How political candidates charter jets to travel across battleground states during election cycles

Philippe Reines, Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign advisor, speaks to members of the traveling press aboard the campaign plane. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images Campaign travel is a niche corner of aviation that moves political candidates across the country. DC-based firm Advanced Aviation Team served Susan Collins' and Hakeem Jeffries' campaigns in 2026. Each trip involves carefully coordinating aircraft, crews, press, and — sometimes — armed security. It's been a busy year for campaign travel as state and federal lawmakers — and their challengers — crisscross the country for rallies and fundraisers for the 2026 midterm elections. But moving candidates and their staff, donors, press, and, in some cases, armed security, from one stop to the next isn't as simple as booking a commercial flight. Political travel has become a niche of its own within aviation. One pro in that realm is Gregg Brunson-Pitts, the founder and CEO of Advanced Aviation Team. Founded in 2015, the Washington, DC-based firm arranges VIP travel for ultrawealthy families, celebrities, and corporate C-suites, with a particular specialty in campaign travel. Gregg Brunson-Pitts founded Advanced Aviation Team after working for former President George W. Bush. Courtesy of Gregg Brunson-Pitts Brunson-Pitts' company manages every step of political travel — from scheduling flights and sourcing crews to branding planes, coordinating security, and adapting to rapidly changing itineraries. Advanced Aviation handles hundreds of thousands of dollars in contracts over a single election cycle and describes itself as nonpartisan. This year, Federal Election Commission (FEC) filings show it received roughly $58,000 from Sen. Susan Collins' leadership PAC and $66,000 from Rep. Hakeem Jeffries' campaign committee for 2026 travel, among others. All 435 House seats, 35 Senate seats (including two special elections), 36 governorships, three territorial governorships, numerous state offices, and thousands of state legislative seats nationwide will be on Tuesday's ballot. "We are hyper-focused on client satisfaction, which means seeing around corners, being problem solvers, and being solutions-oriented," Brunson-Pitts told Business Insider in early 2026. "We're seeing organizations plan earlier and lock in travel support sooner, because once the calendar tightens, capacity disappears quickly." A firm run by former White House travel directors Brunson-Pitts previously ran the White House Travel Office for eight years under former President George W. Bush. He said a charter jet carrying the White House press corps, Secret Service personnel, and other staff would almost always fly in tandem with Air Force One. President George W. Bush and first lady Laura Bush board Air Force One in June 2004 PETER MUHLY/AFP via Getty Images That experience — blending chartered aircraft, armed security, and government protocols — helped him build a specialty focused on the logistical demands of modern campaigns: "Our approach allows us to support clients affiliated with any party," he said. Unlike charter operators or fractional owners such as NetJets or Flexjet, which operate and maintain their own planes, Advanced Aviation Team functions as a broker with access to contracted aircraft. "We can source smaller private jets, but we can also do group travel for 100 or more people and customize an airliner," he said. "Not a lot of brokers can do that; that's what sets us apart." Brunson-Pitts said he built a team drawing from inside and outside the aviation industry, bringing together experience in politics, campaign travel, logistics, and private aviation chartering, brokerage, and sales. For example, Peter Newell, the former director of the White House travel office under President Barack Obama, joined as company president in March. Meanwhile, before joining Advanced Aviation, company vice president Jonathan Tasler organized the McDonnell Douglas MD-83 chartered by Mitt Romney's 2012 presidential campaign. The MD-83 campaign plane that Republican candidate Mitt Romney chartered in 2012. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images This logistical expertise is imperative to a successful campaign, as winning can come down to how fast, cheaply, and visibly candidates can move across battleground states. "The campaign plane is an important tool to help candidates safely meet with voters and get out their message. Down the homestretch, it becomes a working office and a home away from home," Brunson-Pitts told Business Insider ahead of the midterms. "Our team works behind the scenes coordinating crews, airports, ground transportation, security and last-minute changes so the candidate can keep moving." Campaigns can rent smaller jets and full-sized airliners Brunson-Pitts' client list spans two decades of election cycles and includes officials from both parties. Beyond Sen. Collins and Rep. Jeffries, 2026 FEC filings show the campaigns of Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton and West Virginia Sen. Jim Justic