Jet Card Comparison: Side-by-Side Programs for 2026

The Programs at a Glance

What Actually Matters

The table above gives you the basics. The differences that affect your experience and cost are deeper.

1. Operator vs. Broker

This is the most fundamental distinction.

Operator cards (NetJets, Flexjet, flyExclusive, Jet Linx, Nicholas Air) are sold by companies that own and operate the aircraft. You fly on their fleet, maintained to their standards, crewed by their pilots. The experience is more consistent.

Broker cards (Sentient, Magellan Jets) are sold by companies that source flights from third-party operators. The broker does not own aircraft. When you book, they find an available jet from their vetted operator network. The experience can vary because you fly different operators on different trips.

Neither model is inherently better. Operator cards offer consistency. Broker cards offer access to a wider range of aircraft and sometimes better availability because they draw from a larger pool.

2. Peak-Day Policies

Peak days are when everyone wants to fly: Thanksgiving week, Christmas to New Year, Super Bowl weekend, spring break, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day. How programs handle peak demand varies:

Surcharges. Some programs charge higher rates on peak days, sometimes 25-50% above the base rate. This is common on variable-rate cards and some fixed-rate programs.

Hour multipliers. Some programs count peak-day hours at a higher rate. A 3-hour flight on a peak day might deduct 4 or 5 hours from your card balance.

Blackout periods. Some programs simply do not guarantee availability on certain peak days, even for cardholders.

No change. A few programs (including some Sentient configurations) maintain the same fixed rate on peak days, with limited peak-day restrictions.

Ask for the specific peak calendar before buying any card. Count how many of your planned trips fall on peak days. If you fly heavily during holidays, peak policy is the single most important variable in your card comparison.

3. Daily Minimums

Most jet cards charge a daily minimum, typically 1-2 hours per flying day. If your flight is only 45 minutes, you may be billed for the minimum (1 or 2 hours). This affects short-hop fliers disproportionately.

Example: A 30-minute flight from Naples to Miami on a card with a 2-hour daily minimum costs you 2 hours of card time, not 0.5 hours. Over a year of short hops, this can consume your card balance much faster than expected.

4. Repositioning and Ferry Fees

When the aircraft has to fly empty to pick you up (a deadhead or ferry leg), who pays? Policies vary:

• Included in hourly rate. Some programs bake repositioning costs into the hourly rate. You pay more per hour but never see a separate ferry charge.
• Pass-through. Some programs charge you for the ferry leg, sometimes at the full hourly rate, sometimes at 50-100% of the hourly rate.
• Capped. Some programs cap the maximum repositioning charge (e.g., 2 hours maximum ferry time).

If you fly from airports where your card provider does not have a base, repositioning costs can be substantial.

5. Refund Policies

What happens to unused hours at the end of your card term?

• Fully refundable. Unused hours are refunded at the purchase rate (minus any admin fee). This is the most favorable policy.
• Pro-rata refund with fee. Unused hours are refunded but at a discounted rate or with a percentage haircut.
• Non-refundable. Unused hours are lost. Some programs offer extensions instead of refunds.
• Rollover. Some programs allow unused hours to roll into a new card term.

A non-refundable card with a 25-hour minimum is a $100K+ commitment you cannot recover. A fully refundable card is essentially a deposit that you draw down as you fly. The difference matters.

Program-by-Program Notes

NetJets

The largest operator in private aviation. NetJets' card program gives you access to a fleet of 800+ aircraft across multiple types. The brand carries weight, and availability is generally excellent because of fleet size. Pricing is at the premium end. NetJets also offers fractional ownership (they pioneered it) and lease programs.

Flexjet

Flexjet operates a younger fleet (average age is among the lowest in the industry) with a focus on cabin quality and crew service. Their LXi and Red Label programs offer tiered experiences. Flexjet is part of Directional Aviation, which also owns Sentient Jet.

Sentient Jet

A broker card operated by Flexjet's parent company. Sentient sources from a network of vetted operators. The appeal is fixed-rate simplicity with a 25-hour minimum. Sentient handles operator selection, and the rates are locked for the card term. See Sentient's profile on Bravo.

Magellan Jets

A Boston-based broker that sources from a curated operator network. Magellan positions itself as a high-touch, concierge-style card with personalized service. Their programs are customizable, and they emphasize client relationships over scale.

flyExclusive

A Kinston, North Carolina-based operator that has grown rapidly. flyExclusive operates a fleet of Citation and Challenger aircraft and offers jet cards alongside fractional and brokerage services. Their pricing tends to be competitive, and they have built a technology platform for booking and management.

Jet Linx

Jet Linx operates a nationwide network of private terminal (base) locations with dedicated aircraft and crew at each. The model emphasizes local relationships: you have a dedicated crew and aircraft at your home base. Cards are available alongside their base membership model.

XO (Vista Global)

XO is the marketplace platform from Vista Global (VistaJet's parent). It offers real-time pricing and booking through an app, with access to both VistaJet's fleet and a network of third-party operators. XO straddles the line between a jet card and an on-demand marketplace. The app-based model appeals to tech-forward fliers who want transparency and flexibility.

Nicholas Air

A smaller operator based in Oxford, Mississippi, with a loyal following in the Southeast and Midwest. Nicholas Air operates its own fleet of Pilatus PC-12s, Phenom 300s, and other light/midsize aircraft. Known for personal service and competitive pricing in the light and midsize segments.

How to Compare

1. 01Calculate your actual annual hours. List every trip you took or plan to take in the next 12 months. Add up the flight time. Add daily minimums if applicable.

1. 01Identify your aircraft class. Most of your trips will fall into one category: light, midsize, super-midsize, or heavy. Buy the card for the class you fly most.

1. 01Count your peak days. Compare the program's peak calendar against your travel dates. If 40% of your trips are peak days, peak policy matters more than base rate.

1. 01Check repositioning exposure. If you fly from secondary airports, ask about ferry charges.

1. 01Read the refund terms. Understand what happens to unused hours.

1. 01Request a sample contract. Read the actual terms, not the marketing brochure.

For a deeper dive into jet card structures, see How Jet Cards Work. For our detailed comparison including rate tables, see the jet card comparison guide.