Private jet to Laos

Laos is the only country in Southeast Asia without a coastline, and no airline flies there from Europe, so a scheduled trip means at least one change, usually in Bangkok or Hanoi. Most visitors come for Luang Prabang, the old royal town on the Mekong listed by UNESCO; the capital, Vientiane, is the place for meetings and embassies, and Pakse in the south serves the temple of Wat Phou and the Bolaven Plateau.

A private jet lands at any of the three without a change: a Gulfstream G650 flies Vienna - Vientiane nonstop in 10:34 h, and a super midsize jet makes one fuel stop. The airports are small and open in daylight only, and the landing permit takes longer than in the neighbouring countries, so we plan the schedule backwards from the opening hour and file as soon as the dates are fixed.

Send the airport, the dates and the number of passengers, and mention any onward legs to Thailand, Vietnam or Cambodia.

Why fly there privately

Prices and flight times

All prices are for the whole aircraft, one way, plus the permit, handling, parking and passenger taxes. European operators detour around closed and restricted airspace, south over Turkey and the Gulf or Central Asia, so the tables from Europe add 10 % to the straight line. Luang Prabang is the closest of the three airports to Europe, Pakse the furthest.

From Europe

From London the choice is EUR 99,000 to Luang Prabang in a Praetor 600 with one stop, or EUR 155,000 in a Gulfstream G650 that flies the 11:41 h without landing. A heavy Challenger 650 sits in between and seats up to twelve. Because the airports close at 18:00, a jet that would land after dark waits longer at its fuel stop and arrives in the morning.

From the Gulf and Asia

Short hops in the region

From Dubai a Praetor 600 reaches Vientiane in 6:41 h for EUR 46,000. Bangkok Don Mueang - Vientiane costs EUR 9,000 in a Citation CJ3, Siem Reap - Pakse EUR 8,000, which links the trip with Angkor in Cambodia. Vientiane - Luang Prabang is a domestic sector: whether the aircraft from abroad may fly it is cleared with the authority in writing; if not, a local flight or the train between the two cities takes over. On the European side the passenger taxes differ by country. From France the tax on jet passengers rises with distance, about EUR 2,100 to Laos and about EUR 420 within Europe; Italy charges EUR 200 per passenger on flights from or to its airports beyond 1,500 km, and Austria EUR 12. Germany and the Netherlands (the Dutch tax from 5.7 t) levy their own amounts; British APD is not charged on aircraft under 5.7 t, the higher rate covers aircraft of 20 t or more with fewer than 19 seats, and other jets pay the standard rate for the distance. Lao airport and permit 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

Price per passenger

For a first figure on another route, use the calculator and name the Lao airport in the comment.

Airports

• The Department of Civil Aviation approves landing and overflight permits. The request names the operator, the aircraft and its registration, the crew, the full route, the times and the passengers; we file as soon as the dates are fixed and allow up to 15 days.
• A change of date, route or aircraft can mean an amended permit, so the schedule is fixed before filing.
• Crew visas issued on arrival against the general declaration are short, so a crew that waits several days has its visas arranged in advance.
• From February to April the burning of fields in the north can leave a haze that lowers visibility at Luang Prabang; in the wet season afternoon storms delay movements.
• Other airfields, such as Savannakhet with its 1,633 m runway and no customs, are not planned for foreign business jets without written approval.

Vang Vieng has no airport for jets: the party lands at Wattay and drives about 110 km. Vientiane and Luang Prabang are also linked by a railway that continues north to China, which can replace the domestic flight. If you are unsure which airport fits the programme, leave a number and a consultant will call.

The year month by month

November to February is the best time to fly in: cool, dry and sunny, the busiest season in Luang Prabang. March to May is hot, and from June to October the monsoon brings afternoon showers and green hills. Empty Legs between Europe and Southeast Asia are most frequent around Christmas and in early January, and the long-range jets usually pass through Bangkok, Singapore or Hanoi rather than through the Lao airports.

Empty Legs

Direct Empty Legs to Laos are rare. More often a long-range jet returning to Europe from Bangkok, Singapore or Hanoi has a free sector, and a light jet covers the short hop to Vientiane or Luang Prabang; light jets based in Thailand also fly back empty after drop-offs in Laos. An empty sector still needs its own landing permit, so the dates must leave time to file it. A message to empty-legs@jets.flights with the route and a few possible dates is enough to be notified.

Dogs and cats

• For the departure from the EU: a microchip to ISO standard, the EU pet passport and a rabies vaccination given 21 days or more before the flight, for at most five animals; the pet flies in the cabin beside you with the operator's approval.
• Entering Laos: an import permit from the Department of Livestock and Fisheries, obtained in advance; a 15-digit ISO microchip; a rabies vaccination given 30 days to 12 months before travel, to an animal older than three months; and a health certificate issued shortly before departure and endorsed by the government veterinary service, which is valid for a few days only.
• The animal enters through Wattay in Vientiane, where a veterinary officer checks it and the papers with the owner present. Pit bulls, Akitas, Boerboels and their crosses are not admitted.
• Plan for a rabies antibody test of at least 0.5 IU/ml, taken at least 30 days after the vaccination: the import permit can require it, and the return to the EU always does, since Laos is not on the EU list. Taken before leaving the EU, it spares the three-month wait on return.
• Arriving in Great Britain, the animal needs a Great Britain pet health certificate and the blood test with its three-month wait, and a dog a tapeworm treatment 1-5 days before landing; Ireland, Malta, Finland and Norway have the tapeworm rule as well.

Visa and entry

How to book

1. Send the airport, the dates, the passengers and any onward countries.
2. We compare a nonstop jet with one that stops for fuel and fit the arrival into the daylight hours.
3. You receive offers with operator, aircraft, route, flight time and the price for the whole aircraft.
4. The contract is made with the operator; you pay by bank transfer or card, and the cancellation charges, which rise as departure approaches, are set out in it.
5. We collect passport details and file the permit; on arrival the handler meets you at the aircraft and helps at the visa desk.

Questions about private flights to Laos

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

  • From EUR 82,000 one way for the whole aircraft, Istanbul - Vientiane in a Praetor 600 with one stop. From Vienna to Vientiane a nonstop Gulfstream G650 costs EUR 140,000, before the permit, handling and taxes.

• • Can we fly nonstop from Europe?

  • Yes, in an ultra long range jet such as the Gulfstream G650, from every hub in the table. A Praetor 600 or a Challenger 650 lands once on the way to refuel.

• • Vientiane or Luang Prabang?

  • Luang Prabang for the old town and the waterfalls, Vientiane for meetings and for the Thai border. They are 0:48 h apart by light jet, or a few hours by train.

• • Can we land after dark?

  • No. The three airports close at 18:00 local time, so the arrival is planned within daylight, and the jet waits longer at its fuel stop if needed.

• • How far ahead should we book?

  • Two to three weeks if possible, because the landing permit request is best filed 15 days before the flight. At short notice, landing in Bangkok or Hanoi and continuing by light jet can be faster.

• • Do Europeans need a visa for Laos?

  • Most do. An e-visa or a visa on arrival at Vientiane, Luang Prabang or Pakse gives 30 days, and the digital immigration form is filled in within three days before arrival.

• • Can we bring a dog?

  • Yes, with an import permit, a microchip, a rabies vaccination and an endorsed health certificate. Take the antibody test in Europe so it covers the return as well.

• • What is the time difference?

  • Laos keeps UTC+7 all year: seven hours ahead of London in winter, six while Britain is on summer time.