November 4, 2024
Several jet card programs offer fixed rates and guaranteed availability in both the U.S. and Europe.
If you are planning to take a European vacation this summer, or perhaps you travel to Europe on business, several U.S. jet cards give you fixed rates and guaranteed availability on the other side of the pond.
While there are more providers that offer Europe-only solutions, if you are flying privately here in the U.S. sometimes it’s nice to have a one-size fits all option. To find those companies that can help you on both sides of the Atlantic, we scoured the Private Jet Card Comparisons database of over 50 providers and more than 300 programs.
U.K.-based Air Charter Service which offers jet cards starting at 25 hours provides a rate capped jet card valid for travel within and between Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland (to 61 degrees north), France, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Leichtenstein, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.
Lead time for booking travel in the Europe Primary Service Area (PSA) under the terms of the Empyrean Capped Rate Account is 72 hours and rates are available for very light, light, midsize, super midsize, heavy and global private jets starting at €4,500 to €15,200 per hour maximum.
Air Partner’s U.S. JetCard starts at just 10 hours and allows members to use funds for fixed rate, guaranteed availability flights with a 24 hour booking window across six cabin size categories starting with very light jets and two delineations in the large cabin category. Hourly rates range from €4,772 to €15,912 per hour.
While Flexjet only offers two published jet card types in its U.S. program (the Embraer Phenom 300 and Bombardier Challenger 350), it never-the-less provides access to Flexjet’s European-based fleet of Nextant 400XTi light jets and Embraer Legacy 600 super midsized jets when traveling in Europe. The company says the interchange is already popular with its fractional owners.
U.S. jet card, fractional and lease customers can fly with NetJets in Europe with guaranteed availability by booking through their same U.S. Owner Services channel.
There is an interchange that applies to account for Forex and the higher cost of flying in Europe, which means that your hours are consumed faster, the same way they are when you request an upgrade within the U.S. fleet. Expect roughly a 30% premium to fly in Europe versus the U.S.
Aircraft are guaranteed by cabin class, since the exact aircraft types aren’t consistent between our U.S. and European fleets.
“This flexibility is one of NetJets many benefits,” says NetJets president Patrick Gallagher, adding, “Being able to tap into our large European fleet and be ensured the same consistent high levels of safety and service is something that nobody else can offer. It is not uncommon to see a U.S. customer who typically only flies light or mid jets here fly commercially to Europe and then use NetJets within Europe to connect them between multiple cities before flying on an airline back home.”
That said, the NetJets Gulfstream GIV jet card is one of the few jet card products offering fixed rates for transatlantic flights.
Boston-based Sentient Jet, which is part of Directional Aviation (Flexjet, Skyjet, PrivateFly), is one of the three most purchased jet card providers by subscribers of Private Jet Card Comparisons.
While European prices are quoted in Euros, pricing is converted to U.S. Dollars at the time of booking which protects cardholders from currency variations. It’s European fixed rates are subject to change on 30 days notice and is subject to fuel surcharges. Fixed rates are available for light, midsize, super midsize and large cabin aircraft ranging from €4,990 per hour.
Sentient’s European PSA includes Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Gibraltar, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the U.K.
VistaJet’s PSA covers approximately 95% of the world, so program members (50 hours per year minimum) enjoy fixed rates and guaranteed availability in Europe as well as for transatlantic flights on its fleet of super midsize, large cabin and ultra long-haul Bombardier aircraft, including the popular Global Express.
VistaJet programs are customized and hourly rates range from $12,000 to $18,000 per hours.
Custom jet cards are another option. Several charter brokers, including DashJet, Jet Algo, and Prive Jets each offer custom jet cards. In these cases, you provide an outline of your planned flights and they will provide either fixed segment or hourly rates for your various trips.
If you need a Europe-only solution, the Private Jet Card Comparisons database includes jet card providers with PSAs exclusively for the continent.
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