Glossary
Contract terms
10 terms
What the paperwork says: cards, memberships, minimums, surcharges and the clauses that decide what an hour actually costs.
Callout Window
A callout window is the amount of advance notice a jet card or membership contract requires between a client's request for a flight and its scheduled departure, within which the provider commits to supply an aircraft. Shorter windows command higher card prices; requests inside the window may incur a surcharge or be declined.
DefinitionDaily Minimum Flight Time
Daily minimum flight time is the minimum number of flight hours a charter contract bills for a single day, regardless of how few hours the aircraft actually flies. If a trip's actual flight time falls below this threshold, the client still pays for the minimum, so short trips can cost more per flown hour than longer ones.
DefinitionFloating Fleet
A floating fleet is a pool of aircraft from several operators that a jet card or membership programme draws upon to fulfil bookings, rather than assigning a client to one dedicated operator's aircraft. Because the aircraft varies flight to flight, cabin type, safety rating and terms can differ between trips, affecting price and consistency.
DefinitionFractional Ownership
Fractional ownership is a private aviation ownership model in which a buyer purchases a percentage share of a specific aircraft, typically one-sixteenth to one-half, entitling them to a proportional number of flight hours each year. A management company operates the aircraft; the buyer pays a purchase price, a monthly management fee and an hourly flight rate.
DefinitionFuel Surcharge
A fuel surcharge is an additional charge that a charter operator or jet card provider adds to the quoted price to cover rises in jet fuel costs, usually triggered when fuel prices move above a contract-set threshold. It is a contract term set by the operator, not a regulation, and increases the total price paid.
DefinitionGuaranteed Availability
Guaranteed availability is a jet card or membership contract clause promising an aircraft will be supplied within a stated callout window, even during high-demand periods, subject to conditions such as blackout dates or aircraft substitution. It is not a regulatory requirement; the promise, and any remedy if it is broken, is set entirely by the contract.
DefinitionJet Card
A jet card is a prepaid charter product in which a buyer deposits a fixed sum for a set number of flight hours on a defined category of aircraft, at an hourly rate fixed when the card is purchased. Unused hours typically expire at the end of the card's term.
DefinitionJet Card Expiry
Jet Card Expiry is the term length set in a jet card contract after which unused flight hours are forfeited, commonly one to two years from purchase. The clause determines whether a client loses unspent value at contract end, unless the agreement allows an extension, rollover or refund, which varies by provider.
DefinitionMembership vs Jet Card vs Charter
Membership, jet card and charter are three ways to buy private flight time. Charter is booking a single trip on demand; a jet card is prepaid hours at a fixed hourly rate for a set term; a membership is a subscription fee granting access to discounted rates, guaranteed availability or a floating fleet, billed separately per flight.
DefinitionPeak Day Surcharge
A peak day surcharge is an additional per-hour or per-flight fee that jet card, membership and some charter contracts add on high-demand travel dates, such as major holidays. It is added on top of the standard hourly rate, so a flight booked on a peak day costs more than the same flight on an ordinary day.
Definition