Private jet to Grenada

Grenada is the southernmost of the Windward Islands, about 160 km north of Trinidad, an independent Commonwealth state of three inhabited islands: Grenada itself, Carriacou and Petite Martinique. The main island is volcanic and green, with rainforest around the crater lake of Grand Etang, and is known as the Island of Spice for its nutmeg, which appears on the national flag. All private jets from abroad land at Maurice Bishop International at Point Salines, on the south-western tip, close to Grand Anse beach and the capital, St George's.

Most private visitors are sailors joining a yacht for the Grenadines, guests of the hotels and villas around Grand Anse and the south coast, and families with ties to the island. Carriacou has a short runway for turboprops, and Petite Martinique has none.

Send the dates and the number of passengers, and we will plan the departure from Europe so that the jet lands well before the airport closes.

Flight times

• Gulfstream G650 without a stop: Lisbon 7:08 h, Madrid 7:41 h, London Farnborough 8:15 h, Paris Le Bourget 8:25 h, Geneva 8:40 h, Amsterdam 8:41 h, Nice 8:44 h
• Zurich 8:54 h, Milan Linate and Frankfurt 8:56 h, Munich 9:10 h
• Regional in a Citation CJ3: Canouan 0:38 h, St Vincent 0:42 h, Port of Spain 0:44 h, Saint Lucia 0:48 h, Barbados 0:53 h, Martinique 0:55 h, Antigua 1:18 h
• Miami 3:36 h and New York 4:47 h in a Praetor 500

A super midsize jet such as the Praetor 600 lands once for fuel, usually in the Azores, and needs about two and a half hours more than the G650. The Falcon 900EX flies direct from London, Paris, Geneva, Amsterdam, Nice, Madrid and Lisbon and stops once from Zurich, Milan, Munich and Frankfurt. The airport closes at 22:30 local time, so a late start in Europe or a slow fuel stop can push the arrival past closing; in that case the crew lands on Barbados and continues in the morning.

Prices for private flights to Grenada

The table shows one-way prices for the whole aircraft, based on a jet stationed near the departure airport. Permit, handling, the fuel stop and passenger taxes are extra; the time column refers to the first aircraft in each row.

From Europe

With a fuel stop the Praetor 600 costs EUR 73,000 from London and EUR 78,000 from Zurich, Milan or Frankfurt; from Lisbon it flies direct for EUR 54,000. A Falcon 900EX without a stop costs EUR 90,000 from London, and the fastest option, the G650, costs EUR 110,000 from London and Paris.

From neighbouring islands and North America

A light jet from Barbados costs EUR 8,000 and is a common way to continue after a late scheduled arrival there. Canouan and Argyle belong to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Port of Spain to Trinidad and Tobago, and Martinique is French territory, so every hop is an international flight with its own formalities. The flight to Carriacou is domestic and flown by a local operator, so it is booked on the island.

Grenada charges a departure fee per passenger, collected by the handler and shown in the quote. European departure taxes are added as well. In France the amount per jet passenger depends on distance and a transatlantic flight pays more than the roughly EUR 420 of a European one; Italy charges EUR 200 per passenger on flights of this length to or from Italian airports. The UK applies Air Passenger Duty at the higher rate to jets of 20 t or more with fewer than 19 seats and at the standard rate to lighter jets, while Germany, Norway and the Netherlands (aircraft of 5.7 t or more) have their own taxes.

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 with prices

For a first estimate with your dates, use the calculator:

Maurice Bishop International and Carriacou

Maurice Bishop International (GND / TGPY), the former Point Salines airport, lies about 8 km from St George's, 15 to 20 minutes by road, and about 10 minutes from Grand Anse. The runway, 10/28, is 2,744 m long, enough for any business jet; the terrain rises north and east of the airport, which the operator takes into account in the approach. The airport is open from 06:00 to 22:30 local time, has customs and immigration on site and does not require slots.

Private flights are handled at the IAM Jet Centre, the airport's business aviation terminal, with a lounge, showers, catering, a crew lounge, fuelling and international handling; passengers are driven to the aircraft by golf cart. Private jets park on the general aviation ramp on the south side, which fills during the sailing week and around Christmas, so parking is requested together with the landing permit. A charter needs landing permission through the Eastern Caribbean Civil Aviation Authority, with the aircraft documents, insurance, passenger and crew details and a local handler.

The Lauriston terminal on Carriacou was damaged by a hurricane, so the state of the field is checked before any flight there; the boat from Grenada is the alternative.

Choosing the aircraft

To compare a direct flight with a fuel stop, leave your number:

When to fly

December to April is the dry season and the main season, with the Christmas weeks as the peak. June to November is the wet season and the Atlantic hurricane season; the island lies near the southern edge of the storm zone but has been hit by strong hurricanes, so the return date stays flexible in those months. Empty Legs are most common after New Year and after Easter, when long-range jets return to Europe.

Empty Legs on the Grenada route

A flight to Grenada is one way for the aircraft, so long-range jets cross empty before Christmas and fly home empty after the holidays and at the end of the season. Legs are irregular on this route; a window of several days and a flexible return airport improve the chance. Write to empty-legs@jets.flights with your direction and dates.

Travelling with a pet

• An import permit from the Chief Veterinary Officer, applied for to the Veterinary Services at least two weeks before arrival; the date and time of arrival are notified in advance.
• Rabies vaccination given at least 30 days and at most 12 months before entry; multi-year vaccines are not accepted. A health certificate from a vet, issued shortly before travel and endorsed by the state veterinary service.
• Entry only through Maurice Bishop International; an animal that meets the rules is not quarantined.
• Grenada is not on the EU list of countries exempt from the rabies antibody test. Have the blood test done in the EU before departure, at least 30 days after vaccination, otherwise the return must wait three months after a test taken abroad.
• With the operator's consent the pet stays in the cabin next to you. The UK treats Grenada the same way, so the blood test is needed for a return there too, and dogs need tapeworm treatment 1-5 days before arrival in the UK.

Entry and customs

Booking and contract

1. Send the dates and passengers, and tell us if you join a yacht, a hotel or a villa.
2. We compare a direct jet and a one-stop option and set the landing well before 22:30.
3. You get a short list of aircraft with operator, flight time and the full price.
4. When the contract is signed and paid, the operator files for the landing permit and ramp space.
5. On arrival the IAM Jet Centre meets the aircraft, customs is done in the terminal, and the car waits outside.

Grenada by private jet: questions

• • What does a private jet to Grenada cost?

  • From Lisbon a Praetor 600 costs EUR 54,000 without a stop; from London EUR 73,000 with a fuel stop, or EUR 90,000 in a Falcon 900EX flying direct, for the whole aircraft one way.

• • How long is the flight from London?

  • 8:15 h in a Gulfstream G650 without a stop. A Praetor 600 with a fuel stop in the Azores needs about two and a half hours more.

• • Can we arrive late at night?

  • The airport closes at 22:30 local time and opens at 06:00. If the arrival would be later, the crew lands on Barbados and the flight continues in the morning.

• • Can a jet fly to Carriacou?

  • No. Lauriston has an 800 m runway for turboprops and light aircraft; the hop from Grenada is flown by a local operator, or you take the boat.

• • Do we need a visa?

  • No, neither EU nor UK citizens on a holiday visit. Make sure the passport is stamped on arrival.

• • Can we bring our dog?

  • Yes, with an import permit, a rabies vaccination and a health certificate. For the return to the EU, do the antibody test before leaving, because Grenada is not on the EU exempt list.

• • When is the busiest time?

  • Late January for the sailing week, Christmas and New Year, and August for Spicemas. Book aircraft and ramp space early for those weeks.

• • Are there Empty Legs?

  • Occasionally, mostly after New Year and Easter towards Europe. A note to empty-legs@jets.flights with your dates puts you on the list.