This sounds confusing, and it is. Flexjet, owned by Bombardier, is a thriving fractional ownership provider offering Lear and Challenger jets, both manufactured by Bombardier. Flexjet has been innovative in offering distinctive services and guarantees, including the Versatility Plus program where owners may swap surplus flight hours. Flexjet gets a taste, natch.

Until recently, Flexjet did not offer a Marquis Jet-style card directly; it was only available through Delta AirElite. This harkens back to the day when the card business wasn’t the high-growth slam-dunk it is now. DAE, looking to complement its charter-fleet business, partnered with Flexjet for a fractional card offering in 2003. These cards provide travel from centrally-managed fractionally-owned fleets, rather than charter fleets scattered throughout the country.

Flexjet has now unveiled its “Flexjet 25” card, with the same innovative features and guarantees you’d expect from Flexjet. Clients purchase 25, 30 or 35 hours in a specific Bombardier model. A days-per-year parameter allows Flexjet to offer discounted rates to clients who agree to flying outside of peak traffic periods. Also noteworthy are ferry fee waivers and a guaranteed 5% cap on charter lift, i.e., no more than 5% of your flights may be on non-program, charter-sourced aircraft (a common complaint of fractional owners and fractional card members).

The Flexjet 25 card will still be available on DAE, though no longer exclusively. Why would you purchase a Flexjet card from DAE instead of going direct? DAE layers on the additional benefits of mileage credit in the Delta Skymiles program, and Platinum Medallion status on Delta’s commercial flights:

• Complimentary upgrades
• Priority boarding
• Preferred seating
• Crown Room® Club discounts
• Special check-in privileges
• Platinum priority baggage handling
• Inflight VIP travel assistance