Jet Cards
Jet Card Prices Q3 2026 Fell 3.1% to $10,958 an Hour
Hourly rates fell for the quarter while daily minimums got longer
Jet card prices in the third quarter of 2026 (Q3 2026) fell 3.1% to an average of $10,958 an hour, the lowest level since Q4 2023. This quarter’s rate cut arrived alongside longer daily minimums and far more peak days than a year earlier.
Those figures come from the Q3 2026 index by Private Jet Card Comparisons, published October 5, 2026, which covers over 80 providers and more than 1,000 options. The hourly average still sits 23.7% above pre-pandemic Q4 2019. Whether now is a good time to buy depends on the all-in cost of your own trips, and a market average cannot tell you that.
What Q3 2026 Jet Card Prices Show
Q3 2026 jet card prices are lower on the headline hourly rate, while daily minimums rose. The five measures below did not all move the same way.
| Measure | Q3 2026 | vs Q2 2026 | vs Q3 2025 | vs Q4 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall hourly rate | $10,958 | -3.1% | -2.7% | +23.7% |
| Hourly rate without turboprops | $11,422 | -2.3% | Not listed | Not listed |
| Daily minimum | 95.0 minutes | +2.2% (from 92.9) | +11.6% (from 85.1) | +10.2% (from 86.2) |
| Peak days | 45.3 | -0.3% (from 45.4) | +24.0% (from 36.5) | Not listed |
| Callout time (advance notice) | 64.8 hours | -1.7% | +4.4% | +179.1% (from 23.2) |
We worked out the year-on-year and Q4 2019 percentages for daily minimums from the minute figures the index publishes. Every other percentage in the table is the index’s own.
On the hourly rate alone, Q3 2026 is the lowest quarter since Q4 2023. On terms, a buyer gets a longer billed minimum per flight day than at any point in the table and roughly nine more peak days than a year ago. The question to answer before buying is which of those two changes touches your trips more.
Jet Card Prices Q3 2026 by Cabin Category
Five of seven cabin categories got cheaper per hour in Q3 2026, and turboprops fell the most.
| Category | Hourly rate, Q3 2026 | vs Q2 2026 | vs Q3 2025 | vs Q4 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Turboprop | $5,022 | -19.9% | -21.7% | +5.5% |
| Very Light Jet | $7,341 | -4.5% | -0.2% | +29.9% |
| Light Jet | $8,333 | -1.5% | +0.3% | +38.4% |
| Midsize Jet | $9,607 | +0.5% | -0.7% | +27.6% |
| Super Midsize Jet | $12,485 | -0.4% | +0.4% | +24.3% |
| Large Cabin Jet | $14,791 | -2.9% | -3.9% | +13.5% |
| Ultra Long Haul Jet | $19,433 | +1.2% | +1.1% | +15.4% |
| Overall | $10,958 | -3.1% | -2.7% | +23.7% |
Take turboprops out and the quarterly decline narrows from 3.1% to 2.3%.
Midsize and Ultra Long Haul were the only categories that rose quarter over quarter. Light jets sit 38.4% above Q4 2019, the largest increase over pre-pandemic pricing of any category.
Daily Minimums, Peak Days and Callout Time
A daily minimum is the least flight time a card bills for each day you fly. The overall average rose 2.2% to 95.0 minutes in Q3 2026.
The change by cabin category:
- Light: 78.9 minutes, up 8.4% from 72.8. It had fallen to 68.7 at the end of 2024.
- Midsize: 93.6 minutes, up 2.1%.
- Super Midsize: 100.5 minutes, down 1.3%.
- Large: 119.6 minutes, up 2.4%.
Peak days averaged 45.3, effectively flat against Q2 2026 and up 24.0% from 36.5 in Q3 2025. Private Jet Card Comparisons describes fewer peak days and shorter callouts as more flexibility for flyers. That holds against last quarter. Against a year ago, peak days rose by about nine and callout time grew 4.4%.
Callout time averaged 64.8 hours, which is 2.7 days of notice. In Q4 2019 the average was 23.2 hours, under one day. If your trips get booked on short notice, that 179.1% rise in callout time can matter more to you than the hourly rate.
What the Private Jet Card Comparisons Index Covers
The index tracks entry-level jet cards, defined as cards of fewer than 50 hours, with guaranteed availability and rates. Its hourly figures include the base rate, fuel surcharges and the 7.5% Federal Excise Tax (FET). That makes them all-in hourly averages, apart from terms like daily minimums that the index reports separately.
Four limits shape how far you can lean on the data:
- Published rates only. The index does not account for jet card deals, which the article puts in the mid-single digits. Our jet card deals page covers how those offers are structured.
- No cards of 50 hours or more. If you are pricing a larger commitment, the averages above do not describe your market.
- NetJets clients. Existing NetJets clients who can renew are included. The index article states that NetJets has stopped selling to new clients.
- Update volume. The database logged 56 updates in Q3 2026, against 44 in Q2, 115 in Q1, 45 in Q4 2025 and 41 in Q3 2025.
Index Averages Against a Published Rate Card
Sentient Jet publishes a rate card of $7,324 an hour for a light jet and $13,640 for a large cabin, before fuel surcharge and FET. Adding 7.5% FET gives about $7,873 and $14,663 an hour, still before fuel.
| Cabin | Sentient Jet base rate | Sentient Jet with 7.5% FET, before fuel | Index Q3 2026 average, fuel and FET included |
|---|---|---|---|
| Light | $7,324 | about $7,873 | $8,333 |
| Large cabin | $13,640 | about $14,663 | $14,791 |
The two columns on the right cannot be ranked against each other until you know Sentient Jet’s fuel surcharge. Twenty-five hours on that rate card with tax runs $196,832 for a light jet to $366,575 for a large cabin. Our jet card pricing guide works through that gross-up.
Using the Q3 Data When Buying a Jet Card
The index average tells you whether the market moved. Your contract sets your bill. Use the Q3 figures as a checklist for what to ask each program:
- Request a written all-in quote from two programs on two of your own real trips.
- Ask for the daily minimum in your cabin and compare it with the Q3 average (78.9 minutes light, 93.6 midsize, 100.5 super midsize, 119.6 large).
- Ask for the peak-day list and count the dates that fall on your usual travel days, against the 45.3 average.
- Ask for the callout time and compare it with the 64.8-hour average.
- Ask how the fuel surcharge is calculated and how often it resets.
Our compare jet cards guide sets programs side by side on these terms, and our best jet card picks apply them by flyer type.
Waiting for Lower Jet Card Rates
The Private Jet Card Comparisons index reports published rates for the quarter just ended, and it does not forecast. Turboprop rates fell 19.9% in one quarter while Ultra Long Haul rates rose 1.2% in the same three months. A buyer waiting another quarter is betting on a direction this data does not predict.
Whether to wait depends on the trips you have planned in the meantime. Compare the options with on-demand options in our jet card vs charter vs fractional breakdown.
Fuel Prices in September 2026
National full-service Jet A averaged $8.36 a gallon in September 2026, up 32.7% since January, according to AVweb. The Q3 index fell over the same quarter even though its hourly figures include fuel surcharges. Our jet card fuel surcharge guide explains what to ask about it.
Buyers This Data Does Not Serve
Three groups should not set a budget from the Q3 2026 averages. Buyers of cards of 50 hours or more are outside the index entirely. Buyers comparing promotional offers need deal terms, which the index excludes. Turboprop buyers are looking at a category that moved 19.9% in one quarter.
For each of those groups, a written quote from the program you are considering is the only usable number.
What Would Change This Reading
Three changes would shift what Q3 2026 means for a buyer. A second quarter of rising daily minimums would point to terms tightening while rates fall. A drop in peak days back toward the Q3 2025 level of 36.5 would remove most of the year-on-year term increase. The Q4 2026 index will show whether the 3.1% decline held. Before you sign, get written all-in quotes on two of your own trips from two programs and set them against the jet card prices Q3 2026 data above.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a jet card cost per hour in 2026?
The average entry-level jet card cost $10,958 an hour in Q3 2026, according to the Private Jet Card Comparisons index. That figure includes the base rate, fuel surcharge and 7.5% Federal Excise Tax. By cabin, averages ran from $5,022 for a turboprop to $19,433 for an Ultra Long Haul jet, with light jets at $8,333 and large cabin jets at $14,791.
Did jet card prices go up or down in Q3 2026?
The average hourly rate went down 3.1% from Q2 2026 and 2.7% from Q3 2025, to its lowest level since Q4 2023. Daily minimums went up 2.2% to 95.0 minutes over the same quarter. Peak days were flat on the quarter at 45.3 and up 24.0% on the year.
What is a daily minimum on a jet card?
A daily minimum is the least flight time a card bills for each day you fly. The Q3 2026 average was 95.0 minutes, ranging from 78.9 minutes for light jets to 119.6 minutes for large cabin jets.
Are jet card rates higher than before the pandemic?
Yes. The Q3 2026 average of $10,958 an hour is 23.7% above Q4 2019. Light jets show the largest increase at 38.4%, and turboprops the smallest at 5.5%. Callout time has risen 179.1% over the same period, from 23.2 hours to 64.8 hours.
Which jet card cabin category got cheaper in Q3 2026?
Turboprops fell the most, dropping 19.9% to $5,022 an hour. Very Light Jets fell 4.5%, Large Cabin Jets 2.9%, Light Jets 1.5% and Super Midsize Jets 0.4%. Midsize Jets rose 0.5% and Ultra Long Haul Jets rose 1.2%, the only two categories to increase.
Are jet card prices going to keep falling?
Nobody can say from this data, because the Private Jet Card Comparisons index reports past published rates and does not forecast. Turboprop rates fell 19.9% in one quarter while Ultra Long Haul rates rose 1.2%, so categories can move in opposite directions. Get written all-in quotes for your own trips, because the data offers no forecast.
We update this guide as aircraft, program, and route pricing changes. Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we'll check it.