Private jet to the Cayman Islands

The Cayman Islands are a British Overseas Territory in the western Caribbean, south of Cuba and north-west of Jamaica: Grand Cayman, where almost everyone lives and works, and the two smaller Sister Islands, Cayman Brac and Little Cayman. The territory has its own constitution, a Governor representing the Crown and an elected Premier, and runs its own immigration, customs and aviation rules. Neither the entry rules of the UK nor those of the EU or the USA apply on arrival.

Practically every private flight from Europe lands at Owen Roberts International in George Town, where business jets use a separate general aviation terminal with its own customs and immigration officers. The clients are of two kinds: directors, lawyers and auditors of the funds, trusts and insurers registered in the territory, who often stay only two or three nights, and families who come for Seven Mile Beach, diving and the dry winter between December and April.

Tell us the dates, the number of passengers and when you want to land, because the slot and the officers' hours depend on the arrival time.

Why fly privately to George Town

How long the crossing takes

Times for the Falcon 7X, the first aircraft in the main table, without a stop:

• Lisbon 8:44 h, Madrid 9:15 h, London Farnborough 9:21 h, Paris Le Bourget 9:39 h, Amsterdam 9:46 h
• Geneva 10:01 h, Frankfurt 10:07 h, Hamburg 10:08 h, Nice 10:11 h, Zurich 10:12 h, Milan Linate 10:19 h, Munich 10:26 h, Vienna 10:50 h
• Dublin 8:38 h, Manchester 8:55 h, Brussels and Barcelona 9:28 h, Rome 10:24 h in a Gulfstream G650
• Larnaca 14:31 h with one fuel stop
• From the region in a Citation CJ3: Montego Bay 1:01 h, Cancún 1:21 h, Miami 1:32 h, Nassau 1:33 h, Houston 3:01 h, New York 3:58 h

From central Europe the distance is 8,000-9,000 km, close to the limit of many long-range jets with a full cabin, so the operator checks the payload and the winter headwinds for each date. Heavy and super midsize jets land once for fuel, usually in the Azores, Ireland or eastern Canada, depending on the winds. A fuel stop in the United States means full US clearance even without leaving the aircraft, which is why operators normally choose an airport outside the USA. A crossing of ten hours or more often needs an augmented crew.

Cayman Islands private jet prices

Each price covers the entire aircraft for a one-way flight and assumes a jet is free near your departure airport. The landing permit, slot, handling, the fuel stop, parking and passenger taxes come on top. Each flight time is that of the aircraft in the first price column of its table.

From the European hubs

With one fuel stop the Praetor 600 costs EUR 79,000 from London and EUR 85,000 from Zurich, Frankfurt or Nice; from Lisbon it is EUR 74,000, also with a stop. The Falcon 7X flies direct from every hub except Larnaca, for EUR 115,000 from London and Madrid and EUR 125,000 from most of central Europe. The Challenger 650 sits between the two, with a larger cabin and one stop.

From other cities in Europe

Only from Dublin does the Falcon 900EX fly without a stop, for EUR 94,000. From Rome the Gulfstream G650 still crosses direct in 10:24 h for EUR 140,000.

From North America and the Caribbean

Many European clients combine the islands with a few days in Miami, the Bahamas or Jamaica. Miami - Grand Cayman costs EUR 10,000 in a Citation CJ3, and from New York a Praetor 500 costs EUR 25,000. Every sector is an international flight with its own entry rules: for the USA each passenger needs an ESTA or a US visa. The last row lands on Cayman Brac, whose 1,829 m runway takes these aircraft; whether a private jet from abroad can clear customs there is confirmed with the authorities for each flight.

Departure taxes of the territory are charged per passenger and shown in the quote. Leaving Europe, France charges a per-passenger tax on jets of about EUR 420 if the Cayman Islands count with the UK or about EUR 2,100 if they are banded by distance, confirmed in the quote, and Austria EUR 12; Italy charges EUR 200 per passenger on flights from or to Italy at this distance. UK Air Passenger Duty applies at the higher rate to jets of 20 t or more with fewer than 19 seats and at the standard rate to lighter jets, and Germany, Norway and the Netherlands (aircraft of 5.7 t or more) have their own departure taxes. The quote lists them all.

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 priced

Price per passenger

The whole aircraft divided by the number of seats taken; taxes and fees are paid on top:

Price calculator

For a first figure with your own date, use the calculator and write in the comment whether the jet should wait on the island:

Owen Roberts and the airports of the Sister Islands

Owen Roberts International (GCM / MWCR) lies on the eastern edge of George Town, about 2 km from the town centre. It is run by the Cayman Islands Airports Authority and has one asphalt runway, 08/26, of 2,398 m, which takes every business jet that crosses the Atlantic. Private aircraft use the general aviation terminal, a separate building away from the airline terminal, where passengers and crew are cleared by their own customs and immigration officers; with complete papers this takes about 15 minutes.

Island Air runs the FBO at the general aviation terminal, with lounges for passengers and crew, catering, Jet A fuel and a hangar; Cayman Dispatch Services and other handlers also work on the same ramp, and the handler for your flight is named in the quote. Every arrival and departure needs a slot, requested at least 48 hours ahead, and a charter needs a landing permit, which normally takes a few working days and up to ten in the high season. Night restrictions apply and customs works fixed hours, with a surcharge for clearance outside them, so the departure from Europe is planned backwards from the landing time. Parking is tight in December and January and around the holidays; for a long stay the aircraft is often sent to Florida and brought back for the return.

Choosing the aircraft

For a meeting trip the long range class saves the stop and lets the passengers sleep on the way home. Families who accept a stop in the Azores pay about a third less in a super midsize jet. With 2,398 m the runway on Grand Cayman is shorter than at most transatlantic airports, so for a direct flight back to Europe the operator checks the take-off weight on the date, and we ask for any baggage limit before you book.

For a call about the permit, the fuel stop or a combination with Jamaica or Florida, leave your number:

Season, events and storms

Temperatures change little through the year; the dry season, holidays and the Atlantic storm season decide how busy the islands and the apron are. The best months are December to April, with February and March easier for slots and parking than the Christmas weeks and Cayman Cookout. Empty Legs appear most often after New Year and after Easter, when long-range jets fly back to Europe, and all year on the short routes to Florida.

From June to November a tropical storm can close the runway, and the nearest usable airports are hundreds of kilometres away. We keep the return date flexible in those months and agree the alternate with the crew before departure.

From the terminal to the hotel

Traffic drives on the left; most guests take a car with a driver or a rental car from the airport. Stingray City, the sandbar in North Sound, is reached by boat from the west coast. A helicopter company on the island sells sightseeing flights, but there is no regular helicopter transfer service, and over such short distances a car is quicker to arrange.

Empty Legs between Europe and the islands

The operator decides the date, and the slot and permit are still needed, so a window of several days helps. Mail the route you need and a few possible dates to empty-legs@jets.flights.

Travelling with a dog or cat

There is no quarantine on the islands: an animal that does not meet the conditions is sent back at the owner's expense, so every document is checked before departure.

• An import permit from the Department of Agriculture for each animal, applied for up to six months ahead and at least six weeks before travel; it is valid for 14 days from the date of the health certificate.
• An ISO microchip fitted before the rabies vaccination. An antibody test of at least 0.5 IU/ml is required for animals from many countries, while the UK is classed as rabies-free; we confirm with the department what applies to your animal.
• Within 14 days before travel a vet treats against ticks and tapeworm and issues the health certificate, endorsed by the state veterinary service of the departure country.
• Pit bull types, Dogo Argentino, Fila Brasileiro, Tosa and their crosses are not admitted.
• Dogs and cats fly in the cabin with their owners, after the operator has said yes. The Cayman Islands are on the EU list of countries from which pets return without an antibody test.
• Dogs returning to the UK need tapeworm treatment 1-5 days before arrival there and arrive through an approved route; for a trip of five days or less it can be given before leaving the UK.

Entry and customs

Before departure

• Passports valid for the whole stay, also for children.
• Proof of the return or onward journey.
• Names and passport details to us early, for the permit, slot and passenger data.
• Planned landing time agreed with the slot and the customs hours.
• ESTA or visa if the trip continues to the USA.
• Import permit, certificate and treatments for a pet within the last 14 days.

How to book

1. Send the dates, passengers and the preferred landing time, and tell us whether the aircraft should wait, go to Florida or fly home.
2. We price a non-stop long-range jet and a heavy or super midsize jet with one fuel stop, so you can compare time and cost.
3. You receive the offers with operator, aircraft, cabin photos, flight time and price for the whole aircraft.
4. After the contract and payment the operator applies for the landing permit and slots, and the handler books parking and fuel.
5. On arrival the aircraft parks at the general aviation terminal, the officers clear you inside, and the car is waiting outside.

Questions about private flights to the Cayman Islands

• • What does a private jet to Grand Cayman cost?

  • From Lisbon a Praetor 600 with one fuel stop costs EUR 74,000, from London EUR 79,000. A Falcon 7X flying direct costs EUR 115,000 from London, for the whole aircraft one way.

• • Can we fly non-stop from Europe?

  • Yes, in a long-range jet such as the Falcon 7X or Global 6000: 9:21 h from London and 10:12 h from Zurich. Heavy and super midsize jets stop once, usually in the Azores, Ireland or eastern Canada.

• • Which airport do private jets use?

  • Owen Roberts International in George Town on Grand Cayman, through its general aviation terminal with customs and immigration on site.

• • Is a slot needed?

  • Yes, for every arrival and departure, requested at least 48 hours ahead. A charter also needs a landing permit, which takes a few working days.

• • Can we land late at night?

  • Night restrictions apply and customs works fixed hours, so a late landing is agreed in advance and costs extra. We usually plan the departure from Europe for a daytime or early evening arrival.

• • Do EU or UK citizens need a visa?

  • No, not for a tourist or business visit. Officers check that passports remain valid for the stay and ask to see a return or onward flight.

• • Can we fly to Cayman Brac or Little Cayman?

  • Cayman Brac has a 1,829 m runway for jets, with customs for an arrival from abroad confirmed in advance. Little Cayman has a short strip for small turboprops only.

• • Should the jet stay on the island?

  • For two or three nights, yes. For a longer stay parking is scarce in winter, and it is usually cheaper to send the aircraft to Florida or home.

• • What is the time difference?

  • The islands are five hours behind London in winter and six in summer, and six and seven hours behind Paris.

• • Can we take our dog?

  • Yes, with a permit from the Department of Agriculture, microchip, rabies vaccination, a health certificate and tick and tapeworm treatment within 14 days. There is no quarantine, and an animal that fails the check is sent back.

• • How do we find an Empty Leg?

  • Legs to Europe are most common after New Year and Easter, and short legs to Florida run all year. Your direction and dates go to empty-legs@jets.flights.