How to Price Aviation Detailing Services Without Leaving Money on the Table
A practical pricing framework for solo detailers and multi crew operations working on business jets, turboprops, and commercial aircraft.
Why aviation detailing is priced differently
Unlike automotive detailing, aviation detailing pricing has almost no publicly posted rates and almost no ceiling. Operators expect professional rates and rarely negotiate aggressively if you project confidence and expertise. Your pricing should reflect aircraft size and surface area, service scope, chemical and supply costs, crew time, and location and hangar access costs.
Aircraft size as the base multiplier
Start with a base rate by aircraft category. Piston single or twin: $300 to $800 full detail. Turboprop such as King Air, TBM, or PC 12: $800 to $2,500. Light jet such as Phenom 300 or Citation M2: $1,500 to $4,000. Midsize jet such as Citation XLS or Hawker 800: $2,500 to $6,000. Large cabin such as G450 or Challenger 604: $4,000 to $12,000. Ultra long range such as G650 or Global 7500: $8,000 and up. These are market ranges. Your actual rate depends on your market, reputation, and cost structure.
Build your cost model first
Before quoting, know your numbers. CoreOP's job costing tools let you track labor hours, supply costs, and overhead per job. Your minimum viable price is labor cost plus chemical cost plus overhead allocation plus your profit margin target. Most shops target 40 to 60 percent gross margin on detailing services.
Service packages versus a la carte
Package pricing simplifies the sales conversation, increases average job value, and reduces scope creep. Build three tiers: an essential clean covering exterior wash plus interior vacuum and wipe, a full detail covering exterior polish plus full interior plus glass treatment, and a premium protection package covering full detail plus ceramic coating plus cabin sanitization documentation. CoreOP's quote builder lets you save these as templates so your team quotes consistently.
Recurring revenue: the smart play
One time jobs are fine. Recurring contracts are a business. Approach FBOs, charter operators, and corporate flight departments with monthly or quarterly maintenance programs. A fleet of 5 aircraft at $800 per month each is $48,000 in annual recurring revenue from one relationship. Use CoreOP to set recurring job schedules and automate reminder quotes so no renewal falls through the cracks.