Private jet to the Faroe Islands

Eighteen main islands of basalt between Scotland, Norway and Iceland, about 55,000 people and one airport: the Faroe Islands are a short flight from northern Europe and still a destination with rules of their own. Private flights come for the cliffs and the puffin colony on Mykines, for walking in the long summer days, for the July festivals in Tórshavn and on Eysturoy, and for business with the fishing and salmon farming industry of the Faroe Islands. From Aberdeen a light jet needs 1:21 h, from London 2:15 h.

The islands are a self-governing part of the Kingdom of Denmark but belong neither to the European Union nor to the Schengen area, so they have their own customs and entry rules and a strict ban on visiting pets. Every aircraft lands at Vágar, which has a runway of 1,799 m, a coordinated slot, daytime opening hours and no hangar or de-icing for visiting aircraft. As a broker, we choose operators whose crews know the airport and plan the flight around its hours and the weather.

Send the dates, the number of passengers and how long you plan to stay, and we reply with aircraft options and a plan for the weather.

Why fly to the islands privately

Flight times to Vágar

These are Citation CJ3 times from the tables below. Every route in Europe is within the range of a light jet; what matters is the airport at the end, because the Faroe Islands have no second runway. The operator carries fuel for an alternate in Scotland, Norway or Iceland, several hundred kilometres away.

Prices for a private jet to the Faroe Islands

Fares are one way for the whole aircraft, with an aircraft based close to the departure airport; handling, airport charges and passenger taxes are added in the quote. The time shown is that of the first aircraft in the row.

From the European hubs

In the light jet column London and Amsterdam both cost EUR 12,500, while Geneva and Zurich reach EUR 15,500. The Challenger 350 is priced on every row, but on a 1,799 m runway the operator checks its take-off weight for the day's temperature and wind.

From Scandinavia, Scotland and Iceland

A Pilatus PC-12 from Bergen, Aberdeen or Edinburgh costs EUR 8,500 and takes about two hours; the light jet saves about half an hour for a little more. The airport has no hangar or de-icing for visiting aircraft, so from autumn to spring the aircraft usually flies home and returns on the day of departure; both positioning legs are in the quote. Passenger tax depends on where the flight starts: a jet leaving Paris or Nice pays about EUR 420 per passenger if the islands count with Denmark, otherwise about EUR 1,015; Milan EUR 200 per passenger because the route is over 1,500 km, and Vienna EUR 12. UK Air Passenger Duty does not apply to aircraft under 5.7 t such as the PC-12, is charged at the standard rate on most jets and at the higher rate on jets of 20 t or more with fewer than 19 seats. Germany, Norway, Denmark and the Netherlands (aircraft of 5.7 t or more) tax departures; every amount is 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

Two trips worked through

Price per passenger

The whole aircraft is hired, so the share per seat falls as the group grows; passenger taxes are added per person:

Calculator

For a return or a combined trip with Iceland or Norway, the calculator e-mails an estimate in seconds:

Vágar airport: what the crew needs to know

Vágar Airport (FAE, EKVG) lies on the island of the same name, about a kilometre east of the village of Sørvágur and 47 km by road from Tórshavn. It is the base of Atlantic Airways and the only airport of the archipelago; the other islands have heliports only.

Wind, fog and crew familiarisation

The valley around the runway is surrounded by mountains, and the airport warns of sudden wind changes, turbulence and wind shear at low height. When its warning system shows severe turbulence, take-offs and landings stop. Satellite approaches of the RNP AR type allow lower weather minima but need approval for the operator and crew. A captain who has not operated at Vágar in the previous 36 months must complete the airport's familiarisation programme first, so we prefer operators whose crews know the field.

Which aircraft suits the islands

For two to six people a light jet covers every European departure. Midsize jets carry more equipment and a larger fuel reserve for an alternate abroad. Heavy jets fit only at reduced weight after the operator's analysis.

Not sure whether your aircraft fits Vágar or what to do if the forecast turns? Leave your number and a consultant will call.

The year on the islands

June to August is the best time to fly: the longest days, the most stable weather, the puffins on Mykines and the main festivals, though hotels in Tórshavn fill early. Winter flights are possible, but short days, storms and the lack of de-icing mean the aircraft rarely stays overnight. Empty Legs are most frequent after the July festivals and at the end of August, when aircraft that brought summer groups fly home.

From Vágar to Tórshavn and the other islands

Empty Legs from the Faroes

An Empty Leg is a flight without passengers, back to base or to the next booking, sold below the normal price. The islands produce few of them, but every jet that drops a group has to go home:

The operator sets the date and hour, and wind at Vágar can shift them, so these legs suit open dates. Tell us the direction and days at empty-legs@jets.flights.

No pets on a visit

Rules for dogs and cats on the Faroe Islands are among the strictest in Europe, and they apply to private jets too:

• Importing a dog or cat for a stay of less than three months is not permitted, and the ban includes animals in transit.
• Only permanent residents and people moving to the islands may bring a dog or cat, after applying to the Faroese Food and Veterinary Authority (Heilsufrøðiliga Starvsstovan).
• On arrival, customs check the health certificate; the animal is treated as goods, with VAT and duty.

Status, entry and customs

Before you fly

• A passport or EU ID card for every passenger, children included; a passport for British travellers.
• Names and document numbers a day before departure for the handler and customs.
• A spare day in the plan in case wind or fog moves the flight.
• The hotel, and whether a helicopter to Mykines is wanted.
• No dog or cat on board unless the family is moving to the Faroe Islands with a permit.

How to book

1. Send the dates, the passengers, the luggage and whether the aircraft should wait on the islands.
2. We check Vágar's hours for the season and the forecast, and choose an operator whose captain knows the airport or will complete the familiarisation.
3. You receive 2-4 aircraft options with prices and a comparison of parking against two positioning legs.
4. After signing and payment we request the slot and parking approval, book handling and the car or helicopter.
5. On the eve of the flight we confirm the departure time against the forecast and the named alternate.

Questions about private flights to the Faroe Islands

• • How much does a private flight to the Faroe Islands cost?

  • From EUR 8,500 one way in a Pilatus PC-12 from Aberdeen, Edinburgh or Bergen, for the whole aircraft. A Citation CJ3 from London or Amsterdam costs EUR 12,500.

• • Which airport do private jets use?

  • Vágar, the only airport on the islands, with a 1,799 m runway. Landing slots are coordinated, handling is compulsory for nearly every jet, and the other islands have heliports only.

• • How long is the flight from London?

  • 2:15 h from Farnborough in a Citation CJ3. The islands keep the same clock as London.

• • Do I need a passport?

  • EU citizens can use a passport or national ID card, British travellers need a passport. The islands are outside the EU and Schengen, so a border check and customs can apply.

• • Can we land in the evening?

  • Vágar works daytime hours set for each season. A later opening is requested at least an hour before closing and costs extra, and so does customs outside normal hours.

• • Can the aircraft wait on the islands?

  • Yes, with the airport's parking approval, but there is no hangar or de-icing. In winter we usually send the aircraft home and order it back for the return.

• • Can I bring my dog?

  • Not for a visit. Dogs and cats may be imported only by residents or people moving to the islands, and stays under three months, transit included, are not permitted.

• • Can I combine the Faroes with Iceland?

  • Yes. Keflavík is 1:37 h from Vágar in a Citation CJ3, and a light jet can also use the city airport in Reykjavik; Iceland is in Schengen, so passports are checked between the two.

• • What happens if fog closes Vágar?

  • The operator carries fuel to an alternate in Scotland, Norway or Iceland. We recommend a spare day before any fixed appointment.