Jet card or on-demand charter: how to choose

Two phrases come up in almost every first conversation about private flying: "jet card" and "on-demand charter". They sound alike, and they get used loosely. They are two different ways to pay for the same kind of flight.

We should say where we stand first. JetGrid does not offer a jet card. We arrange charters one trip at a time. So we have a view, and you should weigh what follows with that in mind. We've tried to describe the card side the way card sellers describe it themselves, and the sources are listed at the bottom.

What you are actually buying

With on-demand charter you pay for a trip. You say where, when and how many people. You get a price for that journey, and if you accept, that's the whole commitment.

With a jet card you pay for flying time. You put money in up front, and each flight draws down from it at an hourly rate that was set when you bought the card. The rate usually depends on the type of aircraft the card is tied to.

Flexjet describes its own 25-hour card this way: prepaid hours multiplied by the hourly rate of a primary aircraft type, plus a 7.5% US federal excise tax, with a fuel adjustment added to the hourly rate each month. That's one company's design, and others will differ. But it shows the basic shape: a deposit, a rate and a few extras on top.

Where the two behave differently

Commitment. A card asks for money before you've flown. A charter asks for money for one trip, after you've seen the price.

Price you see. A card gives you a known hourly rate, but the final cost of a trip still depends on how many hours it takes and on the extras the card lists. A charter quote gives you one figure for one trip, built from that trip's real details.

Notice. Some cards promise a booking window. Flexjet's page says as little as 5 days' notice for its 25 card. On-demand charter has no promised window, but a request sent early gives more choice of aircraft.

Aircraft choice. A card is often tied to an aircraft type or category. A charter can use whatever suits that particular trip, such as a smaller jet for a short hop and a bigger one for a long flight.

What happens if you fly less than planned. This is the question that trips people up. A card is only good value if you use it. Read the terms on unused hours, expiry and refunds before you sign.

A way to decide

Try this. Write down every trip you took by air for work or family in the last twelve months, and count how many of them you'd have flown privately if it had been easy. Then add up the likely flight hours.

• If the number is small, or hard to predict, paying trip by trip leaves you free to change your mind.
• If you're flying the same few routes many times a year, and the aircraft type suits all of them, a card may be worth pricing up. Ask for the written terms and compare them with a charter quote for one of your usual trips.
• If you're not sure, charter a couple of trips first. Two or three real flights tell you more than a spreadsheet.

Questions worth asking any provider

Whoever you talk to, ask these:

1. Who operates the aircraft, and can I see their operating certificate?
2. What exactly is in the hourly rate, and what is charged on top?
3. What happens to money I haven't used?
4. How much notice do I need, and are there dates when the card can't be used?
5. If my aircraft type isn't available, what do I get instead?

The first question matters whichever way you buy. We cover it in who operates your charter flight.

Sources

All pages read on 3 October 2026.

• Flexjet, "Jet Card" program page: https://flexjet.com/en-us/programs/jet-card
• U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, "Thinking of Chartering an Aircraft?" (last updated 8 January 2026): https://www.faa.gov/about/initiatives/safecharteroperations/thinking-chartering-aircraft