Overall jet card rates ended Q3 of 2026 at $10,958 per hour, according to the latest analysis from the jet card, charter and fractional programme buyer's guide Private Jet Card Comparisons. That was down 3.1 per cent from Q2 of 2026, down 2.7 per cent from Q3 of 2025 and up 23.7 per cent from pre-COVID Q4 2019. The average hourly rates across all categories were the lowest since the end of 2023.

In the quarter, the average number of peak days dropped 0.3 per cent. Non-peak callouts also fell 1.7 per cent. Fewer peak days and shorter callouts give jet card flyers more flexibility. However, daily minimums rose 2.2 per cent, making short flights more expensive.

Included in the analysis are jet cards, memberships and charter programmes with guaranteed availability and rates. Hourly pricing includes base rate, fuel surcharges and 7.5 per cent Federal Excise Tax. The Private Jet Card Comparisons database comprises more than 80 providers and more than 1,000 options. The database had 56 updates during the quarter. That compares to 44 in Q2 of 2026, 115 in Q1, 45 in Q4 of 2025 and 41 in Q3 last year. The analysis focuses on entry-level jet cards, defined as those with fewer than 50 hours.

“The one thing that is constant is that pricing, rules and policies of jet cards continue to change,” comments Doug Gollan, president and editor-in-chief of Private Jet Card Comparisons. “However, consumers like jet cards because once they find a good match for their specific needs, most programmes lock in pricing and terms for 12 months and sometimes longer.”

North American jet card rates overall averaged $10,958 per hour at the end of Q3 2026. Without turboprops, the average hourly rate for jet cards was $11,422. The quarter also saw the debut of fixed-rate guaranteed availability on piston aircraft via a new provider, JetSafe. The hourly rate for pistons across its three programmes is $3,144 per hour.

The average hourly jet card rate by aircraft category at the end of Q3 2026 compared to Q2 2026, Q3 2025 and Q4 2019 was: turboprops at $5,022 per hour; very light jets at $7,341 per hour; light jets at $8,333 per hour; midsize jets at $9,607 per hour; super midsize jets at $12,485 per hour; large cabin jets at $14,791 per hour; ultra long haul jets at $19,433 per hour; and overall jet card rates at $10,958 per hour.

The hourly rates are based on published rates and do not account for the constant flow of jet card deals. The deals are generally valued in the mid-single digits in terms of added value. Overall, jet card hourly rates were down 3.1 per cent sequentially from Q2 2026. Year-over-year jet card rates dropped 2.7 per cent. Overall, jet card rates are 23.7 per cent higher than in Q4 2019 pre-COVID.

Turboprops (-19.9 per cent), very light jets (-4.5 per cent) and large cabin jets (-2.9 per cent) saw the largest quarter-to-quarter drops in hourly rates. Ultra long haul jets (+1.2 per cent) and midsize jets (+0.5 per cent) were the only categories whose hourly rates increased quarter-to-quarter.

OneFlight, which offered more than 100 aircraft-specific rates, including more than a dozen turboprop rates, had the biggest impact on the average price drop in that category after it paused operations in mid-September. Fractional operator PlaneSense also halted sales of its Pilatus PC-12 turboprop jet card, saying it was sold out. While NetJets stopped selling jet cards to new clients, the analysis includes the programmes since existing clients can renew.

Daily minimums increased quarter-to-quarter from 92.9 to 95.0 minutes. Year-over-year daily minimums increased from 85.1 minutes to 95.0 minutes. Before COVID in 2019, the overall average daily minimum was 86.2 minutes. Light jet daily minimums increased to 78.9 minutes from 72.8 minutes quarter over quarter. They had fallen to 68.7 minutes at the end of 2024. Daily minimums are the minimum flight time charged even if actual flight time is shorter, so they most impact short flights.

The number of peak days was essentially flat at 45.3, down from 45.4 days at the end of Q2. That was up from 36.5 days in Q3 of 2025. Still, peak days were more than double the 22.8 days before COVID back in Q4 2019. Compared to pre-COVID, peak days are currently 98.5 per cent higher. In addition to surcharges, peak days typically have longer callouts, longer cancellation deadlines and providers can often shift departures by as much as +/- 4 hours.

The lead time to book guaranteed rates decreased slightly. The non-peak callout decreased from 65.9 hours to 64.8 hours for non-peak bookings quarter-to-quarter. Year-over-year callout increased from 62.0 hours to 64.8 hours. Pre-COVID, the average callout was just 23.2 hours. Callouts were 1.7 per cent shorter than in Q2 but still 4.4 per cent longer year over year. Compared to 2019, callouts are 179.1 per cent longer.