Private jet to Karlovy Vary

Karlovy Vary is the best-known spa town of the Czech Republic, a place of about 49,000 people in the valley of the river Teplá, with colonnades over its hot springs and hotels that offer courses of treatment lasting one to three weeks. Together with Mariánské Lázně and Františkovy Lázně it belongs to the Great Spa Towns of Europe on the UNESCO list. Most private flights here bring guests for a cure or a rest after medical treatment; in early summer the international film festival adds a week of delegations and guests.

The town has its own airport at Olšová Vrata, about 4.5 km south-east of the centre, so the aircraft stops a quarter of an hour by car from the spa hotels. It is a small regional airport with one 2,150 m runway, and it opens only in the daytime: 08:00-19:00 in summer and until 16:00-18:00 in the winter months. The landing time therefore drives the whole plan, and Prague, open around the clock, is the backup for late arrivals. As a broker, we find the aircraft through operators across Europe, including the second flight that collects you at the end of your stay.

Tell us the hotel or sanatorium, the dates of arrival and departure and the number of guests. A consultant replies with aircraft options and the price for each leg.

Why a private flight suits a spa stay

Flight times to the spa town

Times in a Citation CJ3 from the price tables below, including taxi, climb and descent:

• Prague: 0:38 h in a CJ3, 0:42 h in a Pilatus PC-12
• Munich: 0:48 h, Berlin: 0:50 h
• Frankfurt: 0:56 h, Vienna: 0:59 h
• Hamburg: 1:06 h, Zurich: 1:07 h, Düsseldorf: 1:07 h
• Milan Linate and Brussels: 1:20 h, Amsterdam: 1:21 h
• Geneva: 1:26 h, Paris Le Bourget: 1:34 h, Nice: 1:41 h
• London Farnborough: 1:51 h, Madrid: 2:50 h, Larnaca: 3:49 h

The airport lies near the German border, so Bavaria, Saxony and Austria are less than an hour away. From most western European capitals the flight takes 1:20-1:51 h, short enough for a light jet even with two or three suitcases per person. From the Gulf the non-stop flight takes 5:08-5:14 h from Riyadh and 5:45-5:53 h from Dubai.

Private jet prices to Karlovy Vary

All prices are one way for the whole aircraft, without handling, airport fees and passenger taxes, and assume that a suitable aircraft is available near the departure airport. The flight time column refers to the first aircraft in each row.

From the main European hubs

Munich and Berlin, both under 250 km away, are the cheapest hubs at EUR 8,000 in a light jet. Frankfurt and Vienna cost EUR 8,500, and London EUR 11,000. On a stay of a week or more the return is usually a second one-way flight, priced when its date is fixed.

From nearby cities

On the short sectors from Prague, Saxony and Bavaria a turboprop is the cheapest choice and handles the runway easily; from Warsaw or Copenhagen it takes 1:44 h. The table compares it with two light jets:

Long-haul flights

The runway is 2,150 m long and 30 m wide. Heavy and long-range jets can use it after the operator has checked performance, and for the largest types the airport must provide a higher fire-fighting category, booked 24 hours ahead. Aircraft larger than those below normally land in Prague.

A price is the flight time plus a fixed share for bringing the aircraft and crew to the departure airport. The country of departure adds its passenger tax. France charges about EUR 420 per passenger on a jet, Italy EUR 100 per passenger up to 1,500 km on flights to or from Italy, and Austria EUR 12 per passenger, or EUR 30 up to 350 km as from Salzburg. UK Air Passenger Duty does not apply below 5.7 t; jets of 20 t or more with fewer than 19 seats pay the higher private-jet rate, and other jets pay the standard rate for their distance band. Flights leaving Germany pay the German departure tax per passenger. Airport and handling charges in Karlovy Vary, a higher fire category or an extension of the opening hours appear as separate lines 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

What a stay really costs

Price per person

The price covers the whole aircraft, so the share per guest drops as the cabin fills. Per-passenger taxes come on top:

Online calculator

The calculator gives a first estimate for your own route and dates and sends it by e-mail.

The airport at Olšová Vrata and the alternatives

Karlovy Vary Airport (KLV, LKKV) is a regional airport run by a company owned by the Karlovy Vary Region. It lies at 606 m above sea level, beside road 6 towards Prague. The single runway, 11/29, is 2,150 m long and 30 m wide, with 2,010 m available for landing and an ILS approach to runway 29. Scheduled traffic is limited to a few seasonal charters, so private aircraft rarely wait.

There is no separate FBO: the airport company provides ground handling, Jet A-1 fuel, de-icing and a hangar on request. Karlovy Vary is designated for border checks, so passengers from outside the Schengen area clear passport control and customs on arrival. Our part is the rest of the trip: the car at the aircraft, catering, the hotel and the clinic appointment.

Opening hours are the main constraint. From the end of March to the end of October the airport is open 08:00-19:00 local time. It closes at 18:00 in March before the clocks change, at 17:00 in November and February and at 16:00 in December and January. A flight outside these hours needs a request at least 24 hours in advance. The normal fire-fighting category is 4; a higher one for large aircraft is also booked a day ahead. At 606 m the operator also allows for altitude when calculating take-off performance on hot days.

Prague and other alternates

When the landing falls after closing time, low cloud covers the hills or the aircraft is very large, the flight goes to another airport. Distances are straight-line from Karlovy Vary:

Which aircraft for a cure or a festival

For two guests with a few suitcases, a Citation M2 or a CJ3 is enough. With four to six people, or luggage for several weeks, the Phenom 300 carries about 2.4 m³ against 1.8 m³ in the CJ3. A guest recovering from surgery is often more comfortable in midsize jets with a cabin about 1.7-1.8 m high. In frost, a hangar for a waiting aircraft often saves de-icing before the flight home.

Need help choosing the aircraft or the landing time? Leave your number and a consultant will call you back.

When to fly: opening hours and the festival

The calendar here is set by the airport's day length and by the film festival rather than by business events:

For the festival week we book the aircraft once the hotel is confirmed. Departing after a late screening means either an extension requested a day ahead or a drive to Prague, and most guests prefer a morning flight the next day.

From the airport to the colonnades and other spas

Empty Legs to and from Karlovy Vary

An Empty Leg is a flight the operator has to make without passengers, for example after dropping guests for a cure. At a small airport such flights appear less often than in Prague, but aircraft from Germany and Austria come regularly. Typical directions:

The operator fixes the date and time of an Empty Leg, so it suits guests with a flexible arrival day. Send your direction and a range of dates to empty-legs@jets.flights, and we write when a matching flight comes up.

Flying with a dog or cat

Your dog or cat stays in the cabin with you, once the operator has approved it. The Czech Republic follows the EU rules:

• ISO microchip, implanted before the rabies vaccination.
• Rabies vaccination at least 21 days before travel when it is the first one; puppies and kittens are vaccinated from 12 weeks of age.
• EU pet passport, or for animals from Great Britain an animal health certificate issued by an authorised vet.
• A maximum of five pets per person on a non-commercial trip.
• No tapeworm treatment is required for the Czech Republic.

Some operators require a carrier for take-off and landing or charge for cabin cleaning, so give us the species, breed and weight with your request.

Passports, registration and taxes

Before you fly: checklist

• Passport or ID card for every guest; the hotel needs it for registration.
• Name of the hotel or sanatorium and the dates of arrival and departure.
• Landing time inside the opening hours, or an extension requested a day ahead.
• Wheelchair, crutches or help at the steps, noted in the request.
• Number of suitcases for the whole stay.
• Pet passport, microchip and rabies record, and the hotel's pet policy.
• Whether the aircraft waits or a second flight collects you.

How to book a private jet to Karlovy Vary

1. Send the departure city, the dates of the stay, the number of guests, the luggage and any mobility needs.
2. We check the airport's hours for both days and propose a take-off time that lands you before closing, with Prague as the fallback.
3. You receive 2-4 aircraft options with operator, model, cabin photos and the price, showing the aircraft waiting and two separate one-way flights side by side.
4. You sign the contract and pay; we arrange handling, any hours extension, the car to the hotel and catering.
5. Come to the departure terminal 20-30 minutes before take-off. On arrival the driver meets you at the aircraft and takes you to the hotel in about 15 minutes.

Our team

Charlotte McKinney

Commercial Director

charlotte.m@jets.flights

Henry Richter

Head of Aviation Department and Data Protection Officer

henry.r@jets.flights

Emma Miller

Director of Development

emma.m@jets.flights

Liam Bishop

Senior Aviation Consultant

liam.b@jets.flights

Oliver Davis

Aviation Consultant

oliver.d@jets.flights

Anna Laurent

Aviation Consultant

anna.l@jets.flights

Questions about private flights to Karlovy Vary

• • How much does a private jet to Karlovy Vary cost?

  • From EUR 8,000 one way in a light jet from Munich or Berlin and EUR 11,000 from London, for the whole aircraft. From Prague a Pilatus PC-12 costs EUR 6,000. A cure usually means two one-way flights.

• • Should the aircraft wait during the whole stay?

  • For a weekend, yes. For a week or longer, parking and crew hotels usually cost more than sending the aircraft home and booking a second flight, and we show both options.

• • Can we land in the evening?

  • In summer the airport is open until 19:00, in winter only until 16:00-18:00. A later landing needs an extension requested at least a day ahead; otherwise the aircraft lands in Prague.

• • How far is the airport from the spa hotels?

  • About 6 km by road, roughly 15 minutes to the colonnades. Mariánské Lázně is about 50 minutes away by car.

• • Can a large jet use the runway?

  • The runway is 2,150 m long and 30 m wide, enough for business jets of every common size after a performance check. The largest long-range types normally land in Prague.

• • Is the flight suitable after surgery?

  • Yes. The walk from the aircraft to the car is short, and we arrange help at the steps and choose an aircraft with room for a wheelchair when you tell us in advance.

• • How long is the flight from London?

  • About 1:51 h from Farnborough in a Citation CJ3. Local time is one hour ahead of the UK.

• • Can we fly home the same night after a festival gala?

  • Only with an extension of the opening hours requested a day ahead, or by driving to Prague. Most guests stay the night and fly out the next morning.

• • Do I need a passport?

  • From Schengen airports there is no border check, but you need a passport or ID card, and the hotel registers foreign guests with the police. From the UK passports are checked on arrival.

• • Can our dog come to the spa hotel?

  • The dog flies in the cabin with a microchip, rabies vaccination and EU pet passport. Whether the hotel accepts it depends on the hotel, so we check before booking.

• • Are there Empty Legs to Karlovy Vary?

  • Sometimes, mostly from Munich, Berlin, Frankfurt and Austria. Send the direction and dates to empty-legs@jets.flights, and we let you know.

• • Can we combine the stay with Prague?

  • Yes. Prague is 1.5-2 hours by car or 0:42 h by turboprop, and many guests end with a few days there; see also our page on private flights to the Czech Republic.