Liftbrief / Direct questions
18. Is a jet card cheaper than on-demand charter for 25 hours a year?
Not necessarily: compare the actual missions and contractual access, not the annual-hour label. A published card price also needs its exclusions: Sentient’s SJ25 page lists a USD 183,100 base price for 25 light-jet hours and states that fuel surcharge and federal excise tax apply. It also advertises a 12-month rate lock and hours that do not expire. (sentient.com)
Build a mission replay using your last year of travel:
| Test | On-demand charter | Proposed card |
|---|---|---|
| Same routes and passenger loads | Obtain comparable trip prices | Apply contractual category rules |
| Short flights | Record actual billed basis | Apply minimums and taxi rules |
| Peak dates | Obtain dated evidence | Apply peak calendar and restrictions |
| Longer or larger-cabin trips | Price suitable aircraft | Apply interchange or outside-programme treatment |
| Changes and cancellations | Use offered terms | Use card terms |
| Funding and exit | Record payment schedule | Record deposit, refund and unused-hour rules |
Keep service value separate from flight-price comparison. A buyer may rationally pay more for defined access or simpler administration—but should document that choice.
No universal 25-hour recommendation is defensible from public headline prices alone. Obtain the agreement and test it against the flights you actually expect to take.