Private jet to Biarritz

Biarritz is the resort of the French Basque coast: the Grande Plage below the Hôtel du Palais, once the summer residence of Napoleon III, the surf beach of the Côte des Basques and golf courses within minutes of the sea. The airport, Biarritz Pays Basque, stands in Anglet between Biarritz and Bayonne, only 3-4 km from the centre, so the drive from the aircraft to a seafront hotel takes 5-10 minutes.

The Spanish border on the Bidasoa river is about 30 km south, and San Sebastián is about 40 minutes by motorway, which makes Biarritz the usual landing point for both sides of the Basque Country. Private traffic peaks from June to September, with families, golfers and surfers, and again for the San Sebastián film festival. Two rules shape the trip: parking for the aircraft must be approved at least 48 hours before arrival, and the tower closes at 23:00.

Send the route, the dates and where you will stay, in Biarritz or across the border, and we will reply with aircraft and prices.

Why the Basque coast is easier by private jet

Flight times to the Basque coast

Times in a Phenom 300 light jet, as in the tables, including taxi, climb and descent:

From Madrid the flight takes an hour, from Paris, Geneva and Nice about 1:25 h. London, Milan, Zurich and Brussels are 1:40-1:45 h away, Frankfurt and Amsterdam just under two hours, Hamburg and Vienna 2:23-2:29 h. A turboprop from Barcelona needs 1:17 h, only about 15 minutes more than a jet. From Dubai a Falcon 7X flies non-stop in 6:49 h, from New York in 7:09 h.

How much a private jet to Biarritz costs

All prices are for the whole aircraft, one way, with an aircraft available near the departure airport. Handling, parking and passenger taxes are added in the quote; the flight time refers to the first aircraft in each row.

From Europe's main hubs

Madrid is the cheapest hub at EUR 10,000 in a Phenom 300. From Paris Le Bourget, Geneva and Nice the light jet costs EUR 11,500, and from London Farnborough EUR 12,500. Larnaca is beyond the range of the light and midsize jets, which stop once; the Challenger 350 flies non-stop in 4:26 h.

From Spain, Portugal and the south of France

Short sectors where a turboprop costs much less than a jet and loses little time:

From Bordeaux a PC-12 costs EUR 6,500 and flies in 0:50 h, against about two hours by road. From Barcelona the turboprop costs EUR 7,500. From Lisbon, 823 km away, the PC-24 saves half an hour on the PC-12.

From the UK, Ireland and northern Europe

Manchester and Dublin are about two hours away in a PC-24. From Copenhagen and Stockholm the trip takes 2:51-3:34 h, and a Praetor 500 or a G280 brings more space for golf bags and boards.

To San Sebastián airport

The Spanish airport at Hondarribia has a short runway, so only light aircraft are offered, and the operator confirms the landing for the specific aircraft:

Long-haul flights

The 2,250 m runway takes long-range jets on typical loads. All three types fly these routes non-stop:

Prices depend on the flight time, the season and the nearest free aircraft: from June to September, and on July and August weekends in particular, fewer aircraft are free. Parking space is limited, so for a stay of a week two one-way flights are often cheaper than keeping the aircraft. Departures from France pay the solidarity tax, about EUR 420 per passenger on a jet within Europe and about half on a turboprop; there is no French tax on arrival. Departures from the UK pay Air Passenger Duty: none on aircraft under 5.7 t such as the PC-12, the higher private-jet rate on aircraft of 20 t or more with fewer than 19 seats, the standard rate on other jets. Flights to and from Italy pay EUR 100 per passenger up to 1,500 km and EUR 200 beyond; any other charges of the departure country 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

Real trip budgets

Price split by passengers

The whole aircraft is booked, so each additional passenger lowers the cost per seat. The French tax on the way back is added per person:

Quick estimate

Enter the departure airport, the date and the number of passengers, and the calculator e-mails you an estimate.

Biarritz Pays Basque airport and the alternatives

Biarritz Pays Basque (BIQ, LFBZ) serves Biarritz, Anglet and Bayonne. Its single runway, 09/27, is 2,250 m long and 45 m wide, with an ILS Category I approach to runway 27. That is enough for light, midsize and long-range business jets on normal loads; aircraft with a wingspan over 36 m need the airport's prior approval, a limit that ordinary large business jets stay below.

Private flights use a separate business aviation terminal with a passenger lounge, a crew lounge, concierge services and access for cars to the apron. There is no mandatory security screening, and border police and customs come on request, which matters for arrivals from the UK and other non-Schengen countries. Air traffic services run from early morning to 23:00; a movement after that needs prior permission from the authorities and the airport. The apron is small, so parking is granted on request at least 48 hours before arrival, and in July and August we file it as soon as the charter is confirmed. Biarritz is not a slot-coordinated airport.

San Sebastián, Pau and other airports

When the programme is in Spain, in the Pyrenees or in the wine country, another airport may be closer. Distances are straight-line from Biarritz:

At San Sebastián both runway thresholds are displaced, which leaves 1,427 m for landing; whether an aircraft can use it depends on its weight and the weather, and the operator decides. A private flight there needs the airport's permission three hours ahead for aircraft up to ten seats and a day ahead for larger ones. Pau is about an hour from Biarritz by the A64 motorway, Bilbao about 1:30 h, Bordeaux about two hours.

The right aircraft for the coast

Surf boards decide the aircraft more often than the number of passengers: a long board fits only in a hold of the right length, so give us the length with the request. Golf bags fit in most light jets, but four sets plus suitcases call for a midsize jet.

Want to talk through the aircraft, parking or the late-evening rules? Leave your number and a consultant will call.

The year on the Basque coast

Demand at the airport follows the summer, the Basque festivals and the Atlantic swell:

For families, June and September combine beach weather with free hotels. Golfers prefer spring and autumn, surfers the months from September to November.

From the terminal to Biarritz, Bayonne and San Sebastián

Dinner in San Sebastián rarely starts before 21:00, so a same-night flight home would collide with the tower closing at 23:00; a night on the coast and a morning departure is the usual plan. A helicopter can take guests to a villa with its own landing pad; there is no public heliport nearby, so we arrange each landing in advance.

Empty Legs on Basque routes

When an aircraft drops passengers in Biarritz and cannot stay, it often leaves empty. These flights are sold well below the normal charter price. Typical directions:

An Empty Leg keeps the date and time of the paid flight and can be cancelled if that flight changes, so it fits flexible holidays. Send the direction and a date range to empty-legs@jets.flights and we will forward matching flights.

Your dog or cat on board

Animals fly in the cabin with their owners, not in a hold, and the operator must approve them before the booking. France applies the EU rules, and the same papers cover the drive into Spain:

• Microchip, implanted before the rabies vaccination.
• Rabies vaccination at least 21 days before travel when it is the first one, given at 12 weeks of age or older.
• EU pet passport; pets from Great Britain need an animal health certificate from a government-authorised vet.
• Up to five dogs, cats or ferrets per person.
• No tapeworm treatment is needed to enter France or Spain.

If the trip continues to the UK, Ireland, Malta, Finland or Norway, a dog needs tapeworm treatment from a vet 1-5 days before arrival there, and the UK admits pets only through approved routes and handlers. Whether a dog may go on the beach depends on the town and the season; we check the rules and the hotel's pet policy before you land.

Passports, borders and taxes

Checklist for the trip

• Passport or ID card for every passenger, also for the drive into Spain.
• Names and document numbers sent the day before.
• Where you stay: Biarritz, Saint-Jean-de-Luz or San Sebastián.
• How long the aircraft stays, so parking can be requested 48 hours ahead.
• Number of golf bags and the length of any surf boards.
• Return time before the tower closes at 23:00.
• Pet documents and the hotel's pet rules.
• Company name and VAT number if the invoice goes to a business.

Booking in five steps

1. Tell us the dates, the number of passengers, the bags and boards, and which side of the border you stay on.
2. We decide between Biarritz and San Sebastián airport, ask the operator to confirm the runway if needed and request parking 48 hours ahead.
3. You receive 2-4 offers with operator, model, cabin photos and the price for the whole aircraft, with the French tax on the return shown separately.
4. You sign the contract with the operator and pay; we confirm handling, the car or helicopter and catering.
5. On arrival the car waits by the terminal, and the return is timed before 23:00 or moved to the next morning.

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

Biarritz by private jet: frequently asked questions

• • How much is a private jet to Biarritz?

  • For the whole aircraft, a Phenom 300 costs EUR 10,000 one way from Madrid. From Paris Le Bourget or Geneva it costs EUR 11,500, from London Farnborough EUR 12,500. A turboprop from Bordeaux costs EUR 6,500. Handling, parking and the French tax on departure come on top.

• • How close is the airport to the beaches?

  • About 3-4 km. The Grande Plage and the Hôtel du Palais are 5-10 minutes away by car, Bayonne 10-15 minutes and Saint-Jean-de-Luz 15-25 minutes.

• • Can we land in San Sebastián instead?

  • Sometimes. The runway at Hondarribia leaves only 1,427 m for landing, so the operator must confirm the specific aircraft, and the airport closes at 21:45. Otherwise you land in Biarritz and drive about 40 minutes.

• • Can the aircraft stay for the weekend?

  • Yes, if the airport approves parking, which must be requested at least 48 hours before arrival. In July and August space can run out, and the aircraft then flies away and returns.

• • Can we fly home late at night?

  • The tower closes at 23:00, and later movements need prior permission that is not guaranteed. After a late dinner in San Sebastián a morning flight is the safer plan.

• • How long is the flight from London?

  • About 1:40 h from Farnborough in a Phenom 300 and 1:35 h in a Challenger 350, non-stop.

• • Can we bring golf bags and surf boards?

  • Yes. Golf bags fit in most light jets; for boards the length decides, so tell us when you ask for a quote and we pick an aircraft with a long enough hold.

• • Do we need passports to drive on to Spain?

  • There is normally no check at the border, but temporary controls are possible and operators need valid ID for every passenger, so carry passports or ID cards.

• • Can my dog fly with us?

  • Yes, in the cabin, with a microchip, a rabies vaccination and an EU pet passport. France bans pit bull, boerboel and tosa type dogs without a pedigree.

• • Are there Empty Legs to Biarritz?

  • Yes, mostly from Madrid, Barcelona and Paris, and from Biarritz to London and Geneva in summer. Send your dates to empty-legs@jets.flights.

• • When is the best time to go?

  • June and September for the beach without the August crowds, spring and autumn for golf, September to November for the largest waves.