Private jet to Guatemala

Guatemala lies between Mexico, Belize, Honduras and El Salvador, with a short Caribbean coast and a long Pacific one. Its capital is the largest city in Central America and the business centre of the region, while visitors come for the Maya city of Tikal in the northern jungle, the colonial town of Antigua and Lake Atitlán in its ring of volcanoes. From Western Europe the capital is 8,200-9,700 km away, so the trip is either one long leg in a long-range jet or a heavy jet with a fuel stop.

Nearly every flight from Europe lands at La Aurora, inside Guatemala City at about 1,500 m above sea level, with active volcanoes on the horizon. As a broker, we compare transatlantic aircraft from operators in Europe and North America, have the landing permit filed through the handler and arrange the car, helicopter or local flight onwards.

Send your dates, the number of passengers and the places you want to see, and we come back with aircraft and prices.

What a charter changes on this trip

Prices and flight times

The figures are one-way prices for the entire aircraft, based near your departure airport. The quote adds handling at La Aurora, the DGAC permit, the stop on the way and passenger taxes. The flight time shown is for the Challenger 650 and includes its fuel stop, for example in the Azores. A Gulfstream G550 flies the same routes without landing: about 10:31 h from Madrid, 10:32 h from London and 11:38 h from Munich.

From Europe

Lisbon is the cheapest start at EUR 105,000 in the Challenger 650, London and Madrid cost EUR 110,000. The non-stop G550 costs EUR 125,000-145,000 and saves the stop, the extra landing fees and about an hour and three quarters on the trip from London or Madrid. Flores, the airport for Tikal, costs about the same as the capital, but a direct international arrival there is agreed with the authorities case by case.

Within the region

A flight back costs the same. Each of these legs is an international flight with passport control at both ends; see our pages on Belize, Mexico, Panama and Miami.

To Flores by local operator

A foreign aircraft needs separate permission to fly a domestic leg, so the hop to Flores, Puerto Barrios or Retalhuleu is normally flown by a Guatemalan operator while the long-range jet waits in the capital or flies home.

Taxes

Guatemala charges a departure tax per passenger, shown as a separate line in the quote. In Europe, France charges a per-passenger tax on jets that rises with the distance, and Italy EUR 200 per passenger from Milan, as the route exceeds 1,500 km; the Italian levy applies again when the jet flies back into Italy. A departure from Britain pays Air Passenger Duty: the standard rate on most jets, the higher rate on those of 20 t and more with under 19 seats. Departures from Germany, Norway or the Netherlands carry national taxes too.

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 the extras

Price per passenger

What each traveller pays when the group shares the aircraft, passenger taxes excluded:

Calculator

For a return, a combination with Belize or Mexico, or another departure city, the calculator sends an estimate by e-mail:

Airports for business jets

At La Aurora the thin air limits the take-off weight on hot days, so the operator calculates fuel and payload for the return on the actual date and tells you whether a stop will be needed. The Fuego volcano, about 40 km west of the airport, has closed La Aurora several times for short periods when ash drifted over; the crew checks ash reports before departure and files an alternate such as San Salvador, San Pedro Sula or Flores.

Aircraft for the route

Choosing between a stop and a direct flight, or planning Tikal and the lake around one jet? Leave your number and we will call.

Seasons and events

The highlands around the capital, Antigua and the lake are mild all year, the Petén and the coasts are hot. The dry season from November to April is the most popular time, with Holy Week in Antigua the busiest week of the year. From May to October rain falls most afternoons, so arrivals are planned for the morning. Empty Legs between Europe and Central America are rare; regional legs from Florida and Mexico are more frequent in the dry season.

Offices close on public holidays, so permits for Holy Week and Christmas are filed earlier.

Entry, documents and safety

Dogs and cats

• Guatemala's agriculture ministry, MAGA, asks for a vet's health certificate, a rabies vaccination given at least a month before travel and a recorded parasite treatment.
• A veterinary inspector checks the animal on arrival and charges a fee per animal; bring the certificate and the vaccination record in two copies.
• The way back is the demanding half: Guatemala is not on the EU list, so a rabies antibody test taken at least 30 days after vaccination is needed for the return; when the sample is taken in Europe before departure, the three-month wait before re-entry does not apply.
• For a dog going on to Britain, a vet gives a tapeworm treatment 1-5 days before the landing there.
• The pet travels in the cabin beside you, with the operator's approval; at the fuel stop it normally stays on board.

Empty Legs

Direct empty legs between Europe and Guatemala are rare, though long-range jets that brought a party across sometimes return empty. Between Florida, Mexico and Central America smaller aircraft reposition more often, mainly in the dry season. Your dates go to empty-legs@jets.flights; even on an empty leg the DGAC permit has to be in place.

Booking

1. Send dates, passengers, luggage and the places you plan to visit.
2. We offer a heavy jet with a stop and a non-stop long-range jet, plus the cost of waiting in the capital against flying home in between.
3. After you choose, the handler files the DGAC permit with the passenger list; we book the local flight, helicopter or car.
4. The contract is made with the operator, payment is by bank transfer or card, and cancellation charges follow the operator's terms and the time left to departure.
5. At La Aurora the handler walks you through immigration and customs, with the car parked outside the private lounge.

Questions about private flights to Guatemala

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

  • From EUR 105,000 one way from Lisbon in a Challenger 650 with one fuel stop; from London or Madrid it costs EUR 110,000. For the whole aircraft without a stop, a Gulfstream G550 from London is EUR 130,000.

• • Can we fly from Europe without a stop?

  • Yes, in a Gulfstream G550 or Global 7500: about 10:32 h from London. Heavy jets such as the Challenger 650 stop once, usually in the Azores.

• • Can we fly straight to Flores for Tikal?

  • The runway takes every business jet, but a direct arrival from abroad is agreed with the authorities case by case. Usually the jet lands in the capital and a local turboprop reaches Flores in about an hour.

• • Why is a landing permit needed?

  • The civil aviation authority must approve each private or charter flight from abroad. The handler applies about three working days ahead, and a new date needs a new permit.

• • Can the volcanoes affect the flight?

  • Yes. Ash from Fuego has closed La Aurora for short periods. The crew checks ash reports, and we leave a margin before important meetings.

• • Do we need a visa?

  • Not for EU or British citizens, for up to 90 days shared with El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua. British passport holders need a visa for Honduras.

• • When is the best time to go?

  • November to April, the dry season. Holy Week in Antigua is the busiest week; from May to October it rains most afternoons.

• • Can I bring my dog?

  • Yes, with a health certificate, rabies vaccination and parasite treatment. Returning to the EU or the UK requires an antibody test, so start several months ahead.

• • What is the time difference?

  • Guatemala does not change its clocks: six hours behind London in winter and seven in summer, seven and eight behind Paris.