One startup books jets by WhatsApp. Established brokers say discretion and empathy are the product.

Every launch of an AI charter agent revives the same question: does this end the broker? A recent Spear's Magazine feature put both sides on the record, and the numbers from Avinode add some context.

The case for the agent

London-based EnterJet says it handles around 900 charters a month through a broker-free online process. Its founder, Charles Robinson, spent a year building Celeste, an AI agent that works inside WhatsApp so clients do not need another app. Robinson says Celeste can answer an initial request in roughly 30 to 45 seconds, that availability and pricing come from operators in real time rather than guesswork, and that his team supervises the agent and steps in when judgment is needed.

The first WhatsApp-only booking was instructive. It took 46 minutes in total, but 43 of those were the client weighing options. After the client accepted, confirmation took under 90 seconds, and the flight briefing PDF arrived in the same chat thread. The price was $13,000, which Robinson claims would have cost 5 to 10 percent more through a traditional broker. That is the company's claim and it has not been independently verified.

Robinson also floated what could come next: a client's own AI agent negotiating directly with Celeste. He says the architecture allows it, though it is not something EnterJet does today.

The case for the human

Brokers interviewed for the piece were not dismissive of AI, but they were clear about its limits.

  • Smart Aviation's Matt Feldon said his firm uses AI in parts of its operation, but argued chartering a jet is personal and that AI lacks a human's empathy. He added that brokers are only as fast as the operators who respond to them.
  • flyvictor's James Farley said AI will have a place, but his firm does not see AI agents dealing directly with clients as the future. He pointed to discretion: wealthy travelers expect confidentiality about their movements and preferences, so any AI use has to be carefully controlled. He added that even clients who build AI companies themselves still value the human relationship.

Avinode, the charter sourcing marketplace, struck a similar note at a recent industry panel in Canada: use AI where it solves a real problem, not for its own sake, and remember that great service still comes down to people.

The market backdrop

Avinode reports that U.S. charter demand grew 27 percent between October 2025 and last month, even though actual departures stayed roughly flat year over year. It credits seasonality as the biggest driver, along with more brokers helping to turn requests into trips. The company also expects hourly charter rates to hit a record through the rest of 2026, citing holiday demand and higher fuel costs.

More requests without more flights is exactly the setting where faster intake tools become attractive. It is also where trust and execution matter most.

What to watch

  • Whether agent-to-agent booking becomes real, and how privacy is protected.
  • Whether brokers adopt AI for intake and keep humans for relationship and problem-solving.
  • Whether record rates push buyers toward whoever promises the lowest price.

Bottom line: The agent is faster. The broker is trusted. The winners may be the firms that can offer both.

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