A card means committing funds in advance. This guide explains how deposits are usually held and the protections worth checking before you pay.
With most cards you place funds or buy a block of hours upfront, then draw the balance down trip by trip at agreed terms.
Because the money is paid before you fly, the way it is held and protected matters as much as the headline rate.
Some programmes hold client funds in a separate or escrow style account. Others take the funds onto their own balance sheet and treat them as working capital.
Neither is automatically wrong, but the arrangement changes your exposure if the programme runs into trouble. Ask which model applies and get it in writing.
Useful protections include segregation of client funds, escrow arrangements, clear written terms on what happens if the programme stops trading, and any third party guarantees.
Ask for regular statements that show your remaining balance so you always know what you hold.
Confirm refund rights, whether funds or hours expire, and how a balance is returned if you do not use it.
Clarify who actually operates your flights and how the deposit relates to the operator as well as the programme.
Size the deposit to the flying you genuinely expect over the term so funds are not tied up longer than needed.
If you are unsure how much to commit, it helps to compare the card against simply booking on demand.
Tell us your typical routes and how often you fly and we will return indicative on demand pricing so you can compare against a card.
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