While more may sometimes be better, when it comes to jet cards, these tips will help guide you from making decisions you may come to regret.
Some advice about buying jet cards (or most private aviation flight solutions, for that matter) is worth repeating.
The best place to start is “don’t use your kids’ college funds to buy jet cards.”
Flying private is a time machine, and when it goes right, which is virtually all of the time, it adds hours and days of productivity and enjoyment.
However, flying privately is expensive.
The pitches centered around flying privately on the cheap range between fictional and situational.
Fictional is self-apparent.
Situational options include empty legs, crowdsourced flights, and handshake arrangements with friends.
Empty legs can save money, but only if you don’t mind if your flight is canceled last minute and, most importantly, you don’t have non-refundable hotel or event bookings at the other end.
Crowdsourced flights have two key shortfalls. First, scrutinize the platforms that offer them to ensure you are not taking part in an illegal charter flight. Second, although the media likes to write about these programs, be wary of upfront membership fees promising to match you with other travelers, since it rarely works.
Handshake agreements with friends who have a jet can expose you to safety and liability issues.
As for jet cards, we can’t give financial advice, since most companies are privately held.
We can tell you that much of what flight providers offer as ways to protect funds you put on account for future flights isn’t truly secure.
I suggest reading: Escrow, the tentative third-party solution for jet card memberships.
Most of all, we strongly suggest not buying more jet card hours than you expect to consume in the next six to 18 months.
The good news is that while the typical jet card starts at 25 hours or $200,000, many have initial funding at $100,000 or even 10 hours.
We saw with OneFlight International that program members loaded up on multiple deals and were left with balances it would have taken them four, five, or more years to utilize.
Also: don’t join a program until you have specific flights in mind for the near future.
Be hesitant to add more funds if you already have funds to cover the next six months.
Keep in mind that, despite guarantees, most jet card contracts allow the provider to make significant changes as they see fit.
Most of all, every way to access private flights has both benefits and tripwires.
Don’t believe the siren song that one way or another insulates you from the unexpected.
Take a look at: A starter’s guide to the five ways to fly by private jet: Full Ownership, Fractional Ownership, Jet Cards, On-Demand Charter, and Shared Flights.
Some other articles from our Tips & Tricks section.
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