Private jet to Armenia

Armenia is a small, mountainous country in the South Caucasus, and almost every international flight lands at Zvartnots, just west of Yerevan. The capital stands at an average of about 990 m, is built largely of pink tuff stone and looks across the Ararat plain to the mountain itself, which lies on the Turkish side of the border. Monasteries, vineyards, Lake Sevan and the ski slopes of Tsaghkadzor are all within a couple of hours by road.

Private traffic is mostly delegations and company visits, family celebrations with guests from France, Germany and further afield, and wine and culture trips in spring and autumn. From western Europe a midsize jet flies non-stop in four to five and a half hours on a route over the Balkans and Turkey. Every private flight is handled through the VIP lounge, which has its own passport and customs posts, and EU and UK citizens need no visa. As a broker, we compare aircraft from operators across Europe; below are prices, the airport rules, the seasons and the paperwork.

Tell us the dates, the number of passengers and whether the trip continues to Georgia or elsewhere, and a consultant comes back with aircraft, times and a price.

Why people fly privately to Yerevan

The route and the flight times

Times are taken from the price tables and include taxi, climb and descent:

With Ukrainian airspace closed and restricted airspace further north off limits to European operators, the aircraft crosses the Balkans and Turkey and enters Armenia from the west; the operator also keeps clear of Iranian airspace to the south. From the western and central European hubs this costs little: the tables allow 4 % over the straight line for the detour and the airways. From Hamburg, Berlin, Scandinavia and Warsaw, whose direct line would cross Ukraine, the allowance is 10 %. A light jet reaches Yerevan non-stop from Istanbul, Athens and the Balkans; from western Europe it needs a fuel stop in Turkey, which adds 1-1.5 hours.

Prices for a private flight to Armenia

Prices are for the whole aircraft, one way, plus handling, the VIP lounge fee per passenger, airport charges and passenger taxes. The flight time is that of the first aircraft in the row.

From the European hubs

From Munich a Praetor 500 costs EUR 27,000 for a flight of 4:03 h; from Paris Le Bourget EUR 30,000 and from Marseille EUR 29,000, two cities with large Armenian communities. Madrid is the longest sector, 5:43 h, still non-stop. The Gyumri row from Vienna at EUR 24,000 applies only within Shirak's opening hours.

From Germany's north, Scandinavia and Poland

From Turkey, Greece, the Balkans and Georgia

Istanbul - Yerevan is the cheapest sector from Europe at EUR 12,500 in a light jet, 2:16 h in the air, and Athens is under three hours away. Tbilisi and Batumi in Georgia are hops of 0:45 h and 0:54 h, at EUR 7,500 and EUR 8,000 in a CJ3, for a trip that covers both countries.

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 worked through

Price per person

The aircraft is chartered as a whole, so the share per seat falls with each passenger:

Calculator

The calculator gives a first estimate to Yerevan in a few seconds; mention a stop in Georgia or a return from Tbilisi in the comment.

Zvartnots and the other airports

Zvartnots International (EVN, UDYZ) lies about 10 km west of the city centre at 865 m above sea level. Its single runway, 08/26, is 3,850 m long, with an ILS category II approach on 08, and the aerodrome, customs, immigration, fuel, handling and de-icing are listed around the clock. Charter and private flights of up to 30 seats are handled only through the VIP lounge: a microbus meets the aircraft, and passport, security and customs checks take place inside the lounge, not in the main terminal.

Gyumri, the second city, lies about 5 km from Shirak airport in the north-west. The runway takes business jets, but the hours are short, so we use it only when the trip is about the north and confirm customs and fuel for the date. For Georgia the gateway at Tbilisi is under an hour away, and many itineraries land in one country and leave from the other.

From Zvartnots to the rest of the country

The Wings of Tatev cable car crosses 5,752 m over the Vorotan gorge in about 12 minutes and has seasonal opening hours. Mountain roads are slower than the distances suggest, which is why helicopters are popular for Sevan, Dilijan and the south; in poor weather the car stays booked as the backup.

Which aircraft

Zvartnots sits at 865 m, and on a July or August afternoon the air is thin and hot, so a light jet may carry less than its seat count suggests. We plan cabin and bags around the day and schedule departures for the morning or evening. Compare the cabins on the pages for midsize jets and heavy jets.

When to fly to Armenia

Yerevan sees business flights all year. The best months for a visit are April to June and September to October, between the cold of the Ararat plain in winter and the summer heat. Pressure on the VIP lounge and the apron peaks around the Vardavar week in July and the wine weekends in early June and early October. Empty Legs back to Europe are most frequent after these peaks and after summer family events.

Empty Legs between Europe and Armenia

A flight to Yerevan is nearly always one-way for the aircraft, which must then return. These sectors are sold at a reduced price when the date fits:

The operator fixes the date and time and may cancel if the paying trip changes. Write to empty-legs@jets.flights with the direction and your dates, and we pass on matching flights.

Flying with a dog or cat

The animal flies in the cabin beside you, approved by the operator in advance. Armenia applies the veterinary rules of the Eurasian Economic Union but simplifies them for pets travelling with their owners:

• Up to two dogs or cats for personal use enter without an import permit or quarantine when they travel with a pet passport.
• A valid rabies vaccination; animals that are not vaccinated are refused.
• A vet examines the animal no earlier than five days before travel and records it, with any deworming, in the passport.
• Return to the EU: Armenia is not on the EU list of countries with simplified rules, so the animal needs a rabies antibody test taken at least 30 days after vaccination. Done and recorded before leaving the EU, it avoids a three-month wait.

Entry rules, customs and travel advice

Before departure

• A passport for each traveller, children too, valid until the day you leave Armenia.
• Passenger names and passport numbers at least four days before landing, for the 72-hour permit.
• Cash above USD 10,000 declared at both ends.
• Number of guests for the VIP lounge and the cars.
• Plans to continue to Georgia or elsewhere, so the next permit is filed together.
• Pet papers, the antibody test and the vet visit within five days of travel.

How to book

1. Send the dates, the number of passengers, the luggage and any onward legs, for example to Tbilisi.
2. We propose aircraft that fly non-stop, and a light jet with a fuel stop if you are only a few.
3. You receive 2-4 options with operator, model, route and price, with the lounge fee and handling listed.
4. The operator files the permit at least 72 hours ahead; we book the VIP lounge, the cars and parking if the aircraft stays.
5. You sign the contract and pay; on arrival the microbus takes you from the aircraft to the lounge and the car waits outside.

Questions about private jets to Armenia

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

  • From EUR 12,500 one way in a light jet from Istanbul. A Praetor 500 costs EUR 27,000 from Munich and EUR 32,000 from London. Prices are for the whole aircraft; fees, the lounge charge and taxes come on top.

• • Where do private jets land in Armenia?

  • At Zvartnots, about 10 km west of Yerevan. Every private flight goes through the VIP lounge, with passport and customs checks inside it.

• • How long is the flight?

  • In a Praetor 500, 4:03 h from Munich, 4:57 h from Paris Le Bourget and 5:15 h from London Farnborough, all non-stop.

• • Why not a straight line?

  • The direct line runs through closed and restricted airspace, which European operators avoid. The route runs over the Balkans and Turkey, and also keeps clear of Iran.

• • Can a light jet fly there?

  • Non-stop from Istanbul, Athens, the Balkans or Georgia, yes. From western Europe it needs a fuel stop in Turkey, which adds 1-1.5 hours.

• • How early must we book?

  • The permit is requested at least 72 hours before landing, so allow four days. For June, July and early October, book earlier.

• • Do EU or UK citizens need a visa?

  • No. Stays of up to 180 days a year are visa-free with a passport valid for the whole stay.

• • Can we combine Armenia and Georgia?

  • Yes. Tbilisi is 0:45 h from Yerevan; land in one country and fly home from the other. Each leg has passport control at both ends.

• • Can we fly on to Azerbaijan?

  • Not directly: there are no flights between Armenia and Azerbaijan. A trip covering both goes through Tbilisi.

• • Can our dog come?

  • Yes. Up to two dogs or cats enter without an import permit, with a pet passport and a vet check within five days of travel. Plan the rabies antibody test for the return before you leave.

• • Can the aircraft wait in Yerevan?

  • For a short stay, yes, once parking is agreed. For several days it is usually cheaper to send it home and book the return separately.