Private Jet
Membership

A jet card is a pre-paid, debit-style account for accessing business aircraft, allowing card members to book and pay for charter flights using their funds on deposit. Jet card programs typically provide guaranteed access — unlike one-off charter flights — so card members can be assured they have access to an aircraft when required. Jet cards often provide more consistency and a higher level of service than ad hoc private jet charter, as well. Also, unlike charter, most jet cards do not charge repositioning fees — program members are charged only for the time they’re onboard. 

Jet cards were introduced in the late 1990s by fractional aircraft ownership companies as a way to promote sales of fractional shares, and attract customers who required less flight time than the minimum 50 hours per year share owners received. As interest in the programs grew, some aircraft management companies and charter brokers that had long offered block charter arrangements (discounted hourly rates for bulk purchases) developed jet card programs of their own, while a few dedicated jet card providers also came to market with cards of their own. 

The first jet cards were denominated by hours of access – most commonly a 25-hour card — providing a set number of flight hours aboard a specific category or model of aircraft at a preset rate. These hour-denominated cards were soon complemented by cash-denominated cards — a $150,000 jet card, for example — that operate on the same principal, with charter flights debited against funds on deposit. 

The Paramount Jet Card Membership is a cash-denominated account card that provides guaranteed access to a curated list of high-quality business aircraft from top fleet operators and the service of our dedicated team of aviation advisors, at costs little above wholesale charter rates. 

Members can choose the best aircraft for each trip; We provide them with wholesale charter quotes directly from our vetted operators. PBJ adds only a small mark-up as our service fee, an amount significantly below standard brokerage mark-ups. Members also receive complimentary concierge credits that can be used for ground transportation and catering.

The Paramount Jet Card never expires and the money on deposit — held in a separate jet card, secure account — is refundable without penalty at any time. 

The Paramount Jet Card provides members with maximum travel flexibility and service quality at a minimum cost, for almost any charter customer’s travel profile. Our program’s three tiers (Emerald, Gold, and Platinum private jet cards) allow members to tailor deposit levels to their individual charter consumption, while also providing discounts and credits pegged to each card’s cost. We also offer the most transparent pricing in the industry: we provide the best wholesale charter quotes from the top, vetted operators directly to members, so they can see the actual costs, along with PBJ’s small service charge.

You might wonder how operators feel about having their wholesale prices displayed to buyers who typically only get to see retail rates. Fleet operators like it. They feel it gives them an advantage in presenting the price directly to the charter customer, without concern for how much a broker will mark it up, affecting their chance of a sale. 

Private jet card program plans and details vary widely. This means customers have lots of options in matching their travel profile to a card program’s benefits, but it also requires careful consideration of the rules, limitations, and other program fine points to find the best choice for their needs.

Cost And Value

The hourly rates charged for aircraft (and fees that may be added), the quality of the aircraft, and the services the jet card program delivers can vary substantially. Avoid the temptation to shop by price alone, and compare program rates along with the quality of the card fleet (for example, average age of aircraft, operators’ safety audit ratings) and the program’s services. 

Call Out Times And Cancellation Policies

The time in advance required to arrange a flight — or call-out time — varies among private jet card programs from a few hours to two days or more. The time in advance required to cancel a flight without penalty also varies, as do the penalties, and the advance cancellation times and penalties can be substantial. It’s important to understand how these policies align with your travel profile and expectations. 

Fees And Expiration Dates 

Programs may impose a variety of fees and other costs beyond hourly rates. These can include initiation and annual membership or monthly subscription fees; out of service area fees; and mandatory Federal Excise Tax if not included in trip quotes. Category-specific jet card programs often have restrictions or interchange fees on changing to a different aircraft category for a given flight. Many jet cards have expiration dates after which any unused flight time or funds on deposit may be forfeited. 

Paramount Business Jets sources aircraft from a curated list of some 4,000 high-quality aircraft, from trusted and vetted fleet operators adhering to the highest safety standards. With our jet card’s global coverage — from the U.S., Canada, the Caribbean, and Mexico, to Europe, South America, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia — card members have guaranteed access to a full range of high-quality business aircraft, from turboprops to ultra-long range jets worldwide.

Paramount Jet Card hourly rates are not fixed. Instead, rates are set for each trip based on the best prices available on the market at the time of booking and will vary by the aircraft type and size, trip routing, market demand at the time of the trip, and other factors. A low, transparent trip management fee is added. Our quotes are all-inclusive; you will never see a surprise addition to the final invoice.

The Paramount Jet Card’s dynamic pricing, in place of fixed hourly rates, is its primary allure. Members can take advantage of empty leg and other discount access opportunities unavailable with fixed rate jet cards, as well as savings during low-demand periods. We believe this model offers the best combination of cost savings and flexibility. Your Paramount representative can advise you on optimum rate options based on your travel needs and schedule.

If you have an upcoming trip, please feel free to contact a dedicated Paramount charter specialist, who can explain what the market and Paramount have to offer, at +1-877-727-2538 Ext. 1. 

Paramount Business Jets is dedicated to finding the right aircraft for each trip, using our skills, relationships, and determination to find the best value for our clients, not what is most profitable for us. When our card program members request a flight, we provide the operators’ wholesale trip quotes, a level of transparency unequaled in the charter community. 

In fact, all brokers are obligated to act as agents for their clients under the Department of Transportation’s “New Rule 295,” adopted in 2019 to end unfair and deceptive practices among air charter brokers. But Paramount Business Jets has wholeheartedly embraced the role of acting completely on our clients’ behalf since we opened for business in 2005. The testimonials posted on this and third-party websites are all from real customers.

Our company motto, “Safety is Paramount”, is more than a slogan — Safety is our core principal. Our in-house safety department conducts a comprehensive review and provides members with a safety report on their aircraft and crew prior to every flight. We couple our in-house safety screening procedures with third-party audit service reports from ARG/US and/or Wyvern — independent commercial auditors — providing an additional layer of checks and standards verification. We offer the added assurance of having long-term relationships with trusted operators of vetted, high-quality fleets, many of whom adhere to additional safety certifications, such as IS-BAO (International Standards for Business Aviation Operations), together providing a firm foundation of safety for the Paramount Jet Card Membership.

The United States, Canada, and the Caribbean.

South America, Mexico, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia.