Jet card.
A jet card is a prepaid private aviation product under which the customer buys a block of flight hours on a specified aircraft category at an agreed fixed hourly rate, with assured availability at a set notice period. Jet cards are sold by operators, brokers and membership companies as an alternative to on-demand charter and fractional ownership.
| Term | Jet card |
|---|---|
| Used in | Private aviation, charter brokerage and operations |
| Related terms | Fractional ownership, Membership programme, Empty leg |
| Sources | 1 listed below |
What does Jet card mean in practice?
Jet cards were developed after fractional ownership as a lower-commitment option, aimed at people flying around 50 hours a year for whom owning a share does not make sense.
You pay up front, then draw down hours or funds each time you fly. The appeal is predictability: the hourly rate is fixed for the term, availability is assured with the stated notice, and there is no positioning charge on many programmes. The drawbacks are the deposit, which sits with the provider and may not be protected if the provider fails; peak-day surcharges and blackout dates; expiry of unused hours; and the fact that a fixed rate can be above the spot charter price on routes where empty legs are plentiful. If your flying is irregular or flexible, on-demand charter and empty legs may cost less. Read the terms on refunds, peak days and which aircraft types are actually supplied.
Questions
What does Jet card mean?
A jet card is a prepaid private aviation product under which the customer buys a block of flight hours on a specified aircraft category at an agreed fixed hourly rate, with assured availability at a set notice period. Jet cards are sold by operators, brokers and membership companies as an alternative to on-demand charter and fractional ownership.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Jet card (accessed 2026-09-20)
Last reviewed 20 September 2026 by Empty Leg Exclusive Editorial Team.