Private Jet Card Comparisons - Know Before You Buy
Compare over 250 private jet card membership programs by 65 variables in 1 place
Last month we reported NetJets restructured its jet card program eliminating fuel surcharges and cutting prices.
It also added jet cards with the Cessna Citation Latitude and Bombardier’s Challenger 350 and 650 in its Classic Card (nee Marquis Jet) and Elite Card formats.
Private Jet Comparisons has exclusively confirmed NetJets has added the Embraer Phenom 300 light jet (as we reported it would last year) and Cessna Citation Sovereign super-midsize jet to its jet card line-up, although at just over 30,000 pounds maximum takeoff weight it is classifying it as a midsize aircraft.
Both will be sold as Elite Card programs, meaning 24-hour lead-time for reservations with the hourly price including fuel, 7.5% Federal Excise Tax, and deicing. Peak day lead-time is 120 hours with a 25% surcharge.
Where does your jet card get the airplanes that will fly you?
There are over 50 companies that offer jet cards and while some buyers care only about price, as in the lowest hourly rate, at least at the beginning of their search, I find most subscribers end up taking a more holistic view. For one reason, just looking at the hourly rate can be misleading. Some jet cards quote rates inclusive of the 7.5% Federal Excise Tax while others aren’t. Some programs also have surcharges for fuel, CPI escalators, extra fees for using busy airports, and many have varying peak-day surcharges. If you fly out of your primary service area, your fixed rate may no longer apply, and you may have to pay ferry fees and extra charges, so while some programs have global service areas, others are regional or national.
First, among major airlines, there was American Airlines and its AAdvantage Frequent Flier program back in 1981. Its compelling proposition of free flights to Hawaii made it an instant hit. Within months came everyone else. In the world of jet cards and fractional ownership, there have long been referral programs. Refer a friend (or enemy) and earn free flight hours, which with hourly rates of up to $10,000 or more, can be well, valuable. When buying cards, you can also try to wrangle an extra hour when you are signing. For on-demand charter, it has been mainly a trip to the Grand Bazaar with each journey a new opportunity to hone your skills and ask your broker, “Are you sure you can’t do a bit better?” Yesterday, U.K.-based charter broker Victor said it had launched its own frequent flier program hoping to develop loyalty with rightfully fickle on-demand charter customers who are conditioned to shop for a deal.