April 18, 2024
European jet card and on-demand charter broker PrivateFly said jet card sales spiked 258% in the first quarter of 2022. March set a record for jet card sales, according to the company.
Fixed hourly rates and guaranteed availability for private jet flights within Europe are the top attraction for joiners.
PrivateFly is a unit of Directional Aviation’s OneSky unit. Its sister Flexjet launched fractional ownership in Europe in 2020.
Marine Eugène, PrivateFly and Flexjet European Managing Director, said, “It’s clear from the extraordinary growth we are seeing that there is strong demand in the current market conditions for a jet card product – providing certainty of price and availability.”
“With demand for private aviation remaining at an all-time high across the industry, pricing and availability for individual flights on-demand are very volatile. Clients who fly more regularly are looking for more assurance, both in terms of price and service delivery,” she says.
PrivateFly recently revamped its jet card program, as we exclusively reported. The move also saw Flexjet end its jet card offering to focus on fractional ownership.
“We are also seeing a preference for premium aircraft types and newer models and have realigned our PrivateFly Jet Card categories to reflect that,” says Eugene.
PrivateFly has brought in a new Super-Midsize Jet Card to replace its previous Midsize offering. It gives clients access to larger aircraft across the midsize and super-midsize categories. Included are the Citation Latitude and Challenger 350.
This follows a similar switch from a Light Jet Card to Light Jet Card Plus. It offers a more premium selection of smaller aircraft.
A Heavy Jet Card remains available at the top of the three size categories.
PrivateFly launched its jet card in August 2020 as it refocused on frequent private jet users and premium offerings.
Cards start at 25 hours. The program gives a guarantee of availability within 24 hours from accredited operators in PrivateFly’s supplier network.
Eugene adds, “High demand is creating a challenging situation across the industry, so much so that some providers have withdrawn jet cards or brought in significant blackout periods over the summer peak.”
Rival NetJets has relaunched its jet cards in Europe with a summer blackout. The revised PrivateFly card carries 35 annual peak days, up from the previous 15 days.
“We are not complacent about the operational challenges either, but with the strength of our supplier relationships and our expert team, we are confident we can continue to deliver an outstanding service,” Eugene says.
She adds, “Clearly, the current geopolitical situation is creating some uncertainty, but our advance bookings at this stage indicate a strong summer ahead.”
