Private jet to Jamaica

Jamaica lies in the western Caribbean, south of Cuba, and is one of the longest Caribbean flights from Europe: about 7,530 km from London Farnborough to Montego Bay. A Global 6000 crosses without a stop in 9:21 h; heavy jets such as the Challenger 650 and, from most of Europe, the Falcon 900EX land once for fuel. English is spoken everywhere, and the island draws villa guests, golfers and music lovers to the north coast, and business travellers to Kingston.

Three airports in Jamaica clear international flights: Sangster at Montego Bay, which takes most private jets and has a Signature terminal with customs inside, Norman Manley at Kingston for the capital and the Blue Mountains, and the small Ian Fleming airport near Ocho Rios for light and midsize jets. As a broker we compare operators on both sides of the Atlantic and choose the airport by where you are staying.

Tell us where on the island you are staying, the dates and the number of passengers:

What a private flight changes on this route

Flight times from Europe

Non-stop times in a Global 6000, as in the tables below: Lisbon - Montego Bay 8:38 h, Dublin 8:55 h, London 9:21 h, Paris - Kingston 9:36 h, Amsterdam 9:48 h, Geneva 10:01 h, Frankfurt - Kingston 10:06 h, Vienna 10:52 h. The Falcon 900EX flies non-stop from Madrid, Lisbon, Dublin, Edinburgh and Manchester; from London and further east it stops once, like the Challenger 650. The stop, usually in the Azores or Ireland, adds about an hour and a half, and the flight home with the jet stream behind it is shorter.

On a flight of more than ten hours the operator plans an augmented crew, and the crew needs its rest before flying back or on to another island; we plan this before confirming the trip.

Private jet prices to Jamaica

Each price covers the whole aircraft for one way, positioned from a base close to the departure city. Not included: the Jamaican landing permit, handling, a possible Cuban overflight permit, catering, parking and passenger taxes. The flight time is that of the first aircraft in the row.

From the European hubs

A Challenger 650 with one stop costs EUR 98,000 from London and EUR 105,000 from Geneva, Zurich, Milan, Frankfurt or Nice. Madrid is the only hub in this table from which the Falcon 900EX flies without a stop, at EUR 95,000. A non-stop Global 6000 costs EUR 115,000 from London and EUR 125,000 from Geneva or Frankfurt.

From other cities in Europe

From Lisbon, Dublin, Edinburgh and Manchester the Falcon 900EX flies non-stop: EUR 89,000 from Lisbon and EUR 92,000 from Dublin, slightly below the one-stop Challenger 650.

From North America and the Caribbean

A Citation CJ3 costs EUR 10,500 from Miami to Montego Bay and EUR 18,000 from New York. The runway at Ian Fleming airport is too short for the Challenger 350, so that column reads on request. A route from Florida that crosses Cuba needs a Cuban overflight permit, which the operator arranges or avoids by routing around. Flights between Montego Bay and Kingston are domestic and flown by a Jamaican operator or by helicopter.

European departure taxes depend on the country. The French solidarity tax is charged per passenger and grows with the length of the flight; Italy takes EUR 200 per passenger on a route of this length, whether the jet leaves from or lands in Italy; Austria EUR 12. From the UK, a jet of 20 t or more with fewer than 19 seats pays the higher Air Passenger Duty rate and lighter jets the standard rate. Germany, Norway and the Netherlands levy their own. Jamaican charges appear in the quote as separate lines.

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 with the full picture

Per passenger

Calculator

For an estimate on your own route, use the calculator:

Airports and private terminals

Only three airports in Jamaica are airports of entry. Smaller fields, such as Negril, Tinson Pen in Kingston and Ken Jones near Port Antonio, are domestic and reached only after clearing customs at one of the three.

There are no slots at Jamaican airports, but from mid-December to the end of April the apron at Montego Bay can be full at Christmas, New Year and the spring break, so we confirm the stand in writing. A CARICOM passenger information return is filed at least 30 minutes before every departure to, from or within the island.

Which aircraft

Golf bags and the luggage of a villa party are best declared at the request, because on a crossing of nine to ten hours fuel and baggage share the weight.

Where to land for each part of the island

Helicopters are booked to order: Montego Bay to Negril takes about 20 minutes, to Ocho Rios about 35 and across the island to Kingston about 50. Landing at a villa or a hotel lawn needs the owner's permission before the flight.

Seasons and events

The best months for Jamaica are mid-December to mid-April: the driest weather, cooling trade winds and the high season, when aircraft and villas should be booked early. May to August is hotter and wetter, and the Atlantic hurricane season runs from June to November, with September the most threatening month. Most Empty Legs come from long-range jets crossing without passengers ahead of Christmas or heading home after Easter, plus short Florida legs through the winter.

Empty Legs

An empty leg sold to you is a charter like any other and needs its own Jamaican permit. Send the direction and your dates to empty-legs@jets.flights; a flexible window improves the chances.

Flying with a dog or a cat

Jamaica is one of the harder Caribbean destinations for pets, and for a short holiday many owners leave the animal at home. The return to the EU, on the other hand, is simple.

• Every dog or cat needs an import permit from the Jamaican veterinary services, applied for at least a month ahead and up to six months ahead if documents are missing.
• A rabies antibody test with a result of at least 0.5 IU/ml from an approved laboratory, an ISO microchip fitted before vaccination, and the same chip number on every document.
• Arrival is through Kingston unless the Chief Veterinary Officer allows another airport, and the permit can require a period of quarantine after landing.
• The Dogo Argentino, Fila Brasileiro, Japanese Tosa and pit bull terrier may not be imported.
• Jamaica is on the EU list of exempted third countries, so a dog or cat with microchip and valid rabies vaccination returns to the EU without an antibody test.
• For Great Britain a dog is treated against tapeworm 1-5 days before landing and arrives on an approved route.
• In the jet the animal travels in the cabin beside you, once the operator has agreed.

Entry, permits and customs

Before departure

• Passports for everyone, valid for the whole stay, with free pages for stamps.
• C5 forms completed online.
• Villa or hotel address, so we choose the airport and arrange the car or helicopter.
• Golf bags and other bulky luggage declared at the request.
• ESTA or a US visa for anyone continuing to Florida or New York.
• Pet permit and test results, if an animal travels.

How to book

1. Send the part of Jamaica you are going to, the dates, the passengers and the luggage.
2. We choose Montego Bay, Kingston or Ian Fleming and compare a non-stop Global 6000 with a one-stop heavy jet.
3. Each offer names the operator, the aircraft, the flight time and the price for the whole jet.
4. Once the contract is signed and paid, the operator files with the JCAA and the FBO reserves the stand, fuel and car.
5. The FBO team meets the aircraft and walks you through customs to the car or helicopter.

Questions about private flights to Jamaica

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

  • From Lisbon a Falcon 900EX costs EUR 89,000 to Montego Bay without a stop; from London a Challenger 650 with one stop costs EUR 98,000 and a non-stop Global 6000 costs EUR 115,000, one way for the whole aircraft.

• • How long is the flight from Europe?

  • 9:21 h from London Farnborough to Montego Bay in a Global 6000, 8:38 h from Lisbon. With a fuel stop, allow about 90 minutes more.

• • Which airport should we use?

  • Montego Bay for the north coast resorts, villas and Negril; Kingston for the capital and the Blue Mountains; Ian Fleming for Ocho Rios and Oracabessa in a light or midsize jet.

• • Is there a private terminal?

  • Yes. At Montego Bay the Signature terminal clears customs and immigration inside; at Kingston Norman Manley FBO Services run a VIP terminal.

• • Can a large jet land at Ian Fleming airport?

  • No, its runway of about 1,450 m takes aircraft up to the size of a Citation Excel. Larger jets land at Montego Bay or Kingston.

• • Do EU and UK citizens need a visa?

  • Holiday visitors with UK and most EU passports need none, but a few EU nationalities have conditions, so we check each passport. The officer stamps the permitted stay, which varies by nationality, and everyone fills in the C5 form.

• • How far ahead should we book?

  • Allow at least four working days for the JCAA permit; around Christmas, New Year and the spring break, aircraft and stands at Montego Bay are taken weeks earlier.

• • When is the best time to go?

  • Mid-December to mid-April, the dry high season. The hurricane season lasts from June to November, with September the riskiest month.

• • Can we bring our dog?

  • Only with an import permit, an antibody test and arrival through Kingston, and the permit can require quarantine. The return to the EU is simple, because Jamaica is on the EU list.

• • Can we combine Jamaica with other islands?

  • Yes. Grand Cayman is about an hour away by Citation CJ3, Nassau and Providenciales about an hour and a half; each is a new international arrival.

• • Are there Empty Legs to Jamaica?

  • Transatlantic legs appear around Christmas and Easter, short legs from Florida and New York throughout the winter. Write to empty-legs@jets.flights.