Private jet to Madagascar

Madagascar is the fourth-largest island in the world, about 1,600 km long, off the south-east coast of Africa. Over 90 per cent of its wildlife lives nowhere else, and the lemurs, the eastern rainforests, the baobabs of the west and the limestone needles of the Tsingy are why most visitors come. Distances are large and roads are slow, so for a private trip the choice of airport matters as much as the aircraft.

In practice two airports serve business jets from Europe: Ivato at the capital, Antananarivo, on the central plateau, and Nosy Be off the north-west coast, the island's main beach resort. Outside these two, services are basic, and as a broker we confirm in writing what each airfield can offer before the aircraft leaves. Typical passengers are travellers heading for the wildlife parks and Nosy Be, film and research teams, and business and government visitors to the capital.

Tell us where you want to go, the dates and the number of passengers, and we check the airports and the aircraft for that plan.

Flight times from Europe

The Falcon 8X flies every route in the main table without a stop: Vienna - Nosy Be 9:50 h, Nice - Nosy Be 9:55 h, Milan Linate - Nosy Be 9:57 h, Geneva - Nosy Be 10:15 h, Munich - Antananarivo 10:46 h, Zurich - Antananarivo 10:50 h, Frankfurt - Antananarivo 11:07 h, Paris Le Bourget - Antananarivo 11:22 h, Amsterdam - Antananarivo 11:34 h and London Farnborough - Antananarivo 11:47 h; from Larnaca 8:08 h. A Praetor 600 lands once for fuel, in the Gulf or East Africa, and arrives about two and a half hours after the Falcon 8X. The routing around closed airspace is about 8 per cent longer than the straight line. Ivato lies at about 1,280 m above sea level, and on hot days the thinner air reduces the weight a jet can lift, so the operator may plan a fuel stop on the way home even when the outbound flight was direct.

What a private flight to Madagascar costs

Every figure is for the whole jet one way, with the aircraft based near the departure city; the ACM landing permit, handling at Ivato or Nosy Be, the fuel stop and passenger taxes are charged on top. Times in the third column belong to the first model listed.

From Europe to Antananarivo and Nosy Be

With one fuel stop a Praetor 600 costs from EUR 70,000 out of Larnaca and from EUR 83,000 out of Vienna or Nice to Nosy Be; Paris to the capital is EUR 94,000. A Falcon 8X flies direct for EUR 120,000 to Nosy Be from Vienna, Milan or Nice and EUR 140,000 from Paris to Antananarivo.

From the Indian Ocean and Africa

Réunion and Mayotte are French, Mauritius and the Seychelles are short hops for a light jet, and a safari in South Africa or Kenya can end on Nosy Be. Flights between two airports inside Madagascar are flown by the national airline or a Malagasy operator, not by the jet from Europe. On a departure from France the business jet tax rises with distance, about EUR 2,100 per passenger here against about EUR 420 within Europe, and from Italy EUR 200 per passenger applies at this distance; Austria charges EUR 12, the UK Air Passenger Duty at the higher rate for jets of 20 t or more with fewer than 19 seats and at the standard rate for lighter jets, and Germany, Norway and the Netherlands have their own taxes. Malagasy airport 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

Two trips priced

Price per person

Calculator

Other departure points can be priced with the calculator, which replies by e-mail:

Airports for business jets

Landings and overflights by foreign operators are approved by the civil aviation authority, ACM. Handlers quote 24 to 48 working hours once the file is complete, with the registration, operator certificates and the purpose of the flight; a change of aircraft or date can mean a new approval, so we apply several days ahead.

Aircraft for this route

From Europe a Falcon 8X, Gulfstream G650 or Global 7500 flies direct; a Praetor 600 or Challenger 650 lands once and costs less. For regional sectors from Réunion, Mauritius or Mayotte a Phenom 300 is enough, and the Challenger 350 carries more luggage from Johannesburg or Nairobi. See the ultra long range class for the non-stop aircraft.

To talk through permits and airports by phone, leave your number:

Which airport for which region

Seasons and events

The dry, cooler season from May to October is the main travel period, with June to August the busiest and September the driest month. The hot rainy season runs from November to April, and cyclones hit the east and north hardest from January to March. Empty Legs are few on this long route and appear mostly in July and before Christmas, when aircraft that brought guests fly home without passengers.

Empty Legs

Legs are rare on this route: a jet that drops guests in Antananarivo or Nosy Be and does not wait flies back to Europe empty, and aircraft working in East Africa or the Indian Ocean reposition from time to time. To be told about one, write to empty-legs@jets.flights with the direction and a range of dates; we do not promise a leg here.

Entry rules, health and pets

• Pets: microchip, rabies vaccination at least 21 days before travel, a health certificate issued shortly before the trip and an import permit from the veterinary services; Ivato is the only entry point for animals.
• Before booking, we obtain the current requirements in writing from the Malagasy veterinary services.
• Back in the EU an antibody test is required, unless it was done before departure and recorded in the pet passport. A dog continuing to Britain is treated against tapeworm 1-5 days before landing there and enters only through an approved route.

How to book

1. Send the route, dates, passengers and the regions you plan to visit.
2. We choose between Antananarivo and Nosy Be and check the onward local flights or roads.
3. You receive the options with operator, model, flight time and price for the whole aircraft.
4. After the contract and payment the operator applies to ACM for the landing permit and we confirm handling, fuel and parking in writing.
5. On arrival the handler meets the aircraft and takes you through immigration and the visa desk.

Questions about private flights to Madagascar

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

  • From EUR 70,000 one way from Larnaca in a Praetor 600 with one stop. From the main hubs a Falcon 8X flies direct for EUR 120,000 to EUR 145,000, for the whole aircraft.

• • Which airport should we use?

  • Antananarivo Ivato for the capital, the highlands and connections west and east; Nosy Be for the beach resorts in the north-west.

• • Does any jet reach Madagascar without a stop?

  • Yes, in a long-range jet: Paris Le Bourget - Antananarivo takes 11:22 h in a Falcon 8X. The way home may need a fuel stop because of Ivato's altitude.

• • Do we need a visa?

  • Yes. EU and UK citizens get a tourist visa on arrival or online, for a fee; the passport needs six months of validity from the day you land.

• • Can our jet fly us on to Morondava?

  • No, flights within the country are flown by the national airline or a Malagasy operator. The jet waits at Ivato or flies home.

• • Which months are best for a trip?

  • May to October, the dry season; whales are at Sainte-Marie from July to September. January to March brings cyclones.

• • Can we combine Madagascar with Réunion or Mauritius?

  • Yes. Réunion - Antananarivo takes 1:40 h in a Phenom 300 for EUR 12,500, Mauritius 1:57 h for EUR 13,500.

• • Can we bring a dog or cat?

  • Yes, with an import permit, microchip, rabies vaccination and a recent health certificate, entering through Ivato. We confirm the current rules in writing first.

• • What is the time difference?

  • Madagascar is two hours ahead of Paris in winter and one in summer, and three hours ahead of London in winter.