Private jet to Krakow

Poland's former royal capital draws two kinds of private flyer. One comes for business: the city has the largest cluster of shared service centres and technology offices in Poland, and boards from western Europe and the United States fly in for audits and reviews. The other comes for the place itself: the medieval Old Town on the UNESCO list, Wawel Castle above the Vistula, the Jewish quarter of Kazimierz, the Wieliczka salt mine and the Auschwitz-Birkenau memorial. In winter a third group lands here on the way to the ski slopes of the Tatra Mountains.

All business jets use Kraków John Paul II International Airport at Balice, 11 km west of the Main Market Square. The airport runs its own VIP Terminal with a meet-and-assist service, independent handlers work on the apron, and the 2,550 m runway is open round the clock. It is the second-busiest airport in Poland and has a single runway, so the slot and prior permission are arranged before every private flight. We work as a broker: we look for a suitable aircraft among operators across Europe and send one price for the whole aircraft.

Send the route, the date and the number of passengers through the form, and a consultant will reply with aircraft options and the price.

Reasons to land at Balice

How long the flight to Balice takes

Times in a light jet, as given in the price tables below, counting taxi, climb and descent:

• Budapest: 0:55 h, 297 km
• Vienna: 0:57 h, Prague: 1:03 h, Berlin: 1:12 h
• Munich: 1:21 h, Hamburg: 1:35 h, Copenhagen: 1:35 h, Frankfurt: 1:37 h
• Zurich: 1:43 h, Milan Linate: 1:48 h, Stockholm: 1:57 h, Amsterdam: 1:59 h
• Geneva: 2:02 h, Nice: 2:09 h, Paris Le Bourget: 2:15 h
• London Farnborough: 2:31 h, 1,450 km
• Larnaca: 3:19 h, Madrid: 3:25 h

From Central Europe the city is a one-hour hop; from the western hubs it is a 2-2.5 hour sector on which a midsize cabin is only about 10 minutes faster but gives noticeably more room. From Warsaw, Wroclaw or Bratislava a Pilatus PC-12 needs about an hour. Non-stop from Tel Aviv takes 3:08-3:17 h, from Dubai 5:05-5:21 h depending on the aircraft.

What a private jet to Krakow costs

Each figure is the one-way price of the whole aircraft before handling, airport charges and passenger taxes, assuming an aircraft based near the departure airport. Flight times are given for the first aircraft in the row.

Fares from the European hubs

Budapest at EUR 8,000 and Vienna and Prague at EUR 8,500 are the cheapest light jet sectors. From London the CJ3 costs EUR 13,500 against EUR 22,000 for the Challenger 350; from Paris the figures are EUR 12,500 and EUR 20,000.

Short sectors in Poland and next door

Distances of 230-630 km suit a turboprop. The PC-12 is clearly cheaper, and a jet saves only about 10 minutes on the domestic legs:

Katowice is 67 km away and Rzeszów 160 km, so we do not offer charters between them and Balice: the drive is quicker than the flight plus two sets of airport formalities.

From other European cities

Long-haul flights

Visits to the memorial at Oświęcim and to the sites of Jewish heritage in Kazimierz bring groups from Israel and North America. Tel Aviv and Dubai are non-stop in all three types; from New York the Challenger 650 needs a fuel stop:

Each price covers the flight time plus a fixed share for positioning the aircraft and crew. Passenger taxes depend on where you take off: about EUR 420 per passenger on a jet leaving France and about half on a turboprop; EUR 100 per passenger from Milan or Rome, both under the Italian 1,500 km limit, and EUR 30 per passenger from Vienna, because the sector is shorter than 350 km. Germany charges a departure tax. From the UK, Air Passenger Duty is due at the standard rate on most jets and at the higher rate on aircraft of 20 t or more with fewer than 19 seats, while aircraft under 5.7 t are exempt. Airport and handling charges at Balice 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, costed

Fare per passenger

Because the whole aircraft is chartered, each extra passenger lowers the cost per seat. Passenger taxes come on top per head:

Calculator

Enter your route, date and number of passengers, and the calculator sends an estimate to your e-mail.

Kraków-Balice airport and the alternates

Kraków John Paul II International Airport (KRK, EPKK) lies at Balice, 11 km west of the city centre, at 241 m above sea level. Its single runway, 07/25, is 2,550 m long and takes every business jet class from turboprops to long-range jets. For the largest types leaving fully loaded on an intercontinental sector, the elevation and summer heat lengthen the take-off run, and the operator calculates performance for the day.

The airport operates its own VIP Terminal with a business lounge and a meet-and-assist service, and independent handling companies serve private aircraft on separate general aviation stands. Ramp services and fees differ, so we ask the operator which handler it prefers and confirm it in writing before payment.

Balice is listed as open round the clock, with the tower manned at all hours, so a departure after dinner or an early return is possible once the time is approved. The airport is slot-coordinated all year, and non-scheduled flights need prior permission, both requested through the handler. With one runway and heavy scheduled traffic, an urgent slot can be hard to find, especially in the winter holidays.

Katowice and other fallbacks

When weather, a missing slot or an operational problem rules out Balice, we prepare a fallback with ground transport before departure. Distances are straight-line from Balice:

Fares to Katowice differ little from those to Balice:

Which aircraft for the city and the mountains

Skis and boot bags fill a hold long before the seats are taken. Up to four skiers fit a light jet; six to eight people with ski bags need a midsize jet such as the Citation XLS+ or the Praetor 500 with a larger hold. On the European routes the Citation Mustang, Phenom 300 and Legacy 650 are the types seen most often, and the midsize jets page compares the cabins.

Planning a ski week or a group trip? Leave your number and a consultant will call you back.

The year in Krakow and the Tatras

Two calendars overlap here, the business year and the tourist year with the winter season in the mountains. These regular periods change demand for aircraft and slots:

For the winter holidays and the Christmas weeks, secure the aircraft several weeks ahead. For a city trip without skiing, March and April give the widest choice of aircraft.

Getting from Balice to the city, the salt mine and Zakopane

Empty Legs on Krakow routes

An Empty Leg is a sector the operator flies without passengers, for example to collect clients or to return to base. Ski traffic runs mostly in one direction at a time, so in winter empty returns from Balice are especially common. Typical directions:

The operator fixes the date and time of an Empty Leg, so these flights suit a flexible plan. Send the direction and a range of dates to empty-legs@jets.flights, and we pass on matching sectors as they come up.

A dog or cat on the flight

The animal flies in the cabin with you, never in the hold, and the operator must agree to it before booking. For Poland the EU rules apply:

• Microchip to ISO standard, implanted before the rabies vaccination.
• Rabies vaccination at least 21 days before travel for a first vaccination, at an age of at least 12 weeks.
• EU pet passport; pets from Great Britain need an animal health certificate, valid for 10 days from issue.
• No more than five pets per person on a non-commercial trip.
• No tapeworm treatment is needed to enter Poland.

Ask the hotel in Zakopane or in the Old Town whether it accepts pets, and tell us the size of the dog so the operator can confirm the cabin.

Border rules, customs and taxes

What to prepare

• Passport or ID card for each passenger, including children.
• Passenger names, dates of birth and passport or ID numbers, the day before departure.
• Number of suitcases, ski bags and boot bags.
• Pet passport or health certificate with microchip and rabies records.
• Hotel address in the city or the mountains, and whether a helicopter landing site is needed.
• Bookings for Wieliczka or the memorial, so the car is timed to the entry.
• Invoice details: company name and VAT number.

From request to take-off

1. Send the route, the date, the number of passengers, the luggage including skis, and the final address in the city or the mountains.
2. We check the slot and prior permission at Balice and, when needed, the helicopter or the car to Zakopane.
3. You get 2-4 options: operator, model, year of build, cabin photos and one price for the whole aircraft.
4. You sign the contract and pay; we confirm the slot, the handler, the transfer and catering.
5. Be at the airport 20-30 minutes before departure. At Balice the car meets you at the VIP Terminal or, with a pass, at the aircraft.

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

Krakow private jet FAQ

• • How much is a private jet to Krakow?

  • A turboprop from Warsaw, Wroclaw or Bratislava costs from EUR 7,000 one way, a light jet from Budapest EUR 8,000 and from London EUR 13,500, for the whole aircraft. Handling and passenger taxes come on top.

• • Where do private jets land in Krakow?

  • At Kraków John Paul II International Airport in Balice, 11 km west of the centre. Passengers go through the airport's VIP Terminal, and handlers work on the general aviation stands.

• • How long is the flight from London?

  • 2:31 h from Farnborough in a Citation CJ3 and 2:19 h in a Challenger 350. Local time in Krakow is one hour ahead of London.

• • How do I get from the airport to Zakopane?

  • By car in 2-2.5 hours, longer on winter weekends, or by helicopter in about 30 minutes to a landing site agreed in advance.

• • Can I land at Balice late in the evening?

  • Yes, the airport is open round the clock. A slot and prior permission are still required, and we confirm the time in writing.

• • Which aircraft suits a ski trip?

  • Up to four people with skis fit a light jet. For six to eight skiers we suggest a midsize jet such as the Citation XLS+ because of the baggage hold.

• • Do I need a passport?

  • Not on a flight from another Schengen country, although the operator still records a passport or ID card for each passenger. Arrivals from the UK, Israel or the USA go through passport control at Balice.

• • Can my dog come on the flight?

  • Yes. It flies in the cabin and needs a microchip, an EU pet passport and a rabies vaccination given at least 21 days before the flight; Poland asks for no tapeworm treatment.

• • Are there Empty Legs from Krakow?

  • Yes, especially in winter, when aircraft return empty to Germany and the UK after ski arrivals. Send the direction and possible dates to empty-legs@jets.flights.

• • When is the cheapest time to fly?

  • March and April, between the ski season and the summer. The winter holidays and the weeks around Christmas are the most expensive.

• • Can I combine Krakow with Vienna or Prague?

  • Yes. Both are about an hour away in a light jet, and keeping the same aircraft for the next leg usually costs less than a separate booking.