Private jet to Ghana

Almost every private flight from Europe to Ghana lands at Kotoka International in Accra, about 9 km north of the city centre. Business jets use Terminal 1, a building of its own run by McDan Aviation, with lounges, conference rooms and passport and customs control under the same roof. The other airports of the country are regional fields, and the onward legs from Accra are flown by Ghanaian operators.

Clients come for the banks, the cocoa, gold and oil business and the ministries in Accra, for family visits and the holiday season in December, and for the castles of Cape Coast and Elmina on the coast west of the capital. A super midsize jet flies from Lisbon in about five hours and from London in under seven. Planning starts with three papers: a landing permit for the aircraft, a visa and a yellow fever certificate for every passenger.

Tell us the dates, the number of passengers and where in Ghana you are going; a consultant answers with aircraft options, prices and the timetable for permit and visas.

Why charter a jet to Accra

How long the flight takes

The times are for a Praetor 600 without a stop. The heavy and long-range jets in the table are a few minutes faster; a light or midsize jet needs a fuel stop, for example in Morocco or the Canary Islands, which adds a landing and refuelling to the day. Ghana keeps Greenwich Mean Time all year: the same clock as London in winter, one hour behind it in summer, and one or two hours behind Paris, Geneva and Frankfurt.

What a flight to Ghana costs

Each price is for the whole aircraft, one way, before landing permit, handling at Terminal 1, parking, airport charges and passenger taxes.

From European cities

The Praetor 600 is the entry point. It costs EUR 37,000 from Lisbon and EUR 38,000 from Madrid; from Paris the price is EUR 45,000 and from London EUR 47,000. A Legacy 650 with up to 13 seats costs roughly a third more on the same sector, and the Global 6000 adds a larger cabin with a crew rest area.

From neighbouring countries

On the coast the distances are short: Lomé - Accra takes 0:51 h in a Pilatus PC-12 for EUR 6,500, Lagos - Accra 1:19 h for EUR 7,500. From Dakar in Senegal a jet is the sensible choice: a Phenom 300 costs EUR 18,000.

Long-haul to Accra

From New York and Washington the long-range jets fly non-stop in about ten hours, while the Challenger 650 stops once. Dubai - Accra is a non-stop sector for every column.

Passenger taxes follow the departure country. France charges a solidarity tax per passenger that rises with distance, so a flight to Ghana pays about EUR 1,015, against about EUR 420 within Europe; Italy charges EUR 200 per passenger on sectors beyond 1,500 km to or from the country; Germany and the United Kingdom charge departure taxes, shown in the quote, and in the UK aircraft under 5.7 t are exempt while the higher private jet rate applies only from 20 t with fewer than 19 seats. Ghanaian airport and passenger charges are itemised as well.

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

Worked examples

Per person

Shared between the passengers, the whole-aircraft price looks like this:

Online estimate

Enter the route and the date; the calculator returns a first figure, and a consultant adds permit, handling and parking.

Airports in Ghana for private aviation

Kotoka in Accra is the only airport with daily international business traffic and a dedicated terminal. Tamale in the north has handled pilgrimage flights, but whether a private jet from abroad can clear customs there is confirmed for each request; otherwise Tamale, Kumasi and Takoradi are reached from Accra with a Ghanaian operator.

Permit and local rules

Ghana asks for an overflight and a landing permit for private and charter flights. Handlers plan about five to seven working days, and the civil aviation authority works on weekdays only, so a request sent on Friday rarely works for Monday. The papers: registration, airworthiness and noise certificates, worldwide insurance, crew licences and passport copies, the passenger manifest and a local contact. If the apron at Kotoka is full, the handler names the parking position; Lagos and Abidjan are the usual alternates.

Foreign-registered aircraft may not fly passengers between two Ghanaian airports. Accra - Kumasi, Accra - Takoradi or Accra - Tamale is flown by a Ghanaian operator, which we arrange and name in the quote; scheduled domestic airlines fly these routes as well.

Choosing the aircraft

A light jet with a fuel stop is not much cheaper than a Praetor 600 flying straight through and makes the day longer. Ask for a call-back to compare both options for your date.

Destinations beyond Accra

A car with a driver usually waits at Terminal 1. Helicopter transfers, for example to Takoradi or a lodge on the coast, need an approved landing site and daylight; the operator and the site are confirmed with the request.

Seasons and events month by month

November to March is the dry season and the main season for visits, with December the busiest month in Accra. July and August are also busy, when many visitors come from Europe and North America. Empty Legs are most frequent in the first days of January, when aircraft that came for the holidays fly back to Europe empty, and less often at the end of the summer visitor season.

Festival dates move from year to year, so we check the organisers' calendar before booking hotels and cars.

Empty Legs on the Ghana route

An Empty Leg still needs the landing permit and the visas, so it suits travellers with papers in hand and a few days of flexibility. Register your route at empty-legs@jets.flights.

Dogs and cats on a flight to Ghana

The animal flies in the cabin with the operator's approval. Ghana requires:

• Notify the Chief Veterinary Officer in Accra at least four weeks before arrival; the import permit follows and is valid for eight weeks.
• Dogs: blood tests for certain diseases can be required before the permit is issued; the permit lists them.
• Microchip and rabies vaccination at least 30 days before entry, plus the usual vaccinations for dogs and cats.
• Export health certificate signed by a government-authorised vet who examines the animal shortly before departure.
• Treatment against internal and external parasites; arrival through Kotoka.

Visas, health rules and customs

A VIP clearance can be requested through the handler; the state protocol office decides on it. Crew visas are usually issued on arrival for up to 72 hours. The UK Foreign Office advises against all but essential travel to the Bawku Municipality in the Upper East Region; Accra, Kumasi and the coast are not in that list. Travellers check their own government's page and their insurance before booking.

Checklist before take-off

• Visa in every passport, passports valid for six more months.
• Yellow fever certificates for all passengers.
• Landing permit and parking slot at Kotoka confirmed.
• Ghanaian operator booked for any leg to Kumasi, Tamale or Takoradi.
• Currency declared on arrival; car and hotel confirmed, in December paid in advance where asked.
• Pet: import permit, test results and the antibody test for the return.

Booking a private jet to Ghana

1. Send the dates, passengers and final destination in Ghana.
2. We propose aircraft for the long sector and, if needed, a Ghanaian operator for the domestic leg.
3. You confirm; we collect passport copies and the manifest for the permit.
4. The operator applies for the overflight and landing permits while you obtain the visas.
5. Before departure we confirm the slot, Terminal 1 handling and the car; you board at your hour.

Private flights to Ghana: questions and answers

• • What is the cheapest private flight from Europe to Ghana?

  • Lisbon - Accra in a Praetor 600 at EUR 37,000 one way for the whole aircraft. From Madrid it costs EUR 38,000, from London EUR 47,000.

• • How many hours from London to Accra?

  • 6:51 h non-stop in a Praetor 600, slightly less in a Legacy 650 or Global 6000.

• • Where do private jets park in Accra?

  • At Kotoka International, with passengers handled in Terminal 1, the business aviation terminal operated by McDan Aviation, where immigration and customs take place in the same building.

• • Can we fly on to Kumasi or Tamale with the same jet?

  • No. Domestic legs in Ghana are reserved for Ghanaian operators; we book one and name it in the quote.

• • Which documents do passengers need?

  • A visa issued before travel, a passport valid six months beyond arrival and a yellow fever vaccination certificate.

• • How long does the landing permit take?

  • Handlers plan about five to seven working days, and the authority processes requests on weekdays only.

• • When is the best time to fly to Ghana?

  • November to March for dry weather, with December the busiest month; July and August are also popular.

• • Can we take our dog?

  • Yes, with an import permit applied for at least four weeks ahead, blood tests for dogs and a health certificate. For the return, plan the rabies antibody test before leaving Europe.

• • Are Empty Legs available?

  • Mostly from Accra back to Europe, especially in early January. Send your route to empty-legs@jets.flights.

• • How early should we book for December?

  • Several weeks ahead: parking at Kotoka, crew rooms and cars fill up, and some hotels ask for full payment in advance.

• • Is there travel advice against any part of Ghana?

  • The UK Foreign Office advises against all but essential travel to the Bawku Municipality in the Upper East Region. Accra and the coast are not affected.