Private jet to Bermuda

Bermuda is a group of about 180 islands and islets in the western Atlantic, about 1,250 km from Boston and New York and 5,500 km from London. Some 64,000 people live there, and the capital, Hamilton, is one of the world's centres of insurance and reinsurance. Private flights from Europe bring board members and client teams to Hamilton, families to the pink-sand beaches of the south shore, golfers, and yacht owners who come for the finish of an ocean race.

The territory has one airport, L.F. Wade International, and every flight from abroad lands there. The route sits close to the range limit of many business jets, so the choice of aircraft decides whether the crossing is made in one leg or with a fuel stop in Ireland or the Azores. As a broker, we compare aircraft from operators on both sides of the Atlantic and arrange the charter permit, handling and the car from the apron.

Send the route, dates and number of passengers through the form, and we reply with aircraft, flight times and prices.

Why business travellers and families fly privately to the islands

No airline flies from continental Europe to the islands without a change. Scheduled services come mainly from London and from the east coast of North America, so a trip from Geneva, Munich or Milan means two flights and a connection. A charter flies from the airport nearest to you and lands beside the private terminal.

Flight times across the Atlantic

From London, Paris, Amsterdam, Madrid and Dublin a Praetor 600 crosses in 6:54-7:50 h without a stop; from Geneva, Frankfurt and Hamburg it needs 8:06-8:15 h. From Zurich, Nice, Milan, Munich and Copenhagen the distance passes 6,200 km, and the super midsize jet lands once for fuel, which makes the trip about 9:47-10:03 h. A long-range Falcon 7X flies all of them straight through, and a heavy Challenger 650 does so from Zurich and Nice. Vienna, Rome and Larnaca are 10:23-12:51 h away with a stop in the smaller jet.

Westbound flights meet the prevailing headwind, so the operator plans fuel for the actual forecast and may add a stop on a stormy day; the return to Europe is usually shorter. The usual stops are Shannon in Ireland, with a runway of about 3,200 m, and Santa Maria in the Azores, with 3,048 m, and the stop takes about an hour. A flight of seven to eight hours fits one crew's duty day, but the crew must rest on the island before flying back.

Prices for a private flight to Bermuda

The prices buy the whole jet for one way and assume it is based near the airport you leave from. Handling, landing and parking at L.F. Wade, the charter permit and passenger taxes are added in the quote. The flight time shown belongs to the first aircraft in each row.

From the European hubs

Dublin is the cheapest row at EUR 47,000 in the Praetor 600, followed by Edinburgh at EUR 49,000 and London and Madrid at EUR 50,000. The Falcon 7X costs EUR 81,000-100,000 from Western and Central Europe and adds range in hand for an alternate on the American coast. From Larnaca only the Falcon 7X flies through without a stop.

From the Atlantic edge of Europe

Ponta Delgada in the Azores is 3,572 km from the islands, so even a midsize Citation Latitude flies it in 5:01 h without a stop, from EUR 30,000. From Lisbon, Porto, Madeira, Tenerife and Shannon the midsize Citation Latitude stops once, while the Challenger 350 and Challenger 650 fly direct.

From North America and the Caribbean

The same prices apply in the other direction, for example from Bermuda to New York after a stay. Every one of these legs is an international flight with passport control at both ends. Many long-range jets are based on the American east coast, which can make a one-way charter from Europe cheaper when the aircraft ends its trip close to home.

Passenger taxes and local charges

Departure taxes depend on the country you leave from. From Paris the French per-passenger tax on a jet is about EUR 420 if Bermuda is classed with the UK and about EUR 2,100 if it goes by distance, which the quote settles; from Milan or Rome EUR 200 per passenger, as the distance exceeds 1,500 km, and the Italian tax is also charged on the flight back into Italy. British Air Passenger Duty: aircraft below 5.7 t are exempt, jets of 20 t and more with under 19 seats pay the higher rate, and other jets the standard rate. Leaving Germany, Norway or the Netherlands, a national departure tax is due as well. At L.F. Wade the airport charges several fees per departing passenger, plus the terminal, landing and parking fees, and the charter permit has a fee. All of them are 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 extras

Price per passenger

The aircraft is chartered as a whole, so the share per person falls with every seat filled; passenger taxes come on top:

Calculator

For a return trip, an onward leg to the United States or a different departure city, the calculator e-mails a first estimate:

L.F. Wade International and the private terminal

The airport stands on St David's Island in St George's Parish, at the eastern end of the chain. It began as a wartime military base and is used only by civil aviation; the government owns it and a private company runs it. With no second airport and no neighbour within a short hop, planning is about hours, fuel and alternates rather than the choice of field.

If weather closes the airport, the nearest runways are on the American or Canadian coast, 2:15-2:26 h away in a light jet, or in the Azores. The crew carries fuel for that alternate, which is one more reason the long-range classes are popular on this route.

Which aircraft for the crossing

With six passengers or fewer and ordinary luggage, a super midsize jet is the economical choice from the western half of Europe. Larger groups, golf bags for everyone or a winter departure with strong headwinds point to a heavy jet or a long-range aircraft.

Unsure whether your group fits a direct flight in the smaller jet? Leave your number and a consultant will call you back.

When to fly: the Bermudian year

The islands lie far north of the Caribbean, with mild winters and hot, humid summers. The beach season runs from May to October, while winter suits golf, meetings and a quiet stay. Late May to early August is the busiest time, with Bermuda Day, the ocean race in alternate years and Cup Match. The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June to November, with most storms in late summer and early autumn. Empty Legs are most frequent after the holiday and event weeks, when jets that brought guests from the American east coast fly home empty, and at the end of the summer.

Around Cup Match and the race weeks we book the aircraft, hotel and transport early. The permit office of the civil aviation authority works on weekdays from 09:00 to 17:00 and closes on public holidays, so paperwork for a holiday arrival goes in before the long weekend.

From the airport to Hamilton and the resorts

Visitors cannot hire an ordinary car on the islands, so taxis and hotel cars are the normal way to move, and we book the driver together with the flight.

Empty Legs to and from Bermuda

Dates and times belong to the operator, and a leg can disappear when the original booking changes. Send your direction and travel window to empty-legs@jets.flights and we will tell you when something fits.

Flying with a dog or cat

Bermuda is stricter than the EU: no dog or cat enters without an import permit issued before the trip. The preparation takes months:

• An import permit from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, applied for with the vet's documents.
• The animal must be at least 10 months old and carry a microchip that a standard reader can find.
• Two rabies vaccinations, the last given at least 30 days and no more than 12 months before arrival. Animals arriving directly from the UK fall under a separate vaccination rule, which we confirm with the department in writing.
• A health certificate from a licensed vet issued within 10 days before arrival, with a tick treatment given at the examination using an approved product.
• Several dog breeds and their crosses, among them the cane corso, dogo argentino and tosa inu, may not enter; others are allowed only under extra conditions.
• The way back: Bermuda is on the EU list, so no rabies antibody test is needed to return to the EU, only the microchip, the EU pet passport and a valid vaccination. A dog flying on to the UK must be treated against tapeworm 1-5 days before it arrives; on a trip of five days or less this can be given before leaving the UK.

On a private flight the pet travels in the cabin beside you, and the operator must approve it in advance; up to five animals can travel with their owners.

Status, entry and customs

Bermuda is a British Overseas Territory with its own government, immigration and customs; it is not part of the United Kingdom or the EU, and none of their entry rules apply. The currency is the Bermuda dollar, pegged at par to the US dollar, which is accepted everywhere.

Checklist before departure

• Passports for every passenger, valid for the whole stay.
• Bermuda Arrival Card completed online.
• Names and passport details sent to us at least two working days before departure, earlier before a public holiday.
• Pet import permit, vaccination records and the 10-day health certificate.
• ESTA, US visa or Canadian eTA if the trip continues to North America.
• Hotel or villa address and the driver's details for the arrival.
• Company name and VAT number for the invoice on a business trip.

How to book

1. Send the departure city, dates, number of passengers and luggage, especially golf bags and diving gear.
2. We compare a direct flight with a fuel stop and propose two or three aircraft with prices, together with the cost of waiting on the island against flying home in between.
3. After you choose, the operator applies for the charter permit, and we book handling, fuel, parking and the arrival time before the tower closes.
4. You sign the contract and pay; we collect passport details and confirm the car and the hotel transfer.
5. On the day, the crew checks the forecast for the crossing and the alternate, and you clear immigration in the private terminal on arrival.

Questions about private flights to Bermuda

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

  • From EUR 47,000 one way from Dublin in a Praetor 600; from London or Madrid the same jet costs EUR 50,000. A Challenger 650 costs EUR 62,000-71,000 from most of Western Europe, for the whole aircraft.

• • Can a jet fly to the islands without a stop?

  • Yes. A Praetor 600 crosses from London in 7:22 h, and heavy and long-range jets fly direct from most of Europe. Smaller jets and departures from Southern and Eastern Europe stop in Shannon or the Azores.

• • Which airport do we land at?

  • L.F. Wade International, the only airport on the islands. Passengers clear customs and immigration in the Atlantic Aviation terminal, 20-30 minutes from Hamilton.

• • Can we land late in the evening?

  • The tower closes at 23:00 local time. A later arrival needs prior permission requested at least 24 hours ahead, so we time the departure from Europe to land before closing.

• • Do we need a visa?

  • Not for EU or British citizens on a visit. Each passenger needs a passport valid for the stay and completes the Bermuda Arrival Card online.

• • Is a permit needed for the flight?

  • A charter by an operator registered outside the UK and its territories needs a permit from the civil aviation authority, which works on weekdays. The operator applies, usually about two days before.

• • Can I bring my dog?

  • Yes, with an import permit, a microchip, two rabies vaccinations and a health certificate from the last 10 days. The dog must be at least 10 months old, and some breeds are banned.

• • How long does the flight to New York take?

  • About 2:15 h in a Citation CJ3 to Teterboro, from EUR 12,500. US entry needs an ESTA or a visa, and the ESTA covers private flights only with operators in the Visa Waiver Program.

• • What is the time difference?

  • Four hours behind London and five behind Paris for most of the year. For a few weeks in March and around the end of October the difference is one hour less.

• • Is it cheaper to keep the jet on the island?

  • For one or two nights, usually yes. For a week, two one-way flights are often cheaper than parking and crew hotels, and an Empty Leg may cover one direction.

• • When is hurricane season?

  • From June to November, with most storms in late summer and early autumn. In those months we keep the return date flexible and agree a back-up plan with the operator.