Private Jet Cards: should you buy a pre-set amount of hours, pre-pay account or choose pay-as-you-go?

Private Jet Card from Jet Members

In recent years the growth of different private flying programmes has been considerable, and never before has there been so much choice in the market.

With all these choices available to you we have set out a basic guide to help you understand the jargon.

IDENTIFYING YOUR FLYING NEEDS FOR THE YEAR AHEAD

Before ever investing in a program you should review 7 key elements in the way you have been, or indeed looking to use, private aviation in the future. We would recommend that you identify these elements before any consultation.

A.    How many trips are you intending to take?

A simple and obvious question to ask is how many times do you intend to fly privately? The point to highlight is making sure you are not committing to more hours in the year that you are expecting to fly (meaning a larger than needed holding cost of capital, or worse, subject to hours expiring).

Jet Members offers hourly rate Jet Card packages starting from 10 hours, which as a rough guide is typically 2 round trips from London to Madrid. If you are expecting to fly less than this, Jet Members can offer a pre-pay account which still provides a simplified way of booking private aircraft on a dynamic price basis.

Are there discounts for a larger block of hours?

Jet Members reviews each enquiry independently, and subject to conditions can offer reductions to the overall hourly rate payable for larger Jet Card hourly programs.

B.    Where are you intending to fly from and to?

If you typically know where you will be flying throughout the year, this can substantially help when reviewing the expected total cost and the right choice of aircraft. Jet Members can discuss which private jet may be appropriate for you and give guidance on local airports that may serve you best.  

Some airports such as London Heathrow are normally excluded from standard hourly packages, or subject to high ancillary charges and restrictions. Conversely, smaller airports such as St Tropez may also have restrictions as to the size of aircraft they can handle. Lastly, also consider any limitations on domestic trips (internal UK flights can use EU carriers), therefore knowing any possible operational restrictions before your investment may save you a lot of trouble in the long run.

C.    How long do you intend to stay at your destinations?

The length of time you are intending to stay at your destination(s) is also important to address. If for example you are only intending to stay overnight or make day return flights, a traditional hourly rate may be significantly higher in cost than real-time market prices. Longer expected stays may make hourly rate programs more cost-effective if the aircraft cannot remain with you for the duration of your stay.

D.   How much notice can you typically give before booking a private flight?

Being forewarned is forearmed, and this is true with private aviation. Generally speaking, the earlier you can make your booking the easier it will be to obtain your requested departure times and chosen aircraft. It also may provide opportunities for the airline to offer early bird reductions which can be passed back to you, so it is always best to get your private jet charter requests in early.

How much notice should you give? There is no hard and fast rule as to how much notice you should give but typically 7+ days would be considered good notice to get everything arranged, shorter lead times even up to 24 hours before flight are still always possible but may be subject to restrictions, especially over peak season periods.

If you regularly need to charter private aircraft within a 36 to 24 hour window some Jet Card providers might be unable to provide an aircraft altogether - in this scenario a pre-pay account may be more suitable for the reason of availability, though it will be more susceptible to market prices.  

E.    How flexible are your travel dates?

Whilst private jets are there to accommodate your schedule, if you have flexibility in your date of travel, even the time of departure on the day it is worth mentioning to your Account Manager. With aircraft moving all the time, having flexibility will mean more options are available to you. We urge however to apply a little caution not to inundate the market with similar requests as airlines will lower the seriousness of the enquiry.

F.    What private aircraft or size category are you looking for?

Jet Members can provide a wide range of aircraft from 4-seat Very Light Jets to 14-seat Ultra Long Range private aircraft. It is important to consider what size is appropriate for your needs and destinations. As a simple rule, the largest aircraft available are designed for trips 7+ hours long, so short 1-hour sectors on these models will command high hourly rates and might not be the most efficient choice. Conversely, Very Light Jets on longer flights may require a fuel stop, increasing the overall flight duration, and as such a larger aircraft may be more appropriate.

Please see the Jet Members aircraft guide for more information or speak to one of the personal Account Managers who can give guidance on the aircraft available, cabin size, and amenities.

G. Lastly – what is your exit strategy?

Though it may not be commonly said, it's very important to consider the options you have when leaving any hourly or pre-pay program if your flying needs change.

Non-refundable hourly rate agreements mean you are at the discretion of the provider if you want to leave early, or haven’t flown the right amount of hours. Even one unused hour could be a considerable wastage cost.

Jet Members would always recommend a program that provides early exit clause & refund of remaining hours so you always have control of your private jet program (something that Jet Members naturally provides).

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We hope that you may find this information useful and if you have any questions about private jet charter or jet card programs please feel free to contact Jet Members