PrivateJetSky / Guides / The jet card fine print audit.

The jet card fine print audit.

A jet card is an unsecured loan to an aviation company that you pay back to yourself in flight hours. That framing sounds harsh until you read a contract. The North American average card rate was $11,314 per hour in Q2 2026, a real premium over spot charter, and what you buy for that premium is defined entirely by paragraphs most buyers skim. Here is the audit, in the order the money moves.

Before you compare a single rate

1. Is the quoted rate all-in? Some cards include FET, fuel, and de-icing; others itemize them later. Two cards quoting $9,500 and $10,400 can invert once you normalize. Demand a worked example invoice for a named route.
2. How many peak days, and where do they fall? Cards carry 10 to 70-plus peak days with surcharges of 10 to 40%, longer call-outs, and sometimes suspended guarantees. Overlay the peak calendar on your travel pattern. A card that peaks every school holiday is a different product for a family than for a solo operator.
3. What is the call-out window, and the penalty for their failure? Guaranteed availability inside 24 to 96 hours is the product. Ask what happens, contractually, when they fail to cover: a supplemental charter at their expense, or an apology?
4. Can the rate change during your deposit’s life? Fuel-index floats and annual CPI resets are common. A locked rate with a fuel escalator is not locked.

The money mechanics

5. Do funds expire, and can you get them back? Expirations of 12 to 24 months and dormancy fees are standard; refund terms range from full-anytime to never. Get the refund clause in writing before, not after.
6. Is your deposit escrowed or commingled? When a provider fails, and providers have failed, commingled deposits become unsecured claims. Escrow costs the provider float income, which is exactly why so few offer it and exactly why you should ask.
7. What does an hour actually debit? Taxi time, minimum leg lengths, and daily minimums can debit 2.0 hours for a 1.4-hour flight. The effective rate matters, not the sticker.
8. Interchange rules: flying a bigger or smaller cabin than your card class triggers multipliers (1.25×, 1.5×, and up). If you routinely mix missions, model the multiplier, not the base rate.

The operator behind the card

9. Who operates the aircraft? Some card sellers run their own fleet; most broker your trip onward. Both models work, but the second means your guarantee is only as good as their vendor network on a peak Friday.
10. What safety floor is contractual? ARGUS Gold or Platinum, or Wyvern Wingman, as a written minimum rather than a marketing slide.
11. Aircraft age and WiFi: a light jet can mean a 2023 Phenom or a 1998 Learjet. If cabin standard matters, put a floor in writing.
12. Exit reputation: search the provider’s name plus refund before wiring. How a company treats departing customers is the only honest preview of how it will treat you.

The decision, simplified

Under about 25 hours a year, spot charter almost always wins on money; a card buys convenience, not savings. From 25 to 100 hours with a rigid schedule, a good card is rational insurance. Run your profile through the Mission Matcher and print the memo before any sales call. It changes the conversation.