Private jet to the Falkland Islands

The Falkland Islands are a British Overseas Territory in the South Atlantic, about 850 km east of Punta Arenas, with around 3,700 inhabitants, some 2,100 of them in Stanley. The islands have their own government and their own rules for immigration, customs, animals and aviation; British rules do not apply automatically. Visitors come for king, gentoo and Magellanic penguins, seals and albatross, empty beaches, the battlefield sites near Stanley and as a stop before or after a voyage to Antarctica.

A private flight is possible but needs careful planning. The only airport for a business jet is Mount Pleasant, a Royal Air Force station that also handles civil flights, and every visiting aircraft needs written permission from the islands' Civil Aviation Department, applied for at least 14 days ahead, plus the airport's own prior permission. The department states that permission for charter and private flights can be difficult to obtain, so we confirm a date only once it is granted.

Send us the dates, the number of passengers and your accommodation on the islands, and we check the permits and prices with the operator.

Routing and flight times

Mount Pleasant is about 11,100 km from Lisbon and 12,700 km from London, and the nearest mainland runways, Punta Arenas and Río Gallegos, are some 750-900 km away, so the crew must carry fuel for an alternate. From most of Europe even a Global 7500 lands once for fuel, usually at Sal in Cape Verde, in Brazil or in Montevideo: 16:05 h from London, 16:00 h from Paris. From Madrid and Lisbon it can fly without a stop when the winds allow, in 13:20 h and 12:53 h; the operator confirms that with the fuel plan for the date. A Challenger 650 lands once from Paris, Geneva, Milan and the Iberian airports and twice from London, Zurich, Amsterdam and Germany.

Ascension Island is not available to private flights. With more than 16 hours on the way and a daytime airport at the end, the trip is often split with a night in South America, and the operator plans an augmented crew or a crew change.

Prices to Mount Pleasant

Prices are for the whole aircraft, one way, assuming an aircraft based near the departure city; permits, handling, fuel stops, parking, a night on the way and passenger taxes are added. Times in the third column are for the Challenger 650.

From the European hubs

The Challenger 650 is the cheapest choice: EUR 135,000 from Lisbon and EUR 150,000 from Paris, Geneva or Milan with one stop, and EUR 165,000-170,000 with two stops from London, Zurich, Frankfurt, Amsterdam and Munich. A Global 6000 with one stop costs EUR 205,000-215,000 from the hubs outside Spain and Portugal. From Madrid and Lisbon the non-stop Global 7500 at EUR 185,000 and EUR 180,000 costs less than the Global 6000 with a stop.

From South America

Many clients fly the long leg to Punta Arenas in Chile and cross to the Falkland Islands in a smaller jet: 1:41 h and EUR 10,500 in a Citation CJ3, and the large aircraft does not wait at a military base. From São Paulo only a super midsize jet makes the crossing with the reserves it needs. Every sector to or from the islands needs the same permit as a flight from Europe.

Argentina also claims the islands, which matters for routing: a flight to or from an Argentine airport, or through Argentine airspace on the way to the islands, needs a separate permission from the Argentine authorities with passport copies of everyone on board. Our pages on Argentina and Uruguay cover those countries.

Passenger taxes depend on the departure country: France charges a solidarity tax per passenger whose band depends on how the Falklands are classed, from about EUR 420 if grouped with the UK to about EUR 2,100 by distance, confirmed in the quote; Italy EUR 200 per passenger on any flight to or from the country over 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; Germany, Norway and the Netherlands add their own taxes. On leaving the Falkland Islands an embarkation tax per passenger is paid in sterling or by card.

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

Two ways to get there

Per passenger

Calculator

Enter the route in the calculator for a quick estimate by e-mail; permits are checked separately:

Airports on the islands

Mount Pleasant is an active base, so the operator receives the base's security rules with the landing permission. Strong crosswinds can delay a landing, and the operator always plans fuel for a mainland alternate.

Which aircraft

A Global 6000 or Global 7500 is the usual aircraft from Europe, with one stop and beds on board; a Challenger 650 costs less but may stop twice. For the crossing from Punta Arenas, Santiago or Montevideo a Citation CJ3 or a midsize jet is enough. More long-range models are in the ultra long range catalogue.

Leave your number if you would like a consultant to call:

When to go

The Falkland Islands are cool, windy and damp all year, with mean temperatures of about 9 degrees in January and February and around freezing in July; weather changes several times a day. November to February is the main season, with long days and penguin chicks in the colonies, and rooms are booked months ahead. Empty Legs are rare and most likely between November and January, when long-range jets reach Punta Arenas for the Antarctic season and some return to Europe empty.

From the airport

Empty Legs

Few aircraft fly to the Falkland Islands, so a direct Empty Leg to Mount Pleasant is rare. Legs to and from Punta Arenas are more frequent in the Antarctic season, and the short crossing can then be added. Send the direction and dates to empty-legs@jets.flights.

Entry rules, customs and pets

• A dog or cat may leave the aircraft only with an import licence from the Department of Agriculture in Stanley, applied for in writing with the microchip number and the route.
• The licence can require full vaccination, blood tests for cats and a period of quarantine, at least 14 days at home even for animals from the UK and up to six months in approved premises; for a short stay we usually advise leaving the animal at home.
• With a licence the animal travels in the cabin beside you and stays on board during the fuel stop, once the operator has agreed.
• The Falkland Islands are on the EU list and are a listed country for Great Britain, so no antibody test is needed for the return; dogs flying back to the UK need tapeworm treatment 1-5 days before arrival there.

How to book

1. Fix the dates and book the accommodation first, because both the visitor permit and the flight permit depend on them.
2. We compare a one-stop long-range jet, a two-stop heavy jet and the route via Punta Arenas.
3. You receive offers with operator, model, routing, a night stop if needed, and the price for the whole aircraft.
4. The operator applies to the Civil Aviation Department at least 14 days ahead and to the airport for prior permission, for both directions.
5. On landing the passengers pass immigration and customs at Mount Pleasant and drive about an hour to Stanley.

Questions about private flights to the Falkland Islands

• • How much does a private jet to the Falkland Islands cost?

  • From EUR 135,000 one way from Lisbon in a Challenger 650 with one stop, or EUR 150,000 from Paris. A Global 7500 from London costs EUR 225,000 with one stop.

• • Can a business jet land in Stanley?

  • No, Stanley's runway is about 920 m and serves the island air service only. Business jets land at Mount Pleasant, about an hour from Stanley by road.

• • How long does the permit take?

  • The application goes in at least 14 days before the flight, and the authorities warn that charter and private permits can be hard to obtain, so we plan more time.

• • Can we fly non-stop from Europe?

  • From London or Paris no: even the Global 7500 stops once. From Madrid and Lisbon it can fly without a stop when the winds allow.

• • Is it cheaper via Chile?

  • Often yes: the long-range jet ends at Punta Arenas and a Citation CJ3 crosses in 1:41 h for EUR 10,500.

• • Do we need a visa?

  • Not as EU or UK citizens. A visitor permit is issued on arrival with a return ticket, booked accommodation, funds and evacuation insurance.

• • When is the best time to visit?

  • November to February, with long days and penguin chicks; book rooms early.

• • Can we bring our dog?

  • Only with an import licence from the Department of Agriculture, which can include quarantine; for a short trip it is usually better to leave the dog at home.

• • What is the time difference?

  • The Falkland Islands stay on UTC-3 all year: 3 hours behind London in winter, 4 in summer, and 4 or 5 hours behind Central European Time.