What is a Jet Card offered by a Charter Broker….really?
A Jet Card in ordinary terms is a program where the set hourly rate does not fluctuate accordingly with the specific aircraft type or category purchased. Jet Cards are typically purchased in 25 hour increments and expire within 1 calendar year.
However, when you “peel back the onion” and get into the core details of a Charter Broker Jet Card program, it becomes more evident that the program is nothing but inflated on-demand charter rates. The terms and stipulations of the program are very similar to that of on-demand charter terms. For example, when traveling from the U.S. to Caribbean, the Jet Card hourly rates increase from the original hourly rate. Comparing this to on-demand charter rates, of course the hourly rate will increase for international flights compared to that of U.S. flights because there are extra associated fees when traveling international (i.e. international taxes, fuel surcharges, high density airport fees, landing fees – just to name a few). Another example of how Charter Broker Jet Card programs relate to on-demand charter would be the call out time for an aircraft. A typical Charter Broker Jet Card program turnaround time for an aircraft is between 4-10 hours. In reality, on-demand charter turnaround time is the same. Moreover, the loss of an aircraft in the event of a mechanical event in a Charter Broker Jet Card program may be subject to additional costs incurred. This stipulation is the same within on–demand charter terms.
So the question becomes, What is a Jet Card offered by a Charter Broker….really? How does this program differ from that of on-demand charter? In truth, the program does not differ from that of on-demand charter, but maybe with the exception of complimentary catering for each flight. Then again, when something is known to be “free”, the cost is usually being made up elsewhere and on your dime.
If you are a client and looking for a reliable Jet Card program with real, tangible benefits, then it makes the most sense to purchase and enroll in a program from one of the major providers of Jet Cards – NetJets and Flexjet. Even though the hourly rates and upfront costs associated with their respective programs are much greater compared to a Charter Broker Jet Card program, you will see there’s substantial added value that comes along with their services. Guaranteed availability of a specific aircraft type and no additional costs associated with additional aircraft in the event of a mechanical event are just two of the major examples of what a major carrier such as NetJets and Flexjet can provide compared to a Charter Broker Jet Card program.