Private jet to the Czech Republic

The Czech Republic, or Czechia, lies in the middle of central Europe, and most of its business jet traffic is short: under an hour from Munich, Vienna or Berlin, about two hours from London. Prague takes the largest share, with meetings, congresses and long weekends. The spa towns of west Bohemia, led by Karlovy Vary, receive guests for stays of one to three weeks, Brno is the trade-fair city of Moravia, and Ostrava is the centre of the industrial north-east.

Four airports regularly handle private jets. Prague is open around the clock with its own terminal for business aviation; Brno and Ostrava also list round-the-clock service, while Karlovy Vary works in daytime only. Motorways run out from Prague like spokes, so a flight between the regions often saves more time than the distance suggests. As a broker, we compare aircraft from operators across Europe and choose the airport by the address.

Send us the route, dates and passengers, and we will reply with aircraft and airport options:

Why charter a jet to Bohemia and Moravia

Flight times to the Czech airports

As in the price tables below, including taxi, climb and descent:

• Prague - Brno: 0:47 h, Berlin - Prague: 0:51 h, Budapest - Brno: 0:52 h, Prague - Ostrava: 0:53 h, Vienna - Prague: 0:53 h (Citation CJ3)
• Frankfurt - Karlovy Vary: 0:56 h, Warsaw - Ostrava: 0:58 h, Krakow - Prague: 1:03 h, Munich - Ostrava: 1:10 h, Hamburg - Prague: 1:11 h (Citation CJ3)
• Copenhagen - Karlovy Vary: 1:20 h, Zurich - Brno: 1:23 h, Milan Linate - Prague: 1:23 h, Amsterdam - Prague: 1:29 h, Geneva - Prague: 1:32 h (Citation CJ3)
• Paris Le Bourget - Prague: 1:42 h, Nice - Prague: 1:44 h, Brussels - Brno: 1:44 h (Citation CJ3)
• London Farnborough: 1:59 h to Prague, 1:51 h to Karlovy Vary (Citation CJ3)
• Madrid - Prague: 2:56 h, Larnaca - Prague: 3:42 h (Citation CJ3)

On the domestic legs and the short hops from the neighbours, a Pilatus PC-12 needs only 8-15 minutes more than a jet and costs less. From Tel Aviv a Falcon 7X flies 3:32 h, from Dubai 5:11-5:46 h to Prague or Ostrava, and from New York 7:47 h in a Global 7500. The Czech Republic is one hour ahead of London all year.

Private jet prices to the Czech Republic

Figures are for the whole aircraft in one direction, with an aircraft based near the departure airport; handling, landing fees and passenger taxes are extra. The flight time applies to the first aircraft listed in each row.

From the European hubs

From London a Citation CJ3 costs EUR 11,500 to Prague and EUR 11,000 to Karlovy Vary, which lies about 100 km closer. The shortest hub route is Frankfurt - Karlovy Vary at EUR 8,500. Brno costs only a little more than Prague from the same city: EUR 10,000 from Hamburg against EUR 9,000 to Prague.

Domestic legs and the neighbours

Prague - Brno costs EUR 6,500 in a PC-12, against about two hours on the motorway, and Prague - Ostrava EUR 7,000. Prague - Karlovy Vary is rarely flown, because a car covers the distance in 1.5-2 hours. Vienna - Prague is shorter than 350 km, so the Austrian departure tax on it is EUR 30 per passenger.

Long-haul flights

Prague has a 3,715 m runway, Ostrava 3,500 m with fire cover for the largest aircraft on 24 hours' notice. All three types fly non-stop from the Gulf and Israel:

Hours flown, the position of the nearest available aircraft and the length of the stay shape each quote. Prague is home to several handlers and charter operators, so an aircraft for a short-notice flight is often already on the field. Czech airport and handling charges, and the night surcharge in Prague, are listed in the quote. Passenger taxes depend on the departure country: France about EUR 420 per passenger on a jet and about half on a turboprop; Italy EUR 100 up to 1,500 km and EUR 200 beyond, on flights to or from Italy; Austria EUR 12 (EUR 30 up to 350 km); Germany, Norway and the Netherlands (aircraft of 5.7 t or more) also tax departures, Sweden does not. UK Air Passenger Duty does not apply to aircraft under 5.7 t; aircraft of 20 t or more with fewer than 19 seats pay the higher private-jet rate, other jets the standard rate.

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 cost

Price per person

Per head, the one-way price falls with every seat filled:

Online calculator

The calculator needs the route, the date and the passenger count, and replies with an estimate by e-mail.

Airports and business aviation terminals

A flight from outside Schengen must make its first landing in the Czech Republic at an airport with customs and border control: Prague, Brno, Karlovy Vary, Ostrava and Pardubice, with Vodochody on request. Only Prague has a separate terminal for private flights; at the regional airports the airport company handles the aircraft:

Kbely, the military airfield in north-east Prague, accepts commercial charters only in exceptional cases. A paid charter by an operator from outside the EU needs a permit from the Czech Ministry of Transport, applied for at least three working days ahead; we arrange it with the operator. When weather closes Prague, Dresden, Vodochody and Pardubice are the usual alternates.

Choosing the aircraft

The Karlovy Vary runway is 2,150 m long and 30 m wide; heavy jets can use it after the operator's performance check, and the largest need a higher fire category booked a day ahead, otherwise they land in Prague. A light jet takes four people with a weekend's luggage; for a long spa stay or golf bags a midsize jet has the larger hold.

Not sure whether Prague, Karlovy Vary or Brno fits your trip? Leave your number and a consultant will call you.

When to fly: the year month by month

Prague has no dead season, but demand peaks in May and June with the music festivals, in early July with the film festival in Karlovy Vary, and in September, one of the busiest months for congresses. The calmest months are January and February, when short-notice flights are easiest to arrange. Empty Legs are most frequent in summer and after the big festival weeks, when aircraft return empty to Germany, Austria and Britain, and on the short Prague - Berlin, Munich and Vienna routes all year.

From the airports to the cities, spas and wine country

Brno lies about two hours from Prague by motorway, so with meetings in both cities the aircraft can take you on in under an hour. Allow extra time on all roads in winter. On a drive across the border to Dresden, Nuremberg or Vienna, keep the passport in the hand luggage, because neighbouring countries may check at land borders.

Empty Legs to and from the Czech Republic

When an aircraft has to fly without passengers, for example after a drop-off in Karlovy Vary when the guests stay two weeks, the sector is sold as an Empty Leg. Several operators are based in Prague, and many aircraft shuttle between Prague and the neighbouring capitals. Typical directions:

The operator decides when the leg flies, and it disappears if the original booking changes. Send your direction and possible dates to empty-legs@jets.flights, and suitable legs are forwarded to you.

Flying with a dog or cat

Czech entry rules for pets are the EU ones, without quarantine. The animal flies in the cabin next to you, after the operator has approved it:

• An ISO microchip, fitted no later than the rabies vaccination.
• Rabies vaccination from 12 weeks of age, at least 21 days before travel when it is the first one.
• EU pet passport; pets from Great Britain need an animal health certificate, valid for ten days for entry into the EU.
• Up to five dogs, cats or ferrets per person on a non-commercial trip.
• No tapeworm treatment is needed for the Czech Republic.

Flying home to the UK, Ireland, Malta, Finland or Norway, a dog needs tapeworm treatment one to five days before landing. The UK also limits pets to approved routes and handlers, and for trips of five days or less allows the treatment in Britain before departure, at least 24 hours before the return. Many spa hotels have their own rules for animals, so we check the hotel before confirming the flight.

Documents, customs and taxes

Checklist before departure

• Passport or ID card for every passenger, children included.
• Passenger names, dates of birth and document numbers by the day before the flight.
• Arrival time checked against the Karlovy Vary hours or the Prague night quota.
• Final address in the Czech Republic: hotel or office in Prague, spa hotel, Brno exhibition grounds or a plant in the north-east.
• Number of suitcases, golf bags, ski bags and pushchairs.
• Pet papers and the hotel's pet policy.
• Plan for the aircraft: waiting, flying home or going on to Vienna, Berlin or Krakow.
• Company name and VAT number for the invoice.

How to book

1. Start with the departure airport, dates, passengers, luggage and the address, for example a hotel in the Old Town or a spa hotel in Karlovy Vary.
2. We choose the airport: Prague or Vodochody for the capital, Karlovy Vary for the spas, Brno for Moravia, Ostrava for the north-east and the largest aircraft.
3. The handler requests the slot in Prague, the opening hours or an extension at the regional airports, and parking for longer stays.
4. You get two to four aircraft to compare, each with operator, model, cabin photos and the whole-aircraft price, plus the car.
5. After signature and payment to the operator, we confirm the slot, handling, parking and transfer.

Questions about private flights to the Czech Republic

• • How much does a private jet to the Czech Republic cost?

  • From Berlin or Vienna, a Pilatus PC-12 to Prague costs EUR 7,000 for the whole aircraft one way, while a Citation CJ3 costs EUR 9,000 from Hamburg or EUR 11,500 from London. Handling, landing fees and passenger taxes come on top.

• • Is there a private terminal in Prague?

  • Yes, Terminal 3 handles private, charter, government and VIP flights in its own building, with security, passport and customs checks. The car waits outside.

• • Can we land in Karlovy Vary in the evening?

  • Only before closing time: 19:00 in summer and 16:00-18:00 in winter, unless an extension is requested 24 hours ahead. Otherwise the flight lands in Prague, 1.5-2 hours by car.

• • How long is the flight from London?

  • About 1:59 h to Prague and 1:51 h to Karlovy Vary in a Citation CJ3, non-stop. The Czech Republic is one hour ahead of London.

• • Can we fly from Prague to Brno or Ostrava?

  • Yes, with an EU operator. A PC-12 costs EUR 6,500 to Brno and EUR 7,000 to Ostrava; the flight takes about an hour.

• • Can a large jet land in the Czech Republic?

  • Prague and Ostrava take every long-range jet and VIP airliner. Karlovy Vary accepts heavy jets only after a performance check and with a higher fire category booked a day ahead.

• • Do we need passports?

  • From Schengen there is no check, but every passenger needs a valid passport or ID card for the operator. From the UK, passports are checked at the first landing, in Prague at Terminal 3.

• • Can our dog fly with us?

  • Yes, in the cabin, with a microchip, rabies vaccination and an EU pet passport or animal health certificate. No tapeworm treatment is needed for the Czech Republic, but the UK requires one for the way home.

• • Do we need to register with the police?

  • Foreign guests are registered within three days. A hotel does it at check-in, so on most trips there is nothing extra to do.

• • When are Empty Legs most frequent?

  • After the summer festival weeks and on the short Prague - Berlin, Munich and Vienna routes all year. Write to empty-legs@jets.flights with the direction and dates.

• • How early should we book for the film festival?

  • Several weeks ahead, because the festival week is the busiest at the airport and in the hotels. In January and February a few days is usually enough.