OneSky has rolled out an interesting new program that makes it easy for fractional jet owners and jet card members to travel “out of plan.” The concierge-like service is called Latitude Membership. You provide the company with the details on your existing fractional or card programs, then give them a call before each flight. They’ll run the analysis for you. If you own multiple plane fractions or are a member of more than one program, OneSky will recommend the most flight-appropriate selection, and the bottom line costs of each alternative. They’ll separately provide a charter quote for an equivalent plane.

Helium Report has previously suggested that cost-sensitive private flyers consider employing a portfolio approach in planning their trips. By varying your provider depending on trip profile, you can save thousands of dollars per trip. In effect you’d be arbitraging among the different features and related expenses of each plan. It takes some initial research and follow-on analysis to optimize each flight. Some enjoy the challenge, but for others, this sort of horsetrading is exactly the hassle they’re trying to avoid. In fact, both NetJets and Marquis Jet make a point of keeping their plans simple.

But with Latitudes Membership, OneSky takes over the trip-by-trip analysis. Why would they do this for free? OneSky’s main business is as a charter broker, and they’re betting that customers will gravitate toward charter more frequently. If you’re open to their service and have enough advance notice to consider their input, it’s quite possible that their charter quote may be lower for certain flights.

Here’s how OneSky describes the plan:

Because of the variables involved, there is no single private jet solution that affords the best value for each and every mission. Recognizing this, we’ve pioneered a unique program that empowers Members with the information to make a smart, savvy buying decision for each and every trip.

Latitude Membership is exclusively available to a distinct class of private jet traveler: those who also participate in a flight card and/or fractional ownership.

New Members are invited to take the OneSky Challenge: ‘Tell us about three of your upcoming trips and the odds are, we will ‘trump’ your other program on at least one of them.’

• Sentient Jet Membership
• NetJets / Marquis Jet
• FlexJet / FlexJet 25
• FlightOptions / JetPass
• CitationShares / VectorCard
• AvantAir
• JetNetwork

Helium Report’s Take If you’re open to substituting ad hoc charter flights where the economics are compelling, Latitude Membership simplifies the process. And if your flights are especially efficient (i.e., round trips with at least a few days notice), it’s a safe bet that charter pricing will be attractive. To ensure the best pricing, it’s prudent to contact a few charter operators and compare their offerings from safety to plane selection to price and other parameters. Again, you face the tradeoff of simplicity vs. cost. Your own sweet spot will depend on your preferences and priorities. For a complete rundown of the trade-offs among flight formats, consult the Helium Report Guide to Private Air Travel. It’s available here as a free download.

Photos from OneSky Jets