Private jet to the Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo, DR Congo for short, is the largest country in Central Africa, and private flights from Europe go to two places in it. Kinshasa, the capital on the south bank of the Congo river, holds the ministries, embassies, international agencies and development lenders. Lubumbashi, about 1,550 km to the south-east, is the centre of the copper and cobalt belt of Haut-Katanga, where mining executives, engineers and investors need a day or two at a site and the same aircraft home.
Kinshasa is within non-stop range of a Praetor 600 from Paris, Frankfurt and the hubs to the south and east; from London, Amsterdam and Brussels the Praetor stops once, or a heavy jet flies straight through. Lubumbashi is a longer sector for a heavy or long-range jet. For every trip to DR Congo we check the landing permit, a visa for each passenger, the yellow fever certificate and the government travel advice for the area.
Tell us the city, the dates and the passengers, and a consultant replies with the aircraft, the operator and the price.
What we confirm before quoting a DR Congo trip
Prices to Kinshasa and Lubumbashi
All prices are for the whole aircraft, one way, with an aircraft based near the departure airport, plus handling, landing and parking charges, the permit and passenger taxes. The time shown is that of the first aircraft in the row, including a fuel stop where the table marks one.
From the European hubs
| Route | Distance | Flight time | Super midsize Praetor 600 |
Heavy jet Falcon 900EX |
Long range Falcon 7X |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| London Farnborough - Kinshasa | 6,379 km | 9:58 h, 1 stop | EUR 68,000 | EUR 82,000 | EUR 97,000 |
| Amsterdam - Kinshasa | 6,384 km | 9:59 h, 1 stop | EUR 68,000 | EUR 83,000 | EUR 97,000 |
| Brussels - Kinshasa | 6,236 km | 9:48 h, 1 stop | EUR 67,000 | EUR 81,000 | EUR 95,000 |
| Paris Le Bourget - Kinshasa | 6,064 km | 8:05 h | EUR 55,000 | EUR 79,000 | EUR 93,000 |
| Frankfurt - Kinshasa | 6,087 km | 8:06 h | EUR 55,000 | EUR 79,000 | EUR 93,000 |
| Munich - Kinshasa | 5,875 km | 7:51 h | EUR 53,000 | EUR 77,000 | EUR 90,000 |
| Zurich - Kinshasa | 5,804 km | 7:45 h | EUR 53,000 | EUR 76,000 | EUR 89,000 |
| Geneva - Kinshasa | 5,704 km | 7:38 h | EUR 52,000 | EUR 75,000 | EUR 88,000 |
| Milan Linate - Kinshasa | 5,575 km | 7:28 h | EUR 51,000 | EUR 74,000 | EUR 86,000 |
| Madrid - Kinshasa | 5,354 km | 7:12 h | EUR 49,000 | EUR 72,000 | EUR 84,000 |
| Nice - Kinshasa | 5,406 km | 7:15 h | EUR 50,000 | EUR 72,000 | EUR 84,000 |
| Rome - Kinshasa | 5,144 km | 6:56 h | EUR 47,000 | EUR 70,000 | EUR 81,000 |
| Brussels - Lubumbashi | 7,298 km | 11:07 h, 1 stop | EUR 76,000 | EUR 94,000 | EUR 110,000 |
| Paris Le Bourget - Lubumbashi | 7,169 km | 10:58 h, 1 stop | EUR 75,000 | EUR 92,000 | EUR 110,000 |
Rome - Kinshasa is the shortest sector, 6:56 h and EUR 47,000 in a Praetor 600. Paris costs EUR 55,000 non-stop in the same aircraft. From Brussels the sector is just beyond the Praetor's non-stop range: EUR 67,000 with a fuel stop, or EUR 81,000 non-stop in a Falcon 900EX with 7:50 h in the air. Lubumbashi from Brussels or Paris is about 9 h non-stop in a Falcon 900EX for EUR 94,000 and EUR 92,000.
Regional and domestic legs
| Route | Distance | Flight time | Midsize jet Citation XLS+ |
Super midsize Praetor 600 |
Heavy jet Challenger 650 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Luanda - Kinshasa | 561 km | 1:13 h | EUR 12,000 | EUR 12,000 | EUR 21,000 |
| Bangui - Kinshasa | 1,035 km | 1:50 h | EUR 15,000 | EUR 16,000 | EUR 26,000 |
| Nairobi - Kinshasa | 2,410 km | 3:35 h | EUR 23,000 | EUR 27,000 | EUR 39,000 |
| Johannesburg - Lubumbashi | 1,619 km | 2:35 h | EUR 18,500 | EUR 21,000 | EUR 31,000 |
| Lusaka - Lubumbashi | 428 km | 1:03 h | EUR 11,500 | EUR 11,000 | EUR 19,500 |
| Kinshasa - Lubumbashi | 1,553 km | 2:29 h | EUR 18,000 | EUR 20,000 | EUR 31,000 |
Luanda in Angola is 1:13 h from Kinshasa and EUR 12,000 in a Citation XLS+; Bangui in the Central African Republic costs EUR 15,000 and Nairobi in Kenya EUR 23,000. Lubumbashi is 2:35 h from Johannesburg in South Africa for EUR 18,500, and Lusaka in Zambia is only 1:03 h away for EUR 11,500. Brazzaville in the Republic of the Congo lies across the river from Kinshasa; most travellers cross by boat, and a flight between the two capitals is a separate international trip.
Kinshasa - Lubumbashi, 2:29 h and EUR 18,000 in a Citation XLS+, is a domestic sector. Whether a foreign aircraft may carry passengers on it is confirmed with the authority for each trip; otherwise a Congolese operator flies it, and the quote shows the leg separately.
From the Gulf
| Route | Distance | Flight time | Heavy jet Falcon 900EX |
Long range Falcon 7X |
Ultra long range Global 7500 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dubai World Central - Kinshasa | 5,386 km | 6:50 h | EUR 72,000 | EUR 84,000 | EUR 98,000 |
Dubai - Kinshasa is 6:50 h non-stop in a Falcon 900EX for EUR 72,000.
The tax side depends on where the jet takes off. France applies its solidarity tax on business aviation per passenger, with a rate that grows with the length of the sector, so Paris - Kinshasa is charged at a long-distance rate. Italy levies EUR 200 per passenger on sectors beyond 1,500 km, and again when the passenger flies back into Italy; Austria EUR 12. Germany and the Netherlands (aircraft of 5.7 t or more) have departure taxes of their own. From the UK, aircraft under 5.7 t pay no APD, jets of 20 t or more with fewer than 19 seats pay the higher rate and other jets the standard rate for the distance. Congolese airport and government charges are itemised in the quote.
Business jet price per flight hour
Worked examples: Kinshasa and Lubumbashi
Splitting the cost
The aircraft is booked as a whole, so the share per passenger falls as the group grows:
| Route | Aircraft | Whole aircraft | 2 passengers | 4 passengers | 6 passengers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rome - Kinshasa | Praetor 600 | EUR 47,000 | EUR 23,500 | EUR 11,800 | EUR 7,800 |
| Paris Le Bourget - Kinshasa | Praetor 600 | EUR 55,000 | EUR 27,500 | EUR 13,800 | EUR 9,200 |
| Brussels - Kinshasa | Falcon 900EX | EUR 81,000 | EUR 40,500 | EUR 20,300 | EUR 13,500 |
Calculator
The calculator gives an indicative price to Kinshasa; for Lubumbashi add a note in the comment.
Airports and handling
| Airport | Codes | Runway | Use for private flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kinshasa N'Djili | FIH / FZAA | 4,000 m | Capital; entry airport, handling compulsory |
| Lubumbashi Luano | FBM / FZQA | 3,238 m | Copper and cobalt belt; entry airport |
| Kinshasa N'Dolo | NLO / FZAB | about 1,700 m | City airfield, daylight only; not an entry airport |
| Brazzaville (Republic of the Congo) | BZV / FCBB | 3,300 m | Across the river; alternate for N'Djili |
N'Djili has no advertised business aviation terminal. Several handling companies work at the airport, and the handler takes passengers from the aircraft through immigration and customs. The UK Foreign Office also advises against all but essential travel to the N'Djili and Kimbanseke districts of Kinshasa, so the handler confirms the road and a secure car between the airport and the city. Jet A-1 is available at N'Djili and Lubumbashi, and fuel is ordered a day ahead.
Aircraft for Kinshasa and the copper belt
- Up to eight passengers from Paris, Frankfurt and southern Europe: a super midsize Praetor 600 flies to Kinshasa without a stop.
- Non-stop from London, Amsterdam or Brussels, or up to twelve passengers: a heavy jet such as the Falcon 900EX.
- Lubumbashi from northern Europe with a full cabin: a long-range jet such as the Falcon 7X or the Global 6000.
- Regional legs to Luanda, Lusaka or Johannesburg: a midsize jet such as the Citation XLS+.
Leave your number, and a consultant will call to discuss the route, the aircraft and the documents.
When to fly
Kinshasa has a long rainy season from October to May, with November the wettest month and March and April the hottest, with highs around 32 degrees. June to September is dry and a little cooler; August has almost no rain. Lubumbashi, at about 1,300 m, has warm rainy summers and dry winters: May to September is dry, June and July are the coolest months, and October is the hottest. DRC Mining Week in Lubumbashi, usually in June, brings extra traffic to the copper belt. Empty Legs appear mostly as empty returns to Europe after a drop-off, and before and after the mining week on regional routes.
Visa, health and paperwork
DR Congo is outside Schengen and the EU customs union, so the return flight clears passport and customs control at the first Schengen or UK airport.
Travelling with a pet
The pet flies in the cabin with the operator's approval and enters DR Congo through N'Djili. A dog or cat travelling with its owner needs a rabies vaccination given 30 days to 12 months before entry, an original health certificate from a licensed vet endorsed by the government veterinary service, and a record of parasite treatments; a microchip is recommended, and an import permit is needed only for animals travelling without their owner. We confirm each point in writing before the flight.
Empty Legs on Congo routes
To hear about a leg, e-mail empty-legs@jets.flights with the direction and the dates you could fly. The visa, the yellow fever certificate and the permit are needed as for any charter, and a leg can change with the original booking.
From request to take-off
- Send the city, the dates, the passenger names, nationalities and passport copies.
- We confirm an operator that accepts DR Congo, its insurance cover and the travel advice for the destination.
- You receive options with operator, aircraft, flight time and price, with or without a fuel stop.
- The contract with the operator is signed and paid; the agent then files the permit, and the handler receives the manifests 48 hours before arrival.
- Before departure we confirm the permit, the handler, the stand, fuel and the secure car into the city.
Questions about private flights to Kinshasa and Lubumbashi
-
- How much does a private jet to Kinshasa cost?
-
From EUR 47,000 one way for the whole aircraft, Rome - Kinshasa in a Praetor 600. Paris costs EUR 55,000 and Brussels EUR 81,000 non-stop in a Falcon 900EX, plus charges, the permit and taxes.
-
- Is the flight from Brussels non-stop?
-
In a Falcon 900EX or a larger jet, yes, 7:50 h. A Praetor 600 needs one fuel stop from Brussels, London or Amsterdam.
-
- Can we fly straight to Lubumbashi?
-
Yes, Luano is an airport of entry with customs. Paris - Lubumbashi takes about 9 h in a Falcon 900EX.
-
- What time is it in DR Congo?
-
Kinshasa keeps Paris time in winter and is one hour behind in summer; Lubumbashi is one hour ahead of Kinshasa.
-
- Do we need a visa for DR Congo?
-
Yes, issued by a Congolese embassy before travel; allow two to three weeks. A yellow fever certificate is also required.
-
- Can we land in Kinshasa at night?
-
N'Djili is listed as open round the clock, but a night arrival needs immigration arranged in advance, so most arrivals are planned for the day.
-
- How early should we book?
-
Three weeks is a sensible minimum, mainly because of the visa. The permit itself usually takes 24 to 48 working hours.
-
- Can our dog fly with us?
-
Yes, in the cabin with a valid rabies vaccination and an endorsed health certificate. For the return to the EU, take the antibody blood test before you leave.
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.