The verdict in three sentences
In Abu Dhabi, a local agency charges roughly 20 000 to 80 000 AED, or 5 400 to 21 800 USD, for a yacht and private aviation charter website as a 2026 order of magnitude, and luxury specialist studios often go beyond that. Kolonell builds fleet, destination and event pages plus a qualified quote request form at a fixed price: 2 900 USD, 4 900 USD or 8 900 USD. For a broker, the real issue is stating its role clearly next to the operators, staying discreet about clients and receiving complete requests (dates, passengers, route) instead of vague messages.
What do Abu Dhabi agencies, freelancers and Kolonell charge?
These ranges are cautious. They draw on public price grids from UAE agencies, minimum project sizes on Clutch.co profiles, hourly rates published by Abu Dhabi and Dubai agencies, and rates visible on Upwork and Fiverr for UAE-based developers. The dirham is pegged to the dollar (1 USD is about 3.67 AED).
| Criterion | Abu Dhabi agency | Local freelancer | Kolonell |
|---|---|---|---|
| Build, 2026 order of magnitude | 20 000 to 80 000 AED (about 5 400 to 21 800 USD) | 5 000 to 18 000 AED (about 1 350 to 4 900 USD) | 2 900 USD / 4 900 USD / 8 900 USD, fixed price |
| Hourly change rate | Often 150 to 350 AED (about 40 to 95 USD) | Often 80 to 180 AED | Written price before work |
| Typical timeline | 8 to 14 weeks | 4 to 10 weeks | 3 to 4 weeks, Premium usually 4 to 6 |
| Yacht or aircraft shoot | Sometimes arranged | Rarely | Not included: your visuals or a local photographer |
| Arabic version | Often offered | Varies | Supplied by you or quoted separately |
| English copywriting | Often an option | Rarely | Native English included, French possible |
| Ownership | Check the contract | Check the contract | Domain in your name, all access handed over |
An Emirati or expatriate freelancer can deliver a simple site for under 2 900 USD, and that is a fact. Kolonell adds a project manager, native English copy in the understated tone a wealthy clientele expects, a written scope and handover of every account. For example, Kolonell built a trilingual French, English and Arabic site for Orven Properties, an off-plan real estate advisory in Dubai, with project pages and WhatsApp inquiries. The team is based in Senegal (GMT), four hours behind Abu Dhabi, so Google Meet calls take place in your late morning or afternoon, with a written update every week. Details on our international websites offer.
What does a charter website need in Abu Dhabi?
The clientele mixes wealthy residents, Gulf families, companies organising executive travel and visitors in town for major events such as the Formula 1 Grand Prix at the Yas Marina Circuit. At sea, trips leave the city's marinas for Saadiyat, nearby islands or Dubai; in the air, business aviation uses Al Bateen Executive Airport among others. The useful pages:
- An honestly presented fleet: length, guests, cabins and crew for yachts; category, range and seats for aircraft, only for vessels and aircraft you genuinely have access to.
- An 'our role' page: the broker arranges, the air operator holding the Air Operator Certificate (AOC) performs the flight. The site must never present you as an operator if you are not one, and the operator should appear on every offer.
- A qualified form: dates, number of passengers, route or cruising area, luggage, pets, indicative budget.
- Event and empty-leg pages updated by your team.
- Discretion: no client names and no guest photos without written consent.
- Multiple languages: English and Arabic, sometimes Russian or Chinese; other languages are supplied by you or quoted separately.
On compliance, civil aviation falls under the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) and marine activity under the emirate's maritime authorities; reuse the wording of your own licences. The federal Personal Data Protection Law (Federal Decree-Law No. 45 of 2021) in principle covers your forms, and a company registered in ADGM falls under its own data protection regulations. This is not legal advice.
What does each Kolonell package include for a charter broker?
| Item | Starter 2 900 USD | Growth 4 900 USD | Premium 8 900 USD |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fleet | Up to 8 entries | Up to 25 filterable entries (yachts, jets) | Full library, filters by category |
| Quote request | Simple form | Qualified form (dates, passengers, route) | Separate yacht and jet journeys |
| Destinations and events | One page | Pages per destination | Event pages updated by you |
| Empty legs | No | Editable page | Editable page with email alerts |
| Languages | English | English | English and French included; Arabic supplied or quoted separately |
| Timeline and support | 3 to 4 weeks, 3 months | 3 to 4 weeks, 3 months | Written plan, usually 4 to 6 weeks, 6 months |
A booking engine with live availability, a price calculator or a client account is a custom application, quoted separately. Ongoing SEO is also quoted separately.
What is the three-year cost?
The table assumes identical maintenance on both sides (an assumption), since Kolonell maintenance after support is quoted separately.
| Item over 36 months | Abu Dhabi agency (mid-range) | Kolonell Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Build | 45 000 AED, about 12 250 USD | 4 900 USD |
| Support after launch | Per contract | 3 months included |
| Maintenance (same assumption) | 160 USD per month over 33 months, 5 280 USD | 5 280 USD, quoted separately |
| Fleet updates | 20 hours at 250 AED, about 1 360 USD | Priced before work, assumption 1 200 USD |
| One-day shoot | 1 635 USD | 1 635 USD, local photographer |
| Arabic translation | Included | Local translator, assumption 1 090 USD |
| Indicative total | 20 525 USD | 14 105 USD |
Which red flags should you spot in a quote?
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- Stock photos of aircraft or yachts presented as your fleet.
- Copy that describes you as the operator when you are a broker.
- A form with no dates or passenger count: you will receive unusable requests.
- A domain registered in the agency's name.
- A cheap 'booking engine' included: check whether it is just a form.
Mini case study
Illustrative example. Layla H., founder of a six-person charter brokerage in Abu Dhabi, offers yachts and private jets. A local agency asks 55 000 AED (about 14 975 USD), Arabic included, in 12 weeks. Kolonell proposes Premium at 8 900 USD with separate yacht and jet journeys and an English and French bilingual version for her European clients; Layla orders the Arabic from a translator for 4 000 AED (about 1 090 USD). The one-day shoot at 6 000 AED (about 1 635 USD) is the same on both sides.
Agency total: 16 610 USD. Kolonell total: 8 900 + 1 090 + 1 635, or 11 625 USD, a gap of about 4 985 USD, with the site live before the year-end event season. If Layla wanted an agency able to direct onboard shoots itself, the local agency would be the better choice.
FAQ
How much does a charter broker website cost in Abu Dhabi in 2026?
As an order of magnitude, 20 000 to 80 000 AED (about 5 400 to 21 800 USD) with an agency and 5 000 to 18 000 AED with a freelancer. Kolonell charges a fixed 2 900, 4 900 or 8 900 USD.
Can we display flight prices?
Yes, as indicative ranges you supply, with the operator named. An automatic price calculator is a custom application, quoted separately.
Does Kolonell organise the onboard shoot?
No, Kolonell does not shoot on location. A specialist local photographer often costs 4 000 to 8 000 AED per day based on published rates.
How do we protect client discretion?
No client name or face is published without written consent, and requests land in an inbox you control. The form collects only 6 to 8 useful fields.
What is the timeline for Growth?
3 to 4 weeks after we receive copy inputs and visuals, paid in two instalments of 2 450 USD by bank transfer or Wise.
Let's scope your project. Send us the fleet you can access, your partner operators and your key destinations, and we will come back with a fixed-price package and a 3 to 4 week timeline. Request your free quote or see the international offer.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.