Whether you charter private jets regularly or are about to start, you probably know there are two options available to you. You can either book and pay for flights as you go (on-demand charter) or purchase a private jet card membership.
If you’re not sure which option is best, we can help. We’ll explain the differences, the pros and cons of both chartering methods, and which method might be best suited to you.
What Is the Difference Between Private Jet Card and On-Demand Charter?
If you’re wondering, what is a private jet card?—then put simply, private jet cards offer a pre-payment system for flights and simplify the booking process while saving you time and money. . There can be other advantages too, depending on the program.
With on-demand private jet charter, you book and pay for flights as you need them, but booking a flight can take time and ideal aircraft options can get booked by others, particularly in when there is a great deal available in the market or during peak seasons.
Let’s look more closely at the advantages and disadvantages of each chartering method.
Private Jet Card Memberships
There are two main types of private jet card: flight access hours cards and deposit jet cards.
Flight Access Hours Cards give you access to a specified jet category or model for a set number of flight hours. Some cards start from 10 hours, but typically, you buy 25 hours, and pay a high fixed hourly rate to cover operator’s maximum possible costs every time.
Deposit (Cash) Jet Cards allow you to deposit a certain amount of money (e.g., $250,000) to pre-pay for flights. The cost of each flight you take is debited against the funds on the card using a fixed, low and transparent mark up. Pricing can are dynamic and capped.
The Advantages of Private Jet Cards
Private jet cards vary in what they offer. You should always consider your future flight needs and read the terms and conditions carefully before choosing one. However, the benefits of most private jet cards include:
Priority access to aircraft. This can be valuable, especially at peak times and for people who often need to book flights at short notice.
A higher level of service, consistent customer care, and sometimes, additional membership benefits.
Access to discounted empty leg flights.
Best pricing for every flight, so you’ll always know the exact cost before you fly.
The Disadvantages of Private Jet Cards
Many jet cards do come with disadvantages. We’ve listed the main ones here—but read on to discover how we’ve carefully designed Paramount Business Jets Private Jet Cards to eliminate as many as we can.
It’s a long-term commitment when compared to charter on demand.
They usually don’t offer the flexibility of on-demand jet charter, which allows you to charter a variety of aircraft classes, choosing the right plane for each trip.
Deposit-style jet cards require a sizeable amount of money upfront.
Some cards have expiration dates, meaning you can lose unused hours or funds.
Some cards have ‘black-out’ days when you can’t use them to charter a flight.
If your jet card is restricted to one aircraft category or certain parts of the world, what happens when you need to fly somewhere else? Or need a different class of plane—a turboprop that can land on a small, icy runway or an airliner for a large group trip?
You may need to pay substantial fees to charter a different class of aircraft or fly outside your zone.
You may need to arrange and pay for on-demand charters for those flights.
Some have 10-15 percent membership cancellation fees.
The Paramount Business Jets Difference
With a Paramount Business Jets private jet card membership, most of the traditional disadvantages of a jet card don’t exist! We offer:
chartering of any size aircraft on a per-trip basis, on as little as 4 hours’ notice
access to aircraft worldwide, 365 days a year
three programs—Emerald, Gold and Platinum—so you can choose the one that’s right for you
the chance to tailor your card to your aircraft, catering and service preferences, with the help of our friendly advisors
transparent pricing, letting you see the quote from our operators and our service charge
dynamic pricing, giving you the best possible price at the time of booking
no additional fees or hidden costs
operators and fleets that are held to the highest standards in the industry
reviews of the safety history and margins of the aircraft, operator, and crew before each and every flight
access to over 4,000 aircraft, from turboprops to ultra-long-range jets
direct access to your own private aviation advisor and our 24/7 customer service team
a fixed management fee, and no upfront fees, cancellation fees or monthly fees—even if you don’t fly
refundable membership funds and no expiration date—so you won’t ‘lose’ unused flights or money
the assurance of knowing your Jet Card deposits are secured in a separate client bank account and only drawn upon on a per-trip basis.
On-Demand Private Jet Charter
If you’re now wondering why anyone would use on-demand charter when our private jet cards exist, we hear you. However, on-demand chartering can have advantages.
Advantages of On-Demand Jet Charter
Greater flexibility, allowing you to charter aircraft from different classes as required.
No long-term commitment.
No need to deposit large sums of money up-front; you pay as you go.
No concerns about losing money if you don’t use the funds, hours or benefits connected to your card by its expiration date of a private jet card.
Likely to be more cost-effective if you fly less than 25 hours a year.
Disadvantages of On-Demand Jet Charter
Time-consuming booking process when compared to jet cards due to paperwork and payments bring confirmed before having the ability to place a hold best deals available in the market. Likely to cost a lot more than a debit private jet card if you’re a regular flyer.
What’s Best for Me: A Private Jet Card, or On-Demand Charter?
Generally, if you’re flying by private jet for more than 25 hours per year, purchasing a private jet card makes sense. It can save you a great deal of time and money when booking flights. And by buying a Paramount Business Jet Card, you’re getting all the benefits of a jet card while keeping much of the flexibility offered by on-demand chartering.
However, if you’re an infrequent flyer, or you prefer to pay-as-you-go, with no long-term commitment, then the flexibility of on-demand chartering is your best option.
If you have any queries about chartering methods or booking flights, then contact our helpful team. Give them a call on +1-877-727-2538 ext. 1 or email them at charter@paramountbusinessjets.com. They will be happy to help.
