Private jet to Antigua and Barbuda

Antigua and Barbuda is an independent state in the Leeward Islands and a Commonwealth realm, English-speaking, with about 100,000 inhabitants and the East Caribbean dollar. Almost every private flight from Europe lands on Antigua, the larger island, at V. C. Bird International, 8 km north-east of the capital St John's. Barbuda, about 50 km to the north, has a separate airport for smaller jets and turboprops, and the third island, Redonda, is uninhabited.

The private traffic here follows the boats. English Harbour and Falmouth Harbour on the south coast are one of the main sailing bases of the Caribbean, and owners, guests and crews fly in for yacht handovers, regattas and the charter season from December to April. Villa stays above Dickenson Bay, the car-free resort island of Jumby Bay and quiet weeks on Barbuda make up the rest.

Tell us the dates, the number of passengers and where you are staying or berthing; we reply with aircraft, routing and prices.

Crossing the Atlantic: non-stop or via the Azores

From London, Paris or Geneva the distance is 6,500 to 7,000 km, so the choice is between a long-range jet that flies straight through and a heavier, cheaper type that lands once for fuel. A Gulfstream G550 takes 8:00 h from London Farnborough, 8:13 h from Paris Le Bourget and 8:29 h from Geneva without a stop. A Challenger 650 lands at Santa Maria in the Azores, whose 3,048 m runway lies close to the direct line, and needs 9:41 h from London including the stop. From Madrid and Lisbon it crosses without landing. The return is usually shorter, because the westerly winds over the Atlantic push the aircraft home.

Prices for flights to Antigua and Barbuda

All prices are for the whole aircraft, one way, from an aircraft based near the departure city. Handling, parking, the fuel stop, crew costs abroad and passenger taxes come on top. The flight time is that of the first aircraft in the row.

From the European hubs

Madrid is the cheapest hub: EUR 70,000 in a Challenger 650 without a stop. From London the same aircraft costs EUR 87,000 with the Azores stop, against EUR 98,000 non-stop in the Gulfstream G550. Vienna is the most expensive row at EUR 100,000 for the Challenger 650 and EUR 115,000 for the G550.

From the Atlantic edge of Europe

A Praetor 600 reaches Antigua without landing from Madeira or Tenerife for EUR 45,000 and EUR 44,000, and from Lisbon for EUR 51,000, so some clients fly the first leg on a scheduled flight and board the jet on the Atlantic side.

Within the Caribbean and from North America

The flight between Antigua and Barbuda is a domestic leg, which a foreign operator cannot normally sell, so it is flown by an aircraft registered in the region; the crossing takes 0:37 h in a PC-12 for EUR 6,000. St Kitts and Guadeloupe are 0:42 h away in a PC-12, and a Citation CJ3 to either costs EUR 7,500; and every one of these hops ends in another country or territory with its own border check. From Miami the Challenger 350 costs EUR 27,000 and from New York EUR 33,000.

Which passenger taxes apply depends on the departure country. France charges per passenger and the amount rises with distance: a crossing to the Caribbean pays about EUR 2,100, a European trip about EUR 420; Italy takes EUR 200 per passenger on a route of this length and Austria EUR 12. From Britain, jets of 20 t or more with fewer than 19 seats pay the higher rate of Air Passenger Duty, other jets the standard rate of their band, and aircraft under 5.7 t nothing; Germany, Norway and the Netherlands (from 5.7 t) have their own taxes. Antigua's airport charges for landing, parking, security and passenger service are billed separately. Every item is listed in the quote.

Business jet price per flight hour

Heavy Jets from EUR 8,300 / hour

Light Jets from EUR 3,200 / hour

Ultra Long Range Jets from EUR 12,000 / hour

Super Midsize Jets from EUR 6,300 / hour

Very Light Jets from EUR 2,500 / hour

Long Range Jets from EUR 9,800 / hour

Midsize Jets from EUR 4,500 / hour

Turboprops from EUR 2,000 / hour

Three trips with the costs

Per passenger

Calculator

For other routes and dates the calculator e-mails an estimate:

V. C. Bird, Barbuda and the alternates

No slot system applies at V. C. Bird, but the apron is the real limit between December and April, and in regatta weeks a heavy jet may be sent to park on another island. The operator files a landing permission for a commercial charter with the civil aviation authority and sends the passenger data to the regional advance passenger information system; we ask for passport details about three working days before departure.

Choosing the aircraft

For the crossing, a Challenger 650 carries a family with luggage and lands once in the Azores from most hubs; a Falcon 900LX, a Gulfstream G550 or a Global 7500 flies straight through and suits a short stay or a large party. Once on the island, the long-range jet is the wrong tool: for Barbuda, St Kitts or Sint Maarten a Pilatus PC-12 or a Citation CJ3 is cheaper and fits every runway. More models in the ultra long range catalogue.

Leave your number if you would like a consultant to call:

From the airport to villas, marinas and Barbuda

A helicopter operator based at V. C. Bird flies Airbus H130 and H135 helicopters to helipads around Antigua and on Barbuda, as well as tours over the volcano on Montserrat. The crossing to Barbuda takes about 25 minutes by helicopter, and landings at villas or on yachts need a site agreed in advance.

The year on Antigua

The best months are December to April: dry, with steady north-east trade winds and temperatures around 27 degrees, and this is also when the regattas and the charter season fill the island. May, June and November are quieter shoulder months, and July to October brings more rain and the hurricane risk, with September and October the wettest. Empty Legs are most frequent in December and January, when jets bring families out, fly home empty and come back for them, and in April and May, when aircraft based in the Caribbean for the winter return to Europe or Florida.

Empty Legs to and from Antigua

A flight to Antigua is usually one way, and the aircraft has an ocean to cross before its next booking, so empty legs appear around the season dates: back to Europe in December, towards the island in January, back again after the regattas in May, and to Florida or the Bahamas when Caribbean-based jets change base. A window of a few days instead of a fixed date makes a match far more likely. Send the direction and your dates to empty-legs@jets.flights.

Entry rules, permits and customs

Flying with a dog or cat

• Antigua requires an import permit from its Veterinary and Livestock Division, usually requested about two weeks before travel, and notice at least 48 hours before arrival.
• The animal needs an ISO microchip and a rabies vaccination given at least 30 days and no more than 12 months before entry; the health certificate is completed by a government vet and checked against the permit.
• Dogs are normally tested for Ehrlichia canis and Lyme disease, cats for FIP, FeLV and FIV, unless the permit says otherwise; pit bull types and wolf hybrids are not admitted.
• Animals arrive through V. C. Bird and travel in the cabin beside you once the operator has agreed.
• Antigua and Barbuda is on the EU and UK lists for pet travel, so a returning animal needs no rabies blood test; a dog flying back to the UK needs tapeworm treatment 1-5 days before landing, through an approved route.

Booking a flight to Antigua and Barbuda

1. Send the dates, the passengers and the address: a villa, a hotel, a berth in English Harbour or Barbuda.
2. We compare a non-stop long-range jet with a one-stop heavy jet and, where needed, add a turboprop for Barbuda or the next island.
3. You receive offers with the operator, the aircraft, the routing and the price for the whole aircraft.
4. After the contract and payment the operator files the flight and the landing permission, and the FBO books parking.
5. On arrival the FBO meets the aircraft and takes you through customs to the car or the boat.

Questions about private flights to Antigua and Barbuda

• • How much does a private jet to Antigua cost?

  • From Madrid a Challenger 650 costs EUR 70,000 without a stop. From London it is EUR 87,000 with a fuel stop or EUR 98,000 non-stop in a Gulfstream G550, one way for the whole aircraft.

• • How long is the flight from Europe?

  • 8:00 h from London Farnborough and 8:13 h from Paris Le Bourget non-stop in a Gulfstream G550. A Challenger 650 with a stop in the Azores needs 9:41 h from London.

• • Which airport do business jets use?

  • V. C. Bird International on Antigua, with the Signature FBO and customs on site. Barbuda has its own airport for smaller jets and turboprops, open in daylight and without fuel.

• • Can we fly straight to Barbuda from Europe?

  • Rarely: the runway is 1,859 m and no fuel is sold, so most guests land on Antigua and cross in a PC-12 or by helicopter in under 40 minutes.

• • Do EU and UK citizens need a visa?

  • No, both can stay up to 90 days. The passport must be valid for six months after arrival.

• • Can we bring our dog?

  • Yes, with an import permit, microchip, rabies vaccination, a health certificate from a government vet and the blood tests the permit requires.

• • When is the best time to go?

  • December to April for dry weather and the sailing events. September and October are the wettest months and carry the main hurricane risk.

• • Can the aircraft wait on the island for a week?

  • Yes, but in the high season parking at V. C. Bird is limited, so we often send the jet home and book the return as a separate flight or an empty leg.

• • What is the time difference?

  • Antigua keeps the same time all year: four hours behind London and five behind Paris in winter, one hour more in summer.