything!!!

5 1 5 04/13/2017

Great service!  Anne and I will contact you, probably in mid-January about our next trip to Florida. Thanks and have a good evening.

5 1 5 12/21/2021

Never left a review in our life but for the amount of money spent - really left a sour taste in our mouth. Complete lack of organization with plane in wrong FBO for departure, $1,000 rental car at wrong airport on arrival, just not nearly the level of service expected when spending over $10K for an hour and half hop -

5 1 5 01/07/2014

Pricing to be competitive with Marquis etc.

5 1 5 03/26/2018

We were very pleased with every aspect of our Stratos experience. Booking, follow-up, communication, and of course the flight itself.

5 1 5 01/02/2014

I think you all did a great job!!! If we book with enough notice, maybe a newer ride? Not to say that the Hawker we flew was not great.. Only my thoughts. Joe"

5 1 5 12/21/2021

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.

5 1 5 11/22/2017

Always a pleasure. Happy Thanksgiving.

5 1 5 04/09/2024

Great flight, great plane and great crew! Enjoyed it a lot and highly recommend Stratos Jets.

5 1 5 07/22/2022

Professional in every way… and, fully enjoyed the experience… especially the flight…great plane and pilots were 1st class in every way.

5 1 5 05/21/2020

Glenn made booking easy and was on top of every detail throughout the process. The flight itself was flawless. Many thanks.

5 1 5 03/23/2022

Start to finish the team was very professional.

5 1 5 11/29/2018

I made all of the arrangements for the charter flight for my boss and his family. I worked with Joel Thomas personally, who took the time with me to show the jet options available, all the while considering my boss's medical issues and care requirements. He emailed a jet comparison guide with photographs to view side-by-side so that I could make a wise and informed decision, and walked me through them over the phone. He was determined to provide the best possible experience for everyone. Joel made it all so easy, and it was clear after conversations with him that he has a heart for people and genuinely cares about their needs. I ordered in-flight catering, over the phone, which could not have been any easier. The food was plentiful and exceptional! My boss called me the next day asking that I inquire as to who the local caterer was that supplied the food, as he wants to make sure that we use them in the future. They staged all of the food on beautiful white platters that looked classy and elegant, as though it was all prepared for red carpet guests. And every selection was freshly prepared that day and over the top in flavor! The pilot was very nice and personable and clearly cared about the comfort and safety of his passengers. The plane was extremely comfortable and very luxurious. The seating was perfect for the six of them and their cat, Molly! I received a call the next day from my boss's grown daughter, and all she did was rave about how it was first class all the way! She said I always do such a great job. LOL! It was Joel and the Stratos team that did all the work! My part was easy! Ohhh, and Joel also went out of his way to arrange for ground transportation upon their flight's arrival. I can say from personal experience over the years, that flying does not get any better than going first class with Joel Thomas and his team at Stratos Jet Charters. I want to thank them for making me look like the best assistant ever!!

5 1 5 12/28/2013

None that I can think of.  Great flight

Frequently Asked Questions

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?

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    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?

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    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?

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    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.

View all our Frequently Asked Questions >

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!

Call 888-593-9066
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