Independent Review
The world's largest private jet company, reviewed independently. Stirling Access is not a NetJets reseller — we compare all providers.
NetJets is the world's largest private jet company, operating a fleet of over 700 aircraft across North America and Europe. Founded in 1964 and owned by Berkshire Hathaway (Warren Buffett's conglomerate) since 1998, NetJets pioneered the fractional ownership model that allows clients to buy a share of a specific aircraft.
Today, NetJets offers three ways to access their fleet: fractional ownership, prepaid jet cards, and leases. They fly a mixed fleet of Bombardier, Cessna Citation, Embraer Praetor, and Gulfstream aircraft, covering everything from short-hop light jets to intercontinental heavy jets.
Buy a 1/16 share (the minimum) of a specific aircraft type. A 1/16 share gives you approximately 50 occupied flight hours per year with guaranteed availability on that aircraft category.
Cost: $500,000+ purchase price (light jet) to $1,000,000+ (heavy jet), plus monthly management fees of $10,000-25,000, plus hourly occupied rates.
Prepay for 25 hours minimum on a chosen aircraft category. No ownership, no management fees, no long-term asset commitment. The most popular entry point for new NetJets clients.
Cost: $160,000 (light jet, 25 hours) to $325,000+ (heavy jet, 25 hours). Hours are typically valid for 12 months.
A shorter-term arrangement to access a specific aircraft type without the capital commitment of fractional ownership. Lease terms and pricing are negotiated individually.
Cost: Varies by aircraft type and term length. Typically structured as a fixed monthly fee plus hourly occupied rates.
All figures are 2026 estimates. NetJets does not publish fixed prices — actual costs depend on routes, timing, and negotiation. These ranges are based on industry intelligence and client reports.
| Category | Product | Hours | Estimated Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Light jet | Citation XLS | 25 hrs | $160,000 - $195,000 |
| Midsize jet | Citation Latitude | 25 hrs | $200,000 - $240,000 |
| Super-midsize jet | Challenger 350 | 25 hrs | $240,000 - $280,000 |
| Heavy jet | Challenger 650 | 25 hrs | $280,000 - $325,000 |
| Fractional share (light) | 1/16 share | ~50 hrs/year | $500,000+ purchase |
| Fractional share (heavy) | 1/16 share | ~50 hrs/year | $1,000,000+ purchase |
Fractional shares also incur monthly management fees ($10,000-25,000) and hourly occupied rates on top of the purchase price.
700+ aircraft across multiple brands and categories. No other operator comes close to NetJets' scale and global positioning.
The ability to own a share of an aircraft is unique to NetJets (and sister company Flexjet). This offers tax benefits and guaranteed access to a specific aircraft type.
For US domestic flights, NetJets has more aircraft in more locations than any competitor. Positioning fees are lower and availability is near-guaranteed.
Owned by Berkshire Hathaway since 1998 and trusted by Fortune 500 executives. NetJets is the default name in American corporate aviation.
Bombardier Challenger, Cessna Citation, Embraer Praetor, Gulfstream — NetJets operates a wider range of aircraft types than most competitors.
Both fractional owners and jet card holders get guaranteed access to their aircraft category with as little as 10 hours' notice.
A 25-hour jet card starts at $160,000+ for light jets. Fractional shares start at $500,000+. This is not a product for occasional flyers.
While NetJets has a European division, their core strength is domestic US. International coverage, particularly in Asia and Africa, is limited compared to VistaJet.
A 1/16 share means $500,000+ upfront plus monthly management fees ($10,000-25,000/month) and hourly occupied rates. The total cost of ownership is often underestimated.
Fractional owners pay monthly management fees regardless of how much they fly. These fees cover maintenance, crew, insurance, and hangar costs.
With multiple aircraft brands and ages, the cabin experience can vary significantly between flights, unlike single-fleet operators like VistaJet.
| NetJets | VistaJet | Flexjet | Ad-hoc Charter | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ownership model | Fractional + jet card | Programme (lease hours) | Fractional + lease | Pay per trip |
| Minimum commitment | 25 hours (card) | ~50 hours/year | 50 hours | None |
| Entry cost | ~$160,000 (card) | ~$200,000+/year | ~$150,000 (card) | $5,000-50,000/trip |
| Best for | US domestic, corporate | Global, European, leisure | US, personalisation | Occasional flyers (<5 trips) |
| Fleet size | 700+ | 360+ | 250+ | Thousands (brokered) |
| Asset ownership | Optional (fractional) | No | Optional (fractional) | No |
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