The Broker View: Why Charter Aviation Is at an Inflection Point

The charter aviation industry is bursting with opportunity and brokers are in the driver’s seat. After nearly a decade at Wheels Up supporting operations, strategy, and client relationships, and now leading operator engagement at Goodwin, I’ve seen firsthand how the market is evolving. I’ve also seen where friction still slows deals, frustrates brokers, and keeps the industry from moving as fast as modern customers demand.

What’s clear today is that charter demand continues to grow, long-term trends remain strong, and clients aren’t just buying flights, they’re buying experiences. Yet paradoxically, many brokers still spend valuable hours on repetitive tasks that add little incremental value. 

Goodwin’s mission is to eliminate that friction for brokers, not replace their expertise, so they can focus on what matters: closing more deals with speed, confidence, and precision.

From Wheels Up to Goodwin: A Broker-First Perspective

At Wheels Up, I navigated the inevitable tension between operational constraints and client expectations — the push and pull of pricing, availability, and timing. At Goodwin, I’m channeling that experience into building tools that support brokers with transparency and speed. Goodwin is not an operator, nor a bank, it’s a technology platform built for the broker ecosystem, integrating sourcing, digital pricing, proposals, and now payments into one seamless workflow.

That broker-centric philosophy matters. You, the broker, are the ones creating value for clients every day, balancing personalized service with deep logistical complexity. Your time shouldn’t be eaten up by manual quoting, endless back-and-forth with operators, or the nuances of payment reconciliation.

Three Lessons from the Front Lines

1. Pricing Philosophies Vary — But Goals Don’t

Operators may structure rates differently, use distinct markup strategies, or position inventory uniquely. You’ve likely seen it and felt the slowdowns it can cause. After watching dozens of operator relationships grow and evolve, I’m convinced that while pricing mechanics differ, operators are often more aligned in their core objectives than we give them credit for: optimizing utilization, maintaining margins, and building reliable broker partnerships.

This perspective is key when sourcing — it enables brokers to anticipate constraints, ask the right questions, and drive better outcomes.

2. Quote Fatigue Is a Real Problem

Quote fatigue — that endless loop of “What’s your best price?” “…And your availability?” — hurts brokers and operators alike. It’s not just an annoyance; it’s lost time, lost deals, and lost trust. For all the innovation in our space, few solutions truly address the root of inefficiency: real-time, accurate, bookable pricing that eliminates repetitive manual work. Goodwin is changing that and brokers are seeing the difference.

3. Speed Wins Every Time

In charter aviation, minutes matter. The broker who can present impeccable pricing faster, with availability confirmed and a proposal ready to send, wins more business. The operator who can reply instantly with accurate, real-time pricing, wins the trip. Goodwin’s digital pricing and booking integration now expanded with operators like flyExclusive and Baker Aviation is turning speed into a competitive advantage for brokers by making bookable pricing available digitally in the platform.

What We’re Seeing in the Market Today

Across the industry, demand isn’t just steady, it’s accelerating. Brokers are sourcing more flights than ever and responding to increasingly sophisticated clients. Operators are adding aircraft and expanding international reach as more travelers prioritize flexibility, safety, and curated experiences. But there’s still a technology gap in the workflow that holds brokers back — especially between pricing, sourcing, and payment. Recognition of that gap is a powerful signal of change.

Goodwin’s Role: Making You Faster, Smarter, and More Connected

Goodwin’s platform is evolving rapidly:

• Real-Time Bookable Pricing: Through integrations like the one with flyExclusive and Baker Aviation, brokers can now access accurate, instant pricing and booking capability right in the platform, eliminating manual price exchange and unlocking new speed.
• One-Click Quoting and Availability:  Partnerships like the one with Baker Aviation bring dynamic, algorithm-driven pricing into your sourcing workflow, reducing ambiguity and boosting confidence in proposals.
• Broker-Driven Feature Updates: Sourcing features like Preferred Operators, AOG recovery, and flexible pricing display are built from broker feedback and released continuously.

These aren’t incremental upgrades — they are tools that transform how brokers work.

What I’m Most Excited About in 2026

Looking ahead, I’m energized by where the industry and technology are converging:

• Instant Pricing at Scale: Not just for a handful of operators or flights, but across global inventory, unlocking faster sourcing and proposal generation than ever before.
• Goodwin’s Ability to Instantly Move Money: Transforming financial workflows so payments aren’t a pause in the process, they’re a catalyst.
• Growing Operator Partnerships: From legacy fleets to emerging operators, we are building bridges that widen your sourcing universe and increase competitiveness.
• Improved Speed and Ease: Every interface update, API connection, and automation feature is designed with one metric in mind: how quickly brokers can win business and serve clients.

Final Thought

Brokers make charter aviation work. You’re the ones balancing logistics with client expectations, navigating operational complexity while maintaining the personal touch. Technology should be your enabler, not your burden. At Goodwin, we’re building tools that match your ambition and help you win more, faster, with less friction. And that’s a future worth flying toward.

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