NetJets has tightened access to some of its private aviation programs, raising a practical question among travelers who rely on jet cards for regular access to private aircraft:
What happens when the jet card program you planned to use is no longer available?
According to Forbes, NetJets has stopped selling its 25-hour jet cards and leases to new customers, while existing customers can continue renewing. The Berkshire Hathaway-owned private aviation company cited record retention, strong fractional demand and broader market demand as factors behind the decision.
The move is significant for a couple of reasons. NetJets has long held an exceptionally strong position among private flyers, so its decision to limit access to a popular entry-level product carries weight. Instead of continuing to take on new jet card customers amid strong demand, the company is prioritizing its existing customer base and other programs.
Other jet card providers now have an opportunity to reach travelers who might previously have considered NetJets their first choice. Many of those travelers will simply look for another jet card, but others may use the change as a reason to reconsider how they purchase private aviation altogether.
Strong Demand Is Putting Private Aviation Access in Focus
The timing matters because private aviation demand remains strong, and flight activity continues to sit well above pre-pandemic levels. Forbes, citing WingX data, reported that U.S. charter and fractional flight activity in 2025 was 45.2% above 2019 levels.
Travel plans don’t change because access to a particular program does, so business trips still need to happen, vacations are still on the calendar, and people who depend on private aviation still need aircraft access when and where they need to fly.
Prospective jet card customers now have another decision to make: which private aviation model actually fits the way they travel?
Is On-Demand Private Charter a Good Alternative to a Jet Card?
Another jet card program is the natural next choice for many people affected by the NetJets decision, while on-demand private charter offers a different option. The better fit depends heavily on how often someone flies, where they go and what they value most when booking private travel.
Jet cards have a genuine advantage: predictability. Fixed hourly rates can make frequent private travel easier to budget, particularly on routes where positioning an aircraft would otherwise add substantially to the cost of a charter trip.
On-demand charter works differently because pricing is based on the individual trip and can reflect aircraft positioning, routing, schedule and availability. The economics can change considerably from one route to another, which makes a traveler’s typical flying patterns an important part of the decision.
There is a product for every type of private flyer. Someone who values the structure and predictable pricing of a jet card may be best served by finding another jet card provider, while someone open to purchasing private travel trip by trip may find charter worth considering.
The NetJets change may give some travelers a reason to consider that approach. On-demand charter doesn’t require a substantial commitment to another prepaid program, trips can be purchased individually, and customers have an opportunity to consider the aircraft options available for a particular mission.
The relationship behind the flight matters, too. Private aviation is ultimately a service business, and familiarity can make a difference as a charter company gets to know a client’s preferred aircraft, frequent destinations, scheduling needs and priorities. Each trip then starts with a better understanding of how that person actually flies.
Those reconsidering the upfront commitment or structure of a jet card may find on-demand charter worth exploring, particularly if they also value a more direct relationship with the professionals arranging their travel.
On-Demand Private Charter With Hop-A-Jet
Hop-A-Jet brings 50 years of private aviation experience to travelers considering on-demand charter.
Founded in 1976 and headquartered at Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport, Hop-A-Jet provides private charter service 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and private charter flights are operated under FAA Part 135. The company operates its own fleet and can also access additional aircraft through the charter market when a particular trip calls for another option.
Hop-A-Jet employs and trains its flight crews, dispatches its flights, and maintains dedicated flight operations and maintenance departments at its Fort Lauderdale facility. That operational experience gives its charter team firsthand knowledge of what goes into arranging an aircraft and operating a flight.
The charter fleet includes Bombardier Challenger 605, Challenger 604 and Challenger 350 aircraft, along with Learjet 60 and 60XR aircraft, with a Gulfstream G280 coming soon. Together, those aircraft accommodate a range of private travel requirements.
If the Hop-A-Jet fleet isn’t the right fit or isn’t available for a particular trip, the charter team can look beyond it for additional aircraft options. They can consider the route, schedule, passenger needs and available aircraft, then work toward an option that makes sense for the mission.
Regular clients also give the team an opportunity to learn how they prefer to fly. Over time, that can mean familiarity with preferred aircraft, common destinations, scheduling priorities and other details instead of starting from scratch with every trip.
Find the Private Aviation Option That Fits How You Fly
Reconsidering a jet card doesn’t automatically mean charter is the answer, but it does create a good opportunity to compare the two models against the way you actually fly.
Talk with Hop-A-Jet’s charter team about your typical routes, schedule and aircraft needs to see how on-demand charter may fit your travel.
Call Hop-A-Jet Worldwide Jet Charter at 800-556-6633 or submit your trip details to begin the conversation.