Private jet to Belize

Belize sits on the Caribbean coast of Central America between Mexico and Guatemala. The country is English-speaking, and the Belize dollar is pegged to the US dollar. Visitors from Europe come above all for the sea: the Belize Barrier Reef, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Great Blue Hole on Lighthouse Reef, and the cayes off the coast, with Maya cities such as Caracol and Lamanai in the forest inland.

Only one airport in the country suits a business jet: Philip S. W. Goldson International at Ladyville, about 16 km from Belize City. From Western Europe it is 7,900-9,300 km away, so a heavy jet stops once for fuel and a long-range jet flies through. As a broker, we arrange the transatlantic aircraft, the clearance that must be issued before departure and the turboprop or helicopter to the islands and the south.

Tell us your dates, how many people travel and where you are staying, on the mainland or a caye, and we reply with aircraft and prices.

Why a charter suits Belize

Prices and flight times

Each figure buys the whole aircraft for one way, assuming it is based close to your departure airport. Handling at Goldson, the clearance, the fuel stop and passenger taxes come on top in the quote. The flight time shown is for the Challenger 650 and includes its stop, for example in the Azores. Without a stop, a Gulfstream G550 needs about 10:04 h from London or Madrid and 11:10 h from Munich.

From Europe

Lisbon and Dublin are the cheapest starts at EUR 100,000 in the Challenger 650, London and Madrid cost EUR 105,000. A non-stop G550 costs EUR 115,000-135,000. A one-way price includes the aircraft's empty return across the ocean, so for a stay of a week or longer it usually pays to send the jet home and have it come back.

From the United States and the region

Flying the other way costs the same. Each leg ends with an international arrival and its own forms; for Florida or Texas every passenger needs an ESTA or a US visa. See also Mexico, the Cayman Islands and Miami.

Taxes

Belize charges a departure tax on passengers leaving by air; on a private flight it is settled with the airport concession office, and the quote shows the amount. In Europe, France charges a per-passenger tax on jets that rises with the distance, and Italy EUR 200 per passenger from Milan, as the route is longer than 1,500 km; the Italian tax is also charged on the flight back into Italy. From Britain, jets pay Air Passenger Duty at the standard rate, or at the higher rate from 20 t with fewer than 19 seats; Germany, Norway and the Netherlands levy departure taxes of their own.

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

Two trips with the extras

Price per passenger

Splitting the charter price between the travellers gives these shares, before passenger taxes:

Calculator

For a return, a combination with Guatemala or Mexico, or another departure city, the calculator e-mails a first estimate:

Airports and strips

A foreign jet that flies a domestic leg needs its own clearance and a runway that the strips do not offer, so the jet arrives and departs through Goldson, and local turboprops and helicopters take over. Goldson sits near sea level on a low coast; in the hurricane season a storm can delay a departure, and the crew files an alternate such as Cancún or San Pedro Sula.

Aircraft for the route

Planning the jet, the turboprop and the boat around one schedule? Leave your number and a consultant will call.

The year in Belize

It is warm all year, so the calendar is about rain. January to March are the coolest and least humid months and the peak of the season, with the highest prices; April and May end the dry season. From June the rains set in, and the Atlantic hurricane season runs from June to November. Empty Legs from Europe are rare; jets repositioning between Florida, Mexico and Central America are more common in the winter season.

Clearances are processed on working days, so a long weekend around a public holiday needs an earlier request.

Entry, clearance and rules

Dogs and cats

• The Belize Agricultural Health Authority (BAHA) sets the conditions: a health certificate from a registered vet issued within two weeks of travel, stating the animal is healthy and free of external parasites, and treatment against internal parasites within 30 days.
• A first rabies vaccination must be given at least 28 days before travel; the certificate shows the date, product, batch and expiry.
• An import permit is required, and BAHA must be told the date, time and flight two working days before arrival; an inspector checks the animal and papers on entry. We confirm the permit with BAHA in writing before the aircraft is booked.
• Belize is not on the EU list of countries exempt from the antibody test, so the return to the EU or the UK needs a rabies antibody test; when the sample is taken in Europe before departure, no three-month wait applies on the way back. A dog bound for the UK also gets a tapeworm treatment from a vet 1-5 days before it lands there.
• The pet travels in the cabin with you, after the operator's approval.

Empty Legs

Jets that drop a party at Goldson often fly back to Florida empty or come empty to collect guests, and traffic between Cancún, Flores and Roatán leaves aircraft out of position. A window of a few days improves the chance of a match; e-mail the route and your travel window to empty-legs@jets.flights.

How to book

1. Send dates, passengers, luggage and dive gear, and where you are staying.
2. We offer a heavy jet with a stop and a non-stop long-range jet, plus the turboprop or helicopter for the last stretch.
3. The operator files the clearance request at least 48 hours ahead; we book the handler at Goldson and any overtime for a late arrival.
4. The charter contract is signed with the operator; payment goes by bank transfer or card, and the cancellation scale in the contract depends on the operator and how close the flight is.
5. On arrival the handler takes you through the formalities, and the turboprop, car or helicopter waits beside the jet.

Questions about private flights to Belize

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

  • From EUR 100,000 one way from Lisbon or Dublin in a Challenger 650 with one stop; from London it costs EUR 105,000. Flying through without a stop, a Gulfstream G550 from London is EUR 125,000 for the whole aircraft.

• • Can we fly without a stop?

  • Yes, in a Gulfstream G550 or Global 7500: about 10:04 h from London. A Challenger 650 stops once, usually in the Azores.

• • Can a jet land on Ambergris Caye?

  • No. The strip at San Pedro is for turboprops, so the jet lands at Goldson and a local turboprop or helicopter takes you on in under half an hour.

• • How far in advance must the flight be cleared?

  • At least 48 hours before landing, and the clearance number must be issued before departure.

• • Do we need a visa?

  • Not for British citizens staying up to 30 days, and EU citizens normally enter on the same terms; we confirm it for each passport. The passport must be valid for more than three months after arrival.

• • Can we combine Belize with Tikal?

  • Yes. Flores is 0:45 h from Belize City in a Citation CJ3, from EUR 7,500, with a Guatemalan landing permit.

• • When is the best time to go?

  • January to May, the dry season, with the peak from January to March. Storms are possible from June until the end of November.

• • Can I bring my dog?

  • Yes, with a BAHA import permit, a recent health certificate and a rabies vaccination. The return to Europe needs an antibody test.

• • What is the time difference?

  • Belize has no summer time, so it is six hours behind London in winter and seven during British summer time.