Can a Fractional Jet Card Work For You?

[Jodi Lake]

You've no doubt seen the advertisements for fractional jet card
programs which offer limited flight time, generally 25 hours, on
aircraft that are part of the providers' fractional fleet at a set
hourly rate.
How do you know if these programs are right for you? Start by looking
at your travel profile and preferences and answering a few important
questions:
? How often do you fly? ? Where and when do you fly? ? How far in
advance do you plan your trips? ? How many passengers and how much
luggage do you take? ? Do you prefer to fly on a fleet that is managed
by a single operator? ? Do you have specific aircraft preferences? ?
What is the best use of your capital?
A fractional jet card program may be right for you if:
? You fly around 25 hours per year. ? You fly privately on trips with
stays that last more than a couple of days, because unlike the
alternative of traditional charter, you won't have to pay positioning
charges to fly the aircraft back to its home base and then back again
to pick you up for your return trip. ? You schedule trips on short
notice so that the guaranteed availability offered by jet card
programs is of value to you. ? You fly to destinations that are within
the service areas of the jet card programs. ? You fly on days that are
not "blacked out" by the programs. ? The aircraft available within
your budget satisfy your passenger and luggage requirements. ? You are
uncomfortable flying through block charter programs that operate
through a network of independent charter operators and thus do not
offer uniformity in fleet management, pilot experience, aircraft type,
age, etc. ? You do not want to make the long term commitment that is
required with a full fractional investment. ? You are willing to pay a
bit more to fly than you'd be charged as a fractional share owner
because that extra cost is more then offset by the return you can
realize on the capital you'd otherwise invest in purchasing a
fractional share.
If you decide that a fractional jet card is right for you, do your due
diligence and look at all your options. Make certain that you like the
aircraft that you'll be flying in. Understand when you can fly and
when you can't, what additional charges you'll be responsible for
(fuel surcharges can increase your cost substantially), how your
flight time will be calculated (most programs use a one hour minimum
so if you fly a lot of thirty minute flights you could lose half your
flight time), and whether your card has an expiration date (such that
you'll lose any flight time you don't use before that date.)
Finally, and most importantly, review the contracts carefully. Even
though the fancy brochures make this look as simple as using your
credit card, it's a substantial investment, the contracts can be
lengthy, and we've found that there is room to negotiate.

Secrets of Cheap Airfare From a Fired Airline Travel Agent:
http://groups.google.com/group/cheapsairfare/