Aircraft are regularly bought and sold like any other item. For an aircraft on the TCI-register anyone selling an aircraft must inform the TCICAA immediately. If the aim is to maintain the aircraft on the TCI-register then the new owner must apply to the TCICAA to re-register it. The TCI-register is not a register of legal ownership.

In a charter of an aircraft, a portion of or the entire capacity of the aircraft is hired or purchased privately by one or more entities, which may re-sell it to the public. A charter flight is a non-scheduled operation using a chartered aircraft. The situation in which the charterer is another air operator that has its own operating authority and charters the entire capacity of the aircraft, usually at short notice, is termed a sub-charter.

Aircraft leases can involve an aircraft or the aircraft, crew and full support.