Conklin & de Decker Ranks The Air Partner JetCard Programme No. 1

Conklin & de Decker independent aviation consultancy, has ranked Air Partner JetCard the most flexible membership programme in Europe. Conklin & de Decker evaluated the membership programmes of Air Partner, NetJets Europe and VistaJet before rating Air Partner’s the best in the business. The full research report can be found here.

A similar study carried out in the US also concluded that “Air Partner appears to remain the most flexible of the US jet membership programmes”.

Information was derived from Conklin & de Decker research, the respective companies’ websites and “mystery shopper” data. The comprehensive study found that the Air Partner JetCard:

• Has the lowest base costs (when all costs are taken into account)
• Has the most flexible terms

·       Is the only jet card that is fully refundable

The Air Partner JetCard is a pre-paid card that buys 25 hours or more of flying time in the client’s choice of six private jet categories, with guaranteed availability at any time, no peak-day restrictions in Europe, and dedicated account management 24/7. Funds loaded onto the card are fully refundable and it can be used to charter aircraft, ranging from turboprops to global business jets and helicopters, to anywhere in the world. 

The flexibility and transparency of the Air Partner JetCard have made it a popular choice amongst a range of clients, including HNWIs and corporates. There is no limit to the number of users that can be linked to a corporate JetCard account, which further increases its appeal to businesses.

Of the three providers evaluated in the study, Air Partner JetCard is the only programme to offer flight credits that never expire and round-trip discounts (of up to 15%), setting it apart from competitors. It is also the only one to offer fully inclusive hourly rates: aircraft positioning, fuel, landing fees and catering are all included, and there are no monthly management fees or fuel surcharges.

In order to enhance its client experience further, Air Partner is driving initiatives such as the successful partnerships with Camper & Nicholsons International, the global leader in all luxury yachting activities, as well as other luxury brands and services. In addition, it has rolled out bespoke Air Partner JetCard catering in 34 airports across the UK and Continental Europe to suit all culinary preferences, and recently launched a £1 million Air Partner JetCard.  

For all these reasons, Air Partner JetCard renewals were up 24% in the first six months of 2017 compared to the same period last year, and overall utilisation continued to be high.

Commenting on the results of the research, Mark Briffa, CEO of Air Partner, said: “Conklin & de Decker has ranked the Air Partner JetCard programme the best, most flexible and affordable private jet membership programme in the US for four years, and we are delighted to now see the same results in Europe. We have been operating in the private jet space for over 50 years, and are committed to consistently improving the Air Partner JetCard service in order to deliver the very best VIP experience possible to our clients. We aim to exceed industry and client expectations in everything we do, and I am extremely proud that this has been recognised by the Conklin & de Decker study once again – in both Europe and the US.”

David Wyndham, President at Conklin & de Decker, said: “Conklin & de Decker selected 11 characteristics to compare each of the three private jet membership programmes in the study and determined the Air Partner JetCard to be the most flexible. We thoroughly researched each company and are impressed with just how far private jet memberships have come in such a short period of time. The standard in the private aviation space continues to grow and the future remains bright for an industry built on luxury and convenience.”

Key findings from Conklin & de Decker’s Jet Card comparison:

Criteria assessed	Air Partner JetCard	NetJets Europe	VistaJet
Interchange Aircraft Categories	Yes	Yes	Yes
Choose newer  aircraft?	Yes	Yes	Yes
Round Trip  Discounts?	Yes	No	No
Can use card funds for charter, too?	Yes	No	N.A.
Global coverage?	Yes	EU/North America	Yes
Hours Expire?	No	18 months	Yes
Unused funds refundable?	Yes	No	Yes
Rates guaranteed	Yes - no increase	Yes	Yes
Peak Travel Surcharge?	None in Europe	Yes	No
Response Time (hrs)	24	10	24 hr - 7 days
Public Company?	Yes	Yes	No