February 15, 2025
Florida-based private jet and cargo broker Principal Aviation is entering the fixed-rate jet card space with five category options.
Principal Aviation is moving into the jet card space with a fixed-rate, guaranteed availability membership.
The new program has two levels – $100,000 and $250,000, tabbed Gold and Black.
Gold Card clients will receive a credit of $10,000.
Black Card clients will receive a credit of $25,000.
CEO Lee Simon says the jet card is a natural evolution for the 2021 start-up based in Boca Raton and Jacksonville, Florida.
However, having quickly grown to $40 million in sales, he says having the fixed-rate offering is designed to be incremental.
“There are flyers who like the fixed-rate, guaranteed jet cards. They’ve had them, and that’s what they want,” Simon tells Private Jet Card Comparisons.
Simon says he views the customer as a different profile than the ad hoc charter customer.
Principal Aviation’s jet card offers five categories at fixed prices, with non-peak callouts three calendar days before departure.
There are turboprop rates in addition to the typical four categories—light, midsize, super-midsize, and large.
Turboprop hourly rates start at $5,550, including a 7.5% Federal Excise Tax.
On peak days, the callout is five days before departure.
There are 95 peak days.
The surcharge varies from 15% with the Gold card to 10% with the Black option.
Fixed rates extend to Mexico, Canada, and specified Caribbean destinations.
There is a 25% surcharge for flights outside the Continental U.S.
Daily and segment minimums vary by aircraft type.
However, no taxi time is charged.
Black card clients get a $1,000 per segment deicing credit.
There is no formal escrow program for funds.
However, Simon says he will set one up if a client requires it.
Simon says about 80% of Principal Aviation’s revenues are from ad hoc private jet charter clients.
The remaining is for cargo charters, including humanitarian rescue flights and sports team charters.
After the North Carolina hurricane, Principal Aviation organized flights to bring parts to helicopters in the state, assisting with the rescue.
There are also charter contracts for several collegiate men’s basketball teams.
However, he sees the softening charter market as an opportunity to tap into the segment of flyers who like fixed-rate programs.
“This is somebody who is flexible on airplane type. In our opinion, the people who have done jet cards and know how it works. Our probable client is somebody who likes the concept but was unhappy with service,” Simon says.
Simon says his team focuses on the East Coast while selling the jet card nationally.
Like other fixed-rate jet cards, Simon says the flight provider will not take all potential clients for the fixed-rate program.
It stress tests prospects to make sure their flying fits its programs.
He believes now is the right time to enter the segment.
“We know on our end we aren’t going to get demolished (losing large amounts of money on fixed-rate flights,” Simon says.
He adds, “We’re hedging a little bit, but on the buy side (however), prices are more reasonable than they have been in years.”
Simon says his experience in the private jet charter world started with a college internship.
He spent a dozen years at Apollo Jets, leaving in 2021 after Vista Global acquired it as part of its Talon Air acquisition.
Principal Aviation has team members in Florida, California, Pennsylvania, New York, Illinois, and Ohio.
He says the jet card is not a push to grow exponentially but more of a conversation starter with clients.
“We see our strength as being able to provide a high-level service,” Simon adds.
Paid subscribers can compare Principal Aviation’s new options with over 80 providers and more than 500 jet card and fractional programs.
Find the perfect solution for your private aviation needs
Save Time. Buy Confidently.
Receive an apples-to-apples comparison of programs that meet your needs from more than 500 jet card and fractional options covering 65 points of differentiation and over 40,000 data points.
