Farhad Heydari September 18, 2006

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When they start banning liquids, it's time to consider flying private. As airports become chaotic mosh pits of surly travelers, time-pressured business travelers and the well-heeled are skipping check-in counters in favor of their own private flight -- regardless of whether they charter, fractionally own, jet share or pay-as-they-go.

The four most popular models break down as follows:

Chartering: If you travel less than 25 hours annually, chartering is the best option: This is the old-school method for one-off trips.

Jet Card Programs: If you fly more than 25 hours a year, consider a membership program. These pay-as-you-go programs allow you to put money down up front and then charge flying hours against it like a debit card.

Fractional Ownership: If you fly more than 50 hours per year, a fractional jet ownership is the most appropriate. Similar to buying a time share and chipping in for its maintenance, you purchase anywhere from a 16th to half of a plane. This gets you anywhere from 50 to 400 hours.

Jet Sharing: If you don't mind sharing your jet with other like-minded travelers, then jet share is ideal. An annual membership fee and a per-leg cost entitle you to a seat on a private jet.

See our slideshow of private jet firms.

According to James Butler, founder and CEO of Bethesda, Maryland-based Shaircraft Solutions, a company that advises clients on private air travel, "Those flying less than 50 hours per year should look more toward a jet card program or an on-demand charter," he says, referring to the likes of Marquis Jet Card and companies such as U.K.-based Air Partner. "If you're flying more than 400 hours per year, you may be better served by owning your own aircraft. In between, fractional may be the way to go."

"The benefits of private jet travel are akin to taking a taxi where you want to go, rather than a bus where it goes," says longtime aviation observer Craig Jenks, president of Airline/Aircraft Projects Inc., a New York City-based consulting firm.

Which is perhaps why Sentient Jet, another jet card program and one of dozens of firms plying the market for business travelers, has seen a sudden spike in customers for their unique -- and egalitarian -- pay-as-you-fly program. "We have experienced a 60 percent increase in membership just in the past year," says Steven Hankin, the company's CEO.

"The world opens up when you fly privately," says Butler, the Shaircraft Solutions CEO. "Private jets can fly into over 5,500 airports in the United States alone, compared to only 500 airports by commercial air travel. Perhaps even more interesting is that 80 percent of all commercial airline flights use only 50 airports [in the U.S.]," he says.

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