Jet card vs. on-demand charter: choosing the right tool

The jet card is the most popular product in private aviation, and the one most often mis-sold. Here's how we decide whether it's right for you.

The break-even, simplified

A jet card removes fuel surcharges (~8% of base) and locks your hourly rate against market moves (typically 4–7% per year). For most members, that's a 12–15% effective discount — if the card sits in cabins you'd actually fly.

We ask every prospect a single question: how many hours per year, and in which cabin?

• Under 25 hours → on-demand charter. The card's deposit is dead capital.
• 25–50 hours, single cabin → entry card (Access tier).
• 50+ hours, mixed cabins → flagship card (Elite or Signature). The flexibility compounds.

Where cards fail their members

Cards fail when buyers over-buy the cabin. We've onboarded clients who'd held a Heavy-cabin card for two years and flown it as a midsize 80% of the time. The card "saved" them money on paper while they paid 30% more per hour than they needed.

The solution is a card with cabin-up flexibility — pay your locked rate up to your card's cabin, and a published delta to upgrade for specific trips.

The one thing all cards should include

A jet card without fuel surcharge protection in writing is not a jet card. It's a deposit account. Get the language in the contract.