Jet Card Programs--Who's Still Standing?

It's been a rough year for the jet card programs. A lot of companies have ceased operations and many customers have lost deposits they put down.

Here's the current landscape: The major fractionals are still operating card programs: Net Jets, Flexjet, Flight Options and Citation Shares.I don't have any information that tells me any of these companies are not going to make it through the recession. Then you have the next tier which is companies that are the middle man between you and a charter company. The largest of these include Sentient and Delta Air Elite.

For a buyer, it's decision between accessing a fractional fleet and having a company determine which charter operators are safe and reputable. Typically, those companies that use charter aircraft will be cheaper than the companies that access a fractional fleet. They will also give you more choices and not lock you in to one type of aircraft.

If you're currently looking at jet card programs, ask about financials and safety. Don't assume everybody is the same. They're not.