Private jet to Cape Verde
Cape Verde, called Cabo Verde by its own government and in international use, is an archipelago of ten volcanic islands in the Atlantic, about 570 km off the coast of Senegal, with some half a million inhabitants. Four of its airports take business jets and clear customs, each on a different island: Sal and Boa Vista for the beach resorts, Praia on Santiago for the capital, and São Vicente for the port town of Mindelo.
Most private flights to Cape Verde carry families and couples to the hotels of Santa Maria on Sal and to the long beaches of Boa Vista between November and April, kitesurfers in the windy months, and business travellers to the government in Praia. Sal also works as a fuel stop for jets crossing the Atlantic to South America.
Give us the island, the dates and the number of travellers, and a consultant replies with aircraft options and prices.
Why fly there privately
Prices to Cape Verde
Prices are for the whole aircraft, one way, to the Cape Verde airport named in each row, with an aircraft available near the departure airport, plus handling, landing and parking charges and passenger taxes. The flight time is that of the first aircraft in each row, including the fuel stop where a light jet needs one.
From the European hubs
| Route | Distance | Flight time | Light jet Phenom 300 |
Super midsize Praetor 600 |
Heavy jet Challenger 650 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| London Farnborough - Sal | 4,313 km | 7:45 h, 1 stop | EUR 34,000 | EUR 41,000 | EUR 55,000 |
| Paris Le Bourget - Sal | 4,253 km | 7:40 h, 1 stop | EUR 33,000 | EUR 40,000 | EUR 55,000 |
| Geneva - Boa Vista | 4,289 km | 7:43 h, 1 stop | EUR 34,000 | EUR 41,000 | EUR 55,000 |
| Zurich - Sal | 4,465 km | 7:57 h, 1 stop | EUR 34,000 | EUR 42,000 | EUR 56,000 |
| Milan Linate - Sal | 4,372 km | 7:50 h, 1 stop | EUR 34,000 | EUR 41,000 | EUR 56,000 |
| Munich - Boa Vista | 4,769 km | 8:22 h, 1 stop | EUR 36,000 | EUR 44,000 | EUR 59,000 |
| Frankfurt - Sal | 4,650 km | 8:12 h, 1 stop | EUR 35,000 | EUR 44,000 | EUR 58,000 |
| Vienna - Sal | 4,999 km | 8:40 h, 1 stop | EUR 37,000 | EUR 46,000 | EUR 61,000 |
| Amsterdam - Boa Vista | 4,699 km | 8:16 h, 1 stop | EUR 35,000 | EUR 44,000 | EUR 58,000 |
| Madrid - Praia | 3,433 km | 6:35 h, 1 stop | EUR 30,000 | EUR 34,000 | EUR 48,000 |
| Nice - Sal | 4,123 km | 7:30 h, 1 stop | EUR 33,000 | EUR 39,000 | EUR 54,000 |
| Lisbon - Praia | 3,000 km | 4:30 h | EUR 22,000 | EUR 31,000 | EUR 45,000 |
| Paris Le Bourget - São Vicente | 4,349 km | 7:48 h, 1 stop | EUR 34,000 | EUR 41,000 | EUR 55,000 |
Lisbon - Praia is the shortest sector at 3,000 km: a Phenom 300 flies it without a stop for EUR 22,000. From London a Phenom 300 costs EUR 34,000 with a fuel stop, against EUR 41,000 for a Praetor 600 flying non-stop in 5:53 h. The longest leg in the table, from Vienna, costs EUR 46,000 in a Praetor 600.
From the Canaries, Madeira and West Africa
| Route | Distance | Flight time | Light jet Citation CJ3 |
Midsize jet Citation XLS+ |
Super midsize Challenger 350 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gran Canaria - Sal | 1,466 km | 2:32 h | EUR 13,500 | EUR 17,500 | EUR 22,000 |
| Tenerife - Boa Vista | 1,475 km | 2:33 h | EUR 13,500 | EUR 17,500 | EUR 22,000 |
| Madeira - Sal | 1,880 km | 3:07 h | EUR 15,500 | EUR 20,000 | EUR 25,000 |
| Dakar - Praia | 690 km | 1:27 h | EUR 10,000 | EUR 13,000 | EUR 15,500 |
| Marrakesh - Sal | 2,236 km | 3:36 h | EUR 17,000 | EUR 22,000 | EUR 28,000 |
Gran Canaria - Sal costs EUR 13,500 in a Citation CJ3 and takes 2:32 h, and Tenerife - Boa Vista the same. From Madeira the CJ3 costs EUR 15,500, and Dakar - Praia EUR 10,000.
Across the Atlantic
| Route | Distance | Flight time | Heavy jet Challenger 650 |
Long range Falcon 7X |
Ultra long range Global 7500 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York - Sal | 5,557 km | 7:02 h | EUR 65,000 | EUR 86,000 | EUR 100,000 |
| Miami - Sal | 5,980 km | 7:32 h | EUR 69,000 | EUR 91,000 | EUR 105,000 |
| São Paulo - Sal | 5,146 km | 6:33 h | EUR 62,000 | EUR 81,000 | EUR 95,000 |
New York - Sal takes 7:02 h and costs EUR 65,000 in a Challenger 650, and São Paulo - Sal EUR 62,000 in the same aircraft. Flights between the islands are domestic sectors, which a foreign operator cannot fly with passengers; a local operator or the inter-island airline covers them, and we arrange the connection.
Departure taxes are charged per passenger and differ by country. France's solidarity tax grows with distance, so Cape Verde pays about EUR 1,015 per passenger, more than the roughly EUR 420 of a flight inside Europe; Italy charges EUR 200 per passenger on sectors beyond 1,500 km and Austria EUR 12. The Netherlands taxes departures in aircraft of 5.7 t or more, and Germany and the UK have departure taxes; in the UK aircraft under 5.7 t pay no APD and the higher rate applies only from 20 t with fewer than 19 seats. Cape Verde's airport and security charges are listed in the quote.
Business jet price per flight hour
Three trips worked through
Price per person
Divided by the number of people on board, the aircraft price comes to:
| Route | Aircraft | Whole aircraft | 2 passengers | 4 passengers | 6 passengers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lisbon - Praia | Phenom 300 | EUR 22,000 | EUR 11,000 | EUR 5,500 | EUR 3,700 |
| London Farnborough - Sal | Praetor 600 | EUR 41,000 | EUR 20,500 | EUR 10,300 | EUR 6,800 |
| Geneva - Boa Vista | Praetor 600 | EUR 41,000 | EUR 20,500 | EUR 10,300 | EUR 6,800 |
Calculator
The calculator gives an indicative price to any of the four airports; name the island in the comment.
Airports in Cape Verde for business jets
| Airport | Codes | Runway | Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sal | SID / GVAC | 3,270 m | every business jet, fuel stop for Atlantic crossings |
| Boa Vista | BVC / GVBA | 2,100 m | light to heavy jets, daylight |
| Praia | RAI / GVNP | 2,100 m | light to heavy jets, limited parking |
| São Vicente | VXE / GVSV | 2,000 m | light to heavy jets, no late jet arrivals |
| Fogo, São Filipe | SFL / GVSF | about 1,200 m | turboprops of a local operator |
There is no separate business aviation terminal: the handlers at Sal offer VIP and crew lounges, and at the other airports the handler meets the aircraft and escorts passengers through immigration and customs. Sal is the usual refuelling point; fuel at the other airports is confirmed with the handler. The landing permit has a published lead time of four working days and the office is closed at weekends, so a Monday arrival is requested the week before.
Choosing the aircraft
- Two to five passengers on a budget: a light jet such as the Phenom 300, with one fuel stop from most hubs and none from Lisbon.
- Up to nine passengers without a stop: a super midsize jet such as the Praetor 600 or the Challenger 350.
- Families with staff or a large party: a heavy jet such as the Challenger 650.
- From the Canaries or Dakar: a light or midsize jet such as the Citation CJ3 or the Citation XLS+.
Leave your number, and a consultant will call to compare a non-stop flight with a fuel stop.
Best months for the islands
Cape Verde is warm all year. November to June is the dry season, with the strongest trade winds from January to March, when Sal and Boa Vista draw kitesurfers; on some winter days dust from the Sahara forms a haze over the sea. The little rain that falls comes from August to October, mostly in September. Christmas, New Year and the school half-term in February are the busiest weeks for private flights, so book them early. Empty Legs to and from Cape Verde are most frequent in early January, when aircraft that brought families for the holidays return to Europe.
Entry rules and documents
Cape Verde is outside the EU and Schengen, so a flight from Europe is international both ways, and the return clears immigration and customs at the first Schengen or UK airport. The aircraft carries the general declaration and a copy of the operator's insurance.
Flying with a dog or cat
The pet travels in the cabin with the operator's approval. Entry needs an ISO microchip, a rabies vaccination given at least 21 days before travel, a health certificate issued shortly before departure and an import authorisation from the veterinary service; we obtain the current requirements in writing before the flight.
Empty Legs
Most Empty Legs on the Cape Verde routes are aircraft returning to Europe after dropping families on Sal or Boa Vista, so they cluster after Christmas, New Year and Easter. A few come from jets that stopped on Sal for fuel on the way to or from South America. To hear about them, send the island, the direction and your possible dates to empty-legs@jets.flights.
Booking steps
- Send the island, the dates and the number of passengers and bags.
- We compare a non-stop flight with a light jet and a fuel stop and send both prices.
- You choose the aircraft and receive the operator's contract.
- After payment we request the landing permit, the handling and the parking, at least four working days ahead.
- Before departure each passenger completes the online pre-registration, and we confirm the arrival time and the transfer to the hotel.
Questions about private flights to the islands
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- How much does a private jet to Cape Verde cost?
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From EUR 22,000 one way for the whole aircraft, Lisbon - Praia in a Phenom 300. London - Sal costs EUR 34,000 in the same aircraft with a fuel stop, or EUR 41,000 non-stop in a Praetor 600.
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- Which airport should we use?
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Sal for Santa Maria and most hotels, Boa Vista for its own resorts, Praia for the capital and São Vicente for Mindelo. All four clear customs.
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- How long is the flight?
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5:53 h from London to Sal in a Praetor 600 without a stop. A light jet from London needs a fuel stop and takes about 7:45 h in total.
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- Do we need a visa?
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Not as EU or UK citizens for up to 30 days. Each passenger registers online at least five days before arrival and pays the airport security fee.
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- Can we fly between the islands?
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Yes, with a local operator or the inter-island airline; a foreign aircraft cannot carry passengers on domestic sectors.
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- Can we land at Boa Vista at night?
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No, the airport keeps daytime hours. Sal is open around the clock if you arrive late.
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- Can our dog come?
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Yes, in the cabin with the operator's approval, a microchip, a rabies vaccination, a health certificate and an import authorisation.
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- When are Empty Legs most likely?
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In the first days of January and after Easter, when aircraft return to Europe empty. Send your dates to empty-legs@jets.flights.
The aviation expert will answer all your questions about business aviation and private flights. We will help you to compare and choose the best business jet for your flight.