Private jet to Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik sits at the southern tip of Croatia, squeezed between the Adriatic and the border with Montenegro. Its walled old town is listed by UNESCO, and from May to October the hotels on the cliffs, the villas of Konavle and the marinas at Cavtat and Gruž fill with guests who arrive by private jet for a long weekend, a family holiday or a wedding. Yacht owners board here for the southern Dalmatian islands, and many trips combine the city with Montenegro, Mostar or the Pelješac peninsula.

The airport at Čilipi is about 20 km south-east of the old town and only a few kilometres from Cavtat. Its 3,230 m runway takes every business jet, including heavy and long-range types that are limited elsewhere on the coast, and private passengers use a separate general aviation terminal on the eastern side of the field. In summer the airport is open from 06:00 to 23:00 local time; later movements need a permit. We are a broker: we compare aircraft from operators across Europe and quote the aircraft, the timing and the transfer to the old town, Cavtat or the boat.

Send the route, the date and the number of passengers, and add the hotel, the villa or the boat; a consultant will reply with aircraft, landing time and price.

Reasons to fly privately to southern Dalmatia

How long the flight takes

Times for a Phenom 300, taken from the price tables below, including taxi, climb and descent:

• Rome: 1:08 h, 475 km
• Vienna: 1:20 h, Athens: 1:26 h
• Milan Linate: 1:33 h, Munich: 1:35 h
• Nice: 1:42 h, Zurich and Istanbul: 1:45 h
• Geneva: 1:54 h, Frankfurt: 1:59 h
• Hamburg: 2:20 h, Paris Le Bourget: 2:23 h, Amsterdam: 2:28 h
• Larnaca: 2:36 h, London Farnborough: 2:49 h, Madrid: 2:56 h

From southern Italy the Adriatic crossing is short: a Pilatus PC-12 needs 0:55 h from Bari and a Citation CJ3 0:47 h. From London a light jet is close to three hours in the air, and the Challenger 350 trims only nine minutes, so the reason to step up is cabin space rather than speed. Riyadh and Dubai are 4:07-5:05 h away non-stop, depending on the aircraft, and from New York the long-range jets fly direct in about 8:30-8:50 h.

Dubrovnik private jet prices

Every price is for the whole aircraft, one way, with handling, airport charges and passenger taxes added in the quote, and assumes an aircraft available near the departure airport. The flight time column refers to the first aircraft in each row.

From the European hubs

Rome and Vienna are the cheapest of these departures in the light jet column, at EUR 10,500 and EUR 11,000. The step from the light jet to the super midsize grows with distance: about 30 % more from Rome, about 45 % more from London.

Across the Adriatic and from central and northern Europe

For short crossings from Italy and the Balkan capitals a turboprop or a Citation CJ3 is enough; from Poland and Scandinavia the Praetor 500 offers a stand-up cabin and range to spare:

Long-haul flights

The runway takes long-range jets at full weight. From Tel Aviv, Riyadh and Dubai all three types are non-stop; from New York the Challenger 650 needs one fuel stop, the Falcon 7X and the Gulfstream G650 do not.

The fare is built from flight time plus a fixed share for positioning the aircraft and crew. Ground handling at Dubrovnik is compulsory and charged by aircraft weight, and the general aviation terminal may add a fee per passenger. On departure, France charges about EUR 420 per passenger on a jet, Italy EUR 100 per passenger up to 1,500 km and Austria EUR 12; Germany and the UK charge their own departure taxes. Each amount is shown separately 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

Three trips, worked through

Cost per seat

The whole aircraft is chartered, so the price per passenger depends on how many seats you fill. Passenger taxes are added per person:

Price calculator

Enter the route, the date and the group size; the estimate comes by e-mail and a consultant follows up with real aircraft.

Dubrovnik Airport and the business aviation terminal

Dubrovnik Airport (DBV, LDDU), Zračna luka Dubrovnik, is named after the scientist Ruđer Bošković and stands on a plateau above the sea at Čilipi, 161 m above sea level. It is the third-busiest airport in Croatia after Zagreb and Split, and almost all its traffic falls between May and October. The single runway, 11/29, is 3,230 m long with an instrument landing system on runway 11, so even a heavily loaded long-range jet faces no runway limits.

Private flights use the general aviation terminal in the eastern part of the airport, and the handler takes passengers from outside Schengen through passport and customs control. Handling is compulsory. In summer the airport is open from 06:00 to 23:00 local time and in winter until 22:00; an earlier or later movement requires a permit, which we apply for in advance, and crew waiting time is charged by the hour.

A stop of a few hours for a same-day return is straightforward. From June to September stands for aircraft that stay several days are scarce and parking beyond 24 hours costs considerably more, so for a holiday of a week two one-way flights are usually cheaper. If no stand is available, the aircraft repositions to Split or Zagreb and comes back for the return.

Alternates on both sides of the border

No other airport in southern Croatia takes jets, so the alternates are either up the coast or across a border. Distances are straight-line from Dubrovnik:

Tivat is the closest runway, but it serves a different trip: the drive from there crosses the Croatian border at Debeli Brijeg, which adds waiting time in summer, and the airport works only in daylight. For a stay in Dubrovnik or Cavtat we land at Čilipi.

Matching the aircraft to the group

Holiday luggage fills a hold faster than the seats fill the cabin: a week of beach and evening clothes, a pushchair or wedding outfits in garment bags. Up to four passengers travel comfortably in a light jet; from six upwards, or with golf bags and diving kit, choose one of the midsize jets or larger. With 3,230 m of runway, heavy jets can leave Dubrovnik with a full cabin and fuel for a non-stop flight to the Gulf.

Unsure which class fits? Leave your number and a consultant will call you back.

When to go: festivals and the summer peak

The season is short and intense. Traffic rises sharply from June, and Saturday is the hardest day because hotels and charter yachts change guests. Recurring dates that shape demand:

May, June and September give warm water with far less pressure on slots, parking and the coast road. For July and August, especially Saturdays, confirm the aircraft and the landing time several weeks ahead.

Transfers to the old town, Cavtat and the islands

Empty Legs on the Dubrovnik route

Empty Legs appear when an aircraft has to fly without passengers, for example after a drop-off. Because few jets stay long at Čilipi in summer, empty sectors are frequent from June to September. Typical directions:

The date and time of an Empty Leg are fixed by the operator, so it suits a flexible holiday rather than a wedding date. Write to empty-legs@jets.flights with the direction and your dates, and we send matching flights as they appear.

Travelling with a dog or cat

Your dog or cat travels in the cabin with you, never in the hold, and the operator has to approve the animal before booking. Croatia applies the EU rules:

• A microchip meeting the ISO standard, fitted before the animal is vaccinated against rabies.
• Rabies vaccination at least 21 days before travel for a first vaccination, given to an animal at least 12 weeks old.
• An EU pet passport or, for animals from Great Britain, an animal health certificate issued by an authorised vet.
• No more than five dogs, cats or ferrets travelling with one owner.
• No tapeworm treatment is required to enter Croatia.

Boats to the islands and many hotels have their own pet rules, which we check together with the transfer. In July and August an early morning or evening departure keeps the cabin cool for the animal.

Entry rules, customs and taxes

Before you fly

• Passport or ID card for every passenger, including children; passports if the trip includes Montenegro, Bosnia or the UK.
• Passenger list with full names, dates of birth and document numbers the day before.
• Landing time within the opening hours, or a permit requested in advance.
• Address of the hotel or villa, or the name of the yacht and its berth.
• Baggage count, including golf bags, diving kit or wedding outfits.
• Pet passport or health certificate with microchip and rabies record.
• Invoice details: company name and VAT number.

Booking a flight to Dubrovnik

1. Send the route, the date, the number of passengers and bags, and the address in Dubrovnik, Cavtat or on the islands.
2. We check the landing time against the opening hours, request the slot and ask the handler about parking for the length of your stay.
3. You receive 2-4 aircraft options with operator, model, cabin photos and the price for the whole aircraft, with parking or a second one-way flight shown separately.
4. You sign the contract and pay; we confirm handling, the car, and the boat or helicopter if needed.
5. On the day, be at the terminal 20-30 minutes before departure. On arrival the car waits outside the general aviation terminal.

Our team

Charlotte McKinney

Commercial Director

charlotte.m@jets.flights

Henry Richter

Head of Aviation Department and Data Protection Officer

henry.r@jets.flights

Emma Miller

Director of Development

emma.m@jets.flights

Liam Bishop

Senior Aviation Consultant

liam.b@jets.flights

Oliver Davis

Aviation Consultant

oliver.d@jets.flights

Anna Laurent

Aviation Consultant

anna.l@jets.flights

Common questions about private jets to Dubrovnik

• • What does a private jet to Dubrovnik cost?

  • A Pilatus PC-12 from Bari starts at EUR 6,500 one way for the whole aircraft, a Phenom 300 from Rome at EUR 10,500 and from London Farnborough at EUR 16,500. Handling, airport charges and passenger taxes come on top.

• • Can a large jet land at Dubrovnik?

  • Yes. The runway is 3,230 m long, so heavy and long-range jets such as the Challenger 650, Falcon 7X or Gulfstream G650 land without restrictions.

• • Where do private passengers go through the airport?

  • Through the general aviation terminal in the eastern part of the airport, separate from the main passenger building. Passengers from outside Schengen are taken through passport and customs control by the handler.

• • Is the airport open at night?

  • In summer it is open from 06:00 to 23:00 local time and in winter until 22:00. A movement outside these hours needs a permit requested in advance.

• • How long does the flight from London take?

  • About 2:49 h in a Phenom 300 and 2:40 h in a Challenger 350 from Farnborough, for a distance of about 1,730 km.

• • How far is the airport from the old town?

  • About 20 km by road, 30 minutes in normal traffic and up to an hour in July and August. Cavtat is about 10 minutes away.

• • Can the aircraft wait for us?

  • For a few hours, yes. In summer stays of several days are limited and expensive, so for a week's holiday two one-way flights usually cost less.

• • Do I need a passport?

  • Not for a border check from Schengen countries, but every passenger needs a valid passport or ID card. From the UK and other non-Schengen countries, and for side trips to Montenegro, passports are checked.

• • Can I bring my dog?

  • Yes. The dog sits in the cabin and needs a microchip, an EU pet passport and a rabies vaccination given at least 21 days before the flight; Croatia asks for no tapeworm treatment. The operator approves the animal in advance.

• • Are there Empty Legs from Dubrovnik?

  • Yes, mainly from June to September towards Vienna, Munich, London and the Gulf. Send your direction and dates to empty-legs@jets.flights.

• • How early should I book for the summer festival?

  • For flights between 10 July and 25 August, and above all on Saturdays, book several weeks ahead. In spring and autumn a day or two is often enough.