Private jet to Kyiv

Ukrainian civil airspace is closed to flights, and both airports of the capital, Boryspil and Zhuliany, take no civil traffic. EASA, the European aviation safety agency, also tells operators not to fly in Ukrainian airspace, landings and take-offs included. A private jet therefore cannot be booked to Kyiv itself. What we arrange is the flight to the nearest open airport in a neighbouring country and the ground journey that follows, timed so that the aircraft, the car and the train fit together.

In most cases the aircraft lands at Rzeszów-Jasionka in south-east Poland, about 95 km from Przemyśl station, where the trains to Kyiv start. Travellers who prefer a sleeper fly to Warsaw, and Krakow and Chișinău are the other options. The flight from London takes under three hours, while the whole journey to a hotel in Kyiv usually takes a day and a night. Below are the gateways, their prices, the ground legs and the rules for documents and pets.

Tell us the date, the group size and how you want to continue, by train or by car, and a consultant proposes the gateway, the aircraft and the price.

Which airport to fly to instead

The choice depends on the onward connection more than on the flight. Flight times are for a Citation CJ3 from London Farnborough; ground times come from published timetables and road distances and are planning figures, not promises:

Rzeszów wins on distance to the border. Warsaw saves a hotel night if you can get berths on the sleeper, which often sell out two to three weeks ahead. Krakow is the fallback when civil flights at Rzeszów are suspended for a few hours, which the Polish air navigation service has done on occasion. Lublin is a further option, about an hour by car from Chełm, where trains cross into Ukraine at Dorohusk, but its fixed opening hours make late arrivals harder.

Prices to the gateways

Every fare is for the whole aircraft one way, with handling, airport charges and passenger taxes on top. Trains, hotels and transport inside Ukraine are not included; the car from the aircraft to the station or the border can be added to the quote.

To Rzeszów from the European hubs

To Warsaw, Krakow and Chișinău

The same aircraft classes to the other gateways, for comparison with the Rzeszów prices above:

The London and Vienna rows to Chișinău include about 7 % for the detour around Ukraine; from Istanbul the route over the Black Sea is direct:

From London the CJ3 costs EUR 14,000 to Rzeszów and EUR 13,500 to Warsaw or Krakow, so the difference lies on the ground rather than in the air. The departure country sets the passenger tax: France charges about EUR 420 per passenger on a jet, Italy EUR 100 up to 1,500 km and EUR 200 beyond, Austria EUR 12. Germany, the Netherlands and the UK also charge departure taxes, which appear 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

Two typical trips

Price per person

Calculator

The calculator estimates the flight to the gateway; mention in the comment that you are travelling on to Kyiv and how.

Kyiv airports and the open airports nearby

Boryspil International (KBP, UKBB), about 29 km east of the city, has runways of 4,000 m and 3,500 m. Zhuliany, named after Igor Sikorsky (IEV, UKKK), lies about 7 km south-west of the centre with a 2,310 m runway and was the main business aviation airport of the capital. Neither can be used while civil airspace is closed. When civil flights resume and operators publish procedures, we will quote them again.

At Rzeszów slots are not required and the tower works from early morning until after midnight; Excel Handling, LS Airport Services and FCG OPS are among the agents. Moldova keeps parts of its airspace near the Ukrainian boundary closed, so a Chișinău routing is agreed with the operator in advance.

Aircraft for the trip

The aircraft stops in Poland or Moldova, and from there everyone carries their own bags onto a train or into a car, so the number of passengers decides the class:

• Up to four people with cabin bags: a Citation CJ3 or Phenom 300, under three hours from London.
• Five to eight people, or equipment cases: a Citation XLS+ or Challenger 350.
• A delegation of ten or more: a Challenger 650, with coach seats or a block of berths booked weeks ahead.
• Hops inside Poland, for example Warsaw - Rzeszów: a Pilatus PC-12 turboprop.

For a stay of several days it is usually cheaper to release the aircraft and book the way home separately than to pay for parking and crew waiting time.

The ground journey in practice

Empty Legs on these routes

Many aircraft fly back west empty after dropping passengers at Rzeszów or Warsaw. Typical directions are Rzeszów - Germany, Rzeszów - London, Warsaw - Scandinavia and Rzeszów - Vienna. The operator sets the date, so these sectors suit a flexible return. Send the direction and dates to empty-legs@jets.flights, and we forward matching flights.

Dogs, cats and the border

On the flight to Poland the animal travels in the cabin beside you under EU rules: microchip, rabies vaccination at least 21 days before travel and an EU pet passport, up to five animals per person, with the operator's approval in advance. Taking the animal on into Ukraine is a different matter: Ukraine is not on the EU list of countries with simplified pet rules, so coming back into the EU requires a rabies antibody test with a waiting period, which means planning months ahead.

Documents and rules

Checklist

• Passport valid for the whole stay for every traveller.
• Train tickets or berths bought before the flight is confirmed.
• Hotel in Przemyśl or Warsaw if the train leaves the next day.
• Passenger list with document numbers the day before departure.
• Luggage each person can carry on the train or across the border.
• Pet papers, including the Ukrainian requirements if the animal travels on.

How the booking works

1. Send the date, the group size, the luggage and how you want to continue: day train, sleeper or car.
2. We propose the gateway airport and the landing time that fits the connection, with Krakow as the alternate.
3. You receive 2-4 aircraft options with operator, model and price, and the car to the station or the border.
4. You sign the contract with the operator and pay by bank transfer or card; cancellation terms depend on the operator and the time to departure.
5. On the day, the car meets the aircraft and takes you to the station, the hotel or the border.

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 getting to Kyiv by private jet

• • Can a private jet land in Kyiv?

  • No. Ukrainian civil airspace is closed, and Boryspil and Zhuliany take no civil flights. We fly you to an open airport nearby and plan the onward journey.

• • Which airport is closest?

  • Rzeszów in south-east Poland, about 95 km from Przemyśl station and 100-105 km from the Medyka and Korczowa crossings.

• • What does the flight to the gateway cost?

  • From London a Citation CJ3 costs EUR 14,000 to Rzeszów and EUR 13,500 to Warsaw or Krakow, one way for the whole aircraft. Taxes, handling and the car are added in the quote.

• • How long does the trip take door to door?

  • The flight from London takes 2:31-2:44 h depending on the Polish gateway. With the drive, a hotel night or a night train and about 10.5-14 h by rail, plan on a day and a night.

• • Can I fly to Warsaw and take the train?

  • Yes. The sleeper from Warszawa Wschodnia leaves in the early evening and reaches Kyiv the next morning after about 14 hours; berths often sell out two to three weeks ahead.

• • Do I need a visa for Ukraine?

  • EU and UK citizens need no visa for up to 90 days in any 180, but a passport valid for the whole stay is required.

• • Can the aircraft wait in Poland?

  • Yes, but for stays of more than a day or two it is usually cheaper to send the aircraft home and book the return separately.

• • Can I take my dog?

  • To Poland, yes, in the cabin under EU rules. Taking the dog on into Ukraine and back into the EU requires a rabies antibody test and months of preparation.

• • Can I use an Empty Leg for the way back?

  • Yes, aircraft often return west empty; tell us your direction and dates at empty-legs@jets.flights.