Draft:Paramount Business Jets
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Comment: In accordance with the Wikimedia Foundation's Terms of Use, I disclose that I have been paid by my employer for my contributions to this article. Jstoessner (talk) 17:48, 2 June 2026 (UTC)
| Type | Private company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Private aviation; Air charter brokerage |
| Founded | 2005 in New York City, U.S. |
| Founder | Richard Zaher |
Key people | Richard Zaher (Founder & CEO) |
| Services | On-demand private jet charter; Jet card memberships |
| Website | paramountbusinessjets |
Paramount Business Jets (abbreviated PBJ) is an American private aviation brokerage and jet card membership provider headquartered in Leesburg, Virginia. Founded in 2005 by Richard Zaher, the company arranges on-demand private jet charter flights for business and leisure travelers worldwide.[1] As an independent broker, PBJ sources aircraft from third-party certified operators rather than owning its own fleet.[2] During the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, Bloomberg News cited Zaher as a source on surging private jet demand, quoting him describing bookings as "unbelievable" as commercial airlines cut schedules.[3]
The company has appeared on the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing privately held companies in the United States on four occasions — in 2013, 2014, 2018, and 2022 — and holds an A+ accreditation from the Better Business Bureau.[4] PBJ has been nominated for the World Travel Awards "North America's Leading Private Jet Charter" category in each year from 2012 to 2026.[5] In 2019, PBJ launched what Aviation International News and Business Jet Traveler independently reported as the private jet charter industry's first open-source carbon emissions calculator.[6][7]
History
[edit]Founding (2005)
[edit]Paramount Business Jets was founded in 2005 in New York City by Richard Zaher, a pilot and graduate of Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University.[1] According to the company, Zaher previously worked at a large jet charter brokerage in New York before establishing PBJ from his apartment.[8]
Private jet charter brokerage was a relatively nascent and unregulated sector in the mid-2000s. The company registered with the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration as an air charter broker, a designation that does not require an operating certificate but involves arranging flights through FAA-certificated Part 135 operators.[9]
Growth and recognition
[edit]PBJ first appeared on the Inc. 500 list in 2013, ranked #409, and again in 2014 at #845.[4] The company returned to the Inc. 5000 in 2018, ranked #2,550, representing 318% three-year revenue growth, and in 2022, ranked #3,076.[4] Founder Richard Zaher received the Eagle Excellence Award from Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University, which the university presents to alumni for contributions to the aviation industry.[8]
In December 2019, Aviation Week Network reported on PBJ's launch of a new multi-tier jet card membership program offering clients full visibility into operator costs and negotiated discounts.[10] In March 2020, as commercial airlines cut schedules in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Bloomberg News reported on a surge in private jet demand, quoting Zaher: "Aircraft are getting booked literally in minutes."[3] In September 2022, Aviation International News covered the company's expansion of its jet card program with new deposit tiers and flexibility options.[2] A further AIN article in July 2023 reported on the introduction of a $1 million deposit tier for the Paramount Private Membership Jet Card.[11]
In November 2024, PBJ announced that it would begin accepting cryptocurrency as a payment method for charter bookings, citing increasing client demand.[12]
Services
[edit]PBJ operates as an independent brokerage, arranging charter flights through third-party operators holding FAA Part 135 operating certificates. Aviation International News independently reported that the Paramount Jet Card "provides access to more than 4,000 business jets."[2]
Aviation Week reported in 2019 that the jet card program's fixed management fee of 10–15% allows members to see exactly what flights cost along with any negotiated discounts.[10] Deposit tiers range from $100,000 to $1,000,000, the top tier having been introduced in 2023 per reporting by Aviation International News.[11] According to the company, PBJ also offers aircraft acquisition consulting and a supplemental lift program called Corporate Wing Solutions, marketed to corporate flight departments.[8]
Safety and compliance
[edit]As a charter broker, PBJ is not itself an air carrier and does not hold an FAA Part 135 operating certificate. All flights are operated by third-party certificated carriers. The company states that it employs a 100-point checklist for operator vetting, covering pilot qualifications, aircraft maintenance records, and operational history.[13]
The company is a member of the Air Charter Association of North America (ACANA), the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA), and the European Business Aviation Association (EBAA).[13]
Carbon offset initiative
[edit]In November 2019, PBJ released an open-source carbon emissions calculator for private aviation, which it made freely available across the industry. The launch was independently covered by both Aviation International News and Business Jet Traveler, with the latter describing it as "the private jet charter industry's first open-source carbon emissions calculator."[6][7] The calculator allows any user to enter a departure point, destination, and aircraft type; it computes estimated emissions and provides links to carbon offset providers. PBJ made the tool's source code freely available for reuse by other operators under their own branding.[6]
In April 2023, Aviation International News reported that PBJ updated the calculator to offer greater accuracy and to surface greener alternative aircraft options alongside emission figures.[7]
Awards and recognition
[edit]Paramount Business Jets has been listed on the Inc. 5000 on four occasions, published by Inc. magazine annually to rank the fastest-growing privately held companies in the United States by three-year revenue growth:[4]
- 2013 — Inc. 500, ranked #409
- 2014 — Inc. 5000, ranked #845
- 2018 — Inc. 5000, ranked #2,550 (318% three-year growth)
- 2022 — Inc. 5000, ranked #3,076
The company holds an A+ accreditation from the Better Business Bureau, accredited since July 2019.[14] PBJ has been nominated for the World Travel Awards "North America's Leading Private Jet Charter" category in each year from 2012 to 2026, per the World Travel Awards public nominee registry.[5]
Corporate philanthropy
[edit]According to the company, PBJ conducts annual supply missions to McDowell County, West Virginia, and has supported earthquake relief efforts, anti-bullying youth programs, and homeless outreach in Washington, D.C.[15]
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Paramount Business Jets Company Profile". PitchBook. Retrieved 2026-06-01.
- ^ a b c "Broker Paramount Business Jets Enhances Card Program". Aviation International News. 2022-09-30. Retrieved 2026-06-01.
- ^ a b Rauf, Hailey (2020-03-18). "Private-Flight Bookings 'Unbelievable' as Airlines Cut Back". Bloomberg News. Retrieved 2026-06-01.
- ^ a b c d "Paramount Business Jets — Inc. 5000 Profile". Inc. Retrieved 2026-06-01.
- ^ a b "Paramount Business Jets — Nominee Profile". World Travel Awards. Retrieved 2026-06-01.
- ^ a b c "Paramount Business Jets Offers Carbon-Offset Tool". Business Jet Traveler. October 2020. Retrieved 2026-06-01.
- ^ a b c "Paramount Jets Updates Aircraft Emissions Calculator". Aviation International News. 2023-04-17. Retrieved 2026-06-01.
- ^ a b c "About Us". Paramount Business Jets. Retrieved 2026-06-01.
- ^ "Air Charter". Federal Aviation Administration. Retrieved 2026-06-01.
- ^ a b "Paramount Introduces New Jet Card Program". Aviation Week Network. December 2019. Retrieved 2026-06-01.
- ^ a b "Paramount Adds $1M Deposit Tier for Jet Card Customers". Aviation International News. 2023-07-18. Retrieved 2026-06-01.
- ^ "Paramount Business Jets Now Accepting Cryptocurrency for Private Jet Charter Payments" (Press release). Paramount Business Jets. 2024-11-21 – via PR Newswire.
- ^ a b "Safety Regulations for Private Jet Charters". Paramount Business Jets. Retrieved 2026-06-01.
- ^ "Paramount Business Jets Business Profile". Better Business Bureau. Retrieved 2026-06-01.
- ^ "Paramount Business Jets Celebrates 20 Years of Excellence in Private Aviation" (Press release). Paramount Business Jets. 2025-11-13 – via PR Newswire.
Category:Companies based in Virginia Category:Companies established in 2005