Last edit by: elitetraveler
JetSmarter is a membership program that allows members to fly on empty legs of private jets (JetDeals) and seats on scheduled private jet shuttles (JetShuttle).
JetSmarter - discussion and experiences
#856
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Oakland CA
Programs: DL Gold, AS MVPG, Globalist
Posts: 1,008
I also notice the new sophisticated tier doesn't mention the ability to book every available seat on Jetdeals. By allowing their high-revenue members to gift Jetdeal seats to nonmembers, they're working hard to make sure every plane (shuttle and deal) is full. Makes sense from a money standpoint maybe, but it makes it less and less likely that I'll renew with every change. I'm just not as interested in sharing small planes packed to the brim with a bunch of strangers as I am in taking a few friends or family members on an occasional fun trip. I get that opinions may vary.
Also gone: the $20K in flight credit you get when signing up for a membership.
#857
Join Date: Jun 2016
Posts: 32
Going up against the established commercial airlines is no small task. That’s why our rates are going up incrementally on the first day of December and again on January 1st.
Take advantage of this advanced notice, and lock in the current rates today. It will be our pleasure to welcome you aboard.
Here’s what to expect:
1) On December 1st, our annual membership fee goes up.
2) For new members who join after January 1st, flights longer than three hours will be charged a service fee.
###
Interesting it doesn't say what the new rates will be or the new service fees.
Take advantage of this advanced notice, and lock in the current rates today. It will be our pleasure to welcome you aboard.
Here’s what to expect:
1) On December 1st, our annual membership fee goes up.
2) For new members who join after January 1st, flights longer than three hours will be charged a service fee.
###
Interesting it doesn't say what the new rates will be or the new service fees.
Actually, soon nothing will be free.
#860
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: SF Bay Area
Programs: UA 1K, Hyatt Globalist, Virtuoso Travel Agent, Commercial Pilot
Posts: 2,117
Yeah. They've been at $15k total for the first year for a little while. For a while it was $4k + $9k/year, then they moved to 5k/10k, then 4k/11k, and now $3.5k + $11.5k/year. This migration suggests to me that they now employ someone who understands revenue recognition in a subscription business (and corresponding pricing strategies). I expect that it'll just go to $15k/year with no initiation at some point.
#861
Join Date: Dec 2016
Posts: 1
Hi! Joined this website because I have a few questions
I'm not a JS member yet, but I think I will become a member pretty soon.
I've been talking to a few people at JetSmarter and I've only had good experiences.
How does tokens work? And when do I get the token(s) back? Will I get the token(s) back immediately after the flight?
How does the seating work on a shuttle?
And does the physical gold card do anything? Or is it just a gimmick?
And how does the payment work?
Do I pay 15K immediately? Just like I'm purchasing something on ebay? :P
And are there ANY hidden costs when I'm only flying shuttles?
I know I can ask JS about all this, but I want to hear it from actual costumers.
Thanks
I'm not a JS member yet, but I think I will become a member pretty soon.
I've been talking to a few people at JetSmarter and I've only had good experiences.
How does tokens work? And when do I get the token(s) back? Will I get the token(s) back immediately after the flight?
How does the seating work on a shuttle?
And does the physical gold card do anything? Or is it just a gimmick?
And how does the payment work?
Do I pay 15K immediately? Just like I'm purchasing something on ebay? :P
And are there ANY hidden costs when I'm only flying shuttles?
I know I can ask JS about all this, but I want to hear it from actual costumers.
Thanks
#863
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: SF Bay Area
Programs: UA 1K, Hyatt Globalist, Virtuoso Travel Agent, Commercial Pilot
Posts: 2,117
Hi! Joined this website because I have a few questions
I'm not a JS member yet, but I think I will become a member pretty soon.
I've been talking to a few people at JetSmarter and I've only had good experiences.
How does tokens work? And when do I get the token(s) back? Will I get the token(s) back immediately after the flight?
I'm not a JS member yet, but I think I will become a member pretty soon.
I've been talking to a few people at JetSmarter and I've only had good experiences.
How does tokens work? And when do I get the token(s) back? Will I get the token(s) back immediately after the flight?
We are told that seats are assigned randomly, with two exceptions: 1) For member-initiated shuttles, the initiating member may select seats for all of their travelers, and 2) Sophisticated-tier members that pay $40k/year may select seats in advance. For everyone else, about 24 hours before the flight you'll get a seat map and a note indicating your seat assignment. I've been told by my account rep that they keep track of the locations you receive and try to change it up a bit, but I'm skeptical that they're doing much of that. On the Gulfstream IV, there are 6 pretty desirable seats, and 6 less desirable seats, so it's pretty luck-of-the-draw.
I can think of 5 things that you should be aware of:
1) In New York, helicopter transfers are now $150 to/from TEB, and $250 to/from HPN. HPN (where most transcons fly) is a miserable drive from Manhattan, so you should plan to pay for the helicopter transfer fee if you're using that airport and traveling to/from Manhattan. TEB is close enough to Manhattan to Uber.
2) They are apparently, as of reports I read from yesterday, no longer catering free sandwiches and salads on trancon shuttles. There are snacks, but if you want real food you'll have to either bring your own or pay $150 for their optional gourmet meal (which is legitimately gourmet, but $150 for food on a plane seems like a bit much).
3) A number of the newer shuttle routes (mostly the London<->New York, London<->Dubai, and "Holiday" shuttles) require payment for all shuttle seats even when using tokens. They have also instituted "peak travel" surcharges of $0.30/mile for all shuttle seats on all US routes for about 10 of the busiest travel days this holiday season (including routes that would otherwise be free when using tokens). They also plan to charge new members that join after January 1st a per-flight fee for all shuttles over 3 hours. I expect that, aside from the peak travel surcharge, they won't institute any major new fees on existing routes during a membership year, but I'm expecting to see some negative changes when it comes time for me to renew.
4) Cancellation penalties are steep, and apply for shuttle seats that you're otherwise getting for free. $250 for cancellations made at least 7 days out, $500 for cancellations between 72 hours and 7 days, $1,000 for cancellations between 24 hours and 72 hours, and the greater of $1,000 or the full purchase price of a seat for cancellations inside 24 hours (which can be as much as $7,010 for NY<->London with the peak travel surcharge). They do charge them, and don't have a formal "flat tire rule" that covers you if you get stuck in traffic or something else happens that is out of your control.
5) While they've been good at mostly grandfathering the annual rate in on existing members and not making too terribly many material changes during a membership year, they did start passing through changes at renewal time when they removed the free helicopter transfer benefit. The "peak travel surcharge" is also concerning in that it started within the membership year with little notice. They also tend to frequently increase the "extra seat" charges that are applied if you want to bring a non-member companion on a shuttle. I'd only buy in if you're ok with $15,000 being your one-year price and not relying on the lower rate at renewal, because things may change by the time your renewal is up.
Overall, I plan to renew unless something significant changes because I'm pretty happy. In my head, if they last at least 3 months after I renew, I'll have gotten enough value out of it to make it worth it.
Last edited by Sykes; Dec 2, 2016 at 10:52 pm
#864
Join Date: Jun 2016
Posts: 32
2) They are apparently, as of reports I read from yesterday, no longer catering free sandwiches and salads on trancon shuttles. There are snacks, but if you want real food you'll have to either bring your own or pay $150 for their optional gourmet meal (which is legitimately gourmet, but $150 for food on a plane seems like a bit much).
#865
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Chicago
Programs: AA EXP, UA 1K, Wheels Up, Inspirato Pass, Marriott Titanium Elt, Hilton Diamond, Hertz Pres, Ntl P
Posts: 248
I'll post my review of the meal in a week or so
#866
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: SF Bay Area
Programs: UA 1K, Hyatt Globalist, Virtuoso Travel Agent, Commercial Pilot
Posts: 2,117
My only source is the report from someone that was on a HPN-OAK flight earlier this week. There were chips and such, but nothing substantial. Hopefully it's just a mis-catering issue, and even if it isn't, hopefully they haven't downgraded eastbound shuttles along with the "enhancement".
#869
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: SF Bay Area
Programs: UA 1K, Hyatt Globalist, Virtuoso Travel Agent, Commercial Pilot
Posts: 2,117
Some people that traveled on transcons ex-NYC yesterday say that there were sandwiches and salads, so it sounds like it was thankfully just a mis-catering issue.
#870
Join Date: Jun 2016
Posts: 32
Unfortunately it doesn't seem like that's the case. I contacted them and they said "you would need to purchase something in order to receive a meal on any shuttle departing from HPN or TEB."