Private jet to Benin

Every private flight from Europe to Benin lands in Cotonou. Cardinal Bernardin Gantin International, still widely called Cadjehoun, lies within the city, a few kilometres from the centre and the port, and is open around the clock with customs. Cotonou is the seat of government and the economic centre; Porto-Novo, the constitutional capital, is about 30 km to the east.

The passengers are mostly business and government delegations, often on a trip that also includes Lagos, Lomé or Accra, and visitors to Ouidah and Abomey, the historic centres of the Vodun religion and the old Kingdom of Dahomey. A Praetor 500 flies non-stop from Geneva in 6:04 h and from Paris in 6:25 h. For the papers, count on an e-visa and a yellow fever certificate for every passenger and a landing permit for the aircraft.

Send the dates, passengers and the other stops of the trip; a consultant answers with aircraft, prices and the timetable for permit and visas.

Cotonou and the places around it

What a flight to Benin costs

Every figure covers the whole aircraft one way; the landing permit, handling, parking, airport charges and passenger taxes come on top. The time shown belongs to the first aircraft of the row, with a fuel stop marked where the Praetor 500 needs one.

From Europe to Cotonou

The cheapest sectors start in the Iberian Peninsula: Lisbon - Cotonou costs EUR 31,000 in a Praetor 500. Paris, Munich and Vienna come to EUR 37,000. From London and Amsterdam the Praetor 500 has to stop, so the Praetor 600, at EUR 46,000 and EUR 47,000, is the better choice: it covers London - Cotonou direct in 6:45 h. For groups of ten to twelve the Challenger 650 costs EUR 58,000 from Paris.

From West and Central Africa

Lagos is only 106 km away: 0:43 h in a Pilatus PC-12 for EUR 6,000. From Lomé and Accra the turboprop needs under an hour and a quarter. For Douala or Dakar a jet such as the Phenom 300 is faster.

Each European country taxes its own departures. The French solidarity tax on business jets rises with the distance flown, so a sector to West Africa pays more per passenger than a hop within Europe. Italy charges EUR 200 per passenger on sectors beyond 1,500 km, inbound as well as outbound. German and British departure taxes appear as separate lines; British APD is not charged on aircraft under 5.7 t, and its higher private jet rate starts at 20 t with fewer than 19 seats. Beninese airport charges are itemised in the same 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

Price per seat

Calculator

For a first figure enter Cotonou and the date; for a tour of several capitals list the stops in the comment.

Airports

Cotonou has one runway, 06/24, of 2,400 m with ILS, enough for every jet in the tables and for long-range types; on hot days the operator checks the take-off weight of the heavier aircraft for the flight home. There is no separate business aviation terminal: the mandatory handler meets the aircraft and accompanies the passengers through immigration and customs, and we confirm in writing where the party is processed. A replacement airport at Glo-Djigbé, north of Cotonou, has been planned; all flights use Cotonou.

The landing permit is issued by the civil aviation authority, ANAC. Handlers recommend 24 to 72 hours of notice, and the permit is valid for 24 hours, so a delay means a revision. The file includes registration, airworthiness and insurance certificates, crew passport copies, the schedule in UTC, the routing, the passenger manifest and the radio licence. A European aircraft does not carry passengers between two Beninese airports; the north is reached by road or with a local operator.

Aircraft for Benin

• Parties of up to eight from Lisbon, Madrid, Paris or Munich: a midsize jet such as the Praetor 500, flying direct.
• From London or Amsterdam, or with more luggage: a Praetor 600 or Challenger 350 class jet.
• Groups of ten to twelve: a heavy jet such as the Challenger 650.
• Hops to Lagos, Lomé or Accra: a turboprop such as the Pilatus PC-12.

Weather and the calendar

The best months are December to March, the main dry season, with harmattan haze from the Sahara and highs around 32 degrees. The main rains fall from April to July, then a cooler, drier spell in August and September and shorter rains in October and November. Empty Legs are rare and appear mostly after a drop in Cotonou or Lagos.

Empty Legs

There are few Empty Legs to Benin. The usual ones are aircraft returning to Europe after a drop in Cotonou and jets repositioning between Lagos, Cotonou, Lomé and Accra. Write to empty-legs@jets.flights with the route and the dates you could fly.

Travelling with a pet

A dog or cat can fly in the cabin with the operator's agreement. For Benin the animal needs a rabies vaccination given between 30 days and 12 months before arrival and a veterinary health certificate issued shortly before travel; the certificate and the rabies record are endorsed by the Beninese consulate, and the animal arrives through Cotonou. We confirm the current requirements in writing before the flight.

Entry rules and travel advice

The UK Foreign Office advises against all travel to the W and Pendjari national parks with their hunting zones and to the area within 5 km of the border with Burkina Faso, and against all but essential travel to the rest of the Alibori and Atacora departments and the area between the RNIE 2 road from Tchaourou to Malanville and the Nigerian border. Cotonou, Porto-Novo, Ouidah and Abomey are not in these lists. Each traveller also reads their own government's advice and confirms insurance cover before booking.

How the booking works

1. Send dates, passengers and the full route, including any stops in Nigeria, Togo or Ghana.
2. We propose the aircraft and check permit and visa lead times for each country.
3. You confirm; the e-visas are applied for and passport copies go to the operator.
4. The operator files the landing permit with ANAC and books the handler.
5. On the eve of the flight you receive the permit number, the handler's contact and the car plan for Cotonou.

Private jet to Benin: common questions

• • How much does a private jet from Europe to Cotonou cost?

  • From EUR 31,000 one way for the whole aircraft, Lisbon - Cotonou in a Praetor 500. Paris costs EUR 37,000, London EUR 46,000 in a Praetor 600.

• • How long does Paris - Cotonou take?

  • About 6:25 h non-stop in a Praetor 500 or Praetor 600, 6:04 h in a Challenger 650.

• • Can large jets land in Cotonou?

  • Yes, the 2,400 m runway takes the jets in our tables and long-range types; on hot days the operator checks the take-off weight of the heavier aircraft.

• • Is there a VIP terminal?

  • There is no separate business aviation terminal; the handler meets the aircraft and accompanies passengers through the formalities.

• • Which documents are needed?

  • An e-visa applied for online before travel, a passport valid for the stay and a yellow fever vaccination certificate.

• • Can we add Lagos or Lomé to the trip?

  • Yes. Lagos is 0:43 h and Lomé 0:46 h away by turboprop; visas for Nigeria and Togo are arranged before the trip, as Benin does not issue them.

• • Can we bring our dog?

  • Yes, in the cabin, with a rabies vaccination 30 days to 12 months old and a health certificate endorsed by the Beninese consulate. Plan the antibody test for the return before departure.

• • When should we start planning?

  • About a week for the e-visa; the landing permit needs 24 to 72 hours. Around Vodun Day on 10 January book earlier.