Can Your Boss Pay for Your Flight Expenses as a Private Pilot? A Walk Through FAR 61.113(b)

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The short answer: sometimes, but not in the scenario most pilots imagine. Under 14 CFR 61.113(b), a private pilot may receive employer reimbursement for flight expenses when the flight is incidental to a bona fide business or employment purpose AND the aircraft does not carry passengers or property for compensation or hire. The moment you add a coworker as a passenger or carry company property as cargo, the exception collapses and the flight becomes an illegal commercial operation under FAR 61.113(a) — even if no money technically changes hands for the passenger’s transportation.

This is one of the most-misunderstood corners of private pilot privileges, and it traps experienced pilots every year. Here’s exactly how the rule works, the scenario that makes it concrete, and the four traps that turn a routine business trip into a violation.

A Classic Scenario That Defines the Question

Here’s a scenario that captures the exact decision pilots face in real life:

You work as a salesperson for an aviation parts company in Wichita, Kansas. There’s an upcoming sales conference in Dallas you need to attend. Another salesperson from the company has a product demo at the same time in Oklahoma City. Your boss offers to cover your fuel and tie-down fees if you fly your Cirrus SR-22 to the conference. He also asks you to bring the other salesperson to Oklahoma City, drop them off, and pick them up when you finish the conference.

Can your boss pay for the fuel and tie-down?

The answer is no. Not under this fact pattern. Here’s why, and what would need to change for the answer to flip.

What FAR 61.113(a) Actually Says

Federal Aviation Regulation 14 CFR 61.113(a) is the foundation rule:

“Except as provided in paragraphs (b) through (h) of this section, no person who holds a private pilot certificate may act as pilot in command of an aircraft that is carrying passengers or property for compensation or hire; nor may that person, for compensation or hire, act as pilot in command of an aircraft.”

This is the wall. A private pilot may not act as PIC for compensation or hire. The FAA construes “compensation” extremely broadly — anything of value, including money, goodwill, accumulated flight time, secondary benefits, or future business favors.

Paragraphs (b) through (h) of 61.113 carve narrow exceptions into the wall. The one most relevant to working professionals is paragraph (b) — the “incidental to business” exception.

What FAR 61.113(b) Allows

The full text of paragraph (b):

“A private pilot may, for compensation or hire, act as pilot in command of an aircraft in connection with any business or employment if: (1) The flight is only incidental to that business or employment; and (2) The aircraft does not carry passengers or property for compensation or hire.”

This exception lets a private pilot fly for business purposes and receive reimbursement from an employer — including for fuel, tie-down, oil, and other operating expenses — as long as both conditions are met. The key word is “and.” Both elements must be satisfied. Failing either one breaks the exception.

Two conditions, two traps.

The “Incidental to Business” Test

The first condition requires that the flight be incidental to your actual business or employment — not the primary purpose itself. In other words, your job has to be something other than flying. If flying the airplane is the job, the exception doesn’t apply.

This is the easier test in most cases. If you’re a salesperson, an engineer, an attorney, an executive, a real estate broker, or any other professional whose work is performed primarily on the ground, then occasionally using your own aircraft to reach a meeting or job site is “incidental” to that employment.

Examples of incidental:

A pharmaceutical sales rep flies their own aircraft to call on hospitals in their territory
A construction company executive flies to inspect a job site
A real estate broker flies to show properties in multiple cities in one day
An aviation parts salesperson flies to a sales conference

Examples that fail the test:

A pilot whose job is flying executives around as a personal pilot (the flying IS the job)
A photographer hired specifically to take aerial photos from their own aircraft (aerial photography for hire requires specific certification)
A pipeline patrol pilot (the flying is the work)

The FAA’s interpretation of “incidental” has been litigated multiple times. In general, if you would have made the trip even without the airplane — by driving, taking commercial flights, or using other transportation — then the flight is incidental to the business purpose. If the flight itself is the work product being delivered, it’s not incidental.

The “No Passengers or Property for Compensation or Hire” Test

This is the second condition, and the one that catches most pilots off guard.

Even if your trip is clearly incidental to your business, you cannot carry passengers or property if the aircraft is being used to transport them in exchange for any form of compensation. The FAA interprets this strictly:

Coworkers are passengers. When you bring a coworker to a business destination — even if you’re also going there yourself for your own work — the aircraft is now carrying a passenger. If the employer is paying any portion of the flight costs, the aircraft is carrying that passenger “for compensation.”

Company property is property. Sales samples, demo equipment, marketing materials, product prototypes, customer deliverables — if the aircraft is transporting items the company needs delivered, and the company is covering any operating expenses, the aircraft is carrying property “for compensation.”

The employer’s reimbursement counts as compensation for the passengers’ transportation, too. This is the critical insight. The FAA treats employer reimbursement for the flight as compensation paid for everyone and everything aboard — not just for your own travel.

This is why the scenario above fails. The pilot is flying themselves to Dallas (incidental to business — likely OK on its own) AND carrying a coworker to Oklahoma City. The boss is covering fuel and tie-down. The aircraft is carrying a passenger for compensation. The exception collapses.

What Would Make the Scenario Legal?

Two paths work. One path doesn’t.

Path 1: Lose the passenger and the cargo. If the pilot flies themselves alone to Dallas — no coworker, no company sales samples in the cargo compartment — then the flight is purely the pilot traveling for their own employment. The boss can cover fuel and tie-down as a normal business expense reimbursement. This is the cleanest application of 61.113(b).

Path 2: Lose the reimbursement. If the pilot brings the coworker AND covers all the flight expenses themselves, they’re carrying a passenger but the passenger isn’t being transported “for compensation” (no money is changing hands related to the flight). However, this is still risky because:

The FAA may view providing the transportation as a benefit to the employer, which could itself constitute “goodwill” compensation
Without the protections of 61.113(c) (cost-sharing), the pilot has no other safe harbor
If the employer reimburses any flight expense in any form, the flight retroactively becomes a violation

Path that doesn’t work: pro-rata cost sharing with the coworker. Some pilots assume they can use 61.113(c) — cost sharing — to bring the coworker along. This fails for two reasons. First, the source-of-funds rule in Advisory Circular 61-142 specifies that pro-rata cost sharing money must come from the passenger personally, not from a third-party employer. Second, the coworker is going to Oklahoma City at the company’s direction, not because the coworker has a personal reason to be there — so the flight likely fails the “bona fide common purpose” test even under 61.113(c).

The cleanest, legally safe answer is Path 1: fly yourself, alone, on a flight incidental to your business, and let the employer reimburse the fuel and tie-down.

The Insurance Trap Nobody Talks About

Even when 61.113(b) is satisfied, business flying introduces insurance considerations that pilots often miss.

Most personal aircraft insurance policies cover business use only under specific endorsements. If you fly your aircraft for business purposes — even an entirely legal 61.113(b) flight — without proper insurance coverage, your insurance carrier may deny coverage in the event of a claim.

Many employers handling these arrangements require:

The employer named as an additional insured on the pilot’s aviation insurance policy. This protects the employer from third-party liability claims if something goes wrong.

Business use endorsement on the policy. Standard personal-use policies often exclude business operations.

Sufficient liability limits. Many employers require minimum liability coverage that exceeds typical personal aircraft policies — often $1 million combined single limit or higher.

Documentation of legal compliance. Some larger employers require pilots to provide written confirmation that the flight complies with 61.113(b) and that the employer’s reimbursement does not constitute prohibited compensation.

Pilots who plan to fly for business should discuss the arrangement with their insurance broker before the first flight. The cost of additional coverage is typically modest; the cost of a denied claim is potentially career-ending.

Other Exceptions Worth Knowing

61.113(b) is the most commonly used business-purpose exception, but several others exist. Pilots should know them to avoid confusion:

61.113(c) — Pro-rata cost sharing. Allows private pilots to share fuel, oil, airport expenditures, and rental fees with passengers, but the pilot must pay at least their pro-rata share AND the flight must have a bona fide common purpose. The source-of-funds rule under Advisory Circular 61-142 requires the money come from the passengers personally, not a third party.

61.113(d) — Charitable, nonprofit, or community event flights. Permits private pilots to fly under 14 CFR 91.146 if the sponsor and pilot comply with the requirements.

61.113(e) — Search and rescue operations. A private pilot may be reimbursed for operating expenses directly related to sanctioned search and location operations.

61.113(f) — Aircraft sales demonstrations. A private pilot with at least 200 hours of logged flight time, employed as an aircraft salesperson, may demonstrate an aircraft to a prospective buyer.

61.113(g) — Production flight tests. Limited circumstances for production flight testing.

61.113(h) — Glider towing. Permits glider towing for compensation under specific conditions.

Each exception is narrow. Each requires specific conditions. Mixing them — or claiming one when another actually applies — is a common source of enforcement actions.

What If the Boss Asks You to Take This Trip?

The practical scenario most pilots face isn’t the case study in the abstract — it’s the boss who genuinely needs you to attend the conference and offers to cover expenses. Here’s a sensible approach:

Step 1: Determine if you need to bring anyone or anything. If yes, you cannot accept employer reimbursement. Drive, take commercial, or pay for the flight yourself.

Step 2: If flying solo, verify the trip is incidental to your job. Does your employment exist independently of the airplane? If yes, the trip likely qualifies.

Step 3: Confirm insurance coverage. Talk to your broker about business use endorsements and minimum liability requirements your employer expects.

Step 4: Document the arrangement. Save the email or written authorization from your employer specifying the reimbursable expenses. This protects you if the FAA ever asks about the flight.

Step 5: Accept reimbursement only for permitted expenses. Fuel and oil consumed on the flight, tie-down and landing fees, hangar fees during the trip. Avoid reimbursement for things outside the operating-expense category (catering, ground transportation, etc., should be expensed separately).

Step 6: When in doubt, call AOPA Legal Services Plan or an aviation attorney. AOPA’s Pilot Information Center (800-USA-AOPA) provides free preliminary guidance to members. For complex situations, retaining an aviation attorney costs far less than dealing with a violation.

Recent Regulatory Updates

Section 61.113 was amended on October 22, 2025 (Docket FAA-2024-1155), adding and clarifying exceptions related to flight-sharing platforms and digital transportation network arrangements. The core rule under 61.113(a) — no compensation or hire — was unchanged.

Pilots considering use of any flight-sharing platform should verify the current text of 61.113 and the relevant Advisory Circulars before participating. The regulatory landscape is evolving, particularly as marketplace platforms continue to apply to general aviation.

The Bottom Line

Can your boss cover your flight expenses as a private pilot? Sometimes — but only when the flight is incidental to your bona fide employment AND the aircraft carries no passengers or property for compensation. The scenario above — flying yourself to a conference while also bringing a coworker on a company-funded trip — fails on the second condition. The exception collapses, and the flight becomes an illegal commercial operation under 61.113(a) regardless of how innocuous it feels.

The cleanest application of 61.113(b): you fly yourself alone, on a trip that supports your normal employment, and your employer reimburses fuel and tie-down as a routine business expense. Add a passenger, add cargo, or stretch the “incidental” test, and you’ve stepped outside the safe harbor.

The next time your boss offers to pay for your flight, ask three questions: Am I flying alone? Is the trip truly incidental to my job? Do I have proper business-use insurance? If all three answers are yes, take the reimbursement. If any answer is no, decline — or take the trip without reimbursement and cover the costs yourself.

Your certificate is worth more than a tank of fuel.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can my employer pay for my flight expenses as a private pilot? Yes, under FAR 61.113(b), but only if the flight is incidental to your business or employment AND the aircraft does not carry passengers or property for compensation or hire. If you’re flying yourself to a business meeting and not carrying coworkers or company cargo, your employer can typically reimburse fuel, oil, and airport expenses as a routine business expense. Adding a coworker or company property collapses the exception.

What does “incidental to business or employment” mean? The flight must be a secondary activity in support of your primary work — not the work itself. A salesperson flying to a conference, an executive flying to inspect a site, or an attorney flying to a court appearance are all “incidental” because their employment exists independent of the airplane. A personal pilot, an aerial photographer flying for hire, or a pipeline patrol pilot are not incidental — the flying is the work.

Can I bring a coworker on a business flight if my employer pays? No. Under FAR 61.113(b)(2), the aircraft cannot carry passengers or property for compensation or hire. If your employer is paying for the flight, the aircraft is considered to be carrying the coworker for compensation, even if no specific fee is charged for the passenger. The flight becomes an illegal commercial operation. The cleanest solution is to fly yourself alone or pay for the flight personally if you need to bring others.

Can I use cost-sharing under FAR 61.113(c) to bring a coworker on a business trip? Generally no, for two reasons. First, the source-of-funds rule under Advisory Circular 61-142 specifies that cost-sharing money must come from the passenger personally, not a third-party employer. Second, the coworker is typically going at the company’s direction rather than for a personal reason, so the flight may fail the “bona fide common purpose” test even under 61.113(c).

What insurance do I need for business flying under FAR 61.113(b)? Standard personal-use aircraft insurance policies often exclude business operations. Pilots flying for business should obtain a business-use endorsement, ensure adequate liability limits (often $1 million or higher when employer involvement is significant), and consider naming the employer as an additional insured if requested. Discuss the arrangement with an aviation insurance broker before the first business flight.

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