Several companies offer jet charter cards. These companies may either have their own aircraft fleets or may charter aircraft on the open market to meet the flying needs of their members. Jet charter cards provide most of the benefits of fractional jet cards to members, but at lower entry costs. Members experience the benefits of flying privately at some of the most competitive rates in the industry.

Jet charter cards are provided to members upon payment of a deposit. The deposit amount varies according to the level of membership. When a member requests an aircraft the service provider then supplies the required plane from their own fleet or charters one on the open charter market. Members pay agreed flat hourly rates for flight time which are deducted from their deposit. These locked in hourly rates vary according to aircraft size and potentially whether a trip is one way or round trip. The deposits are also fully refundable.

With a large number of operators providing charter cards here are some of the most popular ones. Blue Star Jets SkyCard comes in various levels: Blue, Silver, Gold, Platinum and Black. Deposit amounts for these cards range from $50,000 to $1,000,000 and are tailored to meet individual and business needs. Sentient Jet Membership offers two types of cards TravelCard and Preferred Plus Card. Deposits can vary from $100,000 to $250,000. Delta AirElite, Velocity JetCard and SkyJet JetCard are three other leading providers. Higher deposits provide additional benefits such as lower fixed hourly rates and lower minimum flight hours per day.

One of the primary advantages of the charter card is the cost factor. Compared to fractional prepaid cards and fractional aircraft ownership, charters are more cost effective, especially for people who require less than 50 hours of flight time per year. Other benefits include not having to compete with fractional owners for the use of the fractional fleet. As a result, most charter card providers offer 365 day guaranteed availability, typically on 12 hours notice. It's usually very easy to upgrade or downgrade and book different sized aircraft and many charter card providers offer a full service concierge to arrange all your travel needs. If you charter aircraft several times a year, a charter card can save you the hassle of finding a plane and negotiating rates each time you want to fly. Charter cards also offer all the standard advantages of flying privately.

Disadvantages include the average age of charter aircraft, which are usually older than those in fractional fleets. Another is the variable service standards and security features prevalent in the charter fleet. These disadvantages arise from some charter card providers bargaining for low charter rates from charter plane companies.

Charter companies and the US charter fleet adhere to Part 135 of FAA regulations. Planes are operated under industry specific security and safety standards. There is an average of two pilots per plane, and extensive security checks for pilots and ground staff prior to hiring. Many of the top charter card companies have additional safety and security standards over and above the FAA's.

Jet charter cards primarily benefit people who do not fly a fixed number of hours every year. They provide a lot of flexibility and depending on the service provider offer several unique benefits which have contributed to their popularity. These include no long term contracts and no monthly management fees. They allow individuals or businesses to maximize their productivity and improve their image, without tying up large capital amounts in executive aircraft.

If you're considering a charter card, you should also look through fractional cards and aircraft charter. And once you're ready to move forward, here's a list of questions to ask your jet card provider before handing over your deposit.

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