Best jet cards for private jet flights under 35 minutes

By Doug Gollan, May 11, 2021

Why drive for hours when you can fly in minutes? From light to large-cabin jets, these are the best jet cards for flights under 35 minutes

From Westchester County to the Hamptons, Naples to Key West, St. Louis to the Lake of the Ozarks, San Jose to Napa, and more, a private jet can save hours of driving time. The right jet card can turn every weekend into a long weekend. Using our exclusive QUICK COMPARE FLIGHT PRICING, we’ve analyzed hundreds of programs and more than 40,000 data points to show you the best picks for your short flights.

Instead of spending hours in the car, here is how long it will take in the air on a private jet to fly to these popular summer getaways:

Short Hop Private Jet Flights

  • Westchester County (HPN) to Westhampton (FOK) – 13 minutes
  • San Jose (SJC) to Napa County (APC) – 14 minutes
  • Boston (BOS) to Nantucket (ACK) – 21 minutes
  • Los Angeles (HHR) to Santa Barbara (SBA) – 22 minutes
  • St. Louis (SUS) to Lake of the Ozarks (AIZ) – 25 minutes
  • Naples (APF) to Key West (EYW) – 26 minutes
  • San Francisco (SFO) to Truckee-Tahoe (TRK) – 27 minutes
  • Chicago (PWK) to Door County Cherryland (SUE) – 30 minutes
  • Westchester County (HPN) to Nantucket (ACK) – 31 minutes
  • San Francisco (SFO) to Monterey (MRY) – 33 minutes
  • Atlanta (PDK) to Brunswick (BQK) – 34 minutes
  • Los Angeles (VNY) to Las Vegas (LAS) – 35 minutes

The above flight times are based on light jets with no winds using our Private Jet Flight Time calculator.

Now, how do you find the best jet card option for your needs?

In the below tables, you will find provider, program, buy-in by hours or deposit amount, the minimum number of seats guaranteed on non-peak days, the daily minimum flight time charged for that program, hourly rate, including fuel surcharges and 7.5% excise tax. The final flight cost column factors in the minimum, how taxi time is charged, and amortizes membership fees over 25 hours so you can see the estimated flight cost for each option.

In terms of short hops on light jets, NetJets is the lowest priced option, based on their Phenom 300 Elite Card. That’s because it doesn’t have a minimum, so you only play actual flight time, plus 12 minutes of taxi time. While we used 25 minutes, you can compare your favorite routes by entering estimated flight time in cell AF on the comparison spreadsheet access included in your paid subscription.

Light Jets – Lowest Flight Cost – 25 minute flights

Provider *ProgramSeatsDaily MinimumHourly RateFlight Cost
NetJetsElite – Phenom 300 (25 hours)60 minutes$7,516$4,635
OneFlightCitation I/ISP (25 hours)460 minutes$5,470$5,820
Jet Linx **Executive Card ($150,000)760 minutes$5,870$5,870
Sentient JetSJ 25 (25 hours) 760 minutes$5,891$5,891
Nicholas AirBlue Card (15 hours)760 minutes$6,445$6,445
XOElite Access ($100,000)760 minutes$5,500$7,080
Concord Private JetLight Jet Card (25 hours)690 minutes$4,639$7,453
Jet AviationPT Card (10 hours)672 minutes$6,235$7,482
FlexjetPhenom 300 (25 hours)760 minutes$7,500$7,500
Our list excludes regional providers and providers that don’t offer guaranteed availability. * List includes lowest-priced program per qualifying provider. The provider may have additional programs within the qualifying price range. ** From its bases in Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Ft. Worth, Houston, Indianapolis, Nashville, New York, Omaha, San Antonio, Scottsdale, St. Louis, Tulsa, Washington D.C. Source: Private Jet Card Comparisons QUICK COMPARE FLIGHT PRICING includes hourly rate, fuel surcharges, 7.5% FET, daily minimum, how taxi time is calculated, and membership and joining fees amortized by 25 annual flight hours; Hourly rates include FET and fuel surcharges as applicable; Flight time based on light jets with no wind from our Private Jet Online Flight Time Calculator. All data in this table and article are copyrighted property of Private Jet Card Comparisons and cannot be shared, reproduced, copied, forwarded, or used except by the paid subscriber for the exclusive purpose of selecting jet card providers for personal or company use.

Very Light Jets – Lowest Flight Cost – 25 minute flights

If you are open to very light jets, OneFlight offers an array of options, with the lead price being on the Eclipse 500. Nicholas Air offers the Phenom 100. Keep in mind the lower seating capacity – and limited baggage space.

ProviderProgramSeatsDaily MinimumHourly RateFlight Cost
OneFlightEclipse 500 (25 hours)360 minutes$4,219$4,885
Nicholas AirPhenom 100560 minutes$5,354$5,354
Our list excludes regional providers and providers that don’t offer guaranteed availability. * List includes lowest-priced program per qualifying provider. The provider may have additional programs within the qualifying price range. ** From its bases in Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Ft. Worth, Houston, Indianapolis, Nashville, New York, Omaha, San Antonio, Scottsdale, St. Louis, Tulsa, Washington D.C. Source: Private Jet Card Comparisons QUICK COMPARE FLIGHT PRICING includes hourly rate, fuel surcharges, 7.5% FET, daily minimum, how taxi time is calculated, and membership and joining fees amortized by 25 annual flight hours; Hourly rates include FET and fuel surcharges as applicable; Flight time based on light jets with no wind from our Private Jet Online Flight Time Calculator. All data in this table and article are copyrighted property of Private Jet Card Comparisons and cannot be shared, reproduced, copied, forwarded, or used except by the paid subscriber for the exclusive purpose of selecting jet card providers for personal or company use.

NetJets is the lowest-priced option for midsize jets based on 25 minutes of flight time. You need to buy 25 hours, and it’s non-refundable. However, you have 24 months to use your funds.

As a tip, always keep in mind how many people will be flying as the number of passengers guaranteed varies. You can filter the number of seats you need in Column Q on the spreadsheet.

Midsize Jets – Lowest Flight Cost – 25 minute flights

ProviderProgramSeatsDaily MinimumHourly RateFlight Cost
NetJetsElite – Citation XLS (25 hours)70 minutes$8,596$5,301
OneFlightLearjet 40XR (25 hours)760 minutes$6,229$6,579
Jet Linx**Executive Card ($150,000)860 minutes$7,340$7,340
Sentient JetSJ25+ (25 hours)860 minutes$7,580$7,580
Wheels UpFund ($200,000)760 minutes$8,057$8,427
Jet AviationPT Card (10 hours)772 minutes$7,955$9,546
Executive Jet ManagementAscend ($100,000)772 minutes$8,017$9,620
Airstream JetsSilver Card ($25,000)7500 miles$19.35/hour$9,675
FlyExclusiveExclusive Club -East/Midwest ($150,000)890 minutes$6,181$10,072
Our list excludes regional providers and providers that don’t offer guaranteed availability. * List includes lowest-priced program per qualifying provider. The provider may have additional programs within the qualifying price range. ** From its bases in Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Ft. Worth, Houston, Indianapolis, Nashville, New York, Omaha, San Antonio, Scottsdale, St. Louis, Tulsa, Washington D.C. Source: Private Jet Card Comparisons QUICK COMPARE FLIGHT PRICING includes hourly rate, fuel surcharges, 7.5% FET, daily minimum, how taxi time is calculated, and membership and joining fees amortized by 25 annual flight hours; Hourly rates include FET and fuel surcharges as applicable; Flight time based on light jets with no wind from our Private Jet Online Flight Time Calculator. All data in this table and article are copyrighted property of Private Jet Card Comparisons and cannot be shared, reproduced, copied, forwarded, or used except by the paid subscriber for the exclusive purpose of selecting jet card providers for personal or company use.

While many associate NetJets with being expensive, and its hourly rate are in the highest tier, again, this is an example where the devil is in the details. For those of you who want space, the Latitude brings a stand-up cabin even for the short flight. Another point to keep in mind no matter where you are flying is the daily minimums. While many folks focus on hourly rates, only when you combine it with the daily minimum can you begin to tell which program offers the best value for your specific missions.

Super Midsize Jets – Lowest Flight Cost – 25 minute flights

ProviderProgramSeatsDaily MinimumHourly RateFlight Cost
NetJets Elite Latitude (25 hours)70 minutes$12,196$7,521
Nicholas AirRise – Latitude (15 hours)860 minutes$11,019$11,019
Airstream JetsSilver Card ($25,000)8500 miles$23.65/mile$11,825
Jets.comSuper Midsize Membership (20 hours)990 minutes$7,920$11,880
Executive Jet ManagementAscend ($100,000)872 minutes$10,085$12,101
FlexjetChallenger 300 (25 hours)960 minutes$12,470$12,470
Jet AviationPT Card (10 hours)872 minutes$10,535$12,642
Alliance Aviation Super Midsize Card (25 hours)890 minutes$8,584$12,876
Sentient JetSJ25+ (25 hours)890 minutes$8,971$13,457
Exec 1 AviationSuper Midsize Card (25 hours)990 minutes$9,117$13,676
Our list excludes regional providers and providers that don’t offer guaranteed availability. * List includes lowest-priced or entry-level program per qualifying provider. The provider may have additional programs within the qualifying price range. ** From its bases in Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Ft. Worth, Houston, Indianapolis, Nashville, New York, Omaha, San Antonio, Scottsdale, St. Louis, Tulsa, Washington D.C. Source: Private Jet Card Comparisons QUICK COMPARE FLIGHT PRICING includes hourly rate, fuel surcharges, 7.5% FET, daily minimum, how taxi time is calculated, and membership and joining fees amortized by 25 annual flight hours; Hourly rates include FET and fuel surcharges as applicable; Flight time based on light jets with no wind from our Private Jet Online Flight Time Calculator. All data in this table and article are copyrighted property of Private Jet Card Comparisons and cannot be shared, reproduced, copied, forwarded, or used except by the paid subscriber for the exclusive purpose of selecting jet card providers for personal or company use.

If you are traveling with 10 or more people, you will need to look at large cabin programs. However, large cabin programs are not created equal – both daily minimums and the number of seats guaranteed. For example, while 10 is generally the minimum for non-peak days, as you can see, some programs guarantee up to 14 seats. Also, some providers have two large cabin programs, the main delineation being the range of the jets and the number of seats guaranteed.

Large Cabin Jets – Lowest Flight Cost – 25 minute flights

ProviderProgramSeatsDaily MinimumHourly RateFlight Cost
Executive Jet ManagementAscend – Large ($100,000)1072 minutes$11,417$13,700
Airstream JetsSilver Card ($25,000)10500 miles$27.95/mile$13,975
Alliance AviationLarge Cabin Card (25 hours)1090 minutes$9,777$14,666
Jets.comHeavy Jet Membership (20 hours)1390 minutes$9,920$14,880
Jet Aviation PT Card (10 hours)10 72 minutes$12,685$15,222
Executive Jet ManagementAscend – Heavy ($100,000)1272 minutes$13,491$16,190
NetJetsElite Challenger 650 (25 hours)1160 minutes$16,436$16,436
Exec 1 AviationHeavy Jet Card (25 hours)1090 minutes$11,164$16,746
Alliance AviationHeavy Jet Card (25 hours)1490 minutes$11,712$17,568
JetSet GroupSelect Heavy Jet Card (12.5 hours)10105 minutes$10,105$17,914
Our list excludes regional providers and providers that don’t offer guaranteed availability. ** From its bases in Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Ft. Worth, Houston, Indianapolis, Nashville, New York, Omaha, San Antonio, Scottsdale, St. Louis, Tulsa, Washington D.C. Source: Private Jet Card Comparisons QUICK COMPARE FLIGHT PRICING includes hourly rate, fuel surcharges, 7.5% FET, daily minimum, how taxi time is calculated, and membership and joining fees amortized by 25 annual flight hours; Hourly rates include FET and fuel surcharges as applicable; Flight time based on light jets with no wind from our Private Jet Online Flight Time Calculator. All data in this table and article are copyrighted property of Private Jet Card Comparisons and cannot be shared, reproduced, copied, forwarded, or used except by the paid subscriber for the exclusive purpose of selecting jet card providers for personal or company use.

Another way to look at short flights is how many seats you need. That means looking at providers by aircraft size is not necessarily the best way, particularly for flights under three hours where even light jets would have the range. In this example, we need eight passenger seats. We’ve excluded belted lavs, so all seats refer to those in the cabin.

Right away, you might note Nicholas Air at the top of the list. That’s because it configures its Phenom 300s with eight seats – six club seats and a two-passenger divan across from the entry door.

8 seats – Lowest Flight Cost – 25 minute flights

ProviderProgramSeatsDaily MinimumHourly RateFlight Cost
Jet Linx AviationExecutive Card – Midsize ($150,000)860 minutes$7,340$7,340
Nicholas AirBlue Card – Phenom 300 (15 hours)860 minutes$7,498$7,498
OneFlight InternationalLearjet 75 (25 hours)860 minutes$7,156$7,506
Sentient JetSJ25+ Midsize (25 hours)860 minutes$7,580$7,580
FlyExclusiveExclusive Club – East/Midwest –
Midsize ($150,000)
890 minutes$6,181$10,072
Jets.comMid Size Jet Card Membership (20 hours)890 minutes$6,720$10,080
XOElite Access – Midsize ($100,000)878 minutes$6,750$10,605
NetJetsElite Sovereign (25 hours)860 minutes$10,876$10,876
ExpertJetX-Card ($75,000)890 minutes$6,451$10,976
Our list excludes regional providers and providers that don’t offer guaranteed availability. * List includes lowest-priced program per qualifying provider. The provider may have additional programs within the qualifying price range. ** From its bases in Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Ft. Worth, Houston, Indianapolis, Nashville, New York, Omaha, San Antonio, Scottsdale, St. Louis, Tulsa, Washington D.C. Source: Private Jet Card Comparisons QUICK COMPARE FLIGHT PRICING includes hourly rate, fuel surcharges, 7.5% FET, daily minimum, how taxi time is calculated, and membership and joining fees amortized by 25 annual flight hours; Hourly rates include FET and fuel surcharges as applicable; Flight time based on light jets with no wind from our Private Jet Online Flight Time Calculator. All data in this table and article are copyrighted property of Private Jet Card Comparisons and cannot be shared, reproduced, copied, forwarded, or used except by the paid subscriber for the exclusive purpose of selecting jet card providers for personal or company use.

Not covered in this analysis are turboprops, which can be great for short flights for two reasons. First, the short distance means you don’t get to take full advantage of a jet’s faster speed at cruising altitude. In other words, the shorter the flight, the more economical a turboprop. The other factor plus is turboprops can often seat up to eight passengers versus six passengers on a light jet.

Concord, Nicholas Air, OneFlight, and Wheels Up have guaranteed availability with 60-minute minimums, inclusive taxi time in turboprop programs. Use the filter in row 3 and column N of the comparisons spreadsheet to compare turboprops, or stay tuned for our upcoming look.

PREMIUM CONTENT: All data and contents of this article are copyrighted property of Private Jet Card Comparisons and cannot be shared, reproduced, copied, forwarded, or used except by the paid subscriber for the exclusive purpose of selecting jet card providers for personal or company use.

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