Why Use This Tool
Most jet card programs operate on a structure involving:
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An upfront membership or deposit amount
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Hourly flight rates
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Additional fees depending on aircraft type, peak days, minimums, and operational costs
Average Hourly Benchmarks
Light Jets
$7,500-$9,200
Midsize Jets
$9,800-$13,500
Heavy Jets
$14,000-$22,000+
Light Jets
$7,500-$9,200
Midsize Jets
$9,800-$13,500
Heavy Jets
$14,000-$22,000+
Important Note:
Advertised hourly rates do not always reflect the final cost of a flight.
Four factors that separate similar-looking programs and determine your real cost and experience.
Prepaid hours
Deposit-based programs
Pay-as-you-fly structures
Hourly Rates
Fixed rates
Variable rates
Category-based pricing
Specific aircraft pricing
Billable Flight Time
Taxi time
Minimum flight times
Daily minimums
Peak Pricing
Holiday surcharges
Peak day premiums
High-demand restrictions
These fees are rarely emphasized in sales materials but regularly appear on invoices.
Taxi Time
High Impact
Taxi time is the time your aircraft spends on the ground before take-off and after landing. Most providers bill taxi time at the same rate as airborne flight time. For a typical flight, taxi time adds 15–30 minutes of billable time.
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Can add $1,500–$5,000+ per round trip depending on aircraft category
Fuel Surcharges
Medium Impact
Taxi time is the time your aircraft spends on the ground before take-off and after landing. Most providers bill taxi time at the same rate as airborne flight time. For a typical flight, taxi time adds 15–30 minutes of billable time.
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Can add $1,500–$5,000+ per round trip depending on aircraft category
Peak Day Surcharges
High Impact
Taxi time is the time your aircraft spends on the ground before take-off and after landing. Most providers bill taxi time at the same rate as airborne flight time. For a typical flight, taxi time adds 15–30 minutes of billable time.
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Can add $1,500–$5,000+ per round trip depending on aircraft category
Deicing Fees
Medium Impact
Taxi time is the time your aircraft spends on the ground before take-off and after landing. Most providers bill taxi time at the same rate as airborne flight time. For a typical flight, taxi time adds 15–30 minutes of billable time.
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Can add $1,500–$5,000+ per round trip depending on aircraft category
International Fees
High Impact
Taxi time is the time your aircraft spends on the ground before take-off and after landing. Most providers bill taxi time at the same rate as airborne flight time. For a typical flight, taxi time adds 15–30 minutes of billable time.
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Can add $1,500–$5,000+ per round trip depending on aircraft category
Catering Charges
Variable
Taxi time is the time your aircraft spends on the ground before take-off and after landing. Most providers bill taxi time at the same rate as airborne flight time. For a typical flight, taxi time adds 15–30 minutes of billable time.
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Can add $1,500–$5,000+ per round trip depending on aircraft category
Wi-Fi Fees
Low Impact
Taxi time is the time your aircraft spends on the ground before take-off and after landing. Most providers bill taxi time at the same rate as airborne flight time. For a typical flight, taxi time adds 15–30 minutes of billable time.
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Can add $1,500–$5,000+ per round trip depending on aircraft category
Airport Handling Fees
Medium Impact
Taxi time is the time your aircraft spends on the ground before take-off and after landing. Most providers bill taxi time at the same rate as airborne flight time. For a typical flight, taxi time adds 15–30 minutes of billable time.
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Can add $1,500–$5,000+ per round trip depending on aircraft category
Fee Impact Summary
Taxi Time
High
Peak Day Surcharges
High
International Fees
High
Fuel Surcharges
Med
Deicing
Med
Catering / Wi-Fi
Low
Total fee impact:
Hidden fees can add
25–45%
above advertised base rates. Always request a fully itemized all-in quote.
Full clause-by-clause analysis, red flag annotations, and negotiation leverage points MySkyGuru members only
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Understanding which model you're buying and its trade offs is critical before committing.
Model A
Fixed Pricing
Pros
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Full pricing predictability — rate locked at purchase
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Easier budget planning for annual travel spend
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Protection against fuel price spikes and market fluctuations
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Simpler invoice reconciliation — fewer surprises
Cons
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Often priced at a premium to cover provider risk
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Peak day surcharges may still apply on designated dates
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Rate adjusts upward at renewal — not truly "fixed" long-term
Best for:
Frequent business travelers who fly predictable routes and volume, and prioritize cost certainty over price optimization.
Model B
Variable Pricing
Pros
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Potentially lower pricing when market rates are favorable
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More flexibility in program structure and commitment size
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Cons
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Price unpredictability makes annual budgeting difficult
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Exposed to fuel cost spikes and market demand surges
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Complex billing can obscure true cost per flight
Best for:
Occasional or flexible travelers who can time flights strategically and are willing to accept some pricing variability for lower rates.
Fixed vs Variable Pricing Explained →
Illustrative examples showing estimated all-in costs on common routes before and after typical fees.
Route
Aircraft Class
Flight Time
Base Rate
Est. All-In Cost
Notes
New York → Miami
Light
Phenom 300
~2.5 hrs
~$16,250
~$19,500–$22,000
Incl. taxi + FBO fees
Los Angeles → Las Vegas
Light
Citation CJ3
~1.0 hr min
~$6,500
~$8,500–$10,000
1hr min applies; short leg
Chicago → Aspen
Midsize
Citation Latitude
~2.8 hrs
~$25,200
~$31,000–$36,000
Mountain airport fees apply
New York → London
ULR
Global 7500
~7.5 hrs
~$135,000
~$158,000–$175,000
Int'l + overflight fees
Miami → Teterboro (Peak Day)
Heavy
Falcon 2000
~2.3 hrs
~$29,900
~$38,500–$44,000
+30% peak day surcharge
Dallas → Denver
Midsize
Hawker 800XP
~2.0 hrs
~$17,600
~$21,500–$24,500
Standard domestic route
These operational billing rules are among the most misunderstood aspects of jet card pricing.
Most programs charge a minimum of 1.0 flight hour per segment regardless of actual airborne time. Short flights under 45 minutes are almost always billed at 1 hour.
Example: A 35-min New York–Boston flight is billed as 1.0 full hour
Some programs apply a daily minimum of 2.0 hours for multi-leg days. If you fly two short legs, you may be billed the daily minimum rather than the sum of actual segment times.
Example: Two 45-min legs could be billed as 2.0 hrs total minimum
Ground time from engine start to take-off, and from landing to engine shutdown, is billed at the same hourly rate as airborne time. Budget approximately 15–25 minutes per operation.
Example: A 2-hr flight with 30 min taxi = 2.5 hrs billed
When your aircraft must fly empty to pick you up, some providers bill repositioning (deadhead) time. Most jet card programs absorb this cost — but it's worth confirming in your contract.
Confirm: Is repositioning absorbed or passed through?
Some programs round up to the nearest 0.1-hour increment. Others round to the nearest 0.25-hour or 0.5-hour. The billing granularity affects total cost, especially on frequent short trips.
0.1 hr billing is most favorable for buyers on short routes
Taxi Out (~15 min)
Airborne Flight Time (2.0 hrs)
Taxi In (~12 min)
Taxi time — billed at hourly rate
Airborne time — primary flight cost
Total Billed: ~2.45 hrs vs 2.0 hrs airborne
Most providers designate 20–35 peak days per year. Flying on these dates costs significantly more — and may require earlier booking.
Typical Peak Day Calendar (Illustrative)
November
1
2
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4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
December
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
Peak Day (+15–35%)
High-Demand (book early)
Standard Day
Full clause-by-clause analysis, red flag annotations, and negotiation leverage points MySkyGuru members only
Each jet card program designates its own peak days. Always request the current peak day calendar before purchase — it should be provided as part of your contract documentation.
Holiday periods and high-demand windows often require 24–72 hours advance notice instead of the standard 4–8 hours. Check your provider's specific holiday advance booking policy.
During peak periods, providers may substitute a different aircraft within your guaranteed category. Confirm the substitution policy — specifically whether cabin category or exact model is guaranteed.
Some high-demand airports (Aspen, Nantucket, Teterboro during holidays) may have access restrictions or require longer advance booking windows even outside formal peak day designations.
A small number of programs (notably Flexjet) offer no peak day surcharges. These programs typically carry a higher base rate — evaluate whether the premium is worth eliminating surcharge risk for your travel patterns.
Don't compare hourly rates in isolation. Evaluate these six factors to understand
true program value.
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Calculate all-in cost including taxi, fees, and peak day surcharges — not just the advertised rate.
How cancellation terms, hour expiration, and renewal conditions affect your actual flexibility.
Guaranteed aircraft access vs. best-effort availability — the difference is significant for time-sensitive travelers.
Whether you get a guaranteed category or a specific model — and substitution rights if your aircraft is unavailable.
What happens to unused hours? Are funds refundable, transferable, or forfeited at contract expiration?
Peak day calendars, advance booking windows, short-leg minimums, and airport access limitations.
Compare Jet Card Programs →
Program Comparison Snapshot
How the top programs compare on core value factors (illustrative).
Price Competitiveness
000
Availability Reliability
6.5
Fee Transparency
7.5
Contract Flexibility
24
Fleet Quality
30
Price Competitiveness
000
Availability Reliability
9.8
Fee Transparency
7.2
Contract Flexibility
7
Fleet Quality
9.9
💡 Buyer Insight
Programs with the highest base rates often have the lowest hidden fee impact — and vice versa. Total cost of ownership, not hourly rate, determines real value.
A balanced look at who benefits most from jet cards and who might be better served by other options.
Very Low Annual Usage (Under 15 hrs)
On-demand charter eliminates minimum commitments and may cost less without the expiration risk of unused hours.
Highly Flexible or Spontaneous Travelers
Charter or broker programs offer more route flexibility without expiration pressure or minimum hour commitments.
Lowest-Cost-Focused Travelers
Charter marketplaces and empty leg programs can deliver lower per-flight cost for price-sensitive buyers willing to accept uncertainty.
Specific Aircraft Requirements
Buyers needing a specific tail number or model should evaluate fractional ownership, which delivers dedicated aircraft access.
Ideal Jet Card Users
These profiles typically get strong value from jet card programs
Frequent Regional Travelers (25–100 hrs/yr)
Volume justifies the card's pricing structure and availability guarantees deliver real operational value.
Predictable Budget Users
Fixed-rate cards eliminate per-trip pricing uncertainty — ideal for travelers who need consistent cost forecasting.
Guaranteed Availability Seekers
Travelers who can't risk unavailability — executives, families with set holiday plans, or medical travel needs.
Families & Business Groups
Per-seat cost efficiency improves significantly with full aircraft utilization on family or team travel.
Go deeper into specific areas of private aviation decision masking.
Rarely. Advertised hourly rates almost never include all costs. Taxi time, peak day surcharges, international handling fees, deicing, and catering are typically billed separately. Always request an all-in, fully-itemized quote for your specific routes and travel dates before signing.
A jet card is a prepaid aviation product that gives you access to private aircraft at locked-in hourly rates. You purchase a set number of flight hours (typically25+) which can be used on-demand with a provider's fleet. Unlike charter, jet cards offer fixed pricing and streamlined booking without per-trip negotiation.
A jet card is a prepaid aviation product that gives you access to private aircraft at locked-in hourly rates. You purchase a set number of flight hours (typically25+) which can be used on-demand with a provider's fleet. Unlike charter, jet cards offer fixed pricing and streamlined booking without per-trip negotiation.
A jet card is a prepaid aviation product that gives you access to private aircraft at locked-in hourly rates. You purchase a set number of flight hours (typically25+) which can be used on-demand with a provider's fleet. Unlike charter, jet cards offer fixed pricing and streamlined booking without per-trip negotiation.
Put your pricing knowledge to work — evaluate all 24 programs side-by-side across cost, availability, and contract terms.
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