Private Jet Card Comparisons: Doug Gollan on Private Aviation Trends &#038; What Wealth Managers Should Know

Private jet usage is again on the upswing. Data from WingX shows 2025 was a record year for private jet flights, breaking the previous highs set during the Covid pandemic, first in 2022, and then again in 2023. Forecasters project 2026 to break last year’s record. Research by private aviation buyer’s guide Private Jet Card Comparisons shows that saving time is the top reason to fly privately, cited by over 90% of its subscribers. We recently spoke to Doug Gollan, the Miami-based Editor-in-Chief and Founder of Private Jet Card Comparisons to learn more about the company he started in 2017, what it does, what’s happening in the private skies and to get his advice for wealth managers.

What does Private Jet Card Comparisons do?

Flying privately is like a time machine. You use private terminals. There are often airports closer to where you are leaving from or where you are going. You don’t have to make connections or wait in long lines. It gives you at least an extra half day on each end of your trip. However, finding the right solution can be time-consuming and confusing. It’s easy to make expensive mistakes. We save consumers time during the research process so they can buy confidently and find the best private aviation solutions for their needs. Private Jet Card Comparisons is a combination of Consumer Reports for private aviation crossed with Match.com. We have a database of over 80 fractional ownership, jet card, membership, and charter private flight providers, and more than 500 program options. Users can compare programs across over 65 variables that impact choice. We aggregate all the data and provide it for comparison in one place. We update the database continually – over 150 times per year. Subscribers can request a custom analysis in which we identify the providers and programs that best fit their needs, based on what they tell us those needs are, saving them time and making them more knowledgeable buyers. We also provide concierge-level one-on-one support for any questions.

Do you sell private flights?

No, we help them sort through all the confusion – charter flight by flight, jet cards, memberships, fractional ownership – for many people it’s a combination. More than 10% of our subscribers own jets, but they need supplemental solutions when their jet is down for maintenance, not right for the mission, out of position, you name it. We say it’s like cars in your driveway. You probably have more than one, and each serves a different purpose. We help them put the pieces of the puzzle together, so they fit.

What are the biggest mistakes you see consumers making?

The biggest mistake is rushing in and joining a program just because a friend is in it or because of a promotional deal. Slow down, make sure you know what your needs are first. We help flyers understand what matters before they jump in. Do the research. Your friend may have different needs than you do, and that deal, the free hour, or flight credits, can be very expensive if you join the wrong program. Contracts range from a half dozen pages to dozens, and the fine print matters. When you enter a fractional program, it’s three separate contracts, and you are making a five-year commitment. It’s like marriage. Jet cards are typically at least $100,000. Many are non-refundable. If you don’t know what you are doing, it’s easy to lose $30,000 on a single charter flight. It’s the fine print that mandates when you can book, when you can cancel, penalties, where you can fly at specific prices, how many people, what type of aircraft, what’s included, extra charges that can double the cost of the trip, and so on. We have over 40,000 data points. Trying to do it yourself – you can’t gather all the information we have and then put it into a format that lets you compare it. We’ve done that already.

How do you work with wealth advisors?

Nearly 90% of high-net-worth individuals are interested in private aviation. We enable financial advisors to leverage that interest and engagement with current clients as well as create a meaningful dialogue with prospects. We offer a program called Private Jet Card Comparisons Enterprise Direct. Advisors who enroll can provide clients with access to our database. At the same time, we support advisors with white-glove service – on call to help with their questions, client questions, by co-hosting educational webinars, and providing expert content for their newsletters. Most of all, we give their clients the data and tools to make an informed decision.

What should advisors know when it comes to private aviation?

We take away the risk advisors face if they recommend a program that may not be an optimal fit, and the client comes back to blame the advisor. We help make their clients buy as informed consumers. We add value to their client relationships by being their expert on call, just as they might engage an expert to help clients build a wine cellar or a timepiece collection. We help them understand the rules of the game and how the game is played.

Do you get paid by the private jet companies?

No! We don’t accept referral fees, commissions, or incentives. We don’t sell subscriber contact information. We provide a concierge level or service that enables users with the information and tools they need to make informed decisions.

Is there anything you would add?

Financial advisors are the fastest-growing segment of our business. Advisors are increasingly seeking to partner with experts who can elevate their clients’ experience. When it comes to private aviation, that’s us, and we love working with advisors and helping them!