Private jet to Cagliari

Cagliari is the capital of Sardinia and its largest city, spread around a wide bay on the south coast. Unlike the resort towns of the north, it works all year: the regional government, the port and the university keep it busy in January as much as in July. The airport at Elmas is only about 7 km from the centre, so a passenger who lands at ten can walk through the Castello quarter before lunch, and the local train from the airport station reaches the city in 6-7 minutes.

Private flights come here for two reasons. One is business: a meeting at the Region, in the port or at a company in the metropolitan area, with the flight home the same evening. The other is the south coast: the resorts of Pula and Chia lie to the west, with Forte Village 40-55 minutes away by car, and Villasimius to the east, about an hour away. Elmas has a general aviation terminal of its own, but every private flight needs prior permission, and in summer the aircraft usually cannot stay overnight. For the Costa Smeralda in the north-east, Olbia is the right airport, and our Sardinia page compares the three airports on the island. As a broker, we request aircraft from operators across Europe and plan the flight and the car in one go.

Use the form to send the route, date and number of passengers, and tell us where you will stay: in the city, at Pula or Chia, or at Villasimius.

Why fly privately to southern Sardinia

Flight times to Elmas

Block times for a Citation CJ3, taken from the tables below:

Cagliari lies further south than Olbia, so flights from northern Europe take about 10-15 minutes longer than to the Costa Smeralda. Zurich is 1:46 h away, Munich 1:56 h, Frankfurt and Vienna just over 2 h. On the longest sectors a bigger jet saves real time: from London the Challenger 350 needs 2:25 h against 2:38 h for the CJ3, and from Hamburg 2:30 h against 2:43 h. Palermo is 1:01 h away in a Pilatus PC-24, Palma 1:15 h and Tunis 0:54 h. From Copenhagen allow just under 3 h, and from Dubai 5:35-5:53 h non-stop.

Prices for flights to Cagliari

Prices are for the whole aircraft, one way, plus handling, any parking and passenger taxes, with a suitable aircraft near the departure airport. The flight time is for the first aircraft in the row.

From the hubs of western and central Europe

From Rome Ciampino, the cheapest hub, a Citation CJ3 costs EUR 8,500. Nice follows at EUR 9,000 and Milan Linate at EUR 10,000. From London the CJ3 costs EUR 13,500, the Citation Latitude is priced at EUR 19,000 and the Challenger 350 at EUR 22,000.

Around the western Mediterranean

Sicily, Malta, the Balearics and North Africa are all within two hours, and on these distances a turboprop is the cheapest choice:

Tunis is closer to Cagliari than Rome is, but it lies outside Schengen, so the arrival is cleared by border police and customs. Many clients use these sectors to link a week in Majorca or Sicily with the south of Sardinia and fly home from Elmas.

From northern Europe, Ireland and the UK regions

From Stockholm, about 2,320 km away, a Phenom 300 needs 3:36 h. On sectors of three hours a stand-up cabin is worth considering: the Praetor 500 costs EUR 20,000 from Copenhagen and the Gulfstream G280 costs EUR 25,000.

Long-haul: Israel, the Gulf and New York

The runway of about 2,800 m takes every long-range jet, and the Gulf is within non-stop range of a heavy jet:

Price depends on flight time, on the position of the nearest free aircraft and on the season. Few aircraft are based in the south of Sardinia, so outside the summer a departure from Cagliari may include a positioning leg from Rome, Milan or Olbia. In summer the aircraft usually leaves after dropping its passengers and comes back for the return. Italy charges a tax on every passenger of a private flight departing from or arriving in Italy, for each leg: EUR 100 up to 1,500 km and EUR 200 beyond, with the distance taken as great circle plus 95 km, which puts London, Amsterdam and Hamburg in the higher band. Domestic flights from Rome, Milan or Palermo also carry Italian VAT, normally at the reduced rate of 10%. Departures from France pay the French solidarity tax of about EUR 420 per passenger on a jet, departures from the UK Air Passenger Duty (the higher private-jet rate only on aircraft of 20 t or more with fewer than 19 seats), and departures from Germany a national tax.

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 and their real cost

Cost per passenger

The aircraft is always chartered as a whole, so the price per seat drops as the group grows. The Italian tax is added per head:

Quick estimate

Enter the route, the date and the number of passengers, and the calculator sends an estimate by e-mail within minutes.

Cagliari Elmas airport and its general aviation terminal

Cagliari-Elmas Mario Mameli (CAG, LIEE) lies north-west of the city at Elmas and is run by the airport company SOGAER. It is the busiest airport in Sardinia by passengers and also serves military flights. The single runway, 14/32, is about 2,800 m long, enough for every business jet.

Private passengers use a separate general aviation terminal run by the airport company, with several lounges, a meeting room for 12 people and an area for crews with a briefing room. It is open all year with set daytime hours; an earlier or later arrival is possible on written request, for an extension fee. Every private flight needs prior permission (PPR), which the handling agent requests: Sogaerdyn, part of the airport group, and Argos both work here. As the airport also has military traffic, we check notices to airmen before an unusual arrival time. In high season private aircraft are usually not allowed to stay overnight: the aircraft drops its passengers and leaves, either home or to Olbia or Alghero, and comes back for the return.

Other airports and alternates

Elmas is the only airport in the south of the island that takes jets. The others are used as alternates or when the trip ends somewhere else. Distances are straight-line from Cagliari:

The right aircraft for the south of Sardinia

For a fortnight on the coast the hold matters more than the seat count: a family of four with ordinary bags fits a light jet, but pushchairs, snorkelling kit and golf clubs call for a midsize jet. Tell us how many bags and of what type, and the operator confirms the load.

Need advice on the aircraft, the terminal hours or parking? Leave your number and a consultant will call you back.

When to fly to Cagliari

The climate is dry, with hot summers and mild winters, so the best time depends on whether the trip is about the city or the beach:

Cruise ships call at the port regularly, and on those days the Castello and the waterfront are busier, so a walk in the old town works best early or late in the day. In July and August we plan landings for the morning or the evening, with an air-conditioned car at the aircraft.

From Elmas to the city and the coast

Pula and Villasimius lie on opposite sides of the bay and are reached by different roads, so the arrival time depends on the hotel's address. The coast roads are slow on summer afternoons, with single-lane stretches towards Pula. For a boat trip round Capo Carbonara, we agree the boarding point with the skipper so that the driver goes straight to the right harbour.

Empty Legs to and from Cagliari

Aircraft that cannot stay at Elmas in summer often leave empty after dropping their passengers, and those legs are sold well below the usual price. Typical directions:

The date and time are set by the original booking, so these legs suit flexible plans. The Italian passenger tax applies as on a normal charter. Send the direction and a date range to empty-legs@jets.flights and we will forward matching flights.

Travelling with a dog or cat

Your pet flies in the cabin beside you and leaves the airport through the general aviation terminal, straight to the car. Italy applies the EU rules without extra national conditions:

• Microchip, implanted before the rabies vaccination.
• First rabies vaccination from the age of 12 weeks, at least 21 days before travel.
• EU pet passport; pets from Great Britain need an animal health certificate from an authorised vet.
• Up to five dogs, cats or ferrets per person on a private trip.
• No tapeworm treatment is needed to enter Italy.

In July and August the apron and the tarmac get very hot, so a morning or evening landing is better for a dog. Beach rules for dogs are set by each municipality and beach club and differ from bay to bay; we check them for your hotel. Flying on to the UK, Ireland, Malta, Finland or Norway, dogs need tapeworm treatment 1-5 days before arrival, and the UK accepts pets only through approved routes and handlers.

Papers, border and taxes

Checklist before the flight

• Valid passport or ID card for every passenger, children included.
• Aircraft details and the passenger list, sent right after the contract so the handler can request the permission.
• Arrival and departure times, and whether they fall outside the terminal's normal hours.
• Hotel address in the city, at Pula, Chia or Villasimius, or the harbour of the boat.
• Number and type of bags: pushchairs, golf clubs, snorkelling kit.
• Whether the aircraft should wait or fly two one-way legs.
• Pet documents and the hotel's pet policy.
• Company name and VAT number for the invoice.

How a booking works

1. Send the departure airport, dates, times, passengers, luggage and the final address: city, west coast or east coast.
2. We check the permission, the terminal hours and whether the aircraft can stay, and price two one-way flights where it cannot.
3. You receive 2-4 aircraft options with operator, model, cabin photos and the price for the whole aircraft, plus the car to your address.
4. You sign the contract with the operator and pay; the handler requests the permission and we confirm the car and catering.
5. You land at the general aviation terminal, the checks take place in the same building and the car is at the door.

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

Cagliari by private jet: questions and answers

• • How much should we budget for a private jet to Cagliari?

  • From Rome a Citation CJ3 costs from EUR 8,500 one way for the whole aircraft. From Milan Linate the price is EUR 10,000 and from London EUR 13,500. The Italian passenger tax, VAT on domestic flights and the transfer come on top.

• • Is there a private terminal at Elmas?

  • Yes. The general aviation terminal has lounges, a meeting room for 12 people and a crew area. Passport checks for non-Schengen arrivals take place inside it.

• • Can we land in the evening?

  • Yes, but outside the terminal's daytime hours the opening must be requested in writing in advance, for an extension fee. We include it in the quote.

• • How long are we in the air from London?

  • About 2:38 h from Farnborough in a Citation CJ3 and 2:25 h in a Challenger 350, non-stop.

• • Can the aircraft stay in Cagliari during our holiday?

  • Outside the summer usually yes. In high season private aircraft are generally not allowed to stay overnight at Elmas, so the aircraft leaves and returns, or you book two one-way flights.

• • How far is it to Pula and Villasimius?

  • Forte Village at Santa Margherita di Pula is about 47 km and 40-55 minutes by car, Villasimius about 62 km and an hour. Summer afternoons take longer.

• • Should we fly to Cagliari or Olbia?

  • Cagliari for the city and the south coast, Olbia for the Costa Smeralda. The drive between them takes about 3 h, so for a tour of the island land at one and fly home from the other.

• • What taxes come on top?

  • Italy charges EUR 100 per passenger for each leg up to 1,500 km and EUR 200 beyond, plus VAT on domestic flights. From London, Amsterdam or Hamburg it is EUR 200.

• • Is early May a difficult time to fly in?

  • The flight is not a problem, but the feast of Sant'Efisio starts on 1 May and city hotels fill early. We plan the transfer around the procession route.

• • Is a dog allowed in the cabin?

  • Yes, in the cabin, with a microchip, a valid rabies vaccination and an EU pet passport. The operator must approve the animal before booking.

• • Do Empty Legs fly to or from Cagliari?

  • Mostly in summer, towards Rome, Naples, Nice and northern Europe. Write to empty-legs@jets.flights with your direction and dates.

• • Can we hold a meeting at the airport?

  • Yes. The meeting room in the general aviation terminal seats 12, so a short meeting needs no drive into town.