December 1, 2023
If you want to get away or need to attend a business meeting on short-notice, these are the best entry-level jet card options.
Remember before the Covid-19 demand surge, when nearly two dozen jet cards allowed you to book flights at fixed rates with guaranteed availability 24 hours or less before departure? We do! There are far fewer today, but for those of you who want a short-booking option, here are your best choices.
First, why do you need to book with 24 hours or less notice?
Members tell us they like the flexibility to head to a second home on short notice.
It’s going to be a blizzard in Chicago. Let’s head to Naples or Scottsdale.
For business travelers, having the flexibility to visit a custom on short notice can be critical.
While fractional programs—and some jet cards—offer short booking lead times, qualifying typically requires flying at least 50 hours per year.
However, these programs all give you the flexibility for short bookings with their entry-level programs—anywhere from 10 to 25 hours or even $100,000.
Of course, every rose has its thorns.
For example, Fly Alliance will let you book with guaranteed hourly rates and availability as little as eight hours before departure.
The thorns are it has 77 peak days with a 168-hour booking window – unless you buy at least 50 hours.
| Flight Provider | Non-Peak Call Out | Notes |
| Fly Alliance | 8 hours | 77 peak days with 168 hours callout if you buy less than 50 hours |
| Air Charter Service | 24 hours | 29 peak days with dynamic pricing |
| FlyExclusive | 24 hours | A surcharge of $4,000 to $5,000 to book 24-48 hours before departure; 35 peak days with additional surcharges |
| Jet Token | 24 hours | HondaJet program in the Western U.S. with 31 peak days |
| Jettly | 24 hours | Up to 40% surcharge |
| Magellan Jets | 24 hours | 25% non-peak premium; 43 peak days |
| Manifest Travel Club | 24 hours | A surcharge of $8,000 to $13,000 to bo book 24-48 hours before departure; 45 peak days with additional surcharges |
| NetJets | 24 hours | 3-and-5-year 25-hour leases with 10 blackout dates and 80 additional peak days |
| Nicholas Air | 24 hours | 29 peak days |
| VistaJet | 24 hours | 40 peak days |
Source: Private Jet Card Comparisons
There are nine more providers that give 24-hour callouts for non-peak travel.
However, four of them (FlyExclusive, Jettly, Magellan Jets, and Manifest Travel Club) come with surcharges to do so.
NetJets’ current jet card is 48 hours. Its answer to the flyer who isn’t doing enough to qualify for fractional ownership is a 25-hour lease with a 24-hour callout.
Of course, the thorn is peak days and blackouts – 90 days per year in total.
Jet.Ai, nee Jet Token, offers the HondaJet at just 24 hours, although there is a $10,000 surcharge per 25 hours, and it is only valid in the Western U.S.
VistaJet’s entry-level VJ25 card allows you to book domestic U.S. flights with as little as 24 hours’ notice.
However, you need to make a three-year commitment, and the card is non-refundable unless you negotiate an exit penalty. You must do that on a one-off basis.
Air Charter Service and Nicholas Air both have 24-hour callouts—and the good news is that there are only 29 peak days, so more opportunities to get away or close the deal on short notice.
