Private jet to the Bahamas

The Bahamas are a chain of about 700 islands and more than 2,000 cays in the Atlantic, starting less than 100 km off the coast of Florida and running south-east for several hundred kilometres. From London Farnborough to Nassau the great-circle distance is about 6,960 km, so the flight is a true Atlantic crossing: a Falcon 900EX or a Global 6000 flies it without landing, a Challenger 650 stops once for fuel. As a broker we compare operators in Europe and North America and show both options side by side.

Almost every flight from Europe to the Bahamas lands first in Nassau, on New Providence, where customs and immigration are handled inside the private terminal around the clock. From there the trip continues by light jet, turboprop, seaplane or boat to the Exumas, Eleuthera and Harbour Island, the Abacos or Bimini. Winter sun from December to April is the main reason people fly to the Bahamas; families, sailing crews, fishing parties and villa owners make up most of the requests, with a second wave around American Thanksgiving.

Tell us the island, the dates and the size of the party, and we come back with aircraft, routing and prices.

Why charter a jet across the Atlantic to the islands

Flight times from Europe

The westbound crossing runs into the prevailing headwinds, so these times are a little longer than the flights home, which often save half an hour to an hour. Non-stop times are those of the Falcon 900EX or the Global 6000 in the tables below:

• London Farnborough - Nassau: 8:41 h non-stop (Falcon 900EX)
• Paris Le Bourget - Nassau: 9:00 h non-stop (Falcon 900EX)
• Madrid - Nassau: 8:38 h non-stop (Falcon 900EX)
• Lisbon - Nassau: 8:07 h non-stop (Falcon 900EX)
• Geneva - Exuma: 9:23 h non-stop (Global 6000)
• Munich - Nassau: 9:48 h non-stop (Global 6000)
• Vienna - Nassau: 10:12 h non-stop (Global 6000)
• Larnaca - Nassau: 13:58 h with one fuel stop

A Challenger 650 lands once on the way, usually in the Azores; from northern Europe Iceland or Newfoundland can suit better, depending on winds. The stop takes about 45 to 60 minutes and passengers can stay aboard. A jet leaving London in the morning reaches Nassau in the early afternoon local time, which leaves daylight for a connection to an island without runway lights.

Prices for private flights to the Bahamas

All prices are for the whole aircraft, one way, assuming an aircraft based near the departure city; handling, the landing permit, the Bahamian departure tax and passenger taxes at departure are added. The flight time shown is that of the first aircraft in the row.

From the European hubs

From London, Paris, Amsterdam and Madrid the Falcon 900EX flies non-stop and costs the same or less than a Challenger 650 with a stop: EUR 89,000 from London or Madrid and EUR 93,000 from Paris. From Geneva, Zurich, Milan, Munich, Frankfurt, Vienna, Nice or Hamburg it needs fuel on the way too, and the non-stop choice is the Global 6000 at EUR 115,000 to EUR 125,000. Larnaca is the one hub where every column stops once.

From other European cities

Lisbon and Dublin are the closest starting points, with the Falcon 900EX at EUR 84,000 and EUR 85,000. Rome is the farthest in this table and needs the Global 6000 for a flight without a stop.

From Florida, New York and Toronto

Most private traffic to the Bahamas comes from North America, so short legs from Florida are easy to find. A Citation CJ3 from Miami to Nassau costs EUR 8,000 and from Palm Beach to Freeport EUR 7,500. Flights between islands of the Bahamas are domestic and are usually flown by a local operator; we quote them on request with the light aircraft that suits the runway.

Taxes at departure depend on the country. France charges a per-passenger tax on jets that depends on distance, about EUR 420 within Europe and about EUR 2,100 on a flight as long as this one, and Austria EUR 12; Italy charges EUR 200 per passenger at this distance, on flights both from and to Italy. UK Air Passenger Duty is charged at the higher rate on jets of 20 t or more with fewer than 19 seats and at the standard rate on lighter jets; Germany, Norway and the Netherlands add their own departure taxes. On the way home the Bahamas collect a departure tax of US$29 per person aged six or over on a private aircraft, crew included. 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 real costs

Price per passenger

Calculator

For a quick estimate for your own dates and route, use the calculator:

Airports for private jets in the Bahamas

Only a handful of airfields in the Bahamas can take a jet from Europe and clear it through customs, and the first landing in the country must be at one of them. Nassau is the default; the others suit smaller jets or a second leg.

After dark, only Nassau and Freeport take arrivals. At holiday periods fuel can run short on the Out Islands, so the operator confirms the uplift before departure, and slots are not needed anywhere in the Bahamas.

Which aircraft to choose

Large groups and wedding parties flying to the Bahamas sometimes take a VIP airliner, which needs Nassau or Freeport. Tell us about surfboards, rods or dive tanks before we quote, because some items need the operator's agreement.

Which island for which trip

Seasons, events and the hurricane months

The best months are December to April: dry, warm and outside the hurricane season, but also the busiest and dearest, with parking in Nassau booked months ahead for Christmas. May and November are the value months. Empty Legs are most frequent at the ends of the season, when long-range jets fly to the Caribbean empty before Christmas and back to Europe after Easter, and all year on the short legs between Florida and the islands.

Empty Legs to and from the islands

A Bahamian landing permit is needed for an empty leg sold as a charter, just as for a full booking. Send your dates and the island in the Bahamas to empty-legs@jets.flights; a window of several days gives the best chance of a match.

Flying with a dog or a cat

The Bahamas admit dogs and cats with an import permit, and the animal travels in the cabin beside you for the whole crossing once the operator has agreed. The harder part is the return to Europe, which should be prepared before you leave.

• An import permit from the Department of Agriculture in Nassau, applied for well ahead of the trip; it travels with the animal.
• Dogs and cats must be at least six months old, with a rabies vaccination given at least 30 days before arrival and still valid under the Bahamian rules.
• A health certificate from a government vet with the Bahamian form, completed within 48 hours before arrival, and treatment against internal and external parasites.
• Arrival by air only through Nassau or Freeport, with an examination by a Bahamian vet within 48 hours of landing.
• Several breeds may not be imported, among them pit bull types, the Presa Canario and the Cane Corso.
• The Bahamas are not on the EU list of exempted third countries, so the animal needs a rabies antibody test at least 30 days after vaccination and three months before re-entering the EU; take it before departure to avoid waiting.
• Dogs returning to the UK also need tapeworm treatment 1-5 days before arrival there, and enter only through approved routes.

Passports, permits and customs

Before departure

• Passports for everyone aboard, children included, valid six months beyond the return date.
• Names and passport details for the permit and the arrival declaration.
• The island and the hotel or villa, so we can plan the second leg or the boat.
• ESTA or US visa if the trip continues to Florida or New York.
• Pet permit, certificate and antibody test result where an animal travels.

How to book

1. Send the island in the Bahamas, dates, number of passengers and any special luggage.
2. We compare a non-stop Falcon 900EX or Global 6000 with a one-stop Challenger 650 and price the island leg separately.
3. You receive the offers with operator, aircraft, flight time and the price for the whole aircraft.
4. After you sign and pay, the operator applies for the landing permit and the FBO books parking and handling.
5. In Nassau the FBO meets you at the aircraft, clears you through customs and hands you over to the car, the second aircraft or the boat.

Questions about private flights to the Bahamas

• • How much does a private jet to the Bahamas cost?

  • From Lisbon a Falcon 900EX costs EUR 84,000 and from London EUR 89,000 to Nassau, one way for the whole aircraft. The Global 6000 non-stop from central Europe costs EUR 115,000 to EUR 125,000.

• • Can we fly from Europe without a stop?

  • Yes. A Falcon 900EX flies non-stop from London, Paris, Amsterdam, Madrid, Lisbon and Dublin; from Switzerland, Germany, Italy and Austria the Global 6000 does. A Challenger 650 stops once.

• • How long is the flight?

  • 8:41 h from London Farnborough to Nassau in a Falcon 900EX, 9:48 h from Munich in a Global 6000. A fuel stop adds about an hour and a half.

• • Can the jet land directly on our island?

  • Only where there is customs and a suitable runway. Exuma, Freeport, Marsh Harbour, Treasure Cay and North Eleuthera clear customs; most other cays are reached by a smaller aircraft or a boat after landing in Nassau.

• • Can we land at night?

  • In Nassau and Freeport, yes. North Eleuthera has no runway lights, and most Out Island airports close at sunset.

• • Do EU and UK citizens need a visa?

  • No, not for a holiday. The passport must be valid for the whole stay, six months beyond departure is advised, and a return or onward flight must be shown.

• • How far ahead should we book?

  • The landing permit needs four working days. For Christmas and New Year, book the aircraft and the parking in Nassau several months ahead.

• • When is the hurricane season?

  • From 1 June to 30 November, with the peak around September. Flights operate in those months, but with flexible dates.

• • Can we bring our dog?

  • Yes, with an import permit, rabies vaccination and a health certificate, arriving through Nassau or Freeport. For the return to the EU, a rabies antibody test is needed before you leave.

• • Can we continue to Florida with the same jet?

  • Yes. Miami is under an hour from Nassau; you need an ESTA or US visa, and preclearance in Nassau or Freeport can be used by appointment.

• • Are there Empty Legs to the Bahamas?

  • Transatlantic ones appear mainly before Christmas and after New Year and Easter. Short legs between Florida and the islands are frequent; write to empty-legs@jets.flights.