Private jet to Florence

Florence has its own airport on the north-western edge of the city: Peretola, also called Amerigo Vespucci, about 5 km from the Duomo in a straight line and 8 km by road. A car from the general aviation terminal reaches a hotel on the Arno in 15-25 minutes, and the Chianti hills in under an hour. For a private flight this is the main advantage over the large airports of Tuscany and Emilia.

The catch is the runway. It is only about 1,560 m long, the slopes of Monte Morello rise just north-east of it, and instrument approaches are possible from one direction only. Light and midsize jets use it every day; bigger aircraft, hot summer afternoons and low cloud in winter can send the flight to Pisa or Bologna instead. Our clients are buyers at the Pitti fashion fairs, families renting villas in the hills, wedding parties and art lovers visiting the Uffizi and the galleries. For each request we check first whether the chosen aircraft can land at Peretola on that date, and quote Pisa with a car when it cannot.

Tell us the route, the date, the number of passengers and the size of the luggage, and we will reply with aircraft that fit the runway and a price.

What a private flight to Tuscany gives you

How long the flight takes

Times for a Citation CJ3 light jet, taken from the price tables, including taxi, climb and descent:

Vienna is 1:23 h away, Brussels and Berlin just under two hours, Hamburg 2:01 h and Madrid 2:16 h. A Citation XLS+ saves a few minutes on the longer routes, for example 2:04 h instead of 2:12 h from London. From Milan Linate the flight takes 0:50 h, but the fast train reaches the city centre in about two hours from Milan and about 1:30 h from Rome, so a jet only pays off for a tight schedule or a group with luggage. From Naples, Sicily and Sardinia the flight saves many hours.

Prices for private flights to Florence

Each price is for the whole aircraft, one way, with an aircraft available near the departure airport. Handling, the Italian passenger tax and transfers are added in the quote. The flight time refers to the first aircraft in the row.

From the European hubs

All three types land at Peretola in normal conditions. The Citation CJ3 is the cheapest jet on every route: EUR 8,000 from Milan Linate and EUR 9,000 from Geneva, Zurich or Munich, up to EUR 12,500 from London. The Pilatus PC-24 costs more but was designed for short runways and keeps a wider margin on hot days or with a full cabin.

From southern Italy, the islands and other cities

On short sectors a turboprop is the cheapest choice and lands easily on the short runway:

Long-haul flights via Pisa

Long-range jets need a long runway, so they land at Pisa, 1-1:30 h from the city by car. All three types fly these routes non-stop:

Few business jets are based in Florence, so the aircraft usually comes from Milan, Rome, Switzerland or France, and the positioning is part of the price. Parking at Peretola is scarce, which is why a stay of several days is often quoted as two one-way flights, or the aircraft waits at Pisa. Italy charges a passenger tax on private flights: EUR 100 per passenger up to 1,500 km and EUR 200 beyond, on the flight in and on the flight out. The distance used for the tax is the straight line plus 95 km, so even London stays in the EUR 100 band, while Larnaca and the long-haul routes pay EUR 200. Domestic flights also carry Italian VAT, normally 10 %. The departure country adds its own charge: France about EUR 420 per passenger on a jet, the UK Air Passenger Duty (none on aircraft under 5.7 t, the higher private-jet rate on jets of 20 t or more with fewer than 19 seats, the standard rate of the distance band on other jets), Germany a departure tax and Austria EUR 12 per passenger. All of it is listed 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 a trip really costs

Price per person

A private jet is chartered as a whole, so the cost per seat falls with every passenger. The Italian tax is added per head:

Estimate online

The calculator takes the route, date and number of passengers and sends a price estimate by e-mail.

Peretola: the runway, the terminal and the alternates

Aeroporto di Firenze Amerigo Vespucci (FLR, LIRQ), usually called Peretola after its district, sits on the plain between Florence and Prato. It belongs to Toscana Aeroporti, the same company that runs Pisa. Private passengers use a separate general aviation terminal with a lounge, operated by Italy FBO, and customs and passport control are handled on site.

The single runway, 05/23, is about 1,560 m long, and a parallel taxiway does not run along its whole length, so after landing aircraft often turn on the runway and taxi back. Instrument approaches lead only to runway 05, from the south-west; on that direction about 1,455 m remain for the landing. Take-offs normally use runway 23, towards the plain, because Monte Morello rises on the other side; take-off from 05 is allowed only by day and in good visibility. In December and January a north-easterly wind over the hills can cause wind shear on the approach, and low cloud or a tailwind can force a diversion to Pisa or Bologna.

Pisa, Bologna and other airports nearby

Distances are straight-line from Peretola; the operator always files one of these as an alternate:

From Pisa the drive to Florence takes 1-1:30 h; the Pisa Mover shuttle also connects the terminal with Pisa Centrale station in about 5 minutes, and the train to Florence takes about an hour. From Bologna the motorway crosses the Apennines in about 1:30 h.

Choosing an aircraft for the short runway

Weight is what matters on a short runway: passengers, luggage and fuel together. A group of eight with wedding outfits, camera cases or golf bags may fit a midsize jet only with a reduced load, so tell us the number and size of bags with the request. For groups of more than nine, one larger aircraft to Pisa is often simpler than two light jets to Peretola.

Not sure whether your aircraft fits Peretola? Leave your number and a consultant will call you back.

The year in Florence: fairs, feasts and weather

Some weeks fill the hotels and the few parking stands at the airport long before the date:

For the Pitti weeks and San Giovanni, book the aircraft, the slot and the parking as soon as the dates are fixed. In midsummer an early morning or evening departure helps the aircraft leave with more weight.

From the airport into the city and the countryside

The centre is a limited traffic zone watched by cameras. A chauffeur car with an NCC licence may drive in; with any other car the hotel has to register the number plate. Some streets are pedestrian only, so for a few hotels the last metres are on foot. We send the car details to the hotel in advance.

Empty Legs to and from Florence

An Empty Leg is a flight without passengers that the aircraft makes anyway, sold at a fraction of the normal price. Typical directions here:

Dates and times follow the original booking, so Empty Legs work best for flexible plans. Send the direction and a range of dates to empty-legs@jets.flights and we will forward matching flights.

Travelling with a dog or cat

Your dog or cat flies in the cabin with you and goes through the general aviation terminal, away from the passenger halls. The operator must approve the animal in advance; some require a carrier for the whole flight or charge for cabin cleaning. Entry to Italy follows the EU rules:

• Microchip, implanted before the rabies vaccination.
• Rabies vaccination at least 21 days before travel when it is the first one; the animal must be at least 12 weeks old when vaccinated.
• EU pet passport; pets from Great Britain need an animal health certificate from a government-authorised vet.
• Up to five dogs, cats or ferrets per person.
• No tapeworm treatment is needed to enter Italy.

If the trip continues to the UK, Ireland, Malta, Finland or Norway, dogs need tapeworm treatment 1-5 days before arrival there, and the UK accepts pets only through approved routes and handlers. In summer the apron gets hot, so the animal boards just before the doors close and the car waits by the terminal after landing.

Passports, customs and taxes

Before you leave

• Passport or ID card for every passenger, children included.
• Names, dates of birth and document numbers, sent no later than the day before.
• Exact number and weight of bags, including garment bags, cases and golf bags: on this runway they decide the aircraft.
• Arrival time within the airport's opening hours, confirmed against the slot.
• How long the aircraft stays, so we can request parking or plan Pisa.
• Pet passport, lead and muzzle.
• Address of the hotel or villa and, for the centre, the car's number plate sent to the hotel.
• Company name and VAT number for the invoice.

Booking step by step

1. Send the departure airport, dates, passengers, luggage and the address in Florence or in the countryside.
2. We ask operators whether the chosen aircraft can land and take off at Peretola for that date and load; if not, we price Pisa with the car.
3. You receive 2-4 options with operator, model, cabin photos, arrival airport and the price for the whole aircraft, with the Italian tax shown separately.
4. You sign the contract with the operator and pay; we request the slot, the permission and the parking, and book the car.
5. On the day, the driver meets you at the general aviation terminal and takes you to the hotel, the villa or the fair.

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

Questions about private flights to Florence

• • How much does a private jet to Florence cost?

  • A Citation CJ3 costs from EUR 9,000 one way from Geneva, Zurich or Munich and EUR 12,500 from London, for the whole aircraft. A turboprop from Olbia starts at EUR 7,000. The Italian passenger tax, handling and the car are added in the quote.

• • Can every private jet land at Peretola?

  • No. The runway is about 1,560 m, with about 1,455 m for landing. Light and midsize jets use it normally, super midsize jets need a calculation for the day, and heavy jets usually land at Pisa.

• • How far is the airport from the centre?

  • About 8 km by road, 15-25 minutes by car depending on traffic. The T2 tram reaches Santa Maria Novella station in about 20 minutes.

• • How long is the flight from London?

  • From Farnborough about 2:12 h in a Citation CJ3 and 2:04 h in a Citation XLS+, non-stop.

• • What happens if the weather closes Peretola?

  • The crew diverts to the alternate filed in the flight plan, usually Pisa or Bologna, and we move the car there. From both airports the drive to the city takes about 1-1:30 h.

• • Can I land late in the evening?

  • The airport is not open around the clock, and flights outside its hours need special permission that is not always given. We check the opening window for your date before confirming the charter.

• • Which Italian tax applies?

  • EUR 100 per passenger on each flight in and out for distances up to 1,500 km, which covers London and all of central Europe. Larnaca and long-haul routes pay EUR 200.

• • Can my dog come with me?

  • Yes, in the cabin, with a microchip, a valid rabies vaccination and an EU pet passport. In Italy dogs must be on a short lead in public, and you should carry a muzzle.

• • When is it hardest to get a slot?

  • During Pitti Uomo in January and June, at Easter, around 24 June and in high summer. Request the slot and parking as soon as the dates are known.

• • Are there Empty Legs to Florence?

  • Yes, mostly on short routes from Milan, Rome, Venice, Nice and Zurich. Write to empty-legs@jets.flights with your direction and dates.

• • Is it better to land in Pisa?

  • For heavy jets, large groups and long-haul flights, yes. For light and midsize jets Peretola saves about an hour on the road and costs about the same to fly into.