November 16, 2024
Safety, price, and flexibility. That’s what subscribers to Private Jet Card Comparisons highlight as the most important factors in choosing a jet card. Since the same survey, conducted last August, shows readers buy around $100 million in jet cards, it’s a meaningful insight.
Of course, it may not mean jet card consumers shouldn’t look a bit more broadly.
When I last did a deep dive into Sentient Jet’s lifestyle partners, I calculated over $125,000 in member benefits. For 2020, Sentient says that the number is up to $175,000.
In other words, its annual Exclusive Benefits For Sentient Jet Cardholders catalog is like the Neiman Marcus Holiday Catalog, except with a lot of free stuff.
The catalog arrives in a sleek gift box. It is perfect bound on high-quality paper, so it has a nice luxury feel.
I counted offers for 25 free nights, 12 of which didn’t require any purchase. The others were, buy one night, get one free, or two plus two.
Even the ones where you have to pay for one night have valuable additional perks. For example, at The Peninsula in New York and Chicago, you also get breakfast for two. In big-city luxury hotels, that is probably worth at least $80.
Hotel and resort partners range from Los Cabos to St. Kitts, and Napa Valley.
With Timbers Resorts, members get seven day free stays in either Kiawah, South Carolina, or Kauai.
Via its partnership with Quintessentially Travel, Sentient members receive Virtuoso benefits. There are over 1,000 luxury hotels, resorts, and lodges worldwide with perks ranging over $500 per stay.
Typical benefits include upgrades, daily breakfast for two, food and beverage credits, spa credits, and early check-in and late check-out.
For oenophiles, Sentient has also developed a dozen partnerships with wineries in Napa and Sonoma. You get private tours and complimentary bottles of wine.
If you love the mountains, there’s a destination partnership with Aspen Snowmass. It includes access to the new Snowmass Mountain Club, free ski lessons, and 30% off ski or snowboard rentals. There is also complimentary dinner for two at your choice of The Club at Casa Tua, Matsuhisa, Steakhouse No. 316 and others.
Sentient’s partnership with expedition cruise line Lindblad Expeditions includes a discount of up to $2,000 per cabin. There is also a $500 per hour discount on flights to and from the ship.
If you are interested in private jet tours, there is a credit of $7,000 per person on expeditions over $100,000. Discounts starting at $3,500 are applicable for lower-priced trips.
Not all perks are about travel. Sentient members get $1,000 off purchases of $4,000 or more at jeweler David Webb New York. At John Hardy, you get $250 off purchases of $500 or more.
Watchmaker Panerai offers private boutique sessions to meet with its master watchmakers. If you are in Switzerland, a visit to its manufacture in Neuchatel.
There are also discounts with luxury Alpine sportswear designer Alps & Meters, Hangai Mountain Textiles, Peter Millar, and Smythson Leather Goods.
Culinary partnerships include the restaurants of ambassador Bobby Flay and California Caviar Company.
Members can get tickets to hot events via a concierge partnership. There are also discounts on shipping luggage and even the services of a wine concierge.
Last fall, Sentient added guaranteed WiFi on midsize and large-cabin jets after having rolled out the service on super-midsize aircraft in 2018. You can upgrade or downgrade cabin size at published rates without surcharges.
Light jet rates start at $147,275 for 25 hours, including FET and deicing. Sentient’s daily minimums, and lead time for bookings and cancelations, are among the most flexible of the over 55 providers we analyze.
While lifestyle partnerships aren’t where I would start when it comes to figuring out which jet card program is best for you, once you have narrowed down the contenders, Sentient’s partnerships show that there is considerable value to be had. It’s something you should definitely weigh, particularly if you were going to spend the money on like experiences.
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