Since launching the product last year, Air Charter Service has seen significant uptake in its Empyrean Capped Rate Jet Card account, with the total value of sales already accounting for 40 per cent of all its jet card programmes.

Jet card manager Tim Rees comments: “It's easy to see the appeal of the Capped Rate Jet Card scheme; it allows clients to budget for the year by giving them a fixed rate, capped price, but allows them to benefit from market prices at the time of booking, which generally saves them money. We have found that clients are generally getting somewhere between 10-30 per cent more flying for their money because of the savings that we are achieving using this method, the first of its kind to the market.

“The growth in popularity of the capped rate programme means that over a quarter of all our jet card flights in 2019 have been conducted under capped hourly rate terms, with the main operational regions of flights split equally between the United States and Europe.

“The jet card programme also has the benefit of access to supplementary services that ACS can offer, such as helicopter transfers, hotel reservations, commercial airline tickets and specialist event bookings.

“As a broker, we are not tied to a limited fleet, which allows a larger choice than some programmes. There are so many options when it comes to the aircraft such as size, speed, age, interior styling and baggage allowance, that the flexibility of the Empyrean account ensures the holder retains the ability to choose specific aircraft and adapt to the ever evolving aircraft models available for charter.”

Another key differential with the card is that any hours purchased never expire, and ACS does not use deposits as working capital.