Government Nonscheduled Chartered Freight Air Transportation Contracts
NAICS 481212 · Nonscheduled Chartered Freight Air Transportation
Government nonscheduled chartered freight air transportation contracts totaled $12.7B across 4,322 contract awards from FY2024 to FY2026. FY2026 obligations were up 14.5% from FY2025. Space Exploration Technologies Corp. was the largest contractor, with $4.7B (37% of the total), and the Department of Defense was the largest buyer, with $8.7B (68% of the total).
Key figures
In FY2026, contract obligations were $4,458,872,581 across 1,577 awards with activity that year, a change of +14.5% from $3,895,281,643 in FY2025. From FY2024 to FY2026, obligations totaled $12,732,763,697 across 4,322 awards.
- Obligated in FY2026
- $4.5B
- Awards in FY2026
- 1,577
- Change vs FY2025
- +14.5%
- Total, FY2024 to FY2026
- $12.7B
Note: FY2026 ended on Sep 30, 2026. The Department of Defense publishes contract data with a 90-day delay, so FY2026 totals may still rise as late reports arrive.
Nonscheduled Chartered Freight Air Transportation contract spending by year
Federal nonscheduled chartered freight air transportation contracts per fiscal year (October to September), under NAICS 481212. The table below lists the same numbers.
| Fiscal year | Obligated | Awards | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2026 | $4,458,872,581 | 1,577 | +14.5% |
| FY2025 | $3,895,281,643 | 1,674 | -11% |
| FY2024 | $4,378,609,473 | 1,600 | n/a |
About government nonscheduled chartered freight air transportation contracts
Federal spending on nonscheduled chartered freight air transportation contracts rose 2% from FY2024 ($4.4B) to FY2026 ($4.5B). FY2026 closed recently, and Defense Department contracts are reported up to 90 days late, so its total may still rise.
Spending is fairly concentrated: the top 3 contractors account for 59% of the total. No single company dominates, which leaves room for new and small contractors.
The Department of Defense spends the most on nonscheduled chartered freight air transportation contracts (68%), followed by the Department of Agriculture. The states with the most of this work are California, Colorado and Idaho.
NAICS 481212 (Nonscheduled Chartered Freight Air Transportation) is part of the Transportation and Warehousing sector.
Top nonscheduled chartered freight air transportation government contractors
Companies ranked by contract dollars under NAICS 481212 (Nonscheduled Chartered Freight Air Transportation).
| # | Contractor | Obligated | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Space Exploration Technologies Corp. | $4,680,827,807 | 36.8% |
| 2 | United Launch Services, LLC | $2,415,367,031 | 19.0% |
| 3 | Blue Origin, LLC | $461,152,480 | 3.6% |
| 4 | Kalitta Air LLC | $423,925,958 | 3.3% |
| 5 | Aero-Flite, Inc. | $339,303,699 | 2.7% |
| 6 | Firefly Aerospace Inc. | $325,637,330 | 2.6% |
| 7 | Air Transport International Inc | $308,619,559 | 2.4% |
| 8 | Helicopter Transport Services, LLC | $243,766,449 | 1.9% |
| 9 | Helicopter Express LLC | $236,470,216 | 1.9% |
| 10 | Bridger Air Tanker LLC | $216,168,649 | 1.7% |
Agencies buying nonscheduled chartered freight air transportation services
Federal agencies ranked by contract dollars under NAICS 481212.
| # | Agency | Obligated | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Department of Defense | $8,716,794,512 | 68.5% |
| 2 | Department of Agriculture | $2,883,171,978 | 22.6% |
| 3 | National Aeronautics and Space Administration | $1,069,330,031 | 8.4% |
| 4 | Department of the Interior | $61,344,775 | 0.5% |
| 5 | Department of Health and Human Services | $1,792,200 | <0.1% |
| 6 | Department of Justice | $194,586 | <0.1% |
| 7 | Department of State | $73,772 | <0.1% |
| 8 | Department of Veterans Affairs | $64,330 | <0.1% |
| 9 | United States Trade and Development Agency | $1,545 | <0.1% |
Where nonscheduled chartered freight air transportation contract work is performed
States ranked by contract dollars, using the place of performance on each award.
| # | State | Obligated | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $5,760,359,225 | 45.2% |
| 2 | Colorado | $2,151,852,630 | 16.9% |
| 3 | Idaho | $906,195,903 | 7.1% |
| 4 | Texas | $581,070,801 | 4.6% |
| 5 | Montana | $463,030,645 | 3.6% |
| 6 | Florida | $372,585,657 | 2.9% |
| 7 | Washington | $292,749,703 | 2.3% |
| 8 | Oregon | $257,581,058 | 2.0% |
| 9 | Georgia | $156,661,250 | 1.2% |
| 10 | Alaska | $155,748,783 | 1.2% |
Recent nonscheduled chartered freight air transportation contract awards
The latest nonscheduled chartered freight air transportation contracts, newest first. Each award ID links to its record on USAspending.gov.
| Start date | Recipient | Agency and description | Amount | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 28, 2026 | Capitol Helicopters, Inc. | Department of Agriculture0928-093026 N535NC PKG-73650 | $157,350 | 1202SA26M1303 |
| Sep 24, 2026 | Aero-Flite, Inc. | Department of Agriculture0924-093026 N389AC PKG-73790 | $397,354 | 1202SA26M1348 |
| Sep 24, 2026 | Galactic Enterprises, LLC | National Aeronautics and Space AdministrationTHE CONTRACTOR SHALL PROVIDE TWO TECHNICAL SAFETY REVIEW BOARDS AND ALL CORRESPONDING DELIVERABLES | $25,410 | 80AFRC26FA094 |
| Sep 22, 2026 | Galactic Enterprises, LLC | National Aeronautics and Space AdministrationFLIGHT AND PAYLOAD INTEGRATION SERVICES FOR THE T0251 IN-SPACE COATING DEVELOPMENT UTILIZING ATOMIC LAYER DEPOSITION (ALD) REQUIREMENT | $227,920 | 80AFRC26FA091 |
| Sep 17, 2026 | Aero-Flite, Inc. | Department of Agriculture0917-092926 N374AC PKG-73778 | $328,505 | 1202SA26M1336 |
| Sep 17, 2026 | Kit Helicopter Operations LLC | Department of Agriculture0917-092626 N86KT PKG-73640 | $438,834 | 1202SA26M1302 |
| Sep 17, 2026 | Astro Digital US Inc | National Aeronautics and Space AdministrationDEVELOP T0436 FLY FOUNDATIONAL ROBOTS (FFR) RESUPPLY MISSION (R1) FORMULATION PHASE MISSION CONCEPTS THAT WILL ADDRESS THE OBJECTIVES OF A FUTURE IMPLEMENTATION PHASE | $122,755 | 80AFRC26FA090 |
| Sep 17, 2026 | Momentus Space LLC | National Aeronautics and Space AdministrationDEVELOP T0436 FLY FOUNDATIONAL ROBOTS (FFR) RESUPPLY MISSION (R1) FORMULATION PHASE MISSION CONCEPTS THAT WILL ADDRESS THE OBJECTIVES OF A FUTURE IMPLEMENTATION PHASE | $179,768 | 80AFRC26FA089 |
| Sep 16, 2026 | Bluesky Helicopters Inc | Department of Agriculture0916-092426 N82BH PKG-73585 | $333,390 | 1202SA26M1360 |
| Sep 16, 2026 | Columbia Basin Helicopter, Inc. | Department of Agriculture0916-092726 N274PL PKG-73611 | $414,628 | 1202SA26M1349 |
| Sep 16, 2026 | Aero-Flite, Inc. | Department of Agriculture0916-093026 N385AC PKG-73793 | $792,844 | 1202SA26M1347 |
| Sep 16, 2026 | Aero-Flite, Inc. | Department of Agriculture0916-093026 N392AC PKG-73791 | $793,264 | 1202SA26M1346 |
| Sep 16, 2026 | Helicopter Transport Services, LLC | Department of Agriculture0916-093026 N91158 PKG-73608 | $468,398 | 1202SA26M1343 |
| Sep 16, 2026 | Aero Air, LLC | Department of Agriculture0916-100226 N295EA PKG-73781 | $595,472 | 1202SA26M1340 |
| Sep 16, 2026 | Helicopter Express LLC | Department of Agriculture0916-092126 N630HX PKG-73761 | $345,805 | 1202SA26M1334 |
| Sep 16, 2026 | Bhi Productions LLC | Department of Agriculture0916-092926 N889AB PKG-73725 | $671,278 | 1202SA26M1332 |
| Sep 16, 2026 | Helicopter Express LLC | Department of Agriculture0916-092126 N159AC PKG-73588 | $398,112 | 1202SA26M1329 |
| Sep 16, 2026 | Helicopter Express LLC | Department of Agriculture0916-092026 N43HX PKG-73581 | $138,535 | 1202SA26M1328 |
| Sep 16, 2026 | Mountain Blade Runner LLC | Department of Agriculture0916-093026 N970MB PKG-73702 | $511,074 | 1202SA26M1327 |
| Sep 16, 2026 | Heli-1 Corp | Department of Agriculture0916-093026 N86WL PKG-73722 | $453,044 | 1202SA26M1307 |
| Sep 16, 2026 | Aero Air, LLC | Department of Agriculture0916-093026 N297EA PKG-73758 | $527,828 | 1202SA26M1325 |
| Sep 16, 2026 | Neptune Aviation Services, Inc. | Department of Agriculture0916-092926 N471NA PKG-73755 | $549,861 | 1202SA26M1324 |
| Sep 16, 2026 | Orbic Air, LLC | Department of Agriculture0916-092926 N2HK PKG-73748 | $521,776 | 1202SA26M1323 |
| Sep 16, 2026 | Helicopter Express LLC | Department of Agriculture0916-093026 N33HX PKG-73703 | $222,438 | 1202SA26M1321 |
| Sep 16, 2026 | Helicopter Express LLC | Department of Agriculture0916-093026 N178AC PKG-73701 | $772,785 | 1202SA26M1320 |
Open nonscheduled chartered freight air transportation government bids
No open nonscheduled chartered freight air transportation bids right now. Check the open bids page, which is updated daily from SAM.gov.
How to win government nonscheduled chartered freight air transportation contracts
Federal nonscheduled chartered freight air transportation contracts are posted on SAM.gov under NAICS 481212. Register your business free on SAM.gov with this code, watch for nonscheduled chartered freight air transportation bids, and look for small business set-asides: many nonscheduled chartered freight air transportation contracts for small business are reserved for small firms.
Explore government nonscheduled chartered freight air transportation contracts by state, agency and contractor
- Department of Defense contracts
- Department of Agriculture contracts
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration contracts
- Department of the Interior contracts
- Department of Health and Human Services contracts
- Government contracts in California
- Government contracts in Colorado
- Government contracts in Idaho
- Government contracts in Texas
- Government contracts in Montana
- Space Exploration Technologies government contracts
- United Launch Services government contracts
- Blue Origin government contracts
Frequently asked questions
- What NAICS code is used for government nonscheduled chartered freight air transportation contracts?
- Federal nonscheduled chartered freight air transportation contracts use NAICS 481212 (Nonscheduled Chartered Freight Air Transportation). List this code in your free SAM.gov registration to be found for these contracts.
- Who are the largest nonscheduled chartered freight air transportation government contractors?
- By contract dollars under NAICS 481212 from FY2024 to FY2026, the largest were Space Exploration Technologies Corp. ($4.7B), United Launch Services, LLC ($2.4B) and Blue Origin, LLC ($461M).
- Which agencies buy the most nonscheduled chartered freight air transportation?
- From FY2024 to FY2026, the biggest buyers were the Department of Defense ($8.7B), the Department of Agriculture ($2.9B) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration ($1.1B).
- Where are government nonscheduled chartered freight air transportation contracts performed?
- By contract dollars, the most federal nonscheduled chartered freight air transportation work is performed in California ($5.8B), Colorado ($2.2B) and Idaho ($906M).
- Is federal spending on nonscheduled chartered freight air transportation contracts growing?
- Federal nonscheduled chartered freight air transportation contract obligations rose 2% from FY2024 ($4.4B) to FY2026 ($4.5B). FY2026 closed recently, and Defense Department contracts are reported up to 90 days late, so its total may still rise.
- Do I qualify as a small business for nonscheduled chartered freight air transportation contracts?
- It depends on the SBA size standard for NAICS 481212, which is set either by average annual revenue or by number of employees. Check the current table of size standards on sba.gov before you bid on small business set-asides.
- What do I need to bid on government nonscheduled chartered freight air transportation contracts?
- An active SAM.gov registration (free) with NAICS 481212 listed, the licenses and insurance your state requires for nonscheduled chartered freight air transportation work, and examples of similar past work. Some solicitations also ask for specific certifications or security clearances.