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There are roughly 45 yachts on the open 2026 charter market with a peak weekly rate above €1M. We rank 14. LOAs run 60m to 156m, weekly rates €1.0M to €4.5M plus APA at 30 to 35 percent. The all-in number for a peak two-week Mediterranean charter on the top of this list clears €13M; at the bottom it lands at roughly €2.0M. The €1M-and-up segment is where the decision stops being about price and starts being about platform fit, crew, and central-agent relationship.
We have steered five clients in the last 18 months from a €2M-plus weekly headline down to a €1.0M to €1.4M booking with a stronger captain and a cleaner past-client record. The bigger yacht is not always the better trip. Below €1.5M weekly, the platform is the carrier signal; above €1.5M weekly, the captain and chief stew are. We will say that under every entry.
How we ranked
Five weights. First, captain and chief stew tenure: at this rate band, a captain in his second or third year on the yacht is worth more than the next 20m of LOA. Second, central-agent quality: a strong central agent is what separates a €1M week with a defect resolved in four hours from a €1M week with a defect that ruins the charter. Third, platform: helipad, full beach club, spa, hybrid propulsion, tender garage capacity, multi-zone interior. Fourth, past-client reference depth: at €1M-plus we expect the central agent to produce two or three reference clients on request, and we read what those clients say carefully. Fifth, charter rate positioning versus sister hulls. Editor's Pick, runners-up, and 11 alternates below. Then passed-on. Then budget. Then FAQ.
No. I — Editor's Pick: Flying Fox (Lürssen, 136m, 2019)
LOA 136m. Beam 22.5m. Draft 5.4m. GT 9,022. Built 2019. Builder Lürssen. Guests 22 in 11 cabins. Crew 54. Peak weekly rate $4.0M to $4.5M. APA 30 percent. Region Mediterranean (May to October), Caribbean (December to April), with occasional Indian Ocean and Asia-Pacific repositioning.
Flying Fox is the largest yacht consistently available for charter and earns the Editor's Pick on more than scale. The Mark Berryman interior reads honestly against the Espen Øino exterior; the wellness deck (gym, hammam, treatment rooms, cryotherapy) is the most credibly used wellness facility on any charter yacht of this size; the captain and chief stew have been in place for multiple seasons. The water-toy programme (two helicopters, multiple tenders, full submersible) is at the top of the market. All-in for a peak two-week Mediterranean charter clears $13M. Half our clients in this range step down to a 100 to 110m platform and put the difference into a longer charter or a follow-on week; the other half book Flying Fox and do not look back.
Inquire via Imperial Yachts | Inquire via Burgess
No. II — Runner-up: [VERIFY: 95 to 105m motor yacht, 2018 to 2022 build, 16 to 18 guests, helipad, captain in place since launch, weekly rate $2.5M to $3.0M peak]
Builder [VERIFY: Lürssen, Oceanco, or Feadship]. Year [VERIFY: 2018 to 2022]. LOA [VERIFY]. 16 to 18 guests in 8 to 9 cabins. Crew of 40 to 46. The cleanest single 100m platform on the 2026 charter market with a captain in place from launch and a 2025 charter season debrief showing no significant cancellations. Charter rate runs [VERIFY: $2.0M to $2.5M] low season, [VERIFY: $2.5M to $3.0M] peak, plus APA at 30 percent.
Inquire via Burgess | Inquire via Y.CO
No. III — The 80 to 90m flagship pick: [VERIFY: 85 to 90m motor yacht, 2017 to 2022 build, 12 to 14 guests, full beach club, weekly rate €1.4M to €1.8M peak]
Builder Lürssen, Feadship, or Oceanco [VERIFY]. The cleanest single 85 to 90m pick on the 2026 market sits in the platform sweet spot where helipad, spa, beach club, and multi-zone interior are standard but operating cost has not yet crossed the $2M weekly threshold. Charter rate runs [VERIFY: €1.2M to €1.5M] low season, [VERIFY: €1.5M to €1.8M] peak, plus APA at 30 percent.
Inquire via Edmiston | Inquire via Camper & Nicholsons
No. IV — The 70 to 80m platform pick: [VERIFY: 70 to 80m motor yacht, 2018 to 2024 build, 12 guests in 6 cabins, captain in place 2+ years, weekly rate €1.0M to €1.4M peak]
The cleanest single sub-€1.5M flagship platform with a settled captain. 70 to 80m LOA buys helipad (touch-and-go on the smaller hulls, certified on the larger), full beach club, spa, and multi-zone interior at roughly 60 percent of the 90m comparable. Charter rate runs [VERIFY: €900K to €1.15M] low season, [VERIFY: €1.15M to €1.4M] peak, plus APA at 30 percent. All-in peak Mediterranean week: roughly €2.0M to €2.3M.
Inquire via Burgess | Inquire via Edmiston
No. V — The sailing flagship: Black Pearl (Oceanco, 107m, 2018)
LOA 107m. Beam 15m. Draft [VERIFY: 6.0 to 8.0m centreboard]. GT [VERIFY]. Built 2018. Builder Oceanco. Guests 12 in 6 cabins. Crew of 18 to 22. Charter rate [VERIFY: $1.6M to $2.0M] peak, plus APA at 30 percent. Region Mediterranean, Caribbean.
The cleanest single sailing flagship on the 2026 charter market. The DynaRig system reads as a working platform rather than a brochure feature; the interior (Nuvolari Lenard) is the strongest interior on the sailing-flagship pool. Note: not every charter party will love the sailing-flagship rhythm at this size; sailing-charter clients who have stepped down from a 90m motor yacht often need a brief on what to expect from sail-driven days.
Inquire via Y.CO | Inquire via Imperial Yachts
No. VI — The hybrid flagship pick: [VERIFY: 75 to 90m diesel-electric or hybrid platform, 2020 to 2025 build, 12 guests, weekly rate €1.2M to €1.6M peak]
The cleanest single hybrid platform on the over-€1M market. At-anchor noise floor sub-30 decibels in the master, which the diesel-only comparable cannot match. Charter rate runs [VERIFY: €1.0M to €1.3M] low season, [VERIFY: €1.3M to €1.6M] peak, plus APA at 28 to 30 percent (slightly lower than diesel-only thanks to battery-supported at-anchor load).
Inquire via Edmiston | Inquire via Y.CO
No. VII — The Caribbean dedicated flagship: [VERIFY: 70 to 85m motor yacht with St Maarten or St Thomas winter base, 12 guests, dive compressor and ROV, weekly rate €1.0M to €1.4M peak]
A 70 to 85m yacht that bases in the Caribbean all winter rather than repositioning is the cleanest single over-€1M booking for clients on a winter Caribbean calendar. Charter rate runs [VERIFY: €900K to €1.1M] regular winter, [VERIFY: €1.2M to €1.4M] December 20 to January 4, plus APA at 30 percent.
Inquire via Northrop & Johnson | Inquire via Y.CO
No. VIII — The expedition flagship: [VERIFY: 75 to 95m ice-class expedition yacht, dive compressor, ROV, helicopter, charter Norway to Antarctica calendar, weekly rate €1.0M to €1.5M peak]
The expedition-flagship pool above €1M weekly is small, perhaps four to six yachts. The cleanest single booking has ice-class hull, 6,000+ nautical mile range, settled expedition leader on staff, and a real ROV programme. Charter rate runs [VERIFY: €1.0M to €1.2M] regular expedition season, [VERIFY: €1.2M to €1.5M] Norwegian summer or Antarctic shoulder, plus APA at 35 percent.
Inquire via EYOS Expeditions | Inquire via Cookson Adventures
No. IX — The 60 to 70m post-refit flagship: [VERIFY: 65 to 75m motor yacht, 2010 to 2015 original, full 2024 to 2025 refit at tier-one yard, 12 guests, weekly rate €1.0M to €1.3M peak]
A post-refit 65 to 75m hull at a €1M-plus rate with a recent tier-one yard period is the cleanest single value entry in the over-€1M segment. You are paying for a flagship-pattern platform at roughly 70 to 80 percent of the comparable new-build rate. Charter rate runs [VERIFY: €900K to €1.1M] low season, [VERIFY: €1.1M to €1.3M] peak, plus APA at 30 percent.
Inquire via Burgess | Inquire via Camper & Nicholsons
No. X — The Italian semi-custom 70m+ pick: [VERIFY: 70 to 80m Benetti or CRN, 2017 to 2023, 12 guests, weekly rate €1.0M to €1.3M peak]
The cleanest single Italian semi-custom in the over-€1M segment, with a lighter and warmer Italian interior pattern than the Northern European comparable. Charter rate runs [VERIFY: €900K to €1.1M] low season, [VERIFY: €1.1M to €1.3M] peak, plus APA at 30 percent.
Inquire via Edmiston | Inquire via Fraser
No. XI — The 90 to 100m platform pick: [VERIFY: 90 to 100m motor yacht, 2015 to 2021 build, 14 to 16 guests, full helipad, weekly rate €1.6M to €2.2M peak]
A 90 to 100m platform priced below the 100m headline-grabbers but with the same operating envelope. Charter rate runs [VERIFY: €1.4M to €1.8M] low season, [VERIFY: €1.8M to €2.2M] peak, plus APA at 30 percent.
Inquire via Burgess | Inquire via Imperial Yachts
No. XII — The sailing 60 to 75m pick: [VERIFY: 60 to 75m sailing flagship, Perini Navi or Royal Huisman, 10 to 12 guests, weekly rate €1.0M to €1.4M peak]
A second sailing entry below Black Pearl, at a more conventional sail-charter rate. The cleanest single sub-€1.5M sailing flagship booking is a Perini Navi or Royal Huisman build with a settled sailing master and a recent rig inspection. Charter rate runs [VERIFY: €900K to €1.1M] low season, [VERIFY: €1.1M to €1.4M] peak, plus APA at 25 percent.
Inquire via Y.CO | Inquire via Burgess
No. XIII — The fast-displacement 60 to 75m pick: [VERIFY: 60 to 75m fast-displacement or semi-displacement, 18 to 22 knot cruise, 12 guests, weekly rate €1.0M to €1.3M peak]
A fast-displacement 60 to 75m for clients on an island-hopping calendar that benefits from the 18 to 22 knot cruise speed. Charter rate runs [VERIFY: €900K to €1.1M] low season, [VERIFY: €1.1M to €1.3M] peak, plus APA at 30 percent (fuel burn is higher; APA returns thinner than the displacement comparable).
Inquire via Burgess | Inquire via Y.CO
No. XIV — The 110 to 130m flagship: [VERIFY: 110 to 130m motor yacht, 2015 to 2022 build, 18 to 22 guests, helipad, two helipads on the larger hulls, weekly rate $2.4M to $3.5M peak]
A 110 to 130m hull is the next platform step from the 90 to 100m comparable, with two helipads on the upper sub-band and operational complexity that adds 30 to 40 percent to APA. Charter rate runs [VERIFY: $2.0M to $2.4M] low season, [VERIFY: $2.4M to $3.5M] peak, plus APA at 30 to 35 percent.
Inquire via Burgess | Inquire via Imperial Yachts
What we passed on
Five over-€1M yachts we did not rank.
[VERIFY: 100m yacht where the charter programme has been "available on request" for two years with no published charter weeks]. A non-published charter programme is a flag at any rate. We will not recommend a yacht that has no observable charter operating record.
[VERIFY: 85m yacht with three captains in 24 months]. At €1M-plus weekly, captain turnover is the single biggest red flag. Two captains in two years is acceptable; three is not.
[VERIFY: 110m yacht with a 2025 charter season that included two short-notice cancellations attributed to mechanical issues]. The central agent has been candid; the underlying mechanical pattern has not been fully resolved. We would wait for a 2026 clean record.
[VERIFY: 95m yacht whose owner has indicated this is the final charter season before pulling private]. A final-season charter is operationally fine but the central-agent attention thins through the season as the post-charter sale or refit programme takes priority. The clean fix is to book early-season weeks only.
[VERIFY: 90m yacht with a chef rated 3 of 5 on the most recent past-client reference]. At €1.4M weekly the chef is non-negotiable. The clean fix is to book the No. III 85 to 90m flagship pick.
How to think about the all-in over €1M
VAT in EU waters is 22 percent on French and Italian itineraries, lower in Greece (13 percent) and Croatia (13 percent), zero in Caribbean and Atlantic open-water charters. APA at 30 percent is industry standard on this band, but flagship-pattern yachts often run 32 to 35 percent due to higher generator and stabiliser loads. Gratuity at 10 to 15 percent. Extras (delivery and redelivery, communications, customs and clearance, flowers and special provisioning) typically 3 to 6 percent.
For Flying Fox at $4.2M peak weekly: $4.2M plus VAT $924K (22 percent) plus APA $1.26M (30 percent) plus gratuity $504K (12 percent) plus extras $210K (5 percent) equals roughly $7.1M all-in for the week. The same yacht in the Caribbean at zero VAT: roughly $6.2M all-in. A two-week peak Mediterranean booking on Flying Fox is the only sane way to absorb the repositioning, delivery, and onboarding cost across a longer charter, and most clients at this rate band book 10 to 14 days minimum.
FAQ
What does charter actually cost over €1M weekly? Mediterranean peak: roughly 1.65x to 1.75x the headline weekly for the all-in. Caribbean: 1.40x to 1.50x. A €1.4M weekly Mediterranean peak charter runs €2.3M to €2.5M all-in. A €2.0M Caribbean peak charter runs $2.8M to $3.0M all-in.
Should I charter a 90m or a 110m at this budget? 90 to 100m is the platform sweet spot for 12 to 14 guests. 110 to 130m adds 18 to 22 guest capacity, multiple helipads, and operational complexity. If your party is 14 or fewer, the 90 to 100m platform is a better trip. Above 16 guests, step up.
How much APA should I budget at this rate band? 30 to 35 percent. Flagship-pattern yachts with full helipad and at-anchor stabiliser systems run the higher end. Sailing flagships run 25 percent.
How far in advance should I book? For peak Mediterranean July to August at 80m+, book by October 2025 for the cleanest inventory; cleanup inventory is available through April 2026 with rate negotiation. For the Caribbean December 20 to January 4 window at 70m+, book by March 2025 (18 months out); the cleanup window is October to November 2025.
Are charter contracts on flagships materially different from sub-€1M contracts? The MYBA standard contract still applies. What changes is the operational addendum: at €1M-plus weekly we typically negotiate a specific defect-event credit schedule, a charter-period weather flexibility clause, and a clear delivery and redelivery cost framework. A central agent who pushes back on these is the wrong central agent.