Private jet to India

India draws two kinds of private flyers from Europe. Business travellers head for Delhi, where the ministries and embassies sit, for Mumbai, the financial centre, and for the technology campuses of Bengaluru and Hyderabad. Families and wedding parties go to the palaces of Rajasthan, the beaches of Goa and the backwaters of Kerala, mostly between November and March, when the north is dry and mild.

The flying itself is long but simple: a long-range jet covers Vienna - Delhi non-stop in under eight hours, and a super midsize jet does it with one fuel stop in the Gulf. The paperwork takes more planning than any European trip. Every passenger needs a visa, every airport on the itinerary needs a landing permit from the civil aviation authority (DGCA), and a foreign aircraft may not carry passengers between two Indian cities. As a broker, we compare aircraft from operators in Europe, the Gulf and India and build the permits, slots and onward legs into one plan.

Send the cities, the dates and the number of passengers, and mention any onward legs inside the country. A consultant replies with aircraft, routing and price.

Who flies privately to India, and why

Flight times from Europe

From the price tables below, including taxi, climb, descent and, where shown, about 1:30 h for a fuel stop:

Every distance in the tables is the straight line plus 14 %. Operators from the EU keep clear of closed and restricted airspace, Iran's included, so the track to India runs over Turkey and the Gulf or across the Caucasus and Central Asia. A long-range jet still flies from every hub in the tables without landing. Smaller cabins refuel in the Gulf, which adds about 1:30 h. The operator fixes the routing with the overflight permits and the winds of the day.

Prices for a private flight to India

Each figure is the price of the whole aircraft for a single leg, with the landing permit, handling, airport charges and taxes added, and assumes a free aircraft close to the departure airport. The rows end at different Indian airports to show how the price moves, and the time column refers to the first aircraft quoted in the row.

From the European hubs

The Praetor 600 gives the lowest price from every hub, with one fuel stop from all of them except Larnaca: Vienna - Delhi costs EUR 67,000 and London - Delhi EUR 79,000, while London - Mumbai is EUR 84,000. Non-stop in the Global 6000, Vienna - Delhi costs EUR 98,000 and London - Delhi EUR 120,000; London - Mumbai is EUR 125,000. From Larnaca the Praetor 600 reaches Mumbai without landing in 6:32 h for EUR 45,000. The south costs more than the north: Frankfurt - Bengaluru is EUR 130,000 non-stop, and Madrid - Goa EUR 135,000.

From Istanbul, Greece, Poland, Italy and Romania

From Istanbul the midsize Praetor 500 lands once for EUR 46,000, while the Praetor 600 flies the same route non-stop for EUR 47,000, so for one thousand euros more the trip is an hour and a half shorter. Warsaw - Delhi is still non-stop in the super midsize jet at EUR 54,000; from Rome every class in the table needs a stop.

From the Gulf and the Indian Ocean

Flights from the UAE, Qatar and Singapore, and the short routes to the islands and neighbouring countries:

Dubai - Mumbai costs EUR 17,500 in a Phenom 300 and Dubai - Delhi EUR 18,500. Malé - Mumbai takes 2:43 h for EUR 16,000. Singapore - Bengaluru is beyond the light jet's range, so that cell is on request; the Praetor 500 flies it in 4:27 h for EUR 28,000.

Domestic legs with an Indian operator

Indian rules reserve flights between two Indian cities for Indian operators, so the European jet that brought you cannot fly Delhi - Jaipur with passengers on board. We book the domestic legs with a locally licensed operator at the same time as the long flight. Indicative prices:

Jaipur - Delhi takes 0:49 h in a Citation CJ3 for EUR 8,000, Udaipur - Delhi 1:15 h for EUR 9,500, and Mumbai - Delhi 2:05 h for EUR 12,000. The Indian operator sets its own price, so the figures show the level, not a quote. Flights out of the country, to Malé, Colombo or Kathmandu, can be flown by the aircraft you arrived in.

On sectors of eight to twelve hours most of the price is flight time, and the position of the aircraft matters: a jet that flies out or back empty is part of the bill. For a stay of a week or more, two one-way flights usually cost less than parking and crew hotels, and Mumbai limits parking anyway. Overflight fees and handling at the fuel stop are added. In Europe, the passenger tax follows the departure airport. Jets from France pay a per-passenger tax that rises with distance, about EUR 2,100 on a flight to India and about EUR 420 within Europe, and Austria charges EUR 12. Italy's EUR 200 per passenger applies to sectors over 1,500 km in both directions, so it also hits the flight home to Milan or Rome. Germany and Norway charge departure taxes, and the Netherlands taxes passengers on aircraft of 5.7 t or more. Under UK Air Passenger Duty, the Challenger 650 and the Global 6000 (20 t or more, fewer than 19 seats) pay the higher private-jet rate, and other jets the standard rate of their distance band. Indian 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 price is for the cabin, not the seat, so each extra passenger lowers the share; per-passenger taxes come on top:

Calculator

For a different Indian airport or a round trip, the calculator e-mails a first figure:

That figure assumes the direct line; the written offer adds the day's routing, the fuel stop and where the nearest free aircraft is based.

Airports and business aviation terminals

A foreign aircraft lands only at the airports named in its permit, and the first landing must be at an airport of entry with customs and immigration. For e-Visa holders the entry airport must also be on the e-Visa list: Delhi, Mumbai, Jaipur, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Kolkata, Kochi and both Goa airports are on it, Udaipur is not.

Every runway in the table takes the aircraft in the price tables. Hyderabad, Kolkata and Kochi complete the list of airports most used by business jets; Kochi is the one closest to the Kerala backwaters.

Rules that shape the schedule

• The DGCA issues a landing permit for each airport, normally three working days ahead; its office works Monday to Friday, so a Friday afternoon request is handled on Monday.
• The application lists name, nationality, passport and visa details of every person on board, and the count is checked against the permit on the day.
• A confirmed permit can be revised twice; changes to times, dates or airports count as revisions.
• A private flight with more than 14 passengers is treated as a tourist charter and needs clearance from the tourism ministry, so a large group is announced early.
• At the busiest airports business aviation gets few slots in the airline peaks, in the morning and late in the evening; the restricted hours are set by each airport, as in Mumbai.
• A foreign-registered aircraft stays in India for about two weeks at most, then leaves and returns on a fresh permit.

Which aircraft suits the trip

For a couple or a family of four, the Praetor 600 with a stop is the best value; for ten guests and wedding luggage, a long-range cabin saves the stop and gives each passenger a bed. A sector of over eight hours needs an augmented crew or a rest period before the aircraft can fly back, and the offer states which. See ultra long range jets and heavy jets in the catalogue.

When to go: the year month by month

November to March is the main season for leisure: dry, mild weather in Rajasthan, Delhi and Goa, and the wedding season in the north. Business travel runs all year, and the monsoon from June to September mostly affects the west coast. Empty Legs are most frequent in January, when aircraft that brought families for Christmas, New Year and weddings fly back to Europe, and on the short Gulf routes all year. Holi and Diwali follow the lunar calendar and move between years; we check the dates for your week.

Empty Legs between Europe and India

A jet that has brought passengers to India almost always has to fly back, and that sector can be bought at a reduced price if your dates are flexible. Typical patterns:

An Empty Leg to India still needs the landing permit and visas for every passenger, so the passport data must be ready before the leg is confirmed. Write to empty-legs@jets.flights with the direction and a range of dates.

Flying with a dog or cat

India has some of the strictest rules for bringing pets in, and they apply to private flights too. A short holiday with the animal is rarely possible:

• Without an import licence from the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), at most two dogs or cats may come in, and only with a person relocating to India after at least two years abroad.
• Clearance from the animal quarantine service (AQCS) is needed before the flight. It has offices in Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai and Kolkata, and the first landing is planned at one of them.
• Microchip, rabies vaccination and a health certificate from a government vet are part of the file; the requirements are confirmed in writing for your dates.

Visas, permits and customs

Leaving Europe for India means leaving Schengen, so passports are checked at both ends. EU citizens who continue to Britain need an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA).

Before departure

• Passports valid six months with two blank pages, and an e-Visa or visa for every passenger, children included.
• Names, nationalities, passport and visa data for the landing permit, at least a week ahead.
• The first airport is on the e-Visa list if you travel on an e-Visa.
• Arrival cards completed within 72 hours before landing.
• No satellite phone or e-cigarettes in the luggage.
• Domestic legs, parking and the aircraft's plan during your stay agreed in advance.

How to book

1. Send the cities, dates, number of passengers and the purpose of the trip; mention weddings or groups of more than 14 early.
2. We compare a super midsize jet with a stop against a long-range jet non-stop and choose the entry airport for your visa type.
3. You receive offers with operator, aircraft, cabin photos, flight time and price, with domestic legs, parking and crew costs listed separately.
4. After you sign and pay, the operator files the DGCA permit and the handler books slots and parking.
5. On arrival the handler meets you at the general aviation terminal and takes you through immigration and customs.

Questions about private flights to India

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

  • The lowest fare is Larnaca - Mumbai: EUR 45,000 one way for the whole aircraft in a Praetor 600, non-stop. Vienna - Delhi in the same jet with a fuel stop costs EUR 67,000, London - Delhi EUR 79,000, and the Global 6000 non-stop from London EUR 120,000.

• • Can we fly non-stop from Europe?

  • Yes, in a long-range jet such as the Global 6000 or Falcon 7X: London - Delhi takes 9:34 h. Super midsize and heavy jets land once in the Gulf.

• • Can the same aircraft fly us between Indian cities?

  • No. Flights between two Indian cities are reserved for Indian operators, so we book the domestic legs with a local company. The European jet can fly you on to Malé, Colombo or Kathmandu.

• • Which airport for Udaipur or Agra?

  • Udaipur is not an e-Visa entry airport and Agra is a military field, so you land in Delhi or Jaipur. Udaipur is then a 1:15 h domestic flight, and Agra is reached by road.

• • Is there a private terminal in Delhi and Mumbai?

  • Yes. Both have general aviation terminals with their own customs and immigration. Mumbai adds slot curfews and a 72-hour parking limit.

• • How far ahead should we book?

  • At least a week: the landing permit needs passport and visa data and about three working days, slots follow, and military fields such as Dabolim or Agra take weeks.

• • Do we need a visa?

  • Yes, EU and UK citizens need one. The e-Visa is applied for online at least four days ahead, and an electronic arrival card is filled in within 72 hours before landing.

• • What is the time difference?

  • India is 5:30 h ahead of London in winter and 4:30 h in summer; the country has one time zone and no summer time.

• • Can our dog come with us?

  • Rarely on a holiday. Without an import licence pets are admitted only with people relocating to India after two years abroad, and the quarantine service must approve the animal in advance.

• • Are there Empty Legs from India?

  • Yes, mostly westbound after Christmas, New Year and the wedding season, plus short legs from the Gulf. Write to empty-legs@jets.flights.

• • Can the aircraft wait for us?

  • In Delhi for a few days if parking is free; in Mumbai for 72 hours at most. For a week or more the aircraft usually flies home and returns.