Empty Leg vs. Jet Card Cost Comparator

Weigh jet card pricing against opportunistic empty-leg charters with a single comparison. Enter the occupied hours you expect to fly, the average hourly rates you see for empty legs versus your preferred jet card, and per-trip ancillary fees. Optionally add the typical occupied hours per trip and any membership deposit or initiation fee. The tool rolls up all-in annual spend, effective hourly rates, breakeven hours where the jet card overtakes empty legs, and a repositioning buffer that covers last-minute swaps so you can budget charters or card renewals with confidence.

Total occupied hours you expect to log in a year across all trips.
Blended rate for repositioned segments you typically book, including broker fees.
Quoted hourly price for the aircraft category and service level under consideration.
Per-trip surcharges for de-icing, catering, FBO fees, or short repositioning legs you usually absorb.
Default 1.6. Override if your itineraries skew longer or shorter to refine trip counts and annual ancillary exposure.
Default $0. Add initiation fees, annual dues, or amortized deposits tied to the card program.

Results focus on direct charter and jet card costs. Factor in guaranteed availability, aircraft quality guarantees, loyalty credits, or corporate travel policy requirements separately before making a purchase decision.

Examples

  • 35 annual hours, $3,200 empty legs, $5,500 jet card hours, $450 in trip fees, 1.6-hour legs, and an $18,000 membership ⇒ $121,843.75 on empty legs vs. $220,343.75 on the jet card, $3,481.25 vs. $6,295.54 per hour, no breakeven, and a $1,968.75 repositioning buffer.
  • 60 annual hours, $4,600 empty legs, $3,950 jet card hours, $390 per trip, 1.6-hour legs, and an $18,000 membership ⇒ $290,625.00 on empty legs vs. $269,625.00 on the jet card, $4,843.75 vs. $4,493.75 per hour, breakeven near 27.7 hours, and a $2,925.00 buffer.

FAQ

How do I model fuel surcharges?

Fold predictable surcharges into the hourly rates; for variable fees, add them to the ancillary per trip amount.

Can I compare multiple jet cards?

Run the calculation separately for each card using its hourly rate and membership terms, then compare effective hourly costs.

What about peak-day restrictions?

Add expected repositioning or upgrade surcharges for peak days into the ancillary fee input to reflect the true annual spend.

Does the buffer cover cancellation penalties?

The buffer is designed for last-minute repositioning or swap fees. Add cancellation penalties directly to ancillary fees if they occur frequently.

How should I treat empty-leg availability risk?

If you routinely miss trips because suitable empty legs never surface, run a blended scenario with some hours priced at on-demand charter rates to reflect the cost of backup lift.

Additional Information

  • Ancillary totals apply to both options to keep repositioning, catering, and FBO assumptions consistent.
  • Membership fees are amortised once per year; add opportunity cost if a sizable deposit sits in escrow or earns no interest.
  • Breakeven hours only appear when the jet card hourly rate (after fees) undercuts empty-leg pricing; otherwise the card is purely convenience-driven.
  • Repositioning buffer sets aside 20% of annual ancillary fees for aircraft swaps, peak-day surcharges, or cancellation penalties.
  • Effective hourly rates divide each option's all-in spend by occupied hours so you can compare across aircraft categories or service tiers.
  • If you fly both domestic and international routes, run separate scenarios to capture different hourly rates and regulatory fees.

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