Private jet to Dominica

Dominica is an independent republic in the Commonwealth, an island of about 750 km² and some 72,000 people between Guadeloupe and Martinique; it should not be confused with the Dominican Republic. The interior is mountain rainforest with rivers, waterfalls and hot springs, Morne Diablotins rises to about 1,450 m, and Morne Trois Pitons National Park with the Boiling Lake is a UNESCO World Heritage site. English is the language of government, and Kwéyòl, a French-based creole, is widely spoken.

The island has few beaches and no large resorts, so private flights bring walkers, divers, guests of small eco-lodges, whale watchers and families visiting relatives. Jets land at Douglas-Charles on the north-east coast; the capital Roseau is on the other side of the mountains, up to two hours by road. A small airfield at Canefield, near Roseau, takes turboprops.

Send us the dates, the passengers and where you are staying on the island; we reply with the aircraft, the routing and the price.

Routing from Europe

The direct line from London to Douglas-Charles is about 6,600 km. A Falcon 7X covers it without a stop in 8:07 h, and 8:19 h from Paris Le Bourget. A Praetor 600 lands once, usually at Santa Maria in the Azores, and needs 10:17 h from London including the stop; a Challenger 650 also refuels on the way. The runway is long enough for the landing, but for the flight back to Europe the operator calculates how much fuel a heavy jet can carry on a warm day; if the figures do not close, the aircraft takes on fuel at Guadeloupe or Antigua, both under an hour away.

Prices to Dominica

The figures are one-way prices for the entire aircraft, flown by a jet based close to the departure city, before handling, parking, any fuel stop and passenger taxes. The time column refers to the first aircraft of each row.

From Europe

The Praetor 600 costs EUR 52,000 from Lisbon and EUR 56,000 from Madrid without a stop, and EUR 70,000 from London with one. Non-stop from London the Falcon 7X costs EUR 100,000.

From the neighbouring islands and Florida

Guadeloupe is 84 km away and Martinique 111 km, both with direct flights from Paris, so some guests fly the long leg to one of the French islands and take a PC-12 to Dominica for EUR 6,000 to EUR 6,500. Only the turboprop can use Canefield; the jets read on request there. From Miami a Citation XLS+ costs EUR 22,000.

Each departure country has its own rules. The French passenger tax scales with distance and is higher on a flight across the Atlantic than within Europe; Italy charges EUR 200 per passenger on a route of this length, Austria EUR 12. UK Air Passenger Duty exempts aircraft under 5.7 t, applies the higher rate to aircraft of 20 t or more with fewer than 19 seats and the standard band rate to other jets, while Germany, Norway and the Netherlands (from 5.7 t) collect their own. Dominica's departure tax for each passenger is collected through the handler. Everything is shown in the quote.

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

What two typical trips cost

Per passenger

Calculator

For other dates and routes the calculator sends an estimate by e-mail:

Douglas-Charles and Canefield

A larger airport is being built near Wesley on the same coast, and until it opens all planning uses Douglas-Charles. A commercial charter needs prior permission from the Eastern Caribbean Civil Aviation Authority at least 24 hours before landing, with the operator's insurance and the local handler named, and advance passenger information goes to the regional system.

Which aircraft

For the crossing a Praetor 600 or a Challenger 650 with one fuel stop is the usual choice; a Falcon 7X flies non-stop and has the short-runway performance this island asks for. For the neighbours a Pilatus PC-12 reaches both airports, and a Citation CJ3 is faster to Douglas-Charles. See also the turboprops catalogue.

For advice on the fuel stop or the hop via the French islands, leave your number:

Getting around the island

No helicopter operator is based on Dominica; a helicopter is arranged from a neighbouring island on request, with the landing site and customs agreed in advance.

When to go

Rain falls in every month in a rainforest, but December to April is the drier season with calmer seas, the best time for walking and diving, and the busiest. May, June and late November are quieter, and the hurricane season from June to November brings the greatest risk from mid-August to early October. Empty Legs are rare and appear mostly around Christmas and after the carnival, when jets that brought guests to the French islands or Antigua return to Europe.

Empty Legs

Few aircraft are based near Dominica, so a leg to or from the island is more often found via Antigua, Guadeloupe or Martinique and combined with a short turboprop hop. A window of a few days helps; write to empty-legs@jets.flights with the direction and your dates.

Entry, customs and pets

• Dogs and cats need an import permit, applied for at least two weeks before arrival, and the Veterinary Services are notified 48 hours ahead.
• The rabies vaccination is given between 30 days and 12 months before entry, and a licensed vet issues the original health certificate, which a government vet then endorses.
• Animals enter at Douglas-Charles or Canefield and travel in the cabin with you once the operator has agreed; an animal that meets the rules is not quarantined.
• Dominica is on neither the EU nor the British list of countries for pet travel, so the return needs a rabies blood test; taken in Europe before the trip, it avoids the three-month wait on the way home.

Booking

1. Send the dates, the passengers and where you will stay: Roseau, the north or an eco-lodge in the interior.
2. We choose between a non-stop jet to Douglas-Charles and a long-haul flight to a French island with a turboprop hop.
3. You receive the offers with operator, aircraft, routing and the price for the whole aircraft.
4. After signing and payment the operator obtains the landing permission and the handler arranges the lounge and the transfer.
5. You land in daylight, clear immigration and continue by car over the mountains or by the coast road.

Questions about private flights to Dominica

• • What does a private jet to Dominica cost?

  • From Lisbon a Praetor 600 costs EUR 52,000 without a stop; from London EUR 70,000 with one stop, or EUR 100,000 non-stop in a Falcon 7X, one way for the whole aircraft.

• • Is Dominica the same as the Dominican Republic?

  • No. Dominica is a small island republic in the Lesser Antilles, between Guadeloupe and Martinique; the Dominican Republic shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti.

• • Which airport do jets use?

  • Douglas-Charles on the north-east coast, with a runway of 1,936 m. Canefield near Roseau takes only turboprops and light aircraft.

• • How far is Roseau from the airport?

  • About 56 km by mountain road from Douglas-Charles, up to two hours. A turboprop to Canefield lands 5 km from the capital.

• • Can we arrive at night?

  • The tower is open until about 22:00, but approaches from the west are visual, so we plan landings in daylight.

• • Do EU citizens need a visa?

  • No, for up to 90 days within 180 days, with a passport valid for six months.

• • Can we bring a dog?

  • Yes, with an import permit, rabies vaccination and an endorsed health certificate. The return to the UK or the EU needs a rabies blood test planned before the trip.

• • When is the best time to visit?

  • December to April, when it is drier and the sea is calmer. The greatest hurricane risk runs from mid-August to early October.