Private jet to Barcelona

The Catalan capital combines three reasons to fly privately within a few kilometres: the Fira Gran Via congress halls, a port where superyachts prepare for the summer, and beaches within twenty minutes of the runway. Private aircraft land at El Prat, on the shore south-west of the city, and passengers use the Terminal Corporativa, a stand-alone building reached by its own access road, with lounges and customs and border police around the clock.

Traffic peaks twice. In late February or early March the Mobile World Congress brings executives from every continent, and from June to September families and yacht guests arrive on their way to the Balearics and the Costa Brava. El Prat has three runways and takes every business jet, but parking is limited to 96 hours and summer mornings come with a rule for smaller aircraft. As a broker we plan around both, compare aircraft from operators across Europe and quote the flight, the slot, the parking and the car together.

For aircraft options and a price, send the route, the dates and the number of passengers through the form.

Reasons to arrive by private jet

Flight times to El Prat

Times from the price tables, including taxi, climb and descent:

• Madrid and Nice: 1:10-1:11 h in a Citation CJ3.
• Geneva: 1:23 h; Milan Linate: 1:32 h.
• Paris Le Bourget and Zurich: 1:41 h.
• Frankfurt, Munich and Brussels: 2:00-2:01 h.
• London Farnborough: 2:04 h, or 1:55 h in a Challenger 350.
• Palma and Ibiza: 0:47-0:53 h in a Pilatus PC-24.

From most of western Europe the flight is short enough for a light jet, so a larger aircraft is chosen for seats and luggage rather than speed: from London the Challenger 350 is only 9 minutes faster than the Citation CJ3. Copenhagen is 2:51 h away in a Phenom 300, Stockholm 3:33 h, and Dubai 6:27 h in a Falcon 7X.

Prices for private flights to Barcelona

All prices are for the whole aircraft, one way, with an aircraft positioned near the departure airport. Handling, parking and the departure country's passenger taxes are added in the quote. The flight time shown is for the first aircraft in the row.

From Europe's business hubs

Madrid and Nice are the cheapest hubs at EUR 9,000 in a Citation CJ3, Geneva costs EUR 9,500. From London the same aircraft is EUR 12,000, and a Challenger 350 with a stand-up cabin costs EUR 19,000. Larnaca is the longest sector, 4:26 h in the light jet, and on a flight that long the stand-up cabin of the Citation Latitude is worth the difference.

Islands, Iberia and North Africa

The Balearics and Valencia are short sectors where a turboprop costs least, while from Malaga, Lisbon and Marrakesh a jet saves 30-65 minutes:

From the UK regions, Ireland, Scandinavia and Poland

Long-haul flights

The main runway of 3,352 m takes every long-range jet and VIP airliner. All three types below fly non-stop:

Three things move the price above the table: the congress weeks, when free aircraft within reach become scarce; the summer, when demand from the islands absorbs aircraft along the whole coast; and stays longer than 96 hours, which force the aircraft to leave and come back. Spain levies no per-passenger tax on private flights, so a flight home from El Prat to another country pays airport charges only, while a domestic leg to Palma, Ibiza or Madrid carries 10% Spanish VAT. Departures from France pay about EUR 420 per passenger on a jet, flights from Italy EUR 100 per passenger (Italy charges on flights departing from or arriving in the country), and departures from the UK and Germany their own departure taxes. Every item is shown 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, costed in full

What each passenger pays

The price covers the whole aircraft, so it divides by the number of people on board. Departure taxes, where they apply, are charged per passenger on top:

Calculator

Choose your departure airport, the date and the number of passengers to receive an indicative price by e-mail.

El Prat, the Terminal Corporativa and the alternatives

Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat (BCN, LEBL) sits on the coast by the Llobregat delta, about 12 km from the centre by road. Two parallel runways of 3,352 m and 2,660 m and a cross runway of 2,528 m take everything up to a Boeing Business Jet. Business aviation is handled in the Terminal Corporativa, away from T1 and T2, where customs and border police work 24 hours. The FBOs listed in the aeronautical information are AviaVIP and United Aviation, and several other handlers, such as Sky Valet and Universal Aviation, also work from the terminal. Every flight must appoint a handler.

Three local rules shape the booking. Each landing and take-off needs a slot, normally confirmed within an hour. Private aircraft may park for at most 96 hours, and in summer VIP airliners for only 36 hours; there are no hangars for visiting aircraft. From June to September aircraft with a maximum take-off weight up to 15 t may not land between 07:00 and 11:30. That covers turboprops, light jets and most midsize jets, so we plan the arrival before 07:00 or after 11:30, or suggest a heavier aircraft such as a Praetor 500 or a Challenger 350.

Girona, Reus and Sabadell

When the destination is the Costa Brava or the Tarragona coast, or El Prat has no parking, these airfields are used. Distances are straight-line from El Prat:

Girona is the usual answer when El Prat's 96 hours run out: aircraft can be parked there for longer stays, and it is also where many clients for the Costa Brava land directly. Sabadell is attractive for a turboprop from a Schengen country, but with no customs it cannot take a flight from Britain.

Which aircraft suits the route

Summer travel means soft bags for the yacht, beach gear and sometimes golf bags for the courses around Girona and Sitges. A family of six fits in a light jet with soft bags; with hard suitcases or more than six people, midsize jets are the safer choice. Let us know the number and type of bags with the request.

Need help with the aircraft, the parking or the summer timing? Leave your number and a consultant will call you.

Congresses, festivals and summer: the busy weeks

Business events set the pace in winter and spring, the sea in summer. These dates recur every year:

Race weekends at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya in Montmeló, about 20 km north of the city, also bring groups by private jet; the dates change and are checked when you book. For Mobile World Congress confirm the aircraft as soon as you know you are going. For the other fairs two to three weeks are usually enough, and from November to March most flights can be arranged at short notice.

From the terminal to the city, the port and the coast

A car booked with the flight waits at the terminal exit and goes straight to the address: a hotel in the Eixample, a villa in Sarrià-Sant Gervasi, a hall at the fair or a berth in the port. With hand luggage only, the R2 Nord train from T2 reaches Sants in about 20 minutes, but from the business terminal a car is simpler.

Empty Legs around Barcelona

The 96-hour limit and the summer traffic to the islands send many aircraft away from El Prat without passengers. Operators sell these legs well below the normal price. Directions that come up most often:

Dates and times depend on the original trip, so these flights suit flexible travellers. Send your direction and a range of dates to empty-legs@jets.flights and we will forward the matching offers.

Taking your dog or cat

Pets fly in the cabin with you; nothing goes in the hold. The operator must accept the animal before booking, so tell us the species, breed and weight. Entry to Spain follows the EU rules:

• Microchip, implanted before the rabies vaccination.
• Rabies vaccination at least 21 days before travel if it is the first one.
• EU pet passport; from Great Britain an animal health certificate issued by an authorised vet.
• Up to five dogs, cats or ferrets per owner.
• No tapeworm treatment for entry into Spain.

Flying home to the UK, Ireland, Malta, Finland or Norway, a dog needs tapeworm treatment by a vet 1-5 days before arrival, recorded in its documents; on a short trip the treatment can be given before you leave home if the return falls inside that window, otherwise a local vet does it; the UK also admits pets only through approved routes and handlers. In July and August we schedule flights with animals early or late in the day and bring the car to the steps.

Entry rules, customs and taxes

Checklist for the trip

• Passport or ID card for each passenger, including children.
• Full names, dates of birth and document numbers, sent no later than the day before.
• Preferred landing time, keeping in mind the 07:00-11:30 rule in summer.
• Length of stay, so we can plan parking within 96 hours or a return flight.
• Onward flights to the islands, so one operator can cover the whole trip.
• Luggage list: hard cases, yacht bags, golf bags, samples for the fair.
• Destination address or the name of the yacht and its berth.
• Pet documents and the company details for the invoice.

How a booking works

1. Tell us the route, dates, approximate times, passengers and where you are going after landing: hotel, fair, yacht or an island.
2. We check aircraft near your departure, the slot window, the parking limit and, in summer, the morning rule for the chosen aircraft.
3. You receive two to four options with operator, model, cabin photos and the full price, including onward legs and the car.
4. You sign the contract with the operator and pay; we confirm slot, handler, parking and transfer.
5. The aircraft taxis to the Terminal Corporativa, and the car takes you to the city, the fair or the quay.

Our team

Charlotte McKinney

Commercial Director

charlotte.m@jets.flights

Henry Richter

Head of Aviation Department and Data Protection Officer

henry.r@jets.flights

Emma Miller

Director of Development

emma.m@jets.flights

Liam Bishop

Senior Aviation Consultant

liam.b@jets.flights

Oliver Davis

Aviation Consultant

oliver.d@jets.flights

Anna Laurent

Aviation Consultant

anna.l@jets.flights

Private flights to Barcelona: questions and answers

• • What does a private jet to Barcelona cost?

  • For the whole aircraft, a Citation CJ3 costs EUR 9,000 one way from Madrid or Nice, from Geneva EUR 9,500 and from London EUR 12,000. A turboprop from Palma starts at EUR 6,500. Taxes and handling are listed in the quote.

• • Where do private jets land?

  • At El Prat, in the Terminal Corporativa, which is separate from T1 and T2 and has customs and border police 24 hours.

• • How long is the flight from London?

  • About 2:04 h from Farnborough in a Citation CJ3 and 1:55 h in a Challenger 350.

• • How long can the aircraft stay at El Prat?

  • Up to 96 hours, and VIP airliners only 36 hours in summer. For longer stays the aircraft flies home or to Girona and returns for you.

• • Why can't I land in the morning in summer?

  • From June to September aircraft up to 15 t may not land between 07:00 and 11:30. We plan the arrival outside that window or offer a heavier aircraft.

• • Is Girona an alternative?

  • Yes, especially for the Costa Brava. It is 88 km north-east of El Prat, open 24 hours and takes all business jets.

• • Can I combine the city with Ibiza or Majorca?

  • Yes. Both islands are under an hour away by jet, and the domestic leg carries 10% Spanish VAT. Book parking on the islands early in summer, or plan a drop-off.

• • Do I need a passport?

  • From Schengen countries there is no border check, but a valid passport or ID card is required. Passengers from the UK pass passport control in the business terminal.

• • Can my dog come along?

  • Yes, in the cabin, with a microchip, rabies vaccination and EU pet passport. Remember that dogs are kept off most city beaches in summer.

• • Are there Empty Legs?

  • Often, especially between the islands and the mainland in summer and back to northern Europe after weekends. Write to empty-legs@jets.flights.

• • How early should I book for Mobile World Congress?

  • Months ahead, as soon as you know your dates: aircraft, slots and parking run short that week. For most other fairs two to three weeks are enough.