Private jet to Georgia

Georgia lies between the Black Sea and the Greater Caucasus, a country about the size of Ireland with three international airports that take business jets: Tbilisi in the east, Kutaisi in the west and Batumi on the coast. Private flights from Europe fall into four groups: delegations and investors in the capital, wine trips to Kakheti, ski weeks in Gudauri and Bakuriani, and summers in Batumi. A fifth group combines the country with Armenia or Azerbaijan, both under an hour's flight from Tbilisi.

The flight is longer than the map suggests. Ukrainian airspace is closed and European operators avoid restricted airspace further east, so the route runs over the Balkans and then across Turkey or the Black Sea. From London that means a little over five hours in a midsize jet; from Vienna or Istanbul a light jet is enough. EU and UK citizens need no visa, but every visitor must hold health insurance for the whole stay. As a broker, we compare aircraft from operators across Europe and Turkey, and this page sets out prices, airports, seasons and rules.

Send the route, the dates and the number of passengers, and say whether the trip is about the capital, the mountains or the sea; a consultant replies with the airport, the aircraft and the price.

What brings private flyers to the Caucasus

Route and flight times

Times below are from the price tables and include the detour, taxi, climb and descent:

From western Europe the realistic route crosses the Balkans and then either Turkey or the Black Sea, entering Georgia over Batumi. The prices from the main hubs allow about 5 % over the straight line for this and for the airways; from Hamburg, Berlin, Scandinavia and Warsaw, where the direct line would cross Ukraine, the allowance is 12 %. From Istanbul, Athens and the Balkans the route is direct. A light jet such as a Citation CJ3 or Phenom 300 reaches Georgia non-stop from Vienna, Budapest or the Balkans; from London, Paris or Amsterdam it needs a fuel stop, usually in Turkey, which adds 1-1.5 hours. The operator files the final route according to the airspace rules in force on the day.

What a private flight to Georgia costs

Every price is for the whole aircraft, one way, with handling, airport charges, the permit and passenger taxes added in the quote. The flight time shown is that of the first aircraft in the row, and the rows are spread over the three airports.

From the European hubs

From Vienna a Praetor 500 costs EUR 23,000 to Kutaisi; from London EUR 31,000 to Tbilisi, a flight of 5:13 h. Batumi and Kutaisi lie further west than the capital, so the same aircraft costs a little less there: from Munich EUR 25,000 to Batumi. The Falcon 2000LXS column is for groups of ten or for families with ski and golf bags.

From northern Europe and Poland

Light jets from Turkey, Greece and the Balkans

Istanbul - Tbilisi is the cheapest sector from Europe at EUR 12,500 in a light jet. Many trips start with business in Istanbul or a holiday in Turkey and continue east; Batumi is less than three hours from Athens and Sofia.

Neighbours in the Caucasus

Tbilisi is the hub for a round trip in the region. Each of these sectors is an international flight with passport control at both ends:

Yerevan - Tbilisi takes 0:45 h and Baku - Tbilisi 1:07 h, so one aircraft can cover all three capitals in a week. Flights between two Georgian airports are domestic: a foreign operator generally may not sell them, so a local operator flies them, or the jet lands in one city and leaves from another. Departure taxes follow the country the flight leaves from: on a jet from France, a passenger tax that rises with distance, about EUR 1,015 to Georgia compared with about EUR 420 within Europe; Italy EUR 200 on flights to or from Italy, because every sector to Georgia is longer than 1,500 km; from Austria EUR 12. Germany charges a departure tax, the Netherlands a tax per passenger on aircraft of 5.7 t or more, and the UK Air Passenger Duty at the rate of the distance band, or the higher private-jet rate on aircraft of 20 t or more with fewer than 19 seats. Georgian charges are 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

Three trips worked through

Price per person

The aircraft is hired as a whole, so the share per seat falls with every passenger:

Calculator

For a first estimate to Tbilisi, Batumi or Kutaisi, use the calculator; a consultant then sends the exact routing and price.

Airports and business aviation

All three international airports list customs, immigration, fuel and handling around the clock. The choice depends on where you are going, because the drive from one end of the country to the other takes most of a day.

Four rules shape every booking. The operator applies to the Georgian Civil Aviation Agency at least five working days before landing, and the permit number is valid for 24 hours from the time in the application, so a late change of schedule means an amendment. VIP Aviation Handling Co. covers all three airports with a round-the-clock desk, permits, fuel and lounge support. Parking for several days is agreed before arrival, and the jet may be asked to drop its passengers and position elsewhere. Because Tbilisi has only one usable runway, the crew agrees an alternate before departure: Kutaisi, Yerevan or Baku, each with its own entry rules.

Airport by region

Mtskheta's cathedral and Jvari Monastery, Bagrati and Gelati near Kutaisi and the village of Ushguli are on the UNESCO list. A practical plan is to land in Tbilisi and leave from Batumi, or the other way round, so nobody drives back across the country.

Which aircraft

The 3,000 m runway at Tbilisi and the 2,500 m runways at Batumi and Kutaisi take all of these. The real limit is the cabin hold on a ski trip: tell us the number of ski bags early, and look at midsize jets and heavy jets for the hold sizes. A light jet works best for two to four people starting from central Europe or Turkey.

When to fly to Georgia

Tbilisi works all year; the mountains and the coast follow the weather. The easiest months are May, June, September and October, when the capital is mild and the harvest begins. Slots and parking are tightest in July and August at Batumi and around the ski holidays and the October city festival in Tbilisi. Empty Legs are most frequent from Batumi back to Europe in summer and from Tbilisi after ski drop-offs in winter.

From the aircraft to the hotel, the vineyard or the slope

Empty Legs between Europe and Georgia

Many trips to Georgia are one-way for the aircraft, which then flies home with nobody on board. These legs are sold at a reduced price when the date suits you:

The operator fixes the date and time and can cancel if the main booking changes, so a leg suits a flexible plan. Write to empty-legs@jets.flights with the direction and your dates, and we send matching flights as they appear.

Flying with a dog or cat

The animal flies in the cabin beside you, with the operator's approval given in advance; tell us the species, breed and weight with the passenger list. Entry into Georgia is simple, while the way home takes planning, because Georgia is not on the EU list of countries with simplified pet rules.

• Entry: a pet passport or certificate showing that the animal is healthy, vaccinated against rabies and dewormed; the handler confirms the details before the flight.
• Exit: an export certificate from a regional office of the National Food Agency, with the animal presented in person during office hours, so we plan the visit a day before departure.
• Return to the EU: a rabies antibody test taken at least 30 days after vaccination, with at least 0.5 IU/ml. Done and recorded before leaving the EU, it avoids a three-month wait; the animal then enters through an approved point of entry.
• Up to five animals per person on a non-commercial trip.

Entry rules, customs and safety advice

Before departure

• Passport valid for the whole stay for every passenger, children included.
• Insurance certificate for each traveller, on paper or on the phone.
• Names and passport numbers to us at least six working days before landing, for the permit.
• Number of ski bags, golf bags and wine cases, so the hold is checked.
• Prescriptions for any medicines carried.
• Pet papers, the antibody test and the export certificate appointment.

How to book

1. Send the dates, the number of passengers, the luggage and where in Georgia you are going: capital, wine country, mountains or coast.
2. We choose Tbilisi, Batumi or Kutaisi by the onward drive and check parking for the length of your stay.
3. We send 2-4 aircraft offers showing the operator, model, route, any fuel stop and the price.
4. The operator applies for the permit at least five working days ahead, and we book the handler, the VIP lounge and the car.
5. You sign the contract and pay; on the day, the handler meets the aircraft and takes you through passport control.

Questions about private flights to Georgia

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

  • From EUR 12,500 one way in a light jet from Istanbul to Tbilisi. From Vienna a Praetor 500 costs EUR 23,000 to Kutaisi, from London EUR 31,000 to Tbilisi. Prices are for the whole aircraft, plus fees and taxes.

• • Why does the flight take longer than the distance suggests?

  • European operators route around closed and restricted airspace north of the Black Sea. The aircraft flies over the Balkans and then Turkey or the Black Sea.

• • Can a light jet fly non-stop from London?

  • No. A Citation CJ3 or Phenom 300 needs a fuel stop, usually in Turkey. A Praetor 500 or larger flies non-stop in a little over five hours.

• • Which airport should we use?

  • Tbilisi for the capital, Kakheti and Gudauri; Batumi for the coast; Kutaisi for the west and Svaneti. Bakuriani works from Tbilisi or Kutaisi.

• • How far ahead do we need to book?

  • The landing permit needs at least five working days, so a week ahead is the practical minimum. For July and August in Batumi or the October festival in Tbilisi, book earlier.

• • Do EU or UK citizens need a visa?

  • No, stays of up to one year are visa-free. Each traveller must have health and accident insurance of at least 30,000 lari for the whole stay.

• • Can we fly to a ski resort directly?

  • Not by jet. You land in Tbilisi and drive 2-3 hours to Gudauri, or take a helicopter in good weather.

• • Can the aircraft fly us between Tbilisi and Batumi?

  • Domestic legs are usually flown by a local operator. The simpler plan is to land in one city and fly home from the other.

• • Can we combine Georgia with Armenia and Azerbaijan?

  • Yes. Yerevan is 0:45 h and Baku 1:07 h from Tbilisi. Each leg is international, and Azerbaijan requires a visa.

• • Can we bring our dog?

  • Yes, in the cabin. Plan the rabies antibody test before leaving home and an export certificate from the National Food Agency before the return.

• • Are there Empty Legs to or from Georgia?

  • Yes, mostly from Batumi in summer and from Tbilisi after ski drop-offs. Send your dates to empty-legs@jets.flights.