Dry Lease vs Wet Lease for Business Jets
A dry lease gives you the aircraft. A wet lease gives you the aircraft with crew, maintenance and insurance. That one difference decides who operates the jet, who carries the regulatory responsibility and how quickly the aircraft can be flying for you.
Dry Lease in Practical Terms
Under a dry lease, the lessor supplies the business jet only. The lessee places it into its own operating structure, with its own crew, approved maintenance arrangements, insurance and operational control. For a commercial operator, that means adding the aircraft to its AOC. For a corporate flight department, it means operating the aircraft within its own non-commercial framework.
A dry lease suits clients that already have the operating platform in place and want longer-term aircraft capacity under their own control. See business jet dry lease for how Blue Cube Aviation arranges one.
Wet Lease (ACMI) in Practical Terms
Under a wet lease, also known as ACMI (aircraft, crew, maintenance and insurance), the aircraft is supplied together with crew, maintenance and insurance through an appropriately certificated operating partner. The lessee pays for the capacity and usually covers fuel and trip costs such as handling, landing fees and permits.
A wet lease suits clients that need usable business jet capacity quickly, without building or extending their own operating set-up. See business jet wet lease (ACMI).
Dry Lease vs Wet Lease at a Glance
Dry lease
- Aircraft only
- Lessee provides crew, maintenance and insurance
- Lessee holds operational control
- Usually longer terms
- Needs an AOC or flight department ready to take the aircraft
- More control, more workload
Wet lease (ACMI)
- Aircraft, crew, maintenance and insurance
- Operating partner provides the crew and technical support
- Operating partner holds operational control under its certificate
- Often short or medium terms
- Fast to start, with less internal workload
- Less control, simpler set-up
When a Dry Lease Is Usually the Right Fit
- You hold an AOC or run a corporate flight department with crew and maintenance arrangements in place
- You want the aircraft under your own brand and procedures
- You need the aircraft for a longer period, often a year or more
- You want to test a type before buying it
- You are a charter operator adding a business jet to your certificate
When a Wet Lease Is Usually the Right Fit
- An aircraft is AOG or in planned maintenance and you need replacement lift
- Demand peaks for a season, an event or a project
- You do not have crew available for the type
- You need capacity in days or weeks rather than months
- You want one rate that covers aircraft, crew, maintenance and insurance
For cover measured in weeks or months, see short-term business jet lease.
Using Both: Wet Lease First, Dry Lease After
The two structures are not either or. A common pattern for operators is to start with a wet lease, so the capacity is flying for clients straight away, while a dry leased aircraft is added to their own certificate. Once approvals, crew training and insurance are in place, the dry leased aircraft takes over and the wet lease ends. Corporate flight departments use the same approach when an aircraft in their fleet goes in for a long maintenance input.
If you are weighing both, tell us your timeline and your operating set-up. We can propose a wet lease to cover the gap and a dry lease for the longer term.
Regulatory Points to Settle Early
Who holds operational control is the core regulatory question in any lease. In the EU, lease agreements for aircraft used by certified operators are subject to prior approval by the competent authority, and a dry lease-in of an aircraft registered outside the EU is limited to seven months in any 12 consecutive months, among other conditions (EASA, ORO.AOC.110). The registration, base and operator need to be agreed before an aircraft is offered. See business jet leasing in Europe.
Dry Lease vs Wet Lease FAQs
What does ACMI stand for?
Aircraft, crew, maintenance and insurance. It is another name for a wet lease, where those four elements come from the lessor or its operating partner.
Who pays for fuel on a wet lease?
Usually the lessee. Fuel, handling, landing and parking fees, permits and similar trip costs are normally charged on top of the wet lease rate. The quote will set out exactly what is included.
Can a private individual dry lease a jet?
Only with an operating structure that can legally fly it, such as an operator or a properly set-up private flight department. Without one, a wet lease or a managed arrangement is usually the practical route.
Is a dry lease cheaper than a wet lease?
The dry lease rate is lower because it covers the aircraft only. Once you add crew, maintenance, insurance and overheads, the total can be similar or higher. Compare the all-in cost, not the headline rate.
Not Sure Which Structure Fits?
Send us your mission, term, expected hours and whether you have your own AOC or flight department. Blue Cube Aviation will reply with the structure that fits and the aircraft options available. Every structure we arrange is on our business jet leasing page.