Why We Don’t Offer Jet Cards – And What We Offer Instead
In private aviation, the simplest ideas often sound the most appealing: fly when you want, know exactly what it will cost, and have guaranteed access to an aircraft at short notice. That’s the promise of the private jet card – a prepaid programme that seems to offer convenience, certainty and peace of mind.
It’s easy to see why jet cards have become so popular, especially among travellers who fly several times a year. On paper, it looks like the best of both worlds: you pay upfront, secure a fixed hourly rate, and avoid the hassle of arranging each flight individually. For some people, that model works perfectly.
At Admiral Jet, though, we’ve chosen not to offer a private jet card. It wasn’t a quick or casual decision; it’s something we considered carefully when shaping our service. We’d like to share why – and, more importantly, what we do instead to give clients the flexibility and confidence they really value.
The appeal of jet cards
The idea behind a private jet card is straightforward. You prepay for a set number of flight hours (often 25, 50, or 100) on a certain category of aircraft. In exchange, you’re promised:
- Fixed hourly rates, so there are no surprises.
- Guaranteed availability, even at busy times.
- Streamlined booking, since your flights are prepaid.
It sounds reassuring: no negotiations, no lastminute scrambling, and an apparently clear cost structure.
The reality behind the promise
The reality, though, can be more complicated. Many private jet card programmes come with detailed terms and conditions that clients only see once they’re deep into the process.
For instance, there may be:
- Peak day surcharges, where your fixed rate suddenly increases during holidays and highdemand periods.
- Booking restrictions, such as needing to confirm flights days or even weeks in advance – limiting the flexibility you expect from private travel.
- Aircraft substitution clauses, allowing the operator to swap your chosen jet for a smaller or older model.
- Nonrefundable credits, which can expire if you don’t fly as much as you thought.
- Additional fees, like fuel surcharges, deicing, or repositioning costs, added on top of your prepaid hours.
In practice, this means your fixed hourly rate may not be quite as fixed as it first appears. And because private jet cards are designed around volume, the programme often serves the provider’s business model better than your personal needs.
What clients really value
When we asked our clients what mattered most to them, the answer was rarely about locking in bulk hours. Instead, it was about:
- Choosing the right aircraft for each journey, rather than the same type every time.
- Flexibility to change plans at short notice.
- Clarity about what they’re paying for and why.
- Personal service – someone to talk to who understands their travel style and can advise, rather than sell.
In other words, they valued choice, honesty, and individual attention over a standardised programme.
Why we chose a different path
At Admiral Jet, we work as a broker, not as an operator with its own fleet. That independence matters. It means we’re not tied to keeping certain aircraft busy or selling hours upfront. Our only commitment is to find the best aircraft and the best deal for your specific flight, every single time.
Every charter we arrange is:
- Tailored: sourced individually based on your route, timing, preferences and conditions on the day.
- Transparent: with a clear breakdown of costs and no hidden extras.
- Flexible: so you’re not limited to one aircraft type or locked into a prepaid contract.
We believe this approach offers the real advantages people look for in private aviation: simplicity, honesty and freedom to choose.
A quick word about loyalty
Jet cards can create loyalty through contracts: you’ve paid upfront, so naturally you’ll keep flying within the same programme until the hours run out. At Admiral Jet, we prefer to earn loyalty the traditional way: by doing what’s right for you every time, flight after flight.
If one day you need a light jet for a quick business meeting in Europe, and the next you need a long-range aircraft for a family holiday, you have that choice – without being limited by a prepaid package.
In summary
A private jet card can sound like the simplest solution. But real simplicity isn’t found in a glossy package – it’s found in honest advice, clear pricing, and a service shaped around what you really need.
At Admiral Jet, we don’t offer jet cards because we believe our clients deserve something more personal and flexible. Every journey is different – and so is every solution we arrange.
If you’re ever curious about how private jet travel really works, or you’d like an open conversation about your travel plans, our team is here. No scripts, no sales pitch – just straight answers, and the freedom to choose what’s right for you.